Never had he witnessed so important an event as today. He watched a very dangerous man be judged and put to death. Though young, he was convinced this was the correct measure needed to be taken. Many witnesses laid their coats at his feet so they could more easily throw the stones meant to kill the guilty man. (Ac. 7:58) And so Saul agreed and/or took pleasure* in Stephen’s death.
And Saul was consenting* unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church... As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Ac. 8:1-3
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way (Christians), whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. Ac. 9:1,2
Saul/ Paul was a young Pharisee man (Ac. 23:6) passionate in his desire to strictly adhere to the law, so zealous (Gal. 1:14) for what he believed to be the truth that he sought out ways to eliminate the new teaching that challenged Judaism, even voting against the Christians. (Ac. 26:10) Then he heard Jesus (Ac. 9:3-19), was converted by the Truth (verified by a miracle) and was chosen by God to do His work. (v.15) Paul received the Holy Spirit, was baptized, and sat under teaching for a while, then went out and preached Jesus Christ. (v. 20)
Paul could have let his past prevent him from serving the Lord. He could have lived bound by guilt and condemnation of his past actions. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it might have been to move forward, but Paul truly understood the forgiveness of his Savior and was able to press onward. (Php. 3:13,14)
Paul’s was a most astonishing conversion, going from zealous persecutor of Christians, to persecuted preacher to Christians within a short time. His passion against Christianity was transformed by God to passion for Christ, and Paul became one of the most well known apostles and prolific writers. Though he lost his reputation as a strict, respected, well learned Pharisee he counted his old life as loss, garbage, or waste to be thrown out, when compared to knowing Jesus Christ. (Php. 3:8)
Are we still allowing our past lives to hinder our journeys, leaving us bound in the shame of our forgiven sins, or stuck in the pride of our past accomplishments? We must learn from Paul that our significance is not in our own deeds, but in the deeds of the Lord Jesus Christ in His work on the cross
Let us all say as Paul did that we glory only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified (dead) to us and we unto the world. (Gal. 6:14)