Romans 1:5-7
5 “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles in behalf of His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 5: Paul emphasizes that it is through Jesus that both grace and apostleship have been received. Grace is the unmerited favor and undeserved kindness of God, and apostleship refers to the calling and commissioning of Paul as an apostle. The purpose of this grace and apostleship is to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. This obedience is not a legalistic striving to earn salvation, but rather a response of trust and reliance on Jesus. It is through faith in Jesus that Gentiles, who were previously excluded, can now experience the fullness of God’s salvation. This calling is for the sake of Jesus’ name, to bring glory and honor to him.
Verse 6: Paul includes the recipients of his letter, the believers in Rome, as part of the Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. He affirms that they too have been included in the calling and belonging to Jesus. This highlights the inclusive nature of the gospel, where both Jews and Gentiles are invited to be part of God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ.
Verse 7: Paul addresses the believers in Rome as those who are loved by God and called to be his holy people. This emphasizes the believers’ identity as recipients of God’s love and their set-apart identity as his holy people. Paul then extends a greeting of grace and peace to them from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This greeting highlights the abundant grace and peace that believers have received through their relationship with the Trinity.