Why is sin against God such a big deal?

Saul, later Paul, heard a new Christian named Stephen preach the Gospel and tell how he saw “the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56) Saul was fueled by that event and continued his rampage against Christians. But before long he had his own experience with the Son of Man:

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” (Acts 9:1–6)

We often say “what goes around comes around” which was certainly true for Paul. After his conversion, the Jews stirred up a crowd, laid hands on Paul, made accusations and threatened his life. (Acts 21:27–28) Paul defended himself giving personal testimony of his experience on the Damascus road:

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting’” (Acts 22:3–11)

Paul told them he had been as they were — zealous for God and persecuting those who believed in Jesus, but Jesus Himself appeared to him and he realized that this new faith was the way to God.

This man made the same defense when taken before the Roman King Agrippa. This time his approach was a little different but included his conversion story. He explained his past and what happened to him when Jesus confronted him:

“I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee . . . I not only locked up many of the saints in prison . . . but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. (Acts 26:1–11)

Paul went on to share that Jesus stopped him saying, “Why are you persecuting Me?” I noticed today that in each story of his conversion, Jesus asked the same question. Paul had to have realized that the issue was how he had treated Jesus, not just those who believed in Him.  

Christians sometimes share their story and speak of prior sin, such as “I was a thief” or “I drank all the time” yet we neglect to say how our behavior was a sin against God. Maybe we don’t realize it at the time, only think of it as something we wanted to stop doing. However, Jesus made sure that Paul realized that his mistaken zeal for God was the very reason he needed to be saved.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I realize from Paul’s three stories of his conversion that every Christian needs to realize that whatever we were doing prior to salvation, it was a sin against You. I can clearly see that the sin that separated me from You was the sin of running my own life and totally ignoring You. I was not religious like the Jews who eventually crucified You and who persecuted Paul but I was so filled with pride at my own ability to do things that I didn’t think about You at all. You are the One to whom I owe my life, the One who created me and loved me enough to die for me, but I didn’t need You. That sin needs to be included in my story so others can know that the issue is not all that stuff that didn’t work or eventually made me feel like a failure — the issue and the reason You died was my sin against You.