Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
This is Paul’s initial greeting to the Church at Rome. He identifies himself as a servant of Jesus Christ before his calling as an apostle. There is much that could be said about both roles. Instead, I want to direct your attention to his separation. I think we often associate separation with being separated “from” something. This is most common when speaking of relationships. It can also be true in a religious sense. There are many who view separation in negative terms. To be honest, there are times when we need to separate ourselves from those who are not leading us closer to Christ. There are times when churches (or whole denominations) depart from biblical truth, and we must separate to maintain doctrinal purity.
There is also an unhealthy separation. This is a separation that leads to isolation. Paul would be keenly aware of such a separation. He was a part of a religious group called the Pharisees (Phil 3:5). If you look up “Pharisee” in the dictionary, you will discover the etymology of the word literally means “separated.” Their beginnings in the intertestamental period may have been noble, but by the time of Christ they had become corrupt. Their traditions had taken priority over God’s Word. They were disgusted by Jesus’ grace and mercy extended to “sinners.” This often happens when we forget our humble beginnings. If we are not careful, we will begin to identify ourselves by “what we don’t do” (or “what we do”) instead of acknowledging God’s grace in our own lives. Spiritual pride leads to elitism and isolationism.
Paul wasn’t just separated “from” his former life. He was separated “unto” something much greater. In his case, it was the gospel of God. The Greek word for separated is aphorizō and it’s where we get our English word “horizon.” When Paul was apprehended by Christ, he gained a whole new horizon! At one time, he lived to persecute the Church. Now, he lived to share God’s “Good News” (that’s what gospel means). Almost all Bible commentators take note of three great “separations” in Paul’s life. They are as follows:
- From his mother’s womb (Gal 1:15)
- From the world (Acts 9:15)
- For the work the Holy Spirit called him to (Acts 13:2)
Paul was uniquely chosen before birth for a special task. He met the Lord on the Damascus Road and gained new life. In Antioch, he was separated by the Holy Spirit to begin missionary work.
You and I aren’t apostles. Our conversion likely wasn’t as dramatic as Paul’s. We may never hear audible words of the Spirit guiding us into ministry. But let us never forget that we have been separated from an old life of sin and death. We have also been separated unto a brand-new horizon! We too, are carriers of God’s Good News!
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