Acts 22 opens with Paul standing before an angry religious mob. Bound with chains like a dangerous criminal, he beckoned to the people with his hand and got their attention (Acts 21:40). Then, he gave a solemn and powerful defense of the faith. Speaking in calm, conciliatory terms in the Hebrew tongue, Paul addressed these angry Jews as brethren. Though they were not his brethren in any spiritual sense, they were in a natural sense. Paul spoke to them as he did because he wanted to calm their tempers and incline them to listen to what he had to say. In that, he was successful (vv. 1-2).

Take special notice of the simplicity of Paul's language as you read this chapter. Though he was a very well trained intellectual, capable of fetching arguments and illustrations from history, tradition, philosophy, literature, logic, and theological orthodoxy, though he was capable of using poetic imagery, oratorical eloquence, and stunning imagination, he carefully avoided doing so (I Cor. 2:4-5). In this dramatic moment, the great apostle to the Gentiles simply told the story of his conversion. He told his hearers, in the simplist language possible, what God had done for him by his almighty, free grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the way the gospel ought always to be preached. And that is the way we ought to witness to men. The very best defence of the faith is the testimony of men and women who have experienced the transforming power of God's saving grace in Christ and know it. To be a good preacher, a man must simply tell what he knows. To be a good witness for Christ, saved sinners must simply tell other sinners what they know (John 9:25). Three spiritual lessons are clearly set before us in this chapter.

First, A PERSON MAY BE VERY RELIGIOUS AND YET BE LOST (vv. 1-5). It is entirely possible for a person to be well learned in the letter of Holy Scripture, consecrated and devoted to the point of self-denial, and very zealous toward God without knowing God. The angry mob Paul was addressing was a mob of zealous religionists who did not know God. In verses 3-5, Paul told them that before God saved him he was just like them - "As ye all are this day." He was born and reared in a strictly orthodox Jewish family. "I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia." He had a religious pedigree that was unrivalled (Phil. 3:4-6). His mother and father were respected, loyal members of the synagogue. He had been religious all his life. But grace does not run in blood lines. Grace does not come by natural decent (John 1:11-13). Paul was very well trained in the letter of the law too. "Brought up in this city (Jerusalem) at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law." He knew the Scriptures. He was strictly moral. His life was an example of moral and religious purity. He was a Pharisee who lived such a good life that he even made other Pharisees look impure! Paul was raised in religion and raised to be religious. But he did not know God, though he was sure he did. Faith cannot be learned. It must be given (Phil. 1:29). Salvation is not the result of training, but of revelation (II Cor. 4:5-6). Moreover, Paul was devoted, consecrated, and zealous in performing his religious works. He was "zealous toward God." He was not a sham professor of religion. He did not take the things of God lightly. He gave himself wholeheartedly to the pursuit of his religious profession (vv. 4-5). But grace cannot be earned by religious works (Rom. 3:20; 11:6; Eph. 2:8-9). Without question, Paul was a religious man from his youth; but he was without God, without Christ, without life, lost in the world (Eph. 2:12). In spite of his religion, Paul obtained mercy and never lost a sense of amazement at the mercy he had obtained (I Tim. 1:12-17). It may be that as you read these lines you are made to realize that you are like Paul - religious but lost! If you would be saved, you must have something more than religion. You must have Christ (John 17:3; Col. 1:27; I John 5:11-12).

Second, "SALVATION IS OF THE LORD" (vv. 6-21). In verses 3-5, Paul tells us what he was before God saved him. In verses 6-21, he tells us what God did for him and in him by his almighty grace in Christ. From start to finish, the apostle ascribes the whole of his salvation to the grace of God. The essence of everything he says in these verses is - "By the grace of God I am what I am" (I Cor. 15:10). In these verses, the servant of God tells us four specific things in which he stands as "a pattern to them which should hereafter believe" (I Tim. 1:16).

1. Paul was confronted in his path of rebellion by the sovereign Christ, the living Lord (vv. 6-11). Sooner or later, God will cross the path of every chosen sinner. Notice the words at the beginning of verse 6 - "And it came to pass." What came to pass? God's eternal purpose of grace toward Paul. How did it come to pass? By God's gracious hand of providence. Here again we see a marvellous display of God's providence overruling evil for good. Paul went to Damascus full of hatred for Christ. But Christ brought him down the Damascus road because the time of love had come when Saul of Tarsus must be saved (Ezek. 16:8). He was not seeking the Lord. The Lord was seeking him. At the time appointed, and in the place appointed, the Lord Jesus revealed himself to this chosen, redeemed sinner in sovereign grace and saving power. Overwhelmed by the dazzling revelation of Christ's glory, confronted with the claims of Christ's lordship, called by the personal, particular, and effectual call of the Savior, Saul of Tarsus was broken in repentance.

2. By the instruction of a faithful, gospel preacher, Paul was granted spiritual illumination and given understanding in the gospel (vv. 12-15). Even in Paul's case the rule of grace was not broken. "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). He had heard the gospel from the lips of Stephen (Acts 7:1-59). But now he heard it from Ananias. Though he had learned the letter of the Word at the feet of Gamaliel, Saul was as ignorant of spiritual truth as any barbarian. Spiritual truth must be spiritually revealed and spiritually learned (I Cor. 2:11-16). And God's appointed means by which the Holy Spirit teaches spiritual truth is the ministry of the gospel (Eph. 4:11-14). The very first thing Ananias taught Paul was GOD'S ELECTING GRACE. "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee." Then he told him that THE OBJECT OF ELECTION IS SALVATION - "That thou shouldest know his will." That is his revealed will, the gospel, how that through Christ's blood atonement God can be just and the Justifier of all who trust his Son (Rom. 3:24-26). Next, Ananias told Paul that SALVATION COMES BY KNOWING CHRIST, the sinners' Substitute, the only Mediator between God and men, by seeing "that Just One" (John 17:3). Next, he talked about an EFFECTUAL CALL, "and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth." The only way any sinner can ever know Christ is by the call of his Spirit (I Thess. 1:4-5; II Thess. 2:13-14; Psa. 65:4). Finally, Ananias told Paul that God had chosen him "to be HIS WITNESS." That is the lifelong business of every saved sinner (Isa. 44:8; John 20:21).

3. Paul then confessed Christ in public, believer's baptism (v. 16). Baptism has no saving, redeeming efficacy; but it is a symbolic picture of the washing away of the believer's sins by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

4. Being a believer, Paul was led by and walked in the Spirit (vv. 17-21). Believers are men and women whose lives are ruled by Jesus Christ through the indwelling power and grace of God the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9-16).

Third, in verses 22-30, the Holy Spirit once more shows us that THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD IS AN OFFENCE TO UNREGENERATE MEN. The message of grace which Paul preached to these religious people, his testimony of the grace he had experienced in Christ, enraged them. Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone always infuriates lost, religious people, but the saints of God rejoice in it (I Cor. 1:22-24).

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