Romans 1:3-7

Romans 1:1-2

^KJV 1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, ² (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

Romans 1:3-7

^KJV 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; ⁴ And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: ⁵ By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: ⁶ Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: ⁷ To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

^SCR 3 peri. tou/ ui`ou/ auvtou/( tou/ genome,nou evk spe,rmatoj Dabi.d kata. sa,rka( <sup>4</sup> tou/ o`risqe,ntoj ui`ou/ Qeou/ evn duna,mei( kata. pneu/ma a`giwsu,nhj( evx avnasta,sewj nekrw/n( VIhsou/ Cristou/ tou/ Kuri,ou h`mw/n( <sup>5</sup> diV ou- evla,bomen ca,rin kai. avpostolh.n eivj u`pakoh.n pi,stewj evn pa/si toi/j e;qnesin( u`pe.r tou/ ovno,matoj auvtou/( <sup>6</sup> evn oi-j evste kai. u`mei/j( klhtoi. VIhsou/ Cristou/\ ⁷ pa/si toi/j ou=sin evn ~Rw,mh| avgaphtoi/j Qeou/( klhtoi/j a`gi,oij\ ca,rij u`mi/n kai. eivrh,nh avpo. Qeou/ patro.j h`mw/n kai. Kuri,ou VIhsou/ Cristou/

ÅPaul has introduced himself as the Doolos, the slave of Christ, called especially by God to be an apostle. He has been separated from doing other things that his time and energies might be given for the purpose of making God's Gospel known.
This Good news for those who are to be saved was something God promised back in the past. God used prophets in the past to let people know about this promise
of one who would come to restore sinful men women and children to a right relationship with God.
This promised good news was about God's son Jesus Christ. The one who is "Jehovah Saves" and the anointed one.
He is prophet priest and he is King. He is also our Lord.
Who's Lord? He is of course Lord over all but Paul is speaking specifically here of Jesus Christ as being Lord over Paul and the Roman Christians to whom he is writing. 
          This one who is "Jehovah saves" though he is the son of God with all that that means yet he is also so far as his humanness is concerned fully man, the Son of man.
          Verse 4 comes back to the fact that Jesus is the Son of God.
⁴ And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
He is declared (greek 'horizo') (o`risqe,ntoj ) (o`riso )

could as easily be translated "appointed" ( see Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31)

Acts 10:42

^KJV 42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained ( w`risme,noj ) horismenos

of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Acts 17:31

^KJV 31 Because he hath appointed (e;sthsen ) estaesen a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; horise ( w[rise) whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

There is an authoritative declaration from God that Jesus is "the son of God with power". This does not mean that Jesus became the Son of God at the Resurrection, he always was the Son of God, but as A Nygren puts it in his Commentary on Romans "Jesus who during His earthly ministry 'was the Son of God in weakness and lowliness' became by the resurection 'the Son of God in Power' " end of quote. We might note how Peter in Acts 2:36 says "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."  

KJV Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

Romans 1:4

^KJV 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

to be or shown to be by the Spirit of holiness.  

This statement that Jesus is the Son of God is to be understood as stating the deity of Christ. That is that He is God. As when the Jews asked Jesus if he were the Christ and he told them that

John 10:30

^KJV 30 I and my Father are one.

And so they wanted to stone Jesus and he said:

John 10:31-33

^KJV 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. ³² Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? ³³ The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

Jesus had declared his deity but through his resurrection in particular His deity is declared.

Jesus is declared to be the son of God "with power" duna,mei doonamei from which we get our word dynamite.

The spirit  bears  witness to who Jesus is. God the Father is saying through God the Spirit Jesus is the son of God. The holiness of Jesus shows God's authority statement about him. By the working of God the Holy Spirit we can essentially"With a holiness like that who can deny that He is the Son of God."
Remember how when the Centurion saw Jesus die, he was so over awed that he declared "Truly this was the son of God". (Matthew 27:45 )

The Centurion saw Jesus as the Son of God at the death of Jesus but it is by Christ's rising from the dead that the great declaration of God goes forth. None other than the Son of God could so rise from the dead to provide salvation from sin for the sinner and that the sinner might be reconciled to God.
       When a person has his or her spiritual eyes opened to the holiness of Jesus they are humbled and brought low before the holiness of Jesus. And the Spirit of God and the Son of God work in harmony to help the sinner to see how foul his righteousnesses are when viewed in the light of the holiness  of the Son of God.
A very appropriate passage that goes hand in hand with what we are looking at here is:

Hebrews 1:1-5

^KJV 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ² Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; ³ Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; ⁴ Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. ⁵ For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

        From the glory of the Godhead in Heaven, Jesus, Jehovah saves, the creator of the worlds  came, to mix with those he created.
I am reminded of the chorus: "Jesus left heaven's bright glory to die on the cross to save me _  _  _  _."   Week though these words are in the light of the expressions of scripture ,  yet it expresses something  of this truth.

But this spirit of holiness in Jesus shines more brightly as a result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

The Apostle says about what he wrote:

John 20:31

^KJV 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

John in His Gospel is out to show that Jesus is indeed God and man he is the Son of God, for it is as the sinner sees who died for him he can by the promptings of the Holy Ghost see that God whom he has offended became man to die in his place. The sinner needs to see how offensive his sin is, and he will see that most clearly in the light of the holiness of the saviour who died for him and that holiness is most clearly seen as we see that this one who is the Son of God is indeed the Holy God.

Likewise it was Paul's concern to make know that Jesus is the Son of God.

When the Ethiopian Eunuch believed and wanted to be Baptised Philip said to him:

Acts 8:37

^KJV 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

John says in his first epistle:

1 John 5:5

^KJV 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

When Jesus asked his disciples who they said he was.

Matthew 16:15-16

^KJV 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? ¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

In Matthew 22:41-46 Jesus questions the Pharisees

Matthew 22:41-46

^KJV 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. ⁴³ He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, ⁴⁴ The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? ⁴⁵ If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? ⁴⁶ And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

If David calls the Christ the son of David Lord. If the Lord God says to David's Lord Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool then who is this one who is David's son yet is also David's Lord. Anyone who knew of David knew without question that David's Lord was God. There was no question about that so this one who as man is David's son is also God and as God and man he is the Son of God.

In the proclamation of the Gospel it is important that people know who Jesus is:

John 3:18

^KJV 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

To those who are being saved the message of who has died for them is dynamite. It blows them away. Jehovah saves, the anointed sovereign Lord of all, the Son of God died for me. From arrogant pride they come trembling in humble gratitude to submit to their savoiur.

So Paul the servant of Jesus Christ has been set apart for the work of making the Gospel known. It is the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ who is man, the son of David in the flesh but also the Son of God which means that He is God.

Romans 1:5

^KJV 5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Paul deserved nothing from God yet God graciously gave Paul apostleship. That is he made Paul an apostle. Apostle basically means a sent one, but Paul is not sent by just anyone he is sent by Jesus Christ the Lord. It appears to be agreed that the "we" simply refers to Paul only.

Haldane says: "He here speaks of himself in the plural number. He does not appear to use this style that he may include the other Apostles: what is true of him will, however, as to everything essential, apply to all the others.

Paul has received this gift of apostleship for a reason and that is that people from all nations may come to obey the faith in the sense of coming to believe the gospel applies to them. That there might be a submission to the will of God

Acts 6:7

^KJV 7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Romans 6:17-18

^KJV 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Romans 16:25-26

^KJV 25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, ²⁶ But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

2 Thessalonians 1:7-8

^KJV 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, ⁸ In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1 Peter 1:21-22

^KJV 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. ²² Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

In Romans 10 speaking of unbelieving Jews Paul says

Romans 10:3-4

^KJV 3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. ⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Romans 10:16

^KJV 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

Becoming a Christian is equivalent to obedience to the faith.

Those who are servants of the King of Kings have that desire to obey Him. This because the Gospel has brought people from deliberate opposition to God to obedience. And the reason for this obedience is for Him who gave himself for them.

This is what they gospel does to people. They move from living for themselves to living for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:6

^KJV 6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:

The Romans to whom Paul is writing are included among the people of all nations whom Christ calls to himself through the gospel. Like Paul the Romans also were called to belong to Jesus Christ. They too were His servants. a`gi,oij\

Romans 1:7

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

Paul is addressing His letter to all in Rome who are beloved of God and called to be saints. God has expressed his love to these to whom Paul writes and the Love that God has expressed to them is that love that calls sinners to repentance that calls those dead in their sins unable to come to God to be able to come to Him because he draws them as we see in:

Ephesians 2:5

^KJV 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Peter expresses how God has expressed his love to his own in this way:

1 Peter 2:9

^KJV 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

The Roman Christians as with all who will be God's own all over the world are beloved of God.

Also they were called to be hagiois a`gi,oij\

to be holy ones. That is those set apart to belong to Jesus Christ. Holy to him.

A couple of other places where this expression "saints is used are:

Romans 15:25

^KJV 25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

Ephesians 2:19

^KJV 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

but back to our verse:

Romans 1:7

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

Paul's greeting to these saints in Rome is that they may experience grace. That is that God will give to them what they could never have deserved but God provides for his own and he desires that they may know that peace that God gives

Christians can have nothing in their relationship with God that does not come from Him. They deserve nothing from Him yet he provides there every need in himself graciously. There is no contribution they can make all is of God.

This grace and peace not only comes from God the Father but also the Lord Jesus Christ.

So in the opening part of Paul's letter to the Romans He has introduced himself. Told them of the position Christ has given him, spoken briefly of the task of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for which he is set aside and greeted the Roman Christians as part of those of all nations called as Paul is to belong to Jesus Christ to be set apart for him and he is keen to see them experiencing what God graciously extends to his own and knowing God's peace in their lives.