Transformed by Him, for Him

Acts 26:16 – Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.

With Agrippa’s permission, Paul gives his defense. Paul begins by recalling his very authentic Jewish roots and his staunch religious upbringing. He assures the assembly that his hope remains in the promise God made to their ancestors, making it clear that in heart and mind he remained a faithful Jew. His faith in Jesus was an overflow of that faith. But sadly, it is for that very hope, that he was on trial.

Paul acknowledges that until his encounter with the risen Christ, he did all that he could to oppose those who followed Jesus. He violently persecuted His followers. But after meeting Jesus, his life was never the same again.

Paul went from the persecutor to the believer, with as much passion. When God called him to be His ambassador, Paul did his zealous best, even in the face of much persecution, opposition and hardship. He became one of the greatest apostles ever and the author of numerous books in the New Testament. That is the transformational power of Christ which is available for every life lived in Christ. The Gospel is for everyone, even the worst sinner, as Paul called himself (1 Timothy 1:15).

Paul went from being passionately against God to one who was totally surrendered to Christ and sold out for the Gospel. Is yours a life completely surrendered to Christ? Christ can transform your life if you are willing to obey His call and follow Him wholeheartedly.