Beloved of God. Romans 1:7 These set-apart people from all over the world are not called perfect, very intelligent, or famous people. They are "beloved of God" without strings attached. When he called us by the Gospel, there was nothing special in us to recommend us to the Almighty God. We are like those the Lord Jesus spoke about in a parable who were "poor, maimed, halt and blind," who lived out on the highways and byways. He loved us with a sovereign love that knows no limits.
God loves us, and He has identified us as "saints:" those set apart to be holy people. This is not sainthood bestowed because of some miraculous work done. This is not sainthood passed on to us from those whom God used in some special work of the Lord. This is not passed on because we are in saintly families or were born in a Christian country. This was an act of God's will to love us and call us to holiness because He is holy. When God saved us, we were justified by grace, faith, blood, and the resurrection of our Lord. He made us a holy people
Saints are people set apart for God who are morally holy. God is holy; because He is holy, His people must be holy. It is obvious that we have no ability to be holy apart from His grace (unmerited favor), which enables us to do and be what God wants. Peace comes when unhindered, unrestricted harmony exists with God, others, and ourselves. Christian wholeness comes to those who appreciate God’s grace. Then, we experience His peace despite all surrounding us in this turbulent, wicked world.
Justification without holiness is not salvation. A leper could say he is cleansed, but that did not make him clean. A person can say they are saved, but that does not make it so. Being justified by faith makes peace with God real. Being justified by the blood of Christ saves us from God’s righteous wrath. Being justified by His grace places us as heirs of God’s blessings. When a person is a true child of God, their works as a believer justify them by the plain evidence of a new life in Christ.
The Gospel is rooted in the Old Testament scriptures, and the truth was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ coming in the flesh as the Messiah. The benefits of the Gospel are peace, love, and holiness in God’s people through the Lord Jesus Christ. The scope of the Gospel is worldwide, starting at Jerusalem and spreading out to “all men everywhere” who are called to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus.
God has set His people apart positionally, and the Holy Spirit in us makes it possible for us to be holy when we are yielded to His leading and guiding through the word of God. When we “walk in the Spirit” and do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, holiness can be a reality in life here even though we are still in the world. The grace of God, freely given to us without any reason for it on our part, saves us when we put our faith in Christ. Peace with God is the result. Walking in holiness enables us to experience that peace daily in our lives.
The common greeting of Greeks was "Charis" (grace), and the Hebrews was "Shalom" (peace). This was used by the apostle when greeting the believers at Rome. But here, these two words mean much more than they would have normally conveyed. "Grace" links us with the Source of grace, God our Father. The gift of unmerited favor is so much more than a common salutation. "Peace" has come to us through the blood of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is far more than a casual "shalom" given in passing. This is the total well-being and security provided for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. We are at peace with Him and through Him.
In this introduction to the book of Romans, the first of at least four themes is promise and fulfillment. Second, the people of God are defined as one in Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles. The third point is that Old Testament teaching regarding Christ was fulfilled when He was in the flesh. The fourth important point is that our Lord Jesus Christ is both deity and humanity without forfeiting one or the other characteristics and nature. References are made regarding the fact that God is a Trinity of Persons. Jesus is God's Son, which also implies a Father God. The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live in holiness as we represent the Gospel and the power of salvation in a person’s life.