Paul, an Apostle, Set Apart for the Gospel of God.
I am very excited to begin the Book of Romans today. This letter was written by Paul around A.D. 58, most likely from Corinth, during his third missionary journey.
This letter is written to the Christians in Rome, for they had not yet had the blessing or benefit of one of the Lord’s apostles teaching them; and so, his main purpose (v. 15) is, ”to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.”
The Book of Romans quotes from the OT more than any other NT book. Some of the key words, are: God 154 times, law 77 times, Christ 66 times, sin 45 times, Lord 44 times.
This book answers some of the key questions about both God and Humankind: What is the importance of Christ’s death and resurrection? How can a person who has never been told the Gospel be condemned before God? Does God send people to Hell? Why is obedient Christian living so difficult? What relationship does a Christian have with the “world,” with human government, with other Christians? Read Romans 1:1... Paul is a servant [doulos = willful slave] of Jesus Christ, an apostle [apostolos, the general meaning = emissary or ambassador, one sent]; specifically, it applies to the thirteen men recorded in the Scriptures (the Twelve - Judas was replaced by Matthias ) and then Paul, personally commissioned by Christ; all these men were set apart to proclaim forgiveness for sins and eternal life through Christ.
Apostles were personally called by Christ, set apart for the gospel of God (1Corinthians 15:1-4), eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ (1Corinthians 15:5-7).
Only when believers and followers of Christ are serving God, obediently, reverently, sacrificially, we are called and directed into specific areas of service (Romans 12:1-2).
God makes His will known to those who are serving Him by proclaiming God’s Message, i.e., forgiveness for sins and eternal life through God’s Son (2Corinthians 5:17-21).
Read Romans 1:2-4... Paul gives the credentials of God’s Holy One, Jesus, the Christ, God’s Son, as foretold in the OT.
The Scriptures tell us that He was to be a Son of Man, through the very ancestry of David, and also the Son of God, as declared through His resurrection from the dead.
God speaking (Genesis 3:15) to the serpent [Satan], “from the seed (through the womb) of a woman will come One who will defeat Satan’s hold on humankind,
death; a war will rage between the children of God and those who belong to the devil.
Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2 tells us the One to come will be born to a virgin, in Bethlehem, and will be God with us.
Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 2:11 confirm that God in human flesh was conceived in Mary’s womb, by God’s Spirit, given the name Jesus, born in a stable, in the town of David; and this future ruler of Israel must come through the ancestry of David (2Samuel 7:12-13; Psalm 89:3-4; Isaiah 11:1-5).
Isaiah 53 says He will take our punishment upon Himself, to the point of death on a cross, and yet, He will live forever.
Hebrews 1:1-3... God’s final message: the Son of Man [Jesus], is the Son of God [Christ, Savior], declared by His death on the cross (satisfying God’s penalty for all sin), and His resurrection from the grave (proving eternal life); after which He returned to the Father in heaven.
Read Romans 1:5-6... Paul declares God’s grace to all who believe in Christ Jesus, Grace is God’s unmerited favor, God’s riches at Christ’s expense, something we could never earn or purchase acquire on our own (Ephesians 2:8-9), “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.”
When you trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God breathes life [Zoë] into
you, making you spiritually alive, born from above, through God’s Spirit, making
you God’s child, before which you were God’s creation (cf. Genesis 2:7, God
breathed life [bio] into Adam, biological life).
We are not saved by ancestry, good works, good looks, good health, wealth, or
fame; for neither baptism, communion, attending church, being a Republican, or
even a member of the NRA, can save you, for it is by God’s grace through faith
alone that we receive forgiveness for sin and eternal life.
We must repent of our sins and believe in God’s Son, receiving by faith the
provision of forgiveness made available through the work of Christ on the cross.
Notice (v. 5) we receive God’s grace and apostleship, for the purpose of
calling people to obedience that comes from faith.
Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus said,”All authority in heaven and on earth had been
given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to
obey everything I have commanded you.”
Although the apostle Paul was uniquely called to go to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15;
22:21; Romans 11:13; Galatians 1:16), he preached the message of Christ to Jew
and Gentile alike.
None of us are Apostles, in the sense of the original 13, for there is no one who
does genuine signs and wonders as a validation that he is God’s messenger.
First of all, because the signs and wonders gifts ceased with the completion of
the New Testament; and second, because we have God’s revealed Word to judge
everything, there is no need, for it is God’s Word that is the sovereign authority
pertaining to all things in this life and the next.
Truth be told, we (v. 6) are “among those who are called to belong to Jesus
Christ,” and so we declare the full counsel of the revealed Word of God concerning
God’s Son, for we are His witnesses and we have been commissioned as His
messengers, that we might bring the good news of salvation to everyone who will
listen.
We are to teach obedience to God’s Word, praise and honor to God’s Son; any
theology that doesn’t promote the lordship of Christ and the authority of God’s
Word, is in direct contradiction to what the Bible teaches, and is an enemy of God.
Any system of belief and practice that allows a person to live in continual
disobedience to God’s Word, or in a manor that dishonors Christ, without any sense
of guilt, remorse, or desire to repent, is totally void of saving faith, and is in fact,
without God and without any hope for forgiveness and eternal life.
John 14:15, 21, 23-24, "If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who
loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to
him.” ...”If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and
we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will
not obey my teaching.”
Romans 1:7... Paul encourages all who have received God’s love, grace, and
peace through Christ, all Christians [saints, set apart for Christ] are adopted into
God’s family and there is plenty of room in the eternal family of God for anyone and
everyone who repents of their sins, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord, believing in
Him as Savior, obeying God’s Word by following the example of Jesus Christ,
proclaiming the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life through God’s Son, Who
was crucified for our sins according to the Scriptures, buried, and on the third day
arose from the grave according to the Scriptures, showing Himself to hundreds of
His followers before ascending back into heaven.
Like Paul, you and I have been set apart for the Gospel of God. Have you talked
to anyone lately, about Jesus Christ: crucified, resurrected, and coming again?
Let’s spread the word!