The True Story of a Terrorist Turned Christian

Newsletter article for November 2001
© 2001 by Rev. Paul A. Wolff
Since the unbelievable attacks on the United States on September 11 many people have been struggling with their emotions about this incredibly evil turn of events. The Bible has much to say about the presence of evil in the world, about its cause, consequences and (thankfully) its solution. The following story is completely true, and shows us how to view the situation in a completely Christian way.

There once was a man named Saul. He was born in the Middle-East and grew up in a privileged family. He was well educated and well respected among his peers. Even as a young man, Saul quickly moved up the social ladder. He was kind of a zealot, but he lived in a place and time where zealotry was appreciated and rewarded. He had studied religion (of sorts) and was convinced he was right, and he didn’t care who suffered because of it.

Saul grew up learning about a god who only made commands, demands, and requirements of his people, but this god had no mercy. The way that Saul learned about his god made him impossible to please, but Saul tried to please him, and so Saul wanted to be like his god—merciless, demanding, and unyielding.

In the course of practicing his religion, Saul took the job of making sure all of his countrymen were diligent in their obedience to their god. He was ruthless in carrying out this task. He particularly focused on Christian people, who he saw as a threat to the worshipping of his god. Saul attacked civilians, including men, women, and children, and put them in prison and he even had some of them killed for their disobedience to the laws of worship. Saul did not even respect national boundaries. He pursued his victims across borders into different countries. Saul was a nasty, evil man who only brought fear, terror, and destruction, wherever he went, and left hatred and death in his wake. You would think that God (the real God) would have been extremely angry at Saul and many people would ask the question, “Why didn’t God kill Saul?” That is a good question, but the answer is even better. God didn’t kill him because God had a better plan.

We know Saul today as Saul of Tarsus, but he is also known as Saint Paul. Now you might complain that nothing I have said so far would qualify this man as a saint, and you would be correct. Up to this point, Saul was an evil terrorist who was working against God and His plan to spread the Gospel and bring salvation to the world. You might think that it would take a miracle to change a terrorist into a saint, and you would be absolutely correct, but God specializes in miracles, and that is exactly what happened.

Saul was on his way to Damascus, Syria to terrorize the Christians living there. As he traveled Jesus met him on the road and knocked him to the ground, and temporarily blinded him to get his attention. Jesus asked him, “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Saul replied, “I don’t even know who you are.” Jesus responded, “I know. That’s the problem. I am Jesus of Nazareth, who you are persecuting.” Jesus told Saul to go to Damascus and wait there and he would be told what to do. Now Saul was frightened. He had thought he was serving God by bringing terror to Christians, but now he began to realize just how horribly wrong he was. He believed he only deserved to die because of his vicious, hateful, evil crimes, and he was correct. However Jesus didn’t kill him.

After a few days to let Saul think about what he had done, He sent Ananias to Saul to teach him about Jesus. Ananias wasn’t too happy about the mission. He had heard about the evil things that Saul had done to Christians, and he was afraid. God told him to go anyway, and because Ananias trusted in Jesus he went to Saul, even though he was afraid he was going to suffer because of it.

The first thing Ananias did was to say to Saul, “Brother Saul, receive your sight.” Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. Then he told Saul about Jesus. He told Saul that God is not only a God of rules and laws and fierce power and judgment, but God is a God of mercy, love, and forgiveness. Jesus is both God and man, and he shows us how much God loves us. Because of our sins, we all terrorized the Son of God to the point that He was unfairly murdered, but instead of paying us back in the same way, Jesus still loves us and forgives us and wants us to love him back. Saul was amazed by this message. He had never known that God was so kind and loving, but he knew it was true because he had met Jesus, and despite his vicious crimes, he was still alive. From that moment on, Saul dedicated his life to serving Jesus, and the change was nothing short of miraculous.

Instead of persecuting others, Saul was persecuted. Instead of imprisoning others, Saul was imprisoned. Instead of beating and torturing others, Saul was beaten, whipped, abused, and even had rocks thrown at him in an attempt to kill him. Yet through all this, Saul remained faithful to Christ and continued to preach and teach about Christ’s love and did not return the hatred with hatred. Saul endured much suffering to bring the good news of salvation to many people. He preached about the love of Jesus to everyone who would hear him, and also to some who would not listen.

Saul had learned about the true God and it changed his life in every way. God was a God of love and mercy and forgiveness, and Saul wanted to be just like God. God had spared his miserable life when he did not deserve to be saved, and Saul wanted everyone else to know how wonderful God is, but whereas early in his life when Saul didn’t care who suffered in the practice of his religion, after Saul knew Jesus it was Saul who endured suffering, and because of his witness and testimony many people also came to know the love of Jesus and were saved.

Jesus tells us to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44) Why and how should we do this? The life of St. Paul shows us exactly why and how. Jesus changed Paul’s life and because of it many more people learned about Jesus and were saved. God wants all people to be saved and there is no one who is so bad that Jesus cannot forgive them. The life of Paul shows that. If God can forgive a terrorist, then He can forgive anyone, especially you and me. Pray for your enemies, that God would show them the truth, and they would know His love, change their hateful ways, and be saved.

For further information on St. Paul’s life read the following: Acts 7:54-8:1, Acts 9:1-31, Acts 22:1-21, Galatians 1:11-24, First Timothy 1:12-17, Second Corinthians 11:22-33. Second Corinthians 12:1-10.