Acts 9:3-5 KJV, “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”
EG White, SOP Vol 3, 1878, Pp. 305-306, “THE mind of Saul was greatly stirred by the triumphant death of Stephen. He was shaken in his prejudice; but the opinions and arguments of the priests and rulers finally convinced him that Stephen was a blasphemer; that Jesus Christ whom he preached was an impostor, and that those ministering in holy offices must be right. Being a man of decided mind, and strong purpose, he became very bitter in his opposition to Christianity, after having once entirely settled in his mind that the views of the priests and scribes were right.”
“Saul was about to journey to Damascus upon his own business; but he was determined to accomplish a double purpose, by searching out, as he went, all the believers in Christ. For this purpose he obtained letters from the high priest to read in the synagogues, which authorized him to seize all those who were suspected of being believers in Jesus, and to send them by messengers to Jerusalem, there to be tried and punished. he set out upon his way, full of the strength and vigor of manhood, and the fire of a mistaken zeal.”
P. 307, “The scene was one of the greatest confusion. The companions of Saul were stricken with terror, and almost blinded by the intensity of the light. They heard the voice, but saw no one, and to them all was unintelligible and mysterious. But Saul, lying prostrate upon the ground, understood the words that were spoken, and saw clearly before him the Son of God. One look upon that glorious Being, imprinted his image forever upon the soul of the stricken Jew. The words struck home to his heart with appalling force. A flood of light poured in upon the darkened chambers of his mind, revealing his ignorance and error. He saw that, while imagining himself to be zealously serving God in persecuting the followers of Christ, he had in reality been doing the work of Satan.”
“He saw his folly in resting his faith upon the assurances of the priests and rulers, whose sacred office had given them great influence over his mind, and caused him to believe that the story of the resurrection was an artful fabrication of the disciples of Jesus. Now that Christ was revealed to Saul, the sermon of Stephen was brought forcibly to his mind. Those words which the priests had pronounced blasphemy, now appeared to him as truth and verity.”
Acts 9:20-22 KJV, “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests? But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.”
1 The core opinions and arguments of the religious authorities in Saul’s time was that Jesus is NOT the Son of God and therefore by extension could NOT be the Messiah.
2 Saul had faith in their persuasions. Then Christ revealed Himself to him. The witness of Stephen provided the seed and Christ provided the harvest. The truth is Jesus IS the SON OF GOD.
3 In our time today the same opinions and arguments by Christian pastors and leaders are used. This time by obscuring the meaning of the Son of God through the doctrine of Trinity. There is NO REAL FATHER and SON in the core of the Trinity teaching. They are just metaphoric illusions. Then they elevated the spirit of God as a separate God the Holy Spirit.
4 The heart of Trinity is denying Jesus as the literal SON OF GOD. Then they persecuted those who will not rest their faith in their assurances. Remember the experience of Saul and think about these things.
Sincerely in the Blessed Hope.