Paul’s greeting to the Roman Christians
Romans
1:1-2 “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in
the Holy Scriptures” NKJV
The Apostle Paul only writes this one letter to the
Roman Christians so he begins by setting out to establish his Apostolic
authority given to him by our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul knowing the persistent attacks
leveled at him from the false apostles all over the region having dealt with
such from the church in Corinth uses the English word called from the Greek word kletos,
which means appointed to affirm his position in the true Church of God. Paul describes
himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Literally Paul is saying that he is
the slave of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s life proved his words to be true
because he was not like the false apostles seeking to receive financial gain
from the people, but instead Paul was only concerned for the gospel and desiring
to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wanted them to know that he was not
nominated by some board or committee but knocked off his horse and blinded by
the very Lord of Glory Jesus Christ who elected him to be His bondservant (Leviticus 20:26). Paul reminds them
that he is just one of many our Lord Jesus has chosen to fulfill the promises
He made to Abraham long ago (Genesis
15:5) and that He continued to speak forth through many of the other
Prophets that lived well before him.
Romans
1:3-4 “Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of
David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God
with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the
dead.” NKJV
Paul declares to them that the gospel of our Lord
Jesus Christ is what God the Father has proclaimed through all of the men He
used during various time periods of human history. God the Father first
announced it when He said, Genesis 3:15 “And
I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her
Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” NKJV Of
course the Father was speaking to the devil with this statement. By this
statement God the Father promised that He would send His own seed to the earth
and Paul is declaring now the fulfillment of the Father’s promise has been
witnessed in our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians
4:4-7). Paul affirms that our Lord Jesus came through the very earthly line
the Father promised through King David (Deuteronomy
18:18 & Isaiah 9:6-7 & Jeremiah 23:5 & Matthew 1:6 & Luke 1:32).
God the Father declared our Lord Jesus Christ to be His Son when He spoke from
Heaven and said, Mark 1:11 “You are My
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” NKJV Paul always wanted to begin
his letters to the saints, whether it was the 1st letter or the 3rd
one exalting our Lord Jesus and reminding the brothers and sisters that nothing
is about any of us but always all about Jesus. The final and complete proof or
evidence to sinful mankind of the Sovereign Uniqueness of our Lord Jesus Christ
is the fact of His Resurrection from the dead proving He is God.
Romans
1:5-7 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the
faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of
Jesus Christ; To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be
saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. NKJV
Paul concludes his greeting by telling the Roman
brothers and sisters that we all have received grace or divine influence from
our Lord Jesus and we are commissioned by Him to be obedient to The faith once
and for all handed down to all the saints of every generation. Surely Paul was
not aware at the time he penned this epistle that millions all over the world
would read and order their lives by the words given to him by God the Holy
Spirit. However, he surely trusted our Lord Jesus with all his heart and knew
He was a Big God capable of doing anything at any time through anyone because
he considered himself so unworthy of this grace given to him as he told brother
Timothy with these words, 1 Timothy
1:12-17 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He
counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was
formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy
because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was
exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is
a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the
world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained
mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern
to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King
eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and
glory forever and ever. Amen. NKJV Paul was a man so in love with our Lord
Jesus Christ and so grateful of the forgiveness he received from His hand that
he (Paul) wanted all the saints to feel this way and to never abuse our Lord’s
grace or neglect it or take it for granted seeing the heavy price our Lord
purchased it by His own Blood. Paul greets them as the called by our Lord Jesus
(Hebrews 3:1) just as he was called and they and we are now called to be saints
and dearly beloved by God the Father because of our Lord Jesus Christ no matter
what they or we were prior to our relationship with Jesus Christ.
“Observe the description here given of the Christian
profession: it is obedience to the faith. It does not consist in a
notional knowledge or a naked assent; much less does it consist in perverse disputing,
but in obedience. This obedience to the faith answers the law of faith,
mentioned Romans 3:27. The act of
faith is the obedience of the understanding to God revealing, and the product
of that is the obedience of the will to God commanding. Matthew Henry
“The Bible is a supernatural book and can be understood only
by supernatural aid.” A. W. Tozer
“It does not require great learning to be a
Christian and be convinced of the truth of the Bible. It requires only an
honest heart and a willingness to obey God.” Albert Barnes
If
you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this
from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear
Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I
believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from
the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn
from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control
of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...
Sincerely in Christ,
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