⁶ … among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; ⁷ to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints…

Turning to his readers, this inspired writer Paul identifies them as Gentiles, that is, non-Jews, reflecting his primary ministry target. But being non-Jews does not make them any less “the called of Jesus Christ.” To be sure_, the gospel came first to the Jews (1:16), but now for a time God has bypassed the Jews because of their rejection of Christ (as Paul elucidates in chapters 10 and 11). Gentile believers are called by Jesus Christ, without having to become Jews. This was the central issue of the Jerusalem counsel of Acts 15 and Paul’s letter to the Galatians. The letter to the Ephesians expands on the notion that the division between Jews and non-Jews has been abolished in Christ, and the two are made into one new entity, called the church. There is still a future for the Jewish nation, but for a time that distinction has been shelved “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (15:9).

Notice, though, the descriptions of believers in this text: We are 1) called of Jesus Christ, 2) beloved of God and 3) saints. To be sure, Paul’s initial audience is composed of believers in the city of Rome, but as with all of Scripture, we learn spiritual truth as we listen over their shoulders, as it were. What descriptions those are. We have a purpose. Just as Paul was “called” (1:1), so also we have been called, and that by Jesus Christ. We have been chosen by Him to join in His mission in the world. We are not our own; together with Paul we are “bond-servants of Christ Jesus” (1:1).

And we have a relationship, and that with the Creator God of the universe. Being a believer is not a cold, philosophical, academic assessment of spiritual truth. We are beloved by God, a very personal, intimate relationship. We are defined not by our love for Him, but by His love for us. We are described not as those who love God, but as those who are beloved by God. There is a huge difference. The old illustration goes like this: a godly man was sick, and someone prayed over him, “Lord, this man loves you, so please heal him.” The godly man stopped the prayer and said, “Please don’t try to motivate God to heal me because of my love for Him, which is infinitely small. Please appeal on the basis of God’s love for me.”

Finally, we are called “saints.” The grammatical construction is the same as in verse 1: just as Paul was “called to be an apostle” (ESV), so also we are “called to be saints.” He has set us apart as His holy ones for His purpose.

Lord, I am overwhelmed at how You describe me in this passage. Though I act less than saintly, I do accept and live in the reality of being set apart for You.