MLK, Apostle Paul both had a dream

This past Sunday was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, which we celebrated on Monday as a federal holiday named Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

As I was considering the approach of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I realized there were a lot of similarities between him and the Apostle Paul as two great men of the faith, as well as between them and the rest of us.

First, MLK was born Michael King Jr., but his father changed both their names when MLK was 5. While the Apostle Paul didn’t change his earthly name, he was originally known in his Jewish circles as Saul of Tarsus but became addressed by his Greco-Roman name, Paul, throughout most of the New Testament, even referring to himself by that name because most of his connections were Greco-Roman gentiles (Acts 13:9; Galatians 2:1-10; Romans 1:1).

Second, during his teen years, MLK rebelled in the most severe way against God by denying the bodily resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:12-20; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 2:22-23). But experiences during college and thereafter brought him back to his senses, and he became a very well-educated orator and leader of people, following in his father’s footsteps as a minister and civil rights activist.

On the other hand, it’s not likely Saul of Tarsus ever rebelled against his Jewish upbringing even after he became a Christian, and he also was well-educated by one of Israel’s most respected teacher/leaders and was destined to become a leader of Israel, himself (Acts 7:12, 59-8:3; 22:1-5; 5:34; Philippians 3:4-6). Although Paul said he didn’t use eloquence in his teaching, he made several highly effective impromptu speeches (the beginning of one has already been cited; see also, Acts 23:1-10; 24:1-23; 26:1-29; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; 2 Corinthians 10:8-11). His ability in this was the work of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 3:15; Matthew 10:17-20).

Finally, both Paul and MLK both had a “dream” which Paul wrote about and MLK described in his famous speech on Aug. 28, 1963 (Romans 9:1-5; 10:1-4). Both dreams expressed a common desire that all people would treat each other equally and fair, but Paul recognized true equality could only occur based on the peace of God that comes to those on whom his favor rests (Luke 2:14).

God views all men equally already, as there’s no difference at all between any of us being sinners needing reconciliation to him and each other, which he desires (Romans 3:9-26; 6:23, 3-11; Ephesians 2:1-22; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 2 Peter 3:8-9; Acts 10:1-43; 2:38-39; 5:32; Romans 8:9). Every Christian gets a name change when they’re adopted by God, somewhat like changing our last name along the lines of “of Christ” or “Christian” and any differences we’d previously made among ourselves are to disappear altogether (Galatians 3:26-28; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Colossians 3:11; Isaiah 62:2; Acts 11:26).

Are you God’s child, accepting all others, just as he accepted you (Romans 15:7)?

Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected].