49.
Saul, in his religious preparation and life, had done every thing according to the book. He was knowledgeable and well taught in the Law. However, He was intolerant, bigoted, filled with hatred for the Christians of that day and was determined to wipe them off of the face of the earth. He could boast that according to the law, he had fulfilled it’s commandments, and that he was blameless. But then the Lord stepped in and dealt with him as sternly as he had done to others. His conversion was dramatic and complete. He gave a brief reference to what he had been in Phil. 3:4-6
His religious fervor, his beliefs, his years of study and preparation in the Law were suddenly all discounted. They were gone, lost. At one time they had been very dear to him but now he had found Christ and was made to be a new creature. His religious goals had been transformed into spiritual efforts for the kingdom of God. With a willing heart and spirit he released from his life the things of the past which had created such religious pride in him. Phil. 3:7-8
He now was stirred by a far more meaningful aim in his spiritual life. He saw an excellence, a completion of the revelation of the life of Christ in the believer and accepted it as a challenge for himself. He desired to know the Lord Jesus in an intimate manner. A spiritual standing, a place where all that Christ is may be received into the spiritual, the inner most being. The surpassing beauty of the divine nature taking up residence within that person who deeply longs after the manifestation of the Spirit in their life. Having dwelt in the Tabernacle and the Temple in a very real manner, where the presence of the Lord was seen in majestic glory, How much more does He strongly desire to fill His very own with the power of His presence. Phil. 3:8a For all his learning and knowledge, Paul, realized that there was a far superior knowledge that did not originate with man but came as a revelation from the Lord. Eph. 1:17 Revelation can only come from the Spirit of the Lord. He wants His people to know Him fully, through the spirit of wisdom and understanding made available to all. The more we know of Him the greater the hunger and desire to know more of Him. There is no end to
that which He will make known to us, of Himself. His being is inexhaustible. Throughout eternity we will constantly be learning of Him.