Acts 22, Page 1
Acts 22
Acts 22:1-30
(1) Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defencewhich I make now unto you.
(2) (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
(3) I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
- Gamaliel: When Paul began to make his defense, he “name dropped” Gamaliel, who was probably one of the most respected Jewish rabbis of his day. I believe I’ve mentioned it before that in his writings, Gamaliel had written concerning Paul as one of his students. The only complaint that Gamaliel had about Paul as a student was that it was hard to keep Paul supplied with enough books. Paul was an avid student, and he was a man of The Word, but he also loved literature.
2Timothy 4:13
(13) The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.
- Seeking a connection: In trying to make his defense, Paul sought to identify with his accusers by saying, “Men and brethren, I was once just like you and was zealous toward God, as [you] all are this day.” What I want to bring to your attention is that Paul said, “I was zealous toward God, as [you] all are this day.” Do not make the mistake of thinking that Paul was no longer zealous because he used the word, “was.” It’s just that he was no longer zealous toward God, attempting to establish his own righteousness.
Romans 10:2
(2) For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
Paul’s testimony: I want to remind you that when Paul said, “I was once zealous for God, even as you are this day,” he was talking about his past religious life. Paul had been very religious. He grew up at the feet of one of the most respected rabbis of that time and was zealous of the law. In fact, concerning himself, Paul would later write this to the Philippian church:
Philippians 3:5-6
(5) Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
(6) Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
You see, Paul was a very religious man, my friends. When he had his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus, he was not a man who had been humbled by the Spirit of God from a wretched background. Paul lived an upright life but one of strict religiosity—one that was, no doubt, headed to the same eternal damnation that the most wretched sinner, God-denying infidel can expect. In fact, let me be as bold as to say that according to Luke 12:47, there will be a special place in hell for the religious unrighteous.
Religion stinks most of all: I’ve had a term for a long time that God gave me that I use profusely in dealing with unbelievers and their wretched ways; that is (to quote myself), “You don’t beat a dog for being a dog. Dogs do what dogs do because they are dogs.” I do not berate sinners for their wretched ways; in fact, I have learned to expect the worst.
Sinners do what sinners do. Doing those things do not make them sinners; they do them because they are sinners. What I will point out and what I will always rail against is the wretchedness of the so-called righteous. There is no greater stench in the nostrils of God than a person who is religious and yet, in their actions, deny the Lord.
Even the Apostle Paul had pointed out the contradiction in his own life prior to knowing Jesus because even in his religious zeal, he held the coats of those that stoned the righteous martyr Stephen, casting his lot against him and consenting unto his death, believing in his heart at the time that he was a keeper of the law and traditions, even though the law clearly stated, “Thou shalt not kill.” Paul, before his conversion, was like so many sitting in the church today who are religious and Christian in name only. Yet, their lives show no sign or fruit of the Holy Spirt—namely, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance(Galatians 5:22-23). Let me be abundantly clear, my friends. There is more hope of heaven for an adulterous murderer than there is for the religious unrighteous. If that’s you, I have one word for you: Repent and believe the Gospel.
The problem with religion: It was Jesus, Himself, who rebuked the religious unrighteous at every turn because He knew their hearts and the hypocrisy of their lives.
Matthew 23:15
(15) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
The problem with religion is that it emphasizes rules with no relationship. Thus, it only extends rules and regulations to those who adhere to it. The truth is that even those who say they adhere to it, in reality, do not. Religion in and of itself is a total misrepresentation of the nature of God because it is the formation of man—an institution of man—and not of the Kingdom of God. Religion is wrong because it demands punishment without mercy; it demands adherence without love and devotion to an ideology and not to the person of God. This is exactly where Saul of Tarsus was at one time.
Romans 7:14-15
(14) For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
(15) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Romans 7:24-25
(24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
(25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Religion is wretched, my friends. It is rigid, and it is full of ritual, but it is not spiritual. If you ever doubt that, look at some of the biggest religions in the world and the violence that they produce. It is all too easy to point to Islam to back up my point or to the Mormon church which, in its early stages, was a murderous religion, and to many others I do not have time to mention. Those that concern me the most are those who are sitting in pews in orthodox churches around the world who have never experienced the transforming power of the vicarious life of Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:2
(2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Reformation vs. Transformation: The Lord is looking for transformation—not reformation. Unfortunately, there are an abundance of those within the Body of Christ who are merely reformed sinners but not transformed saints. Many people have it in their heads that if they just quit doing certain things and attend church, that makes them a Christian. Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is, my friends, that reformation without transformation still equals damnation. It doesn’t matter if you don’t smoke, chew, or go with girls that do. If you are banking on those things as a righteous stand before God, you will stand before the Great White Throne and instead of being your Savior, Jesus, Himself, will be your Judge. It is only those who have entered into total reliance upon Jesus Christ who have any hope of eternal glory because they have ceased from their own works and have received the vicarious gift of righteousness through Jesus Christ, alone.
Ephesians 2:8
(8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
In conclusion:
It must have been heart wrenching for Paul to stand before this tumultuous multitude who wanted nothing more than to kill him and to realize, even by his own admission, that “I was once zealous for God, just as you are this day” and to see the hatred and the violence that that type of life produces. Paul desperately wanted to share with them the “Good News” of the grace of God through Jesus Christ, but these folks, at this time, wanted religion and not a relationship. I would ask you the same question: Are you reformed, or have you been transformed? Is it religion that you have, or is it a genuine relationship with God through Jesus Christ, His Son? Your answer has eternal consequences.
(4) And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
(5) As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
(6) And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
(7) And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
(8) And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
(9) And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
- Heard not the voice: The last account of this incident was back in Acts 9:7. I told you then that if you compare that verse to what is recorded here in Chapter 22, you could come to the false conclusion that there is a blatant contradiction. In 9:7, Paul later wrote that the men who journeyed with him heard a voice but saw no man. In Acts 22:9, Paul recorded that the men saw a light but heard not the voice. The simple explanation is that the word “voice” in the Greek is the word “phōnē” (pronounced fo-nay') which is where we get the word “phonetics.” All that is being said here is that the men who were with Paul heard the “phōnē” (that is, the voice), but they didn’t hear the articulation—they heard no words. They heard sounds, but they didn’t understand them. Therefore, there is no contradiction.
(10) And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
- Step by step OR the progressive revelation of God’s will: Earlier in the book of Acts when Philip was in Samaria and revival had broken out, the Spirit said unto him, “Go down to Gaza, which is desert” (Acts 8:26) and then did not give him any further instruction until Philip got to Gaza. It was then that the Lord gave him his next step.
It is part of our human makeup to want the whole picture. We don’t really like walking by faith. We would prefer that God would just lay out His entire plan and fill us in on everything that is going to happen along the way. I really believe the reason we are like that is so that we would have the ability to choose whether we would want to do it or not. As a servant of the Lord, you are called to walk by faith, and you take those steps of faith as the Lord gives them.
You remember when Peter was praying on the roof top, and the Lord said unto him, “There are men at the gate that have been sent for you. Go with them, asking no questions” (Acts 10:19-20). Once again, the Lord did not tell Peter what was in store. He simply gave this first step, and Peter took itby faith.
You will find out (if you haven’t already) that God operates most of the time, one step at a time. The problem is that we often hesitate to take that first step, while at the same time, pleading with the Lord to just show us His will. But God will not give Step 2 until we have taken Step 1.
Abraham: God said to Abraham, “Get thee out of the land of your fathers and journey to a land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). So, by faith, Abraham left the land of his fathers, not knowing where he was going. That, my friends, is real faith, which is why Abraham is considered the father of all them who walk by faith.
As Abraham was leaving, there were those who asked him, “Why are you leaving?” to which he said, “God told me to leave.” “Where are you going?” Abraham responded, “I don’t know.” To the human mind, that type of response sounds ridiculous and downright foolish, but it doesn’t to the servant of God. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness (Romans 4:22). Abraham took his marching orders and knew that more would be on the way in God’s time.
A step of faith: It is the same for you and me, my friends. We must step out in faith. If God has given us Step 1, then we step out in faith. Just act upon those things that you know and understand at this moment, and when you have completed Step 1, God will give Step 2. His Will, for the most part, is a progressive revelation.
I have to admit that it goes against my human nature to walk by faith. I would much rather trust in my own intellect and my ability to reason than I would to walk by faith. So, I would prefer, as, no doubt, many of you, that God would just give me the whole picture with all its ups and downs than to give it to me one step at a time. However, God has called us to do His Will, and His Will is almost always a progressive revelation because, honestly, if I had the whole picture with all of its ups and downs, I very well may choose not to do it and miss the blessing that would come from my obedience. God wants us to walk by faith. Thus, the Apostle Paul wrote in Hebrews 11:6: “And without faith, it is impossible to please [God].”
So, the Lord said to Paul, “Arise, and go to Damascus; and there it will be told you what it is appointed for you to do.”
(11) And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
(12) And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
(13) Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
(14) And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
- Chosen by God: Paul gave a list of witnesses in
I Corinthians 15 who had seen Jesus resurrected.
1Corinthians 15:3-8
(3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
(4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
(5) And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
(6) After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
(7) After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
(8) And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Paul told us here in Acts 22:14 that Ananias said unto him, “God has chosen you.” It is important for us to always remember that we have been chosen by God. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote of the blessedness that we have because we are chosen in him before the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 1:3-7
(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
(4) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
(5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
(6) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
(7) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
We should all rejoice that we have been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. We should rejoice because even though God knew us completely—the good, the bad, and the ugly—He chose us. God knows every sin you ever have committed, every sin you are committing, and every sin you ever will commit; yet, He chose you anyway because He loves you.