Reflection on Acts 26:18
“To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God,
that they may receive, through faith in Me, forgiveness of sins
and an inheritance among those who are sanctified.”
Jesus said these words when He appeared to the Apostle Paul before his conversion, on his way to Damascus. He went to Damascus to arrest Christians as their greatest enemy, and to bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he went on his way, at about noon Jesus appeared to him in a bright light. Paul fell from his horse, became blind, and had to be led by the hand into Damascus. When Jesus appeared to him, He said these words to him: “I send you to the Jewish people as well as to the Gentiles to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God…”
Jesus entrusted the Apostle with the task of opening people’s eyes by bearing witness to Him in the power of God so that they may turn from darkness to light. So both the Jews and the Gentiles were in darkness and had to be converted. The Jews as well as the Gentiles were in the power of Satan and needed to turn to God. They had to receive Christ so as to receive, through faith in Him, forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among the sanctified.
This is the task of each of us. We likewise are called to bear witness to Jesus, e.g. privately before one person who wants to hear the truth and seeks it sincerely. Jesus appeared to the Apostle Paul visibly, and He also reveals His love and His power to us by the gentle touch of His grace. We experienced the closeness of Jesus in forgiveness of sins when we received Him as our Saviour and Lord. Furthermore, when we bore witness to Jesus and were held up to ridicule or humiliation, Jesus was with us and filled our soul with light and peace. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We are called to witness to Jesus like the Apostle Paul. Philosophizing or theologizing will not turn anyone to the living Christ. If someone talks about the truths of faith in an orthodox manner but lacks conviction and the power of God, he is a false witness and will not bring anyone to the living Jesus.
The Apostle witnessed to his experience of Jesus; we also should witness to our experience. We should talk about what Jesus has done for us. In the life of every converted Christian there are certain moments by which he can witness to Jesus so truly and vividly that the souls are delivered from darkness and from the power of Satan. Mere philosophizing or theologizing will not deliver anyone from the power of darkness. During the following two weeks, let us try to bear witness to someone who is willing to hear the truth. Let us not begin with people with a pharisaical spirit who seek occasions for misunderstandings. They will turn our sincerity against us and will not be willing to receive Jesus. Let us begin with those about whom we know that they are seeking sincerely. However, let us first pray for them, asking the Lord to give us the wisdom and light so that we may know how to begin our testimony and in what manner to speak.
Download: Reflection on Acts 26:18
