And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside,
where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer…
Acts 16:13
Who was the first convert in Philippi?
Philippi was a major city in Europe. Up to this point, the gospel had not gone further than Asia Minor.
One night Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia in Northern Greece pleading with Paul to come and help them.
Paul had intended to stay in Asia, but God was changing Paul’s plans.
Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke all concluded that God was calling them to Europe in the district of Macedonia to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ.
So, they hopped on a boat and sailed to Neapolis, the seaport for Philippi.
The Jewish community was too small to have a synagogue, so the Jews met for prayer in an open space by the Gangites River (now called Angista). This gave them the privacy and the water they needed for Jewish purification rites.
On the Sabbath, Paul and his men went to the river, expecting they would find some people praying. we know they found some women and sat down to speak with them.
What happened next?
Let’s find out.
Table of Contents
Who Was the First Convert at Philippi
Her name was Lydia. She was a Gentile merchant of expensive purple cloth from Thyatira and a worshiper of God. But she had not heard about Jesus and how He had died on the cross for her sins. However, one Sabbath morning, while she was down by the river, she met Paul and his gang. When they started talking about Christ, God opened her heart, and she believed what she heard. Lydia was the first convert in Philippi.
Lydia’s Conversion
The Bible doesn’t tell us much about Lydia, but we know she was originally from Thyatira and a seller of purple cloth. And we know she was a worshiper of God (Acts 16:14a).
Thyatira was well known for its purple dye. And apparently, Lydia moved from there to Philippi to sell her fabric.
Meanwhile, God sent Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke to Philippi so they would meet Lydia. He was lining everything up.
On the Sabbath, Paul and the other men went down to the river, looking for people who had gathered to pray. They found a group of women and sat down to talk to them (Acts 16:13).
Guess who was there?
If you guessed Lydia, you are right. And Scripture tells us in Acts 16:14b that “As she was listening to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.”
That same morning, she was baptized along with the other household members. Each person in her house also believed. But Lydia is the one who is credited with being the first convert in Philippi.
The Lord Opened Her Heart
Paul shared the Good News of Jesus Christ with Lydia, but it was God who opened her heart.
Paul was the messenger that God used to deliver the message of salvation, but God’s grace and her faith are why she was saved (Ephesians 2:8).
It’s crucial that we, as believers understand this point. We are only messengers and deliver the gospel message to whoever will listen or to whomever God sends us to tell.
Delivering the message is as far as our responsibility goes.
And in Philippi, God started with Lydia.
God sent Paul and the others to Lydia and her household. And soon after, to the jailer and his household. They were all saved. Maybe there were others, but the Bible only tells us about these two accounts.
RELATED > > > > > How Was the Philippian Jailer Saved?
Lydia’s Changed Life
First, Lydia was baptized as evidence, but then she invited Paul and the others to stay at her house.
She not only invited them to stay, but she urged them until they accepted her invitation. She said they would stay at her house if they agreed that she was really saved (Acts 16:15).
We aren’t told whether Lydia was already a hospitable person. But opening her home for four men to stay indefinitely was undoubtedly generous.
Additionally, she may have played a part in starting two churches: the Philippian Church and the church of Thyatira referred to in Revelation 2:18-29. Although a possibility, the Bible doesn’t say.
When a person is saved, the Bible calls it being born again. Their life changes in ways that reflect a true conversion.
There isn’t a list to follow, and each person’s change may look different. It might not even look like anything at first.
I think of my own conversion story as a small child. I’m not aware of anything that noticeably changed afterward. I was a typical child and too young to understand baptism.
RELATED > > > > > My Life With God: Growing Up – Part 1
Down to the River to Pray
Final Thoughts
Lydia was the first convert in Philippi.
God sent Paul and his team to share the gospel with a Gentile woman. He opened her heart to believe.
Interestingly, her household was also saved and baptized that day. The Bible doesn’t tell us if that meant family only or if there were also servants.
One thing is clear–Lydia’s life was changed forever.
God had it all worked out. He knew who would be there and what would happen.
Can we trust that God is still doing that in our day?
He wants everyone to know His grace and the gift of salvation He offers. So, that leads me to ask:
Do you know Jesus as your Savior?
If you want to know more, please read about who will go to heaven.