five gospel changes

‘...delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Acts 26:17-18

Paul’s own recounting before Agrippa of the words Jesus spoke to him during his Damascus road conversion are full of rich depth. They help us understand the power and the glory of our own salvation. We can appreciate what we are given in Jesus. There are five changes described in these two verses.

The gospel message is first ENLIGHTENING. It opens our eyes. The truth that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and Jesus is the Lord and Savior we need, sheds light on everything around us. We then turn from darkness to light once the gospel shows us the way and we believe it. But it must always be remembered that the gospel is as different from our life outside of Christ as darkness is from light.

The gospel is also spiritually EMPOWERING, allowing us to be empowered by God as we turn from the control of Satan and the world system. We now live in a new realm, with Jesus as King over us, never to be dominated by Satan’s control over us again. We are delivered from the control of the enemy of all righteousness!

The gospel allows us to receive FORGIVENESS. Our problem is sin. Sin had us in darkness. Sin placed us in Satan’s dominion. Sin had complete power over us as its slaves. But once we trust Christ and receive His mercy, grace is applied to us and we are seen as forgiven by the Father through the sacrifice of His Son. This forgiveness is the most powerful change God works in us. 

This allows us to be received into a new place of FAMILY. We are heirs together with Jesus. We have gone from being Satan’s slaves to God’s sons. This is a glorious adoption that we did not deserve, but can fully enjoy.

Counted now as holy so that we are able to pursue a HOLY LIFE in obedience to Jesus, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, for the glory of the Father, by the direction of God’s Word, we can live by the glorious light of the gospel!