Act 26:17-18 | KingComments | STEP | From now on, his life will take a radical turn. The Lord has not only spoken to him to bring him to repentance and salvation. He has to get up and stand on his feet, because the Lord wants to make him a servant and a witness. Paul immediately learns the purpose of his conversion. This also applies to us ( ; ). There was a great work ahead of him. For this the Lord appeared to him. His testimony has a glorified Lord as its object. He is a completely different witness than the twelve apostles who travelled through Israel with the Lord. Just as the service of Peter and John was typified by the Christ on earth, so his service is characterized by a glorified Lord, a Lord in heaven. Wherever the Lord will appear to him, it will have to do with revealing the mystery of Christ and the church. His service will also be characterized by being detached from Judaism and all other people in order to be set apart for a service to them all. He occupies a chosen position both with regard to Judaism and paganism. He has a message from the Lord for both, Who sends him to them. He has to bring that message to blind Jews as well as to the Gentiles. Judaism has lost its privileged position. In a similar way we have been detached from the world at our conversion ( ). This is not to live in isolation, but to be sent straight back into it ( ) to serve the lost people for the purpose of their conversion. Only God can open eyes ( ). If Paul is commanded to do the same, it means that he can act in the name of God. Opening eyes means that someone’s eyes are opened for who he is toward God to then see what has been given to him by God. In order to open the eyes of others we must have an eye for the possibilities God gives for that. For example, Paul opened the eyes of the Athenians by pointing out the altar to the unknown God ( ). Here he stands before Agrippa, whose eyes he also wants to open. He speaks to him in a penetrating way what this opening of the eyes means. The few words the Lord has spoken to him about this and which he passes on to Agrippa, contain the fullness of the gospel. Through the gospel one’s eyes are opened; he comes into the light and to God (cf. ) with all the glorious consequences. In the first place it is about people turning from the power of darkness to light. Paul has just given an impressive personal testimony of this light. The power of darkness is the darkness in which the soul is enveloped by sin. This power of darkness also reigned in Paul’s soul, despite all his religiousness. People must also turn from the power of satan to God. The power of satan focuses more on the outward bondage through which people come to a life that revolves only around themselves and the satisfaction of their own needs. Paul has testified to this as well. In order to live meaningfully, conversion to God is necessary. God is the Creator and knows perfectly what is necessary for a life to His glory and He also gives what is necessary for that. Such a life “is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and [also] for the [life] to come” ( ). The consequences of conversion are also great. This is what Paul also speaks about. It is a life based on the forgiveness of sins received through faith “in Me”, that is in the Lord Jesus. The forgiveness of sins is the awareness that there is nothing more between the holy God and the sinful man who has converted. When sins are gone that make separation between God and man, it opens the way for the Lord to give every converted soul an inheritance among the saints. Christendom is not some kind of fulfillment of Judaism, but goes far beyond it. It is about “an inheritance among those who have been sanctified”, an inheritance together with all the other saints, in the light. It is not an inheritance on earth, but “in the light” ( ). It is an inheritance with Christ ( ). All these glorious things are connected with the faith in Him Who was once hated so much by Paul, but Who stopped him.

‏ Acts 26:17-18

The Lord’s Command to Paul

From now on, his life will take a radical turn. The Lord has not only spoken to him to bring him to repentance and salvation. He has to get up and stand on his feet, because the Lord wants to make him a servant and a witness. Paul immediately learns the purpose of his conversion. This also applies to us (1Thes 1:9-10; Heb 9:14). There was a great work ahead of him. For this the Lord appeared to him.

His testimony has a glorified Lord as its object. He is a completely different witness than the twelve apostles who travelled through Israel with the Lord. Just as the service of Peter and John was typified by the Christ on earth, so his service is characterized by a glorified Lord, a Lord in heaven. Wherever the Lord will appear to him, it will have to do with revealing the mystery of Christ and the church.

His service will also be characterized by being detached from Judaism and all other people in order to be set apart for a service to them all. He occupies a chosen position both with regard to Judaism and paganism. He has a message from the Lord for both, Who sends him to them. He has to bring that message to blind Jews as well as to the Gentiles. Judaism has lost its privileged position.

In a similar way we have been detached from the world at our conversion (Gal 1:4). This is not to live in isolation, but to be sent straight back into it (Jn 20:21) to serve the lost people for the purpose of their conversion.

Only God can open eyes (Psa 146:8). If Paul is commanded to do the same, it means that he can act in the name of God. Opening eyes means that someone’s eyes are opened for who he is toward God to then see what has been given to him by God. In order to open the eyes of others we must have an eye for the possibilities God gives for that. For example, Paul opened the eyes of the Athenians by pointing out the altar to the unknown God (Acts 17:22-23). Here he stands before Agrippa, whose eyes he also wants to open. He speaks to him in a penetrating way what this opening of the eyes means.

The few words the Lord has spoken to him about this and which he passes on to Agrippa, contain the fullness of the gospel. Through the gospel one’s eyes are opened; he comes into the light and to God (cf. Col 1:12) with all the glorious consequences. In the first place it is about people turning from the power of darkness to light. Paul has just given an impressive personal testimony of this light. The power of darkness is the darkness in which the soul is enveloped by sin. This power of darkness also reigned in Paul’s soul, despite all his religiousness.

People must also turn from the power of satan to God. The power of satan focuses more on the outward bondage through which people come to a life that revolves only around themselves and the satisfaction of their own needs. Paul has testified to this as well. In order to live meaningfully, conversion to God is necessary. God is the Creator and knows perfectly what is necessary for a life to His glory and He also gives what is necessary for that. Such a life “is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and [also] for the [life] to come” (1Tim 4:8).

The consequences of conversion are also great. This is what Paul also speaks about. It is a life based on the forgiveness of sins received through faith “in Me”, that is in the Lord Jesus. The forgiveness of sins is the awareness that there is nothing more between the holy God and the sinful man who has converted. When sins are gone that make separation between God and man, it opens the way for the Lord to give every converted soul an inheritance among the saints.

Christendom is not some kind of fulfillment of Judaism, but goes far beyond it. It is about “an inheritance among those who have been sanctified”, an inheritance together with all the other saints, in the light. It is not an inheritance on earth, but “in the light” (Col 1:12). It is an inheritance with Christ (Eph 1:10-11). All these glorious things are connected with the faith in Him Who was once hated so much by Paul, but Who stopped him.