[Paul continues to describe his conversion.] “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus is singularly unique. (I do work for the department of redundancy department, after all.) It was like no other. Maybe Job comes close, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6) The Philippian Jailer comes to mind, “What must I do to be saved?” Perhaps one of the disciples’ conversion was nearly as dramatic – though I don’t know of any. But Saul was dramatically and decisively converted.
Not only was Saul’s conversion decisive, unique, and singularly so, it offers us a view into what God wants to do with and for each of us – though not in nearly as dramatic a fashion. After all, we’re not persecuting the church, and taking prisoners to squash the gospel message of Jesus.
But we are all in need of conversion. I love the question Dr. Dale Meier asked several years ago at a church convention. Dale is the former president of Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He also served as the speaker of the Lutheran Hour radio program. Highly respected and quite insightful, he asked the group of us, “How many of you are life-long Lutherans?” Many folks held up their hands. He then said, “No you’re not. We’ re all converts.” Yes we are. All of us. No one is born a Lutheran, much less a Christian. We are born sinners in need of God’s grace and forgiveness even before we open our eyes. Before our conversion we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1).
For many like me, we have no memory of a time before we believed in Jesus. Our need for conversion is not as obvious as Philippian jailers, Roman Tax Collectors, or violent persecutors. But we need to be brought back to life, made friends with God, and have our eyes opened to the grace and truth of God in Jesus.
That three-fold conversion puts us on a different path with God and one another. And the fullness of it isn’t just a change of mind. It’s more than confessing that we believe in God. James reminds us of that, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19)
The fullness of our conversion is to receive forgiveness, confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, and live under Christ’s reign and rule now and forever. We’ll never do this fully and perfectly. But that is still the call. And as we turn again and again to Jesus for forgiveness, confessing him as Lord, we are set again on the path of obedient love and faithful living. All by his grace. All by the Holy Spirit’s power. All for the glory of Jesus’ name.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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