“a servant of Christ Jesus” (Romans 1:1-7)

“a servant of Christ Jesus”

 

 

 

 

[Romans 1:1-7]

 

 

The Book of Romans is a letter written by the apostle Paul while he was in Corinth before going up to Jerusalem on his third missionary journey (Matthew Hendrickson).  The recipients of this letter were the Christian community in Rome, which consisted of both Jewish and Gentile Christians.  If distributed, this community was mainly Gentile saints.  To them, Paul wrote a letter to the Romans.  What was his purpose?  His purpose was to preach the gospel (chapters. 1-11).  And it was to help them live a life worthy of the gospel (chapters 12-16).  In other words, the theme of the letter to Romans is “the gospel” (Moo).  The noun “gospel” and its verb “evangelize” are used especially in the introduction (cf. 1:1, 2, 9, 15) and conclusion (15:16, 19).  That is, the word “gospel” is framed throughout the letter.  Today's text is a part of 1:1-17, the introductory part of this letter, and we can briefly divide verses 1-7 (“Introduction and blessing”) into 3 parts: (1) The first part, verses 1-6, tells about Paul writing the letter, (2) The second part, the first half of verse 7, is the recipient of the letter, Christians living in Rome, and (3) The last part, the second half of verse 7, is Paul's blessing is written.

 

Focusing on today's text, Romans 1:1-7, I want to think about how Paul introduced himself to the saints in Rome while writing a letter to the saints in Rome.

 

First, Paul introduced himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus.”

 

                Look at Romans 1:1a – “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus ….”  The apostle Paul introduced himself at the beginning of his letter to the saints in Rome whom God loved (v. 7) as “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus.”  Here, the word “servant” (Greek: δούλος) has three meanings.  The three meanings are “humility,” “devotion,” and “obedience” (Douglas Moo).  In the Greek and Roman world at the time of Paul, a “servant” was like a piece of furniture to the owner (Yoon-sun Park).   According to a historian, there were three kinds of furniture at that time: one that could not speak (like a scythe or hoe), one that was mute (like a dog), and one that was a talking slave (Internet).  d When Paul wrote a letter to the saints in Rome, he introduced himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus” because he considered himself a slave of Jesus Christ.  Also, Paul introduced himself as a slave who humbly devoted himself to absolute obedience to Jesus, the Lord.

 

                When I meditate on this word, I think that we Christians need a little “slavery spirit”.  What is “slavery spirit”?  Slave spirit refers to the quality of being able to act according to the owner's words without one's own will and plan by thoroughly internalizing the owner's thoughts and values as a result of being accustomed to slave life (Internet).  Mostly, we think negatively of “slavery spirit”.  For example, the Israelites lived in Egypt as slaves for about 430 years, so they were steeped in slavery spirit.  Like the Israelites at the time of the Exodus, before we believed in Jesus, we lived in this sinful world and lived a life of slavery to sin.  However, because Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave, as a result of giving us faith as a gracious gift, we are no longer slaves to sin.  Rather, like Paul, we have now become slaves of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 7:22).  Our Lord is Jesus Christ.  Therefore, we must be humble in our devotion to the Lord and obey his commands.  Then we will enjoy true freedom as slaves of Christ Jesus.

 

                Second, Paul introduced himself as the one “called to be an apostle.”

 

                Look at Romans 1:1 – “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle ….”  Here, “an apostle” is the Greek word “απόστολος,” which means “one who is sent.”  When Saul, who was persecuting the church of Jesus, met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus, two things happened to him (Acts 9): conversion and commission.  In other words, Saul met the resurrected Jesus on the road to Damascus and was born again (received eternal life), and also received a mission from the Lord and was sent.  Apostle Paul was the one who was sent into the world as God's representative to establish the Church of God (Park).  He had the authority of God.  Therefore, with the authority of this apostle, Paul wrote the letter to the Romans to the members of the Roman church that he had not preached the gospel to.

 

Interestingly, referring to the Roman saints who receive this letter, Paul expresses it in two words in verses 6 and 7:

 

(1)    The first expression is “those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” (v. 6).

 

The reason why the Roman believers are said to be “Jesus Christ’s” is because they are the saints who have been chosen by God.  In other words, believers in Rome belong to Jesus Christ as those who have been chosen by God (Park).  In the same way, we are Jesus Christ’s, that is, those who belong to Jesus Christ.  We must have a clear sense of belonging.  We are no longer of Satan and of this world. We are those who belong to the Lord.

 

(2)    The second expression is those “who are loved by God and called to saints” (v.7).

 

Here, the apostle Paul not only said to the believers in Rome, ‘You belong to Jesus Christ’ (v. 6), but also said, ‘You are the saints loved by God’ (v. 7).  This word means that because God loved us, He called us, and because He called us, we have become saints (Park).  In other words, we Christians are washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Cor. 6:11).

 

                God loves you.  That's why he called you to be saints.  You are Jesus Christ’s.  In other words, you belong to Jesus.  You are no longer of the world.  Also, God sent me and you into the world.  In other words, we are those who have been sent.  Therefore, we must go into the world and preach the gospel to all nations and make disciples of Jesus (Mt. 28:19-20).

 

                Third and final, Paul introduced himself as the one who “set apart for the gospel of God” (v. 1).

 

                Look at Romans 1:1 – “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.”  Paul was a slave of Christ Jesus, one called to be an apostle, and one who was set apart for the gospel of God.  As an apostle to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13), he humbly devoted himself to obeying the will of the Lord who sent him.  He did not regard his life as precious in the slightest to accomplish the work of testifying the gospel, which was the mission given to him by the Lord (Acts 20:24).  The work of testifying the gospel that Paul regarded as more precious than his own life.  What is the gospel?  Look at Romans 1:2-4: “regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”  The word “gospel” in Greek is “Ευαγγέλιο” which means “good news.”  This good news, the gospel, is what God promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures (v. 2) that Jesus, the Son of God, was born of a descendant of David “according to the flesh” (Jesus' humanity) and resurrected from the dead “according to the Spirit of holiness” (Jesus’ divinity).  God loved His people and sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to come to this earth in the form of a man to save His chosen people.  And Jesus was crucified and shed his blood to forgive our sins and was resurrected on the third day for our justification (4:25).  Therefore, God gives eternal life to those who believe in Jesus.  This is the gospel of God.  The Lord, who was resurrected from the dead and ascended to heaven, who sits at the right hand of God, called Paul who had no qualifications and no merit (“grace”) and gave him apostleship to preach this gospel to all Gentiles for Jesus’ name’s sake in order to bring about the obedience of faith among them (v. 5).

 

                You and I are also those who have been set apart as holy for this gospel like the apostle Paul.  We are the ones who have been sent into the world with this best news, the Gospel.  Therefore, we must testify of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We must preach, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).

 

The lesson given to you and me in today's text is the fact that you and I are servants of Jesus Christ.  A servant is humble before the Lord, devoted and obedient to the Lord.  We must live the life of a servant of the Lord.  Also, we must keep in mind that we are the ones who have been sent.  Although we are not “apostles” like Paul, we must keep in mind that we are also servants of the Lord who have been sent into the world, just like the meaning of the word “apostles.”  And as those who have been sent, we must fulfill the will of the Lord who sent us into this world.  The Lord's will is to boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.  We are those who are set apart for this work. 

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 7).