Paul: Servant of the Gospel

Opening Up Romans—1

This post begins our journey through Paul’s letter to the Romans—a book that has changed the world, one heart at a time. From Augustine to Martin Luther, countless lives have been turned upside down by the truths found in these pages. But Romans isn’t just for theologians or pastors—it’s for ordinary people who are willing to let God’s Word do extraordinary things in them. So, as we open the first verse, consider this your gentle warning: if you read Romans seriously, it may change you too!

Paul begins simply:

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. ( 1:1)

In this one verse, Paul tells us who he is and what defines his life. He’s a servant, he’s called, and he’s set apart—all because of God’s grace.

From Persecutor to Preacher

Before he was Paul, he was Saul—the man everyone feared. He approved of Stephen’s execution, hunted down Christians, and tried to destroy the early church. By his own admission, he was “a Pharisee,” “a persecutor of the church,” and “blameless” when it came to following the law (Phil. 3:5–6). In his mind, he was serving God. In reality, he was fighting against Him.

Then, on the road to Damascus, everything changed. A blinding light. A voice:

Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 

It was Jesus. In that moment, the persecutor became the pursued. The proud Pharisee became the humble servant. Later, Paul would sum up his life this way:

By the grace of God I am what I am. (1 Cor. 15:10)

That’s the heart of the gospel in one sentence. God saves sinners. No one is too far gone, too hardened, or too guilty for His grace to reach. Paul is exhibit A.

A Servant of Christ

Paul calls himself a *servant*—literally, a bond-servant—of Christ Jesus. The word carries humility and devotion. He belonged to Jesus now. Once a slave to sin and self-righteousness, he was now bound to Christ in love and faith.

Origen, one of the early church fathers, once said, “Being a slave of Christ is more distinguished than any freedom.” That’s the paradox of grace: when Christ sets you free, you become joyfully His.

Called and Set Apart

Paul didn’t volunteer for this. He didn’t fill out an application to be an apostle. God called him. God set him apart for one purpose—to proclaim the gospel, the good news that God saves sinners through Jesus Christ.

This is what the gospel does: it transforms your identity and redirects your life. The man who once set himself apart as a Pharisee now finds himself set apart by God to preach grace to the nations. What a turnaround.

As Chrysostom said, Paul came “not to proclaim gloomy tidings,” but to announce “the countless treasures of the blessings of God.”

Ready for Romans

And that’s just verse one! Paul introduces himself not to brag, but to show us the grace that defines him. The same grace that met him on the Damascus road still meets us in these words today.

So, are you ready to walk through Romans? To see what happens when God’s Word confronts your pride, comforts your heart, and reshapes your story?

You’ve been warned. Grace is about to change everything.