Romans 1:1

KJV Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

GNS Romans 1:1 Pau/loj dou/loj VIhsou/ Cristou/( klhto.j avpo,stoloj( avfwrisme,noj eivj euvagge,lion Qeou/(

When Paul writes to the Romans he begins with who he is and the authority he has to speak.

When we first meet Paul in the scriptures he is known as "Saul". Saul means "desired".

He is here "Paul" the word Paul means small or little. It can also have the idea of being small in the sense of being the deputy, the one who comes under the authority of another.

Paul is a deputy or servant of Jesus Christ. The word translated servant is doolos which could more accurately be translated "slave". Paul is a slave of Jesus Christ. Paul no longer follows after his own will but does the will of the one who has authority over him.

A Christian no longer belongs to him \ her self. They are the possessions of Christ.

KJV 1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

KJV 1 Corinthians 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

Paul was a servant of Christ.

This is the same for every Christian. The great desire of a Christian is to do the will of Him who saved him / her. We all will fail to a large degree this side of heaven and we will like Paul say.

KJV Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

There is a failure because of the flesh and the death throws of sin that is trying to keep us from experiencing the fullness of joy

of our salvation.

Never the less within us is that overwhelming gratitude toward Christ for saving us from hell and bringing us back into relationship with our maker.

For the one who has been saved by Christ there is the overwhelming desire to do his \ her master's will.

As Jesus said " KJV John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

The commandments of God are precious to the one who has experienced salvation.

And there is a glorious result

Paul is a servant of Jesus Christ He was also called to be an apostle. Paul did not decide he wanted to be an apostle.

Paul didn't even want to become a Christian let alone an apostle. As far as Paul was concerned Christians were heretics and had to be destroyed.

As Saul he had persecuted the church.

KJV Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

KJV Acts 9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

No desire whatever to become a Christian. That is the way with sinners. They cannot desire to become Christians. They are dead in their trespasses and sins.

KJV Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

God in his love graciously reaches down to people who deserve nothing from him and he changes their sinful stubborn rebellious hearts from a state of opposition to a state of where they desire to repent and in joy accept the free gift of salvation

KJV Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

God has changed Paul from one who was opposed to

God's way to a man who is now not only saved, not only a slave of Jesus Christ but who has been called by God to be an apostle.

Now what is an apostle? I will here borrow Peter Barnes' statement from his commentary on Romans:

1. had physically seen Christ (Acts 1:21-22;)

KJV Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. ( 1 Cor.9:1)

KJV 1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord? )

2. was used by God to perform miracles (2 Cor.12:12)

KJV 2 Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

3. was directly commissioned by Christ to preach (Gal.1:1).

KJV Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

The Greek word for apostle avpo,stoloj means "sent one". One who has been officially sent on a mission and has the authority to act on behalf of the one who sent him or the group who sent him.

A representative authorised and commissioned to a task.

Paul is a servant of Christ a called Apostle and He is separated or set aside for a purpose. Separated unto the gospel of God.

His task is to make the Gospel known, and the Gospel is God's Gospel. It is the good news that Christ has come to set the captives free. Those bound in sin, bound to rebellion against God and his ways, wanting their own way not God's way, or wanting God to do things their way instead of His, good news that Christ has died to take the punishment for this sinful attitude toward God, punishment for all whom God will be call to salvation. Christ is risen victorious over sin and death and Hell. No power can hold the sinless Saviour who as Man represents man and as God is perfect and can declare the saved ones no longer guilty before Him.

KJV Romans 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

This Gospel is not a new thing. It is something promised before hand and God's prophets have told of it and it can be found written in the scriptures.

From the time Eve and Adam disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, entered into sin and were separated from fellowship with God, bringing sin to all mankind, God provided the promise of one who would bring the death blow to Satan but who would be hurt by Satan.

KJV Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.