September 7 Click on verses for Full Scripture

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Today's Pathway: I Corinthians 15:8-10 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Having listed several people who saw the risen Christ prior to His ascension, Paul now adds his name to the list. He saw Christ on the Damascus road, had a conversation with Him there, and believed (Acts 9:3-6). He refers to himself in verse 8 as "one born out of due time". Some have said that Paul uses this expression to say that he did not see the risen Christ in the normal time frame (prior to the ascension) like the rest of the disciples did. Others believe that Paul was saying that although he missed seeing the risen Christ immediately following His resurrection, he got to see Christ before all the rest of the saints will see Him at the rapture. Still others see this as Paul referring to the abnormal nature of his apostolic call. Unlike the other apostles, who had the benefit of an initial training period with Christ, Paul became an apostle abruptly, with no opportunity for earthly contact with Christ or His teaching. All of these are correct statements, and may be what Paul had in mind.

However, I think Paul might mean something different here. This English phrase is the translation of one single Greek word. This is the only time that word appears in the Greek New Testament, and it means "to be cut out or wounded", and was the word often used for an abortion. It was also a term of derision. Now note that Paul starts verse 9 with the word "for". The Greek word used here indicates that what follows gives the reason for what has been previously said. So, if we put the two verses together, Paul is writing that he was born out of due time because he was the least of the apostles and not even fit to be called an apostle. What we are seeing here is Paul's great humility. He is an apostle, and was called to be an apostle in the most marvelous way, and yet he sees himself as unworthy of the position, primarily because of his history of persecuting the believers. Acts 9:1-2 tells us this about Paul prior to his conversion:

"And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem."

"beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it".

Paul states in verse 10 that everything that he had become was because of the great grace of God. All that he deserved, or that any of us deserve, is to die and be sentenced to an eternity in the Lake of Fire because of our sin and rebellion against God. Yet God loved us, sent His Son to die for us, and offered to each of us salvation and the right to be called the sons of God. Paul wrote in II Thessalonians 2:16-7,

"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work."

Paul's testimony in verses 9-10 brings to mind John Newton, the writer of "Amazing Grace". He is buried in a churchyard in Olney, England, and his tombstone reads as follows:

"John Newton, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy!"