1. PAUL'S CONFESSION 12-14. I fought the Bad Fight.

a. What Paul was before. 13

Paul confesses that he was a Blasphemer; a Persecutor; and Insolent. He had

heard the Gospel from the lips of Stephen (Acts 7:51™8:2) but rejected it. "As

for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and dragging

off men and women committed them to prison" (Acts 8:3). "I persecuted the

church of God" (1 Corinthians 15:9). "Beyond measure, I persecuted the church

of God, and wasted it" (Galatians 1:13). "Circumcised the eighth day, of the

stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; with

respect to the Law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; with

respect to the righteousness which is by the Law, blameless" (Philippians

3:5-6).

b. What Paul became after. 12, 14

By grace, Jesus met Saul/Paul in the Damascus Road as he set out with

instructions to persecute the church there (Acts 9:1-20). God had other ideas:

"He is a chosen vessel unto Me" (Acts 9:15). Ananias of Damascus baptised him

and healed his blindness (Acts 9:16-19). Immediately he went out and preached

the Gospel (Acts 9:20).

2. PAUL'S TESTIMONY 15-17. I heard the Good News.

a. The Persecutor becomes a Propagator of the Gospel. 15-16

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation" he affirms, "that

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners". This is one of Paul's four

Faithful Sayings (compare 1 Timothy 4:9, 2 Timothy 2:11 and Titus 3:8). Paul

was a living example of the patience of God in seeking out "the chief of

sinners" for salvation (15b, 16). None of us may think that we've been too

sinful to be saved.

b. The Blasphemer becomes a Blesser of the God of the Gospel. 17

Here is the inspiration for the hymn /Immortal, invisible, God only wise/.

John Newton is another example of a Blasphemer turned into a Preacher and a

hymn-writer (Amazing Grace; How sweet the Name of Jesus sounds; Come, my soul,

thy suit prepare; etc.). To God be the glory for ever and ever, Amen!

3. PAUL'S CHARGE 18-20. You fight the Good Fight.

Paul was probably a widower, and childless. He regards Timothy as his "son" in

Christ (1 Corinthians 4:17).

a. Take Care to become a Good Warrior. 18-19

As the hymnwriter puts it, /Fight the Good Fight with all thy might. Christ is

thy strength, and Christ thy right. Lay hold on life, and thou shalt see That

Christ is all in all to thee/. We are not fighting *for* victory; we are

fighting *from* victory *to* victory: from the Resurrection to the Rapture,

the Re-appearing of Christ. "Now therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier

of Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:3).

b. Take Care not to become a Casualty. 20

There are sad examples of shipwreck in the battle. Hymenaeus and Alexander are

cases in point. Is this Alexander the coppersmith who did Paul much evil (2

Timothy 4:14)? Paul had to commit them to Satan, not for damnation, but for

deliverance (1 Corinthians 5:5). Rather like the Jews being sent to Babylon,

the seat of Idolatry, to be cured of their idolatrous tendencies. If we don't

hold to the Faith, and keep a good conscience, we might end up making

shipwreck of our lives. We can't lose our eternal life, or it would not have

been eternal in the first place; but we can lose our reward in the Victory

Parade when Christ returns with all his saints to reign.

In the Church as in the Army, good Discipline is essential for good disciples.

______________________________________________________________________________

Ben

--

Revd Ben Crick BA CF, and Mrs Joanna (Goodwin) Crick

<ben.crick@argonet.co.uk>

232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)

http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm