Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: No Condemnation in Christ (07/16/26)
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TITLE: From Saul to Paul…and My Dad | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
07/18/26 -
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“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1). Do you know who wrote those words?
Saul… the man we now know as Paul.
If anyone truly understood the weight and wonder of those words, it was him. His life had once burned with anger toward Christians—an anger he didn’t bother to hide. In fact, he acted on it with terrifying determination.
Saul was born in Tarsus, a Roman citizen and a devout Pharisee—highly trained in Jewish law and fiercely protective of it. To him, followers of “The Way” were dangerous heretics. He hunted them down, dragged them from their homes, threw them into prison, and even approved of their deaths.
When Stephen was stoned, the witnesses laid their cloaks at Saul’s feet. He stood there, watching, approving… perhaps even satisfied.
Scripture tells us that Saul “began to destroy the church.” House after house, he entered, dragging off men and women to prison. No one was safe.
Still, the message spread.
The more the believers spoke of Jesus, the more determined Saul became to silence them. He sought permission to travel to Damascus, armed with authority to arrest any who belonged to “The Way” and bring them back in chains.
His heart was set. His mission was clear.
But heaven had other plans.
On the road to Damascus, everything changed.
A light—brighter than anything he had ever seen—suddenly surrounded him. Saul fell to the ground, and a voice pierced the silence: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
Trembling, he asked, “Who are you, Lord?”
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
When Saul stood, he discovered he could not see. The man who had once marched confidently toward Damascus now had to be led by the hand.
Blind… and finally ready to see.
God sent a disciple named Ananias to him—a man who, understandably, was afraid. Yet in obedience, Ananias went. He placed his hands on Saul, and something like scales fell from his eyes. Saul could see again—but more importantly, his heart had been transformed.
That day, Saul received not only his sight, but the Holy Spirit.
The persecutor became the preacher.
The destroyer became the builder.
The man who once condemned now proclaimed, “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
His past—every violent, hateful act—was forgiven. Buried. Gone. A new life had begun.
And that’s what makes this story so personal.
Because I once wondered if a heart like that could truly change.
I wondered the same thing about my dad.
He was a hard man. An angry man. At one time, he even called himself an agnostic. After I came to know Jesus at age eighteen, I struggled to believe my dad ever would. I wasn’t even sure he wanted to.
But God specializes in the impossible.
To my great joy and amazement, the day came when my dad gave his life to Christ. The anger that once defined him lost its grip. His past was forgiven. He became a new creation.
Just like Saul.
Saul—who became Paul—was transformed into one of the most powerful voices for God in all of Scripture. A life once marked by destruction became a life poured out for the Gospel. Truly, his life was changed.
And so was my dad’s.
I can still see it as clearly as if it happened yesterday. Our family had been invited to his house for dinner. Though I knew he “claimed” to have accepted Jesus, I wasn’t sure what to believe. Could a man really change that much?
Then it happened.
As we sat down to eat, my dad spoke up and asked if he could pray.
Pray?
I had never heard my dad pray—not once.
But that night, he did.
With a humble heart, he thanked God for the meal. His words were simple, yet full of sincerity. And as he prayed, tears filled my eyes—tears of joy, tears of relief, tears of answered prayers years in the making.
In that moment, I knew. God had done what only He could do.
Because when Jesus steps in, no past is too dark, no heart too hard, and no life beyond redemption.
There is no condemnation—only grace.
Story is non-fiction
Scripture from the NIV
Scripture story from Acts 7:54-Acts 8:3 and Acts 9:1-18
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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