One Untimely Born

 

For l delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day pin accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:3-9 ESV).

 

In our reading today there is an important phrase in verse 8, “one untimely born). It is also translated as “one abnormally born” in some other English versions. Either speaks of the terror of Saul’s experience of meeting Jesus on the way to Damascus. What he is saying is that when Jesus appeared to him, he felt as if he were like a child taken from the womb too early. Being stopped by a blinding light, falling to the ground, and learning that he had persecuted the church of God by chasing followers of the crucified Messiah—who was now ruling in heaven— was all too much for him to grasp. Saul, blinded by glory, had to be led by hand along the rest of the way to Damascus. Then, a few days later, the Lord sent Ananias to visit Saul, and he received the Holy Spirit, was healed from blindness, and was baptized.

 

The book of Acts shows that people come to faith in Jesus in many ways. The Spirit is free and does not follow a formula. Sometimes the Spirit uses words of Scripture to move a person’s heart. Sometimes a person hears the good news through someone else. Sometimes the Lord speaks through a dream or a vision. In some cases, as with Saul, the encounter may be dramatic and even terrifying, followed by a vision and the coming of the Spirit a few days later. In other cases, whole households are baptized, including children who will grow in faith throughout their life. But in all these ways the Spirit is at work!

 

All too often the church has sought to standardize the way a person is born again. Just as in physical birth no two are exactly the same so it is with spiritual birth. There may be similarities, but they are as unique as the individual. Knowing that should give us great encouragement seeing that God is working to create individuals as unique as the sunrise! He is perfect with the details. Rest in that knowledge!