God's Commission for Paul
Paul had a very specific task to perform. God commissioned him to go to the Gentiles to be a witness and a preacher for Him. (Acts 26:17,18) It is interesting to see just what God told Him to do. It will help us in our own lives to fulfill God's commission for us.
God sent Paul to the Gentiles "to open their eyes." It was up to Paul to say things and to show them things that would get their attention. Most people are very uninterested in spiritual matters, unless it is just some type of nominal religion or rituals. They must be led to see that spiritual matters are vital for them.
God told Paul to turn them from darkness to light. This is a symbolic way of saying that he was to influence them to turn from sin to God's righteousness. He was to lead them to repent of their sins and turn to God. Also, he was to turn them from the power of Satan to God. He had to engage in spiritual warfare to show them that God's power is so far superior to Satan's power and that God's power leads us to life while Satan's power leads us to death.
Then, if people would turn to God in faith, they would be sanctified or set apart for God's purposes and receive the forgiveness of sins. That was the ultimate goal of the work which God sent Paul to do among the Gentiles. Of course, God wanted Paul to lead men and women into a relationship with God through trusting Jesus Christ as Lord. That is what it means to be sanctified. It means to belong to God. It means to be counted as one of His, as we are set apart from this world.
We all have a similar commission from God. He has a group of people to whom He is sending us to open their eyes, turn them to Him, so they can be His and have eternal life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 27-28 and Romans 1.
God sent Paul to the Gentiles "to open their eyes." It was up to Paul to say things and to show them things that would get their attention. Most people are very uninterested in spiritual matters, unless it is just some type of nominal religion or rituals. They must be led to see that spiritual matters are vital for them.
God told Paul to turn them from darkness to light. This is a symbolic way of saying that he was to influence them to turn from sin to God's righteousness. He was to lead them to repent of their sins and turn to God. Also, he was to turn them from the power of Satan to God. He had to engage in spiritual warfare to show them that God's power is so far superior to Satan's power and that God's power leads us to life while Satan's power leads us to death.
Then, if people would turn to God in faith, they would be sanctified or set apart for God's purposes and receive the forgiveness of sins. That was the ultimate goal of the work which God sent Paul to do among the Gentiles. Of course, God wanted Paul to lead men and women into a relationship with God through trusting Jesus Christ as Lord. That is what it means to be sanctified. It means to belong to God. It means to be counted as one of His, as we are set apart from this world.
We all have a similar commission from God. He has a group of people to whom He is sending us to open their eyes, turn them to Him, so they can be His and have eternal life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 27-28 and Romans 1.