[Loved by God]
Pastor Taehoon Kim
Romans 1:1-17
The book of Romans is Apostle Pauls letter to the church in Rome, and the theme is the Gospel. Paul called the Christians of the church in Rome loved by God and called to be His holy people (v. 7). We did nothing to gain this love. God just loved us with His grace. Let us think of those who are loved by God today.
First, they are chosen for the Gospel. With the conversion of the Holy Spirit on the way to Damascus, Paul realized that Jesus was Christ, and he became the servant of Jesus Christ. He did not want this. God called him first and chose him for the Gospel. He was set apart for the Gospel. God separated us from the world for the Gospel, but we keep casting our eyes on the world and try serving both the idol and God. And God has no choice but to do fearful things for that reason (Isaiah 64:1-3). We are not chosen for worldly success, wealth, riches, honors, or power. The Gospel is about redeeming our price of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ, Son of God. When we live for this Gospel, we will have comfort, joy, and peace of the Holy Spirit. Our lives are in despair because we do not realize this. Therefore, it is Gods love not redeeming our debt until we experience the conversion of the Holy Spirit, and it is the comfort of the Holy Spirit that He waits till we decide to live for the Gospel. We can read the Bible from the perspective of redemption history by accepting it as story of Jesus dying and resurrecting for our salvation. And everyone who was called to belong to Jesus Christ is also set apart for the Gospel of God (vv. 5-7). We have to live for the Gospel from where we are right now. For example, when everyone is having hard time from COVID-19, we can show people the grace and peace coming from God and Jesus Christ as Gods loved ones.
Second, a chosen one appreciates for the Gospel to spread out. Paul was grateful that the faith of the church in Rome was reported all over the world (v. 8). The church in Rome was not built by Paul or his disciples. But he was thankful for the Gospel to be spread out, for the church to be built, and for the growth of the faith of the Christians. Paul wrote the letter so that this church could clearly know about Gospel and carry out the mission of spreading the Gospel. The book of Romans was written out of selfless heart. When we know that we are chosen for selfless reasons and when we serve and work for the Gospel, God will pay us back with the most beautiful and glorious fruit of salvation. In the end, Pauls selfless work for them was shown through his constant prayer for them (v. 9). Paul always prayed for the church of Rome. And we are to reflect on ourselves during this long quarantine life. Where can we find the reason to be thankful? How can we find joy and comfort? We can be thankful for the Gospel spreading out. We can spend our time to pray. Paul wanted to see the believers in Rome, and he tried to go there several times, but he was not successful (vv. 13-15). It is like our situation where we were preparing for off-line worship services as the COVID situation had subsided, but then we had to wait longer because it was on the rise again. But Paul did not fall into despair or feel depressed. He was thankful for the Gospel to be reported everywhere, and he prayed for the church in Rome. His with was to evangelize people in Rome. To join Pauls appreciation and prayers, we have to give up on other things so that we can save our time and energy because they are limited. We have to choose for the best and we have to cut out for the best. Whatever is for the Gospel is the best.
Third, the chosen one lives by faith. Apostle Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel (v. 16). He realized how wretched and hopeless sinner he was by the light of Christ. He realized Jesus forgave his sin of ten thousand talents with the blood of the cross. Paul experienced that God gave salvation if he believed in the Gospel, and he put down degrees, honor, titles, authority, and privileges which he had boasted before. He lived for the Gospel. And the Gospel reveals Gods justice, and this justice is Gods righteousness which is shown through faith (v. 17). Gods is completely right and we are sinners. When we believe this and interpret our lives by advancing with faith, Gods power will come down to us. Therefore, we need faith. We need to believe that God is always right, that our suffering is much smaller than our sin, that we are chosen for the Gospel, and that we will gain victory at the end. Gods power enables us to seek His mercy, grace, and salvation even in the suffering and to live for the Gospel in joy. It is important to live by faith, not among regrets and grief. Because we grieve for our children, we are able to grieve other children. The life bound for the Gospel is the life bound by faith. This is how a person loved by God should look like.
