The obedience of faith.

Romans 1:1-7, Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, to all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul has one of those run-on sentences for which my English teacher would have counted off ten points, but he gets the point across: he was set apart that we might be obedient to our own call. Faith is the gift of God, not of works, so that we who are called have noting to boast about. We have been awakened by the one who set apart Paul, and like him we are called as members of the body of Christ: “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.” Are we seeking after him, or just after his gifts?

We want to know you better every day, Lord, that your name may be proclaimed to all nations for a blessing.

ESV Lectionary