Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
(ESV)
—Acts 9:23-31
Paul was rejected by the Jewish leadership and even rejected by the disciples. In the midst of all of these adversities, he continued sharing the gospel. Then Barnabas came to save the day. He brought Paul to the apostles and declared how he had seen Paul living out the life of a follower of Christ. I believe Paul was showing an example of what James described as the visibility of faith. While we are saved through faith, faith is dead without works. Barnabas saw in Paul the works that were the evidence of Paul’s very real faith in Jesus, and he saw this as undeniable proof of Paul’s conversion. Let us move forward intentionally, providing others with evidence of our faith.
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