THURSDAY April 30, 2020
The Called of Christ
Through Him [Jesus] 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.
Romans 1:5-6
Paul opened his letter by speaking about God’s anger against sin. Who is God is angry with? In Psalm 7:11, we read: God is angry with the wicked every day. God hates sin, and He will not compromise with anyone in sin. God will judge and condemn sin, and eventually people will end up in hell because of a three-letter word––sin.
In the first chapter, Paul was actually opening as if he was a part of a trial where God is the Judge and sinful human beings are being accused. They are to be judged by the Judge, to be found guilty or not guilty. As we read, it is as if we, too, are in the presence of the court. In the first seven verses, Paul was also like a court recorder, the one who writes down everything that was said, all the testimonies that are given.
Paul, as the author of the book of Romans, provides for us the introductory material. He gives to us his credentials. He is a teacher and a professor, and, as such, he was to be taken seriously. People would listen to him because he had qualifications and he spoke with authority.
We can also observe the heart of Paul as he related to us certain facts about himself. He was a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called of God to be an apostle, a missionary who was set apart to preach the Gospel. He was called of God, just as we are called of God.
Christians are the called of Christ. We cannot live a life of comfort and ease. It is important to read and study the entire Bible, especially to grasp what Paul was teaching. Then we can preach the Gospel. That is everyone’s duty! To proclaim it and share it with someone else.
When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!