Paul’s Intended Audience – Roman Believers

Romans 1:7

7To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Verse 7) – Among the countless, gracious privileges of the good news of God are those of our being His beloved, our being His called ones, and our being His saints.

To all that be in Rome - That is, to all who bear the Christian name and live in Rome. Perhaps he here included not only the church at Rome, but all who might have been there from abroad. Rome was a place of vast concourse for foreigners; and Paul probably addressed all who happened to be there.  The larger audience, intended by God’s Holy Spirit, is all believers of all ages, in all places.  That is the reason for including it in the Word of God – for our instruction.

Paul here addresses all his fellow believers in Rome as the beloved of God. That is, we are those whom God loves. This is the privileged position of all Christians. And this proves that the persons whom Paul addressed were “not” those merely who had been invited to the external privileges of the gospel. The importance of this observation will appear in the progress of these notes. This is one of the most repeated and emphasized truths of Scripture, namely, that of God’s gracious love for those who belong to Him. David prayed, “Remember, O Lord, thy compassion and Thy lovingkindnesses, for they have been from of old” (Ps. 25:6; cf. 26:3) and, “How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God!” (Ps. 36:7). Isaiah exulted, “I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He has granted them according to His compassion, and according to the multitude of His lovingkindnesses” (Isa. 63:7). Through Jeremiah, the Lord told His people, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jer. 31:3).

Paul declares that God is “rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions” (Eph. 2:4-5). John writes, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are” (1 John 3:1).

Every believer has been made acceptable to God through Christ, “to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6). Every believer is a child of God and is loved for the sake of God’s beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Paul says that “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Rom. 5:5). Later in the epistle he assures us that nothing can “separate us from the love of Christ,” not even “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword” (8:35).

Called to be saints – Those who have come to Christ by the obedience of faith are also the called of God. As we have already noted, Paul is not referring to God’s general call for mankind to believe. Through Isaiah He made the appeals “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth” (45:22) and “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near” (55:6). Through Ezekiel He warned, “Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!” (Ezek. 33:11). During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to the sinful multitudes, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28) and, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). From heaven, through the apostle John, Jesus said, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost” (Rev 22:17).

But in Romans 1:7 Paul is not here speaking of that general calling but of the specific way in which those who have responded to that invitation have been sovereignly and effectually called by God to Himself in salvation. Called is here a synonym for the terms “elect” and “predestined.” As the apostle explains in chapter 8, those “whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (v 30). From our limited human viewpoint, it may seem that we first came to God through an act of our will, but we know from His Word that we could not and would not have sought Him by faith unless He had already chosen us by the gracious act of His sovereign will and prompted and enabled us to do so.

The references to being called to salvation are always, in the epistles of the New Testament, efficacious (effective or efficient) calls that save, never general invitations. Thus calling is the effecting of God’s plan of election. The doctrine of election is clearly taught throughout the New Testament (cf. Matt. 20:15-16; John 15:16; 17:9; Acts 13:48; Romans 9:14-15; 11:5; 1 Cor. 1:9; Eph. 2:8-10; Col. 1:3-5; 1 Thess. 1:4-5; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9; 2:10; 1 Pet. 1:1-2; Rev 13:8; 17:8, 14).

So Paul is referring to the Roman believers as those so called, or influenced by God who had called them, as to become saints. Saints is from a Greek word which means those who are holy and has the basic meaning of being set apart or those who are devoted or consecrated to God. In the Old Testament many things and people were divinely set apart by God for His own purposes. The radical idea of the word is what is separated from a common to a sacred use, and answers to the Hebrew word meaning much the same thing.  That Hebrew word is applied to any thing that is set apart to the service of God, the Tabernacle and Temple and all their furnishings, to the sacrifices, to the utensils about the temple, to the garments, etc. of the priests, and to the priests themselves - supremely the Ark of the Covenant and the holy of holies – these were set apart to Him. It was applied to the Jews as a people separated from other nations, and devoted or consecrated to God, while other nations were devoted to the service of idols. The tribe of Levi was set apart for His priesthood. The tithes and offerings of the people of Israel consisted of money and other gifts specifically set apart for God.

Frequently in the Old Testament, however, holy refers to a person’s being set apart by God from the world and to Himself, and thereby being made like Him in holiness. To be set apart in that sense is to be made holy and righteous. Whether under the Old or the New Covenant, saints are “the holy ones” of God.

Under the New Covenant, however, such holy things as the Temple, priesthood, Ark, and tithes no longer exist. God’s only truly holy things on earth today are His people, those whom He has sovereignly and graciously set apart for Himself through Jesus Christ. The new temple of God and the new priesthood of God are His church (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9). And so the concept is also applied to Christians, as being a people devoted or set apart to the service of God. The radical idea then, as applied to Christians, is, that “they are separated from other men, and other objects and pursuits, and consecrated to the service of God.” This is the special characteristic of the saints. And this characteristic the Roman Christians had shown. For the use of the word, as stated above, see the following passages of scripture; Luke 2:23; Exo. 13:2, Rom. 11:16; Matt. 7:6; 1 Pet. 1:16; Acts 9:13; 1 Pet. 2:5; Acts 3:21, Eph. 3:5; 1 Pet. 2:9; Phil 2:15; 1 John 3:1-2.

We ought to note that the original language has no verb at this point in the sentence.  A literal translation would be “called saints” indicating another appellation or synonym for believers is “saints” or separated ones.  There is no idea of activity here.  It is not that we are called to act in separated ways, separating ourselves from the world.  This is true, and we ought to do that, but this verse does not speak of this kind of separation.  Here, we see the idea that Christians already have, by their very nature as Christians, been separated by God out from world unto Christ.  This is an important distinction as we will see later in the book.  If the emphasis is on our efforts to be separated, then the righteousness that results from that action is also ours and we are commending ourselves to God.  If, on the other hand, the action of separating us out unto Himself is God’s action, then we are commended to God by the righteousness of Christ, and not any human righteousness!  That, I’m sure you’ll agree is a very important distinction!

Grace - This word properly means “favor.” It is very often used in the New Testament, and is employed in the sense of benignity or benevolence; felicity, or a prosperous state of affairs; the Christian religion, as the highest expression of the benevolence or favor of God; the happiness which Christianity confers on its friends in this and the future life; the apostolic office; charity, or alms; thanksgiving; joy, or pleasure; and the benefits produced on the Christian’s heart and life by religion - the grace of meekness, patience, charity, etc.  In this place, and in similar places in the beginning of the apostolic epistles, it seems to be a general reference, including all those blessings that are applicable to all Christians in common; denoting an ardent wish that all the mercies and favors of God for time and eternity, blended under the general name grace, may be conferred on them. It is to be understood as connected with a word implying invocation. I pray, or I desire, that grace, etc. may be conferred on you. It is the customary form of salutation in nearly all the apostolic epistles; 1 Cor. 1:3; 2 Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:3: Eph. 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col. 1:2; 1 Thes 1:1; 2 Thes 1:2; Philem. 1:3.

And peace - Peace is the state of freedom from hostility or turmoil. As war conveys the idea of discord and numberless calamities and dangers, so peace is the opposite, and conveys the idea of concord, safety, and prosperity. Thus, to wish one peace was the same as to wish him all safety and prosperity. This form of salutation was common among the Hebrews. (Gen. 43:23, “peace to you! fear not;” Judg. 6:23; 19:20; Luke 24:36). But the word “peace” is also used in contrast with that state of agitation and conflict which a sinner has with his conscience, and with God. The sinner is like the troubled sea, which cannot rest, (Isa. 57:20). The Christian is at peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, (Rom. 5:1). By this word, denoting reconciliation with God, the blessings of the Christian religion are often described in the scriptures, (Rom. 8:6; 14:17; 15:13; Gal. 5:22; Phil 4:7). A prayer for peace, therefore, in the epistles, is not a mere formal salutation, but has a special reference to those “spiritual” blessings which result from reconciliation with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

From God our Father - The Father of all Christians, not here of all men. He is the Father of all his creatures in a general sense, as they are his offspring, (Acts 17:28-29). However, He is especially the Father of all Christians, as they have been “begotten by him to a lively hope,” have been adopted into his family, and are like him; (Matt. 5:45; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 5:1; 3:1-2). This is the sense, the specific Fatherhood of God of believers, intended here.  The expression here is equivalent to a prayer that God the Father would bestow grace and peace on the Romans. It implies that these blessings proceed from God, and are to be expected from him.

The original language actually strongly supports the idea given earlier about the fact that we are saved by the action of God and not ourselves.  Paul is entirely consistent in his grammar when he speaks of these ideas.  Note earlier that we “beloved of God”, a passive idea for us.  Here we are wished grace and peace “from” God the Father, etc.  The Greek word speak of that as going “out from” or “away from” the person of God (and Christ) and coming into us.  Again we see ourselves as being passive in the receiving of this blessing from God – it comes as a result of his action and not of ours.

And the Lord Jesus Christ - From him. The Lord Jesus Christ is especially regarded in the New Testament as the Source of peace, and the Procurer of it; (see Luke 2:14; 19:38, 42; John 14:27; 16:33; Acts 10:36; Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:17). Each of these places will show with what propriety peace was invoked from the Lord Jesus. From thus connecting the Lord Jesus with the Father in this place, we may see,

(1)  That the apostle regarded him as the source of grace and peace as really as he did the Father.

(2)  He introduced them in the same connection, and with reference to the bestowment of the same blessings.

(3)  If the mention of the Father in this connection implies a prayer to him, or an act of worship, the mention of the Lord Jesus implies the same thing, and was an act of homage to him.

(4)  All this shows that his mind was familiarized to the idea that he was divine.

No mere man would introduce his name in such connections if he did not believe that he was equal with God; compare Phil 2:2-11. It is from this incidental and unstudied manner of expression, that we have one of the most striking proofs of the manner in which the sacred writers regarded the Lord Jesus Christ. There is also a grammatical indication here as well.  The use of the Greek conjunction in this place is a usage that often ties equals together and implies parity, at least generally, between the objects on either side of the conjunctive particle.

In a beautiful benediction to his introductory remarks, Paul says, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The only people who can receive the marvelous blessings of grace and peace are those who are the beloved, the called, and the holy ones of God. Only they can truly call God their Father, because only they have been adopted into His divine family through His true Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

These seven verses are one sentence. They are a striking instance of the manner of Paul. The subject is simply a salutation to the Roman church. But at the mention of some single words, the mind of Paul seems to catch fire, and go burn and blaze with signal intensity. He leaves the immediate subject before him, and advances some vast thought that awes us, and fixes us in contemplation, and involves us in difficulty about his meaning, and then returns to his subject. This is the characteristic of his great mind; and it is this, among other things, that makes it so difficult to interpret his writings.