Who Are You in the Lord? Saul or Paul — Are You Living from Performance or from Grace?

There is one man in the Bible whom we know by two names: Saul and Paul. It is important to see this accurately: Scripture does not present this as a separately declared name change (as in the case of Abraham or Peter), but as two commonly used names for the same person.

Acts 13:9 (KJV)
“Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,”

Therefore, when we use the language of “Saul” and “Paul” here, we use it as an illustration:
we are not speaking about two different men, but about two radically different spiritual ways of operating:

• religious zeal without Christ
• and obedience flowing from faith in Christ

So the question is not whether you are religious.
Nor is it whether you do many things.
But this: what are you living from before the Lord?

• your own righteousness?
• or the righteousness of Christ?

The Danger of Zeal without Christ

Saul (before his conversion) was not an indifferent man. He was zealous. Serious. Disciplined in a religious sense. He was not playing games. That is exactly what makes his story so sobering: a person may be sincere and zealous, and yet still be moving in the wrong direction.

Later Paul himself confesses this:

Philippians 3:4–6 (KJV)
“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

This passage does not say Saul was lazy or uninterested, but the very opposite. The danger here is that the heart of a religious person can quietly begin to operate like this:

• performance becomes his security
• zeal becomes his identity
• a “right life” becomes his foundation
• and not Christ

Paul later describes part of Israel this way (and it is a warning to us too):

Romans 10:2–4 (KJV)
“For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Therefore, the greatest danger is not always open rebellion. Often it is more dangerous when someone lives with religious zeal, yet is building his own righteousness.

The Turning Point Was Not a “New System,” but Christ

On the road to Damascus, Saul did not receive a new religious system. He encountered the risen Christ. That encounter shattered the foundation he had been building on.

Acts 9:3–6 (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.
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”

Notice this: first, Saul’s performance does not come into the center — the person of Jesus does.

True conversion always begins here:

• not with “From now on I will do more,”
• but with “Who art thou, Lord?”

Paul’s Heart — When Christ Becomes Your Righteousness

Paul did not learn that nothing should be taken seriously anymore. He learned that what had once been gain to him could not be his righteousness before God.

Philippians 3:7–9 (KJV)
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”

Here is the decisive difference.

It is not that Paul became passive afterward.
It is that the foundation changed.

• He no longer leans on his own righteousness.
• He no longer leans on his past.
• He no longer leans on his performance.
• He leans on Christ.

This grace does not produce laziness, but purer obedience.

The Place of Grace and Works

We must be very precise here, because many believers slip in two directions:

• either into performance-based religion
• or into cheap grace

Scripture excludes both.

Ephesians 2:8–10 (KJV)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

So the foundation of acceptance is:

• not works

But the fruit of a saved life:

• truly does become visible in works

Therefore both of these statements are false:

• “Work so that God will accept you.”
• “If there is grace, then it doesn’t matter how you live.”

The biblical truth is this:

• I am accepted in Christ; therefore I obey.

The Trap of “Humble Self-Condemnation”

Many sincere believers do not live in open pride, but in the opposite: constant self-accusation. Outwardly they may seem humble, but inwardly their heart keeps repeating:

• “I am not worthy.”
• “Surely this is for others, not for me.”
• “Maybe God no longer wants to use me.”

Here we must speak gently, yet plainly: in ourselves, it is indeed true that we are not worthy. But if that realization separates us from Christ, then it is no longer healthy humility, but self-focus mixed with unbelief.

The right confession sounds like this:

• In myself I am not worthy
• but the blood of Christ is sufficient
• therefore I draw near boldly

Hebrews 10:19–22 (KJV)
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having an high priest over the house of God;
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience…”

Faith is not denying my unworthiness.
Faith is this: in the end, I do not fix my eyes on my unworthiness, but on Christ.

What Is Driving You Inside?

Outwardly, two people may do the same things:

• pray
• serve
• work
• read Scripture
• fast

But God does not look only at the deed — He also looks at the heart. Therefore self-examination matters.

In a “Saul-like” religious way of operating, the engine is often:

• proving oneself
• fear
• a sense of debt
• self-justification
• comparison

But in obedience rooted in Christ, the engine is more like:

• faith
• gratitude
• love
• trust
• the identity of sonship

Paul himself writes this regarding condemnation and grace:

Romans 8:1 (KJV)
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

This does not mean there is no correction, no repentance, no responsibility.
It means that the believer’s life is not led by the voice of condemnation, but by the Spirit of the Lord.

Who Are You, Then, in the Lord?

The decisive question is not first:

• “How much have you done already?”

But first this:

• “Whom do you trust?”
• “What is your foundation before God?”

If Christ is the foundation, then works also fall into their right place.
If performance is the foundation, then even “good things” can become an inward compulsion.

Galatians 2:20 (KJV)
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

This is the essence of the “Paul-way”:

• not self-salvation
• but a life lived by faith in Christ

Closing Thought

The deepest question truly is not how much someone does, but what he is building on.

If you build on your own righteousness, sooner or later there comes:

• weariness
• compulsion
• self-accusation
• judgmentalism

If you build on Christ, then there comes:

• freedom
• gratitude
• purified obedience
• real fruit

You are not accepted because you have done enough.
You are accepted for Christ’s sake.
And precisely for that reason, you cannot remain the same, because grace does not only pardon — it transforms.

Self-Examination Questions for You

• When you pray, serve, and work: are you trying to prove yourself before God, or are you responding with gratitude to what Christ has already done?
  And if the Lord has already led you through this in one area, where do you now see clearly that you are no longer acting out of compulsion, but out of love and trust?
• Where do you still slip back into a “I live from performance” mindset (self-accusation, proving yourself, inward debt)?
  And where have you already experienced that the Lord has brought you out of this, so that today in that same area you can walk with greater freedom, faith, and peace?
• Is there any situation where your heart still struggles to believe that Christ is enough for you?
  Or if the Lord has already been working in you there, by what Scripture, what turning point, or what step of obedience has He strengthened you to look not at yourself, but at Christ?
• When you fall or fail, is your first reaction more often escape, self-accusation, and compensation (“now I must do more”), or to bring it honestly before the Lord?
  If you are already learning to bring things before the Lord, how do you experience His help: through correction, comfort, Scripture, brotherly encouragement, or a concrete peace?
• Is the “engine” of your Christian life right now more fear, pressure to perform, and self-proving — or faith, gratitude, and love?
  And if you already see change in this, what has helped most: Scripture, prayer time, repentance in a specific area, or repeatedly turning your eyes to Christ?