Approving Murder - Acts 8

And Saul approved of their killing him. - Acts 8:1

This is such a damning statement.  This is an accountability statement.  If you have an accountability partner, someone who will hold you accountable to live the Christian life and pray for you, but who is willing to tell you directly when you don’t live correctly, this is the type of statement you should be getting when you mess up.  They tell you what you did, then they tell you that you approve of it.  Such a thing will cut your heart out and cause you pain, but it is necessary to hopefully cause you to repent and turn back to God.  This statement is like that.  Saul approved the killing of Stephen.  He approved murder.

There is no subjection in Saul here, it was the good duty to perform and he approved the stoning of Stephen.  Paul addresses this in 1 Timothy 1:12-17:

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me trustworthy, appointing me to His service. ¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴ The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life.¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Saul’s description of himself is that he was a blasphemer, yet he killed Stephen for blasphemy.  How can he have been a blasphemer?  It is because once he met Jesus, he realized all the things he said that were against the living Christ.  It was he and the Sanhedrin who were the blasphemers, not the apostles and first church who were proclaiming the gospel.  He was a persecutor and a violent man.  Yes, we have an written record in Stephen, but I’m sure there were many more.

But, even so, Jesus poured His grace upon him.  He came to save sinners.  That was His purpose.  Of all the sinners, Saul says he was the chief, the worst.  How could he feel differently?  He had pursued believers, convicted believers, oversaw the death of believers, and approved all of it.  He had killed the very people who were preaching the gospel and who were full of the Holy Spirit. The same people who would later befriend him, protect him, and encourage him.

The fact that Saul did so much AFTER his salvation is amazing and should be a testament to us about how God can use us even after we have sinned.  We are not good for nothing just because we sinned and were lost.  Once we’ve repented and turned back to God, God has a purpose for us.  It is incumbent upon us to follow Him closely, like Saul did.  To love Him forever, for His grace, and to be grateful forever, for His mercy.  We are not lost because we sin, but we are lost if we don’t seek repentance before our Savior, Jesus.  Repentance is not seeking God on our terms, but on His.

Paul also understood that everything he was before being saved was worthless.  He said in Philippians 3:4-9, If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.

Paul lists seven reasons why the world would consider him noteworthy, a person of value, a person to be respected.  All the single ladies wanted him for a husband.  He was in the news and received awards and honors for being a person of honor.  He would have had the most followers on Twitter and Instagram.  He was that guy.  Yet, he considers all of that he was as a natural man garbage, good for nothing as it was apart from Jesus.  It was worthless because the worth or value of Jesus is so great that any thing we can do as humans is so small by comparison that it is of no value, infinitesimal, not worth counting. 

Saul would have probably been able to do a good job of convincing people that all that he was doing was for the benefit of others.  His work was a good work.  As sinners, we can justify any action.  I am sure he was able to justify the murder of Stephen and the persecution of others.  Yet every "good" action he believed he was doing for everyone else, he later saw as of no value.  

Today, we would do well to have this same understanding.  Whatever we knew or were before we knew Jesus is of no value.  Whatever we do now without Jesus or without following the Spirit is worthless and of no value.  There is no pride or accomplishment to be had except being used by God as we follow His guidance to act and speak His message and care for people He loves.  Preaching and teaching the gospel message is the greatest act of love for others.