THE SPREADING IN ASIA MINOR AND EUROPE THROUGH
THE MINISTRY OF PAUL AND HIS COMPANIONS (27)
Read and pray: "And to Seth also a son was born; and he called his name Enos; then men began to call on the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26)
A Condition for Baptism and for Washing Away Sins
In Acts 22:16, Ananias told Paul to get up, be baptized, and wash away his sins. We saw that calling on His name both receives baptism and washes. Calling is a requirement for being baptized and washing away sins. Calling on the name of the Lord was the way for Paul to wash away his sins.
According to Ananias' understanding, which sins did Paul need to be washed from? Undoubtedly, the most serious, according to Ananias, was persecuting and imprisoning those who called on the name of Jesus. The fact that Paul went out to arrest those who called on the name of the Lord was his greatest sin. In this matter, he was condemned not only by God but also by the believers, both in Jerusalem and elsewhere. All the believers condemned him as a persecutor. Paul considered calling on the name of the Lord a sign of the believers. Thus, wherever he went, he sought those who called on the name of the Lord.
In Acts 22:16, Ananias seemed to be saying, “Paul, in the eyes of the believers, your most serious sin was persecuting and imprisoning those who called on the Lord. Now that you have repented and converted, you need to wash away your sins. Specifically, you need to wash away the sin of persecuting the saints. In order to wash away your sins, you need to call on the name of the Lord. If you call: ‘O Lord Jesus’ several times, the brothers will forgive you. Your calling is the condition for washing away your sins. Paul, you cannot be a silent believer, who does not audibly call on the name of the Lord. If you remain silent, the believers will not recognize you as one of them and will not forgive you. So, now you must practice what you condemned: call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Before, you saw this as a sign of those who were persecuted and imprisoned by you. Now, it will be a sign that you believed in the Lord Jesus and were saved. Paul, get up, receive the baptism, and wash away your sins by calling on His name. When you do this, you will be forgiven by all those who love the Lord Jesus.”
The Initial Step of Paul's Transfer
The fact that Paul called on the name of the Lord Jesus was the initial step of his transfer. He was transferred from condemning this calling to practicing it. Some may say that calling on the name of the Lord was part of Paul's conversion. Yes, but it was not only part of his conversion; it was also the beginning of his transfer from one sphere to another.
It is hard to understand why the Jews opposed calling on the name of the Lord. For them, the important thing was keeping the law, practicing circumcision, and following customs. Nevertheless, before being transferred, Paul especially opposed the practice of calling on the name of the Lord.
The principle is the same today among those who oppose the practice of calling on the name of the Lord Jesus. Some condemn us for this. In fact, they have no reason to oppose this practice. However, some falsely say it is mere shouting. But what is wrong with believers in the Lord calling on His name? This practice is emphatically revealed in the Bible. It is better to call on the name of the Lord than to remain silent, dead, and without any real contact with the Lord.
Some who oppose calling on the name of the Lord Jesus say: “Christianity has been on the earth for nearly two thousand years, but we have never heard this teaching that believers should call on the name of the Lord.” To this, we can respond: “Perhaps you have never heard this teaching, but surely you have heard believers call on the name of the Lord. In fact, it is likely that in your years of Christian life, you yourself have had at least some experience of calling on the name of Jesus.”
There have been many cases of people calling on the name of the Lord without having received any teaching about it. A certain person strongly opposed calling on the name of the Lord. One day, while riding a bicycle, a car hit her, and the bicycle was thrown up. While falling, she spontaneously called: “O Lord Jesus!”
I also know of a Christian husband who never prayed. One day, his wife had an accident. Do you know what he did? He called on the name of the Lord. Do you know any true Christian who says they have never called on the name of the Lord Jesus? Surely every true Christian has called on the name of the Lord at least once. The brother who was hit by a car while riding his bicycle spent several days in the hospital, and day by day, he called: “O Lord Jesus.” No one taught him; he did it automatically. Many of us can testify that when we call on the name of the Lord Jesus, we truly contact Him.
Have you ever had the experience of falling asleep while trying to pray? This has happened to me many times, especially late at night. From experience, we know that silent prayer often leads us to sleep. Furthermore, with this prayer, there is probably little enjoyment of the Lord, if any. However, we enjoy Him when we call on His name. We can call softly so as not to disturb others, but we still enjoy Him by calling on His name.
Enjoy more: Hymn C-44
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