One of the great things about God is that he does not wait for us or require us to be perfect before accepting us. He deals with us we are.
What was Paul doing 'as he was' coming to where Ananias was? Quite frankly he was on his way to kill Christians. But God knew what Paul would do if he got a clearer view of reality.
God will also refuse to leave us alone. 'Were' is past tense. He accepts us the way we used to be, if you will. It is not that we must change before being accepted, but that he will change us in fundamental ways that we cannot do ourselves.
