Romans 1:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

NIV: And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

NASB: among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

CSB: including you who are also called by Jesus Christ.

NLT: And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.

KJV: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

NKJV: among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

In the previous verse, Paul boldly declared his mission in life, given by Christ Himself, to carry the gospel to all the nations of the world. More specifically, he was called to "to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations" (Romans 1:5).

Paul now adds that his mission field, his target audience, includes those called to belong to Christ in Rome. In other words, Paul's point in writing this letter is to lay out exactly what it means to obey Christ's call to believe in Him. Paul is preparing to present a clear and thorough description of the good news that all can be forgiven for their sin and made right with God forever by faith in Jesus and what He accomplished when He died on the cross.

The words that follow will form the most complete picture of Christian theology given in the New Testament.

Romans 1:1–7 begins Paul's letter to the Christians in Rome with an introduction of himself as a servant and apostle of Jesus. He has been set apart to preach the gospel, or good news, about Jesus. Paul interrupts his own introduction by immediately beginning to teach the gospel, that Jesus Christ our Lord is the Son of God who was resurrected from the dead. He addresses his letter to those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints. This would include all the believers in Jesus.

Romans 1 introduces Paul and his purpose in writing this letter to the Christians in Rome. As servant and apostle of Jesus, Paul's mission in life is to preach the gospel of Jesus to all people groups, both Jews and Gentiles. He hopes to do so in Rome soon. Paul is not ashamed of the gospel. It is God's power for the salvation of all people by faith in Christ. We need to be saved because God is angry with us. Because of our sin, humanity has rejected Him as creator and provider. We worship created things, instead. In response, God has given us over to indulge in all kinds of sinful practices that lead to misery now and His angry judgment later.

Romans 1 begins with Paul's introduction of himself and his mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. After telling the Christians in Rome that he is eager to come see them and preach the gospel there, Paul declares that the gospel is God's power to save everyone who believes in Jesus. We need to be saved, because our sin has earned God's wrath. As a whole, humanity has rejected God as creator and provider. We worship creation instead of Him. In response, He has given us over to the full indulgence of our sinful desires. We are guilty and deserve His judgment.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.

Accessed 12/21/2024 10:44:13 AM