Romans 1:1: "The Good News Salutation, Part I"

Often times we begin our letters or emails to someone with the standard salutation of either writing their name with a comma, or maybe being even more personal writing, "Dear so-and-so". Paul often did this with his letters. However, his salutations were normally several sentences filled with rich doctrine and sincere love for his readers. Paul took every moment to carefully choose his perfectly inspired salutations. Romans is no different as Paul starts his letter to the readers with an abundance of information and theology, laced with the gracious love of the gospel. Paul clearly marks out his authorship in V.1 by starting off the letter with his name.

Paul begins by calling himself a "bond-servant". The term bond-servant (doulos) connotated the idea of devoted service either willing or unwilling. In this context, however, we must assume Paul is declaring himself as someone devotedly and willingly serving his master. In Exodus 21:5-6, we are given a clear picture of what Paul had in mind. While giving the ordinances to the people of Israel, Moses states, "But if the slave plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,' then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently." Paul had willingly sacrificed his life for Christ in all that he did. He very nearly died numerous times, proclaiming the name he was willing to serve to his death. God had put his mark on Paul and called him out in service for His name as we will see shortly. As a servant, Paul's devotion was completely given to Christ, despite it causing him much pain and anguish.

Paul then describes himself further as being, "called as an apostle". Paul correctly points out the he was called. This word denotes a submission, something outside of his control. Paul correctly understood that he was lost and dead in his sins as a Pharisee. If left to his own will and desires, Paul would have continually persecuted the church. However, in God's miraculous plan for his life, Paul was converted on the road to Damascus. We can read of several of Paul's recounting of the event throughout Acts (Acts 9:1-19, Acts 22:1-21, Acts 26:1-23, etc.) Apostle has the idea of a person who is sent. These men that were chosen as apostles did not get voted in or choose to be followers, they were all set apart, and sovereignly chosen by God to proclaim the gospel to those around them. God chose to use men to help spread Christianity "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth". Paul knew it was his calling as an apostle as he tells the Corinthians, "I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel" (I Cor 9:16). Paul clearly defends his apostleship to the Corinthians in I Cor. 11 and 12, as one who had seen the resurrected Christ, performed miracles, and proclaimed the true gospel of Christ. Although nothing he had done had earned him apostleship, it was none the less a great honor to serve as one.

Just as Paul was set apart by God to be an apostle, he was also "set apart for the gospel of God". Paul clearly takes man out of the equation, and takes no credit for the gospel. He declares it to be his calling and purpose, given to him by God. "For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when He who set me apart, even from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood . . ." (Galations 1:11-16) Paul knew that God had set him apart since the womb, an amazing thought to Paul looking back through his days of persecution on the Christians. Paul was ever so clear on making sure we knew nothing he accomplished was because of his own strength or cleverness, but it was "the power of God for salvation" (Rom. 1:16).

One last note on the gospel. I know most of us know that the word gospel means "good news", however, do we truly live that out? In order to have good news, there has to be bad news. The bad news is that we are separated from God because of our sins. The bad news is that we only live for self and hate God, and while doing so are "storing up wrath" (Rom. 2:5). The good news is that God provided a way to reconcile this broken relationship and that is through believing all that is written about Christ and who He claimed He was in the Scriptures. It is about turning your life over to Him and allowing Him to put in you a new heart, one that can please Him. It is about repenting of your sins and understanding your former life was an attack on God and His holiness. I think too often we forget these simple truths. Our Christian walk can become wearisome and tiring. We get frustrated and overwhelmed by our own sinfulness. We look around at ourselves and we are not happy - we are not remembering the good news. If we too often let the circumstances of this world bring us down, we have to fight and remember the good news: that we are His and are set apart for eternity with Him.