The Merciful-2

By Clifton Angel

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). We have considered the unmerciful example of Jonah. Next, let us consider the great mercy shown to Saul of Tarsus.      When Stephen was stoned to death, “the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul” (Acts 7:58). Saul was a Pharisee that led the charge of persecuting the early church (Acts 8:1). “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling [dragging, CA] men and women committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3). “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest” (Acts 9:1). In the same chapter, it is revealed that Jesus appeared to Saul, rebuked him for resisting the work of God, and how that Saul as converted to Christ.     Later, he would go by the name of Paul and often referred to his former life. “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. And I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women” (Acts 22:3–4). Later, he said, “I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities” (Acts 26:9–11). In a letter to Timothy, he wrote, “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:13–15).     Paul was baptized to wash away his sins (Acts 9:18; 22:16); yet, the disciples were afraid of him. (Acts 9:26). I suppose many of us would react the same. “But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27).      Jesus led the charge of seeking and saving the lost (Luke 19:10). Barnabas followed Jesus in showing great mercy to the chiefest of sinners. Will we show the same mercy to others?     - Clifton Angel preaches for the Coldwater Church of Christ in Coldwater, MS. He may be contacted through that congregation's website: http://www.coldwatercofc.com/