¹ Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…

If ever there has been a man appointed by God from an early age (other than the incarnate Son of God), it was the apostle Paul. By his own testimony,

God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles … (Gal. 1:15–16).

His appointment is divine and he writes with authority. He boldly takes on the descriptor “apostle” and saw himself as no less in authority than the original twelve (2 Cor 11:5). The apostle Peter regarded Paul’s writings as Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16), and along with the apostle John, recognized him as a fellow apostle, albeit with a different sphere of ministry (Gal 2:7-9). Yet at the same time, he considered himself “… least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Cor 15:9). To put those two contrasting thoughts together, Paul saw himself as unworthy, yet he nonetheless acted in the confidence of his calling.

Rather than being arrogant, as some interpreters think of Paul, his life and ministry were a supreme example of humility. Paul was simply a “bond-servant” doing his duty. He was “under obligation both to Greeks and barbarians…” (1:14). He had no choice in the matter, as he saw it.

Indeed, to be constantly aware of one’s own unworthiness but act in obedience to one’s calling requires nothing less than Christ-like humbleness. That seems to be a key trait of being an apostle and a huge part of their message—humbleness and confidence, brought together through grace. This is why Peter finished his writing ministry with this: “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). And Paul’s writings help us gain the deeper knowledge of Him.

Paul, as an apostle—not by his own ambition, but through humble submission to God’s choosing him—dedicated his entire life to the spread of the “Gospel of God.” It became his passion, his driving force, and he sacrificed greatly for it (see 2 Corinthians 11:23-29, for example). But his message always stayed on target. To the Corinthians he proclaimed, “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). And now, to the Romans, he unfolds the depth of this timeless message. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Paul, we have a full exposition of the Gospel.

Lord, I look forward to growing in the knowledge of Christ through Romans.