Romans 1:7, NKJV
I have always loved the way Paul addresses his letters. He is specific about his audience, but he also addresses it in such a way that it can be applied to any reader, anywhere.
This letter to the Roman church is also addressed to us--those who are beloved of God and called to be saints. And I think it's important to remind ourselves from time to time just who we are in Christ.
We are the beloved of God.
We know that God loved us because he sent Jesus to us.
We know that Christ loved us because He died to save us.
When we were still sinners--unloving, unlovely, and unlovable--Christ died to save us.
And now we have become God's children, His own special possession! He may chasten those He loves, but He will never abandon us to the world or the devil! We are His people, His sheep, His treasure! We are His creation, made in His image and after His likeness.
Not only are we beloved of God, Paul also returns to the subject of our calling. We are the called of Jesus Christ, called to be saints!
We are called to be holy people--holy in our behavior, sanctified in our hearts. We aren't called to be whoever and whatever we want; we are called to be who and what He wants!
Saints aren't the dead people who served God long, long ago. Saints are the people who are living to serve God today.
And to those Paul utters a blessing, present in all of his writings: Grace to you, and peace.
Grace--the unmerited favor of God.
Peace--the perfect presence of God.
You can't have peace until first you have received grace.
And those two things--grace and peace--can only be found in relationship with Jesus Christ, and His Father, our God.
Again, just a simple statement, but filled with such meaning: you can't have God without Christ, and you can't have Christ without God.
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