Romans 1:1-7
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3 the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the gentiles for the sake of his name, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
7 To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
…set apart for the gospel of God…
In his salutation to the Church in Rome, Paul refers to himself as “called” and “set apart for the gospel of God”. Later, he refers to the congregation in Rome as those who are “called to belong to Jesus Christ”, and “called to be saints”.
This has me wondering about what it really means to be called by God and set apart for the gospel. When I think of being “set apart”, it feels uncomfortable – like I’m being put on display or removed from the safety and security of my community. It doesn’t feel like anything I’d choose for myself.
That’s why, when God calls us to belong to Jesus Christ, and sets us apart to proclaim the Gospel with our lives, God also fills us with faith and places us into the Body of Christ. Once we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked with the Cross of Christ forever in Baptism, we will never be the same again. We have been set apart from the world, which doesn’t recognize us because it doesn’t recognize Jesus. At the same time, we have been called by God to be salt and light in the world.
Prayer: Loving God: You have called us and set us apart here, in the world. Show me how to live faithfully in this world without being of it. AMEN