Paul's Principles of Conversion Based on Acts 9:1–18 and Their Application to the Spiritual Growth of the Contemporary Church
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21732296Keywords:
Paul’s conversion, Acts 9:1–18, exegesis, spiritual growth, discipleship, practical theologyAbstract
This study aims to analyze the principles of Paul’s conversion based on Acts 9:1–18 and to examine their implications for the spiritual growth of contemporary church communities. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method with a historical-grammatical exegetical approach and lexical analysis using primary sources such as BDAG and Louw-Nida. The findings reveal that Paul’s conversion represents a holistic transformation process encompassing three major dimensions: cognitive (change of mindset), affective (awareness and remorse for sin), and volitional (commitment to obedience to God). In addition, five key principles of conversion are identified: divine initiative, confrontation with truth, response of obedience, the role of community, and life transformation. The grammatical and lexical analysis of the Greek text reinforces the understanding that conversion is a divine work that is radical in nature and results in observable life transformation. The implications of this study suggest that contemporary churches need to develop spiritual formation models centered on ongoing conversion through discipleship, transformative preaching, and strong faith communities. Therefore, conversion should not be understood merely as an initial experience but as a dynamic process that serves as the foundation for spiritual growth.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Lewi Eko Sugiharto (Author)
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