Abnormal

1 Corinthians 15:8 (HCSB)

As to one abnormally born.

Spiritual rebirth or entirely abnormal. None of it makes any sense. How can God take those who are naturally inclined to sin from birth, regenerate them in Christ, and make them saints? That is an abnormal or unnatural process that only God Almighty can do by His omnipotent power.

We all have heard the story of Jacob and Esau about how God loved Jacob yet hated Esau (Genesis 25:19-34, Malachi 1:2-3). We are also warned not to be like Esau, who was ungodly and sold his birthright merely to satisfy his hunger. Does that mean that only those like Jacob can be saved, and those like Esau are damned and can not be saved? Aren't we all a bit like Esau, and hence, do we deserve damnation? As the Bible says, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and are freely justified by the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the above verse, the Apostle Paul describes himself as "abnormally" born. In other words, Paul should have never been saved. He was murdering Christians, was a blasphemer, and an enemy of God. The Apostle was not seeking God but was a Pharisee who was only interested in his self-righteousness and not the true holiness of God. To make matters worse, Paul had no sense of guilt or remorse. On the contrary, he was doing God a favor by murdering Christians. By saving the Apostle Paul, the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated His unlimited patience and omnipotence in saving the wretched and unsaveable.

Another example of God's omnipotence in saving the abnormal is the Lord Jesus's dealings with the rich young ruler. When the Apostles exclaimed, "Who then can be saved?" They were referring to the fact that every single one of us is greedy, covetous, and money-minded and that none of us is spiritual or deserves to be saved. But the Lord proclaims that God did the impossible on the cross by saving all the abnormals like us in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ is not just for those who are naturally spiritual but for all of us, including those who are abnormal and never had any desire for God to begin with.