Acts 9:26-31
What a pickle Saul finds himself in. The believers understandably were hesitant about meeting Saul; for all they knew, it was a setup to get them all arrested. And Saul couldn’t really go back to the Sanhedrin with his newfound faith—he would be considered a traitor and a prime target for execution.
Thankfully, Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement,” took Saul under his wing and served as a liaison to get him an audience with the apostles. Saul’s life truly bore the fruit of genuine repentance and conversion, something the apostles would soon see in the coming days.
However, how many times are we reluctant to believe it when God gets ahold of a sinner and saves them by His grace? God is in the saving business, and yet we are often incredulous when it happens, needing proof before we believe. We say we believe in the transformational power of God, yet deny it when standing face to face with someone whose past we know, tending to have a “wait-and-see” attitude. Though conversion happens instantaneously, sanctification is an ongoing process. We need to give people time to grow in the things of the Lord and show them the same consideration—mercy—that others showed us when we came to the Lord. Will we be like Barnabas and take these new believers under our wings, welcoming them into the Kingdom of God?
Honestly, in some circles, believers can be the most unwelcoming if our belief system is not just like theirs. Why do you think there are so many denominations? It is not because we all get along. Skepticism seems to be the first hurdle newcomers and believers have to overcome. The Christian community, in an effort to protect its “purity,” often discards the messy, wanting them to clean up and prove themselves before they are welcomed in. Jesus never ostracized anyone, and the church as a whole must work at being more welcoming. The church is a place for sinners to find God, and in finding God, they change. That process gets thwarted if we do not even let them in the door.
Consider Jesus’ words found in John 13:34–35:
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””
Our job is to welcome and love them. Jesus and the Holy Spirit will clean them up in His time.
Thankfully, Barnabas, whose name means “son of encouragement,” took Saul under his wing and served as a liaison to get him an audience with the apostles. Saul’s life truly bore the fruit of genuine repentance and conversion, something the apostles would soon see in the coming days.
However, how many times are we reluctant to believe it when God gets ahold of a sinner and saves them by His grace? God is in the saving business, and yet we are often incredulous when it happens, needing proof before we believe. We say we believe in the transformational power of God, yet deny it when standing face to face with someone whose past we know, tending to have a “wait-and-see” attitude. Though conversion happens instantaneously, sanctification is an ongoing process. We need to give people time to grow in the things of the Lord and show them the same consideration—mercy—that others showed us when we came to the Lord. Will we be like Barnabas and take these new believers under our wings, welcoming them into the Kingdom of God?
Honestly, in some circles, believers can be the most unwelcoming if our belief system is not just like theirs. Why do you think there are so many denominations? It is not because we all get along. Skepticism seems to be the first hurdle newcomers and believers have to overcome. The Christian community, in an effort to protect its “purity,” often discards the messy, wanting them to clean up and prove themselves before they are welcomed in. Jesus never ostracized anyone, and the church as a whole must work at being more welcoming. The church is a place for sinners to find God, and in finding God, they change. That process gets thwarted if we do not even let them in the door.
Consider Jesus’ words found in John 13:34–35:
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.””
Our job is to welcome and love them. Jesus and the Holy Spirit will clean them up in His time.
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