Set Apart and Cut Off

In Acts 9:22-25, we see the incredible transformation of Saul, who later becomes Paul. He goes from being a fierce persecutor of the early church to one of its most influential leaders, immediately proclaiming Jesus as the Christ. Here’s the passage 

Acts 9:22-25 ESV
 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. 

What’s remarkable about this passage is that Luke casually drops the phrase “when many days had passed.” But how many days? Paul himself answers this in Galatians 1:13-18, revealing that those “many days” amount to three years in Damascus. While Paul started sharing the gospel immediately, it took time for him to fully grow into his calling as the apostle to the Gentiles 

This dynamic between the immediate act of sharing the gospel and the longer process of preparation speaks volumes. Paul didn’t wait to share the good news of Jesus, but his journey toward fully realizing his mission took time, just as it often does for us 

Set Apart from Birth

Paul acknowledges in Galatians 1:15 that God had set him apart from birth, echoing a similar calling that we see in the prophet Jeremiah 

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV
 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. 

The Greek word Paul uses for “set apart” is Aphorizo (ἀφορίζω), which has both positive and negative connotations. The positive meaning refers to being “set apart for a holy purpose,” like in Romans 1:1, where Paul says he was “set apart for the gospel of God. 

But it can also mean to “separate” in a way that implies exclusion, as seen in Matthew 25:32, where Jesus separates the sheep from the goats 

This dual meaning is significant. God set Paul apart for a holy purpose, but Paul also had to separate himself from his former way of life. In the same way, to fulfill our calling, we are set apart by God, but we must also separate ourselves from the distractions and desires that pull us away from His purpose  

Called by Grace

Paul also highlights that he was called by grace 

 Galatians 1:15b ESV
 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace… 

This theme of grace runs through Paul’s entire ministry. It wasn’t Paul’s works that qualified him—it was God’s grace. As he reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “by the grace of God I am what I am. 

We, too, are called by grace, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of God’s unmerited favor. This grace is what sustains us, shapes us, and empowers us to live out our calling 

Revealing His Son

Finally, God revealed His Son to Paul 

Galatians 1:16 ESV
 …was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles. 

This was not just an intellectual realization. It was a profound, inner transformation. Paul didn’t merely learn about Jesus—he was completely changed by Him. This transformation became the foundation for his entire ministry, as he later wrote 

Galatians 2:20 ESV
 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. 

Paul’s story reminds us that our calling isn’t about us—it’s about what God wants to do through us. We’re called to die to ourselves so that Christ can live in us, empowering us to fulfill our God-given purpose 

 A Call to Be Set Apart

As we wrap up, let’s reflect on this passage from 1 Peter 

1 Peter 2:9 ESV
 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 

We, too, have been set apart. Just like Paul, we are called to separate ourselves from the things that pull us away from God. We are called by grace, not by our own works. And we are called to die to ourselves so that Christ can live in us 

Being set apart isn’t always easy—it means being cut off from certain things, people, or desires that may feel comfortable. But when we embrace being set apart for God’s purposes, we step into the fullness of the life He’s calling us to live 

Let’s embrace the process of preparation, leaning into God’s grace as we separate ourselves from what holds us back, and step into the calling He has for us 

As you reflect on this, think about what areas of your life God is asking you to separate yourself from. What distractions are holding you back from fully embracing the calling He has set before you? Take heart—God’s grace is more than enough to lead you through the process