God’s calling is an expression of God’s desire to be in a relationship with you.
[We] have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints . . .
You are one of Christ’s people because God wants you, seeks you, and loves you. God’s calling is an expression of God’s desire to be in a relationship with you. So, though it’s right for you to seek to understand what God is calling you to do with your life, remember that, above all, God is calling you into a relationship with him.
In the opening verse of his letter to the Romans, Paul introduces himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle” (Romans 1:1). He is an apostle – a divinely authorized messenger of the gospel, sent to plant and nurture churches – not because he chose this role for himself, but because God chose Paul and made this choice known by calling him. Paul had a distinctive, special calling.
Yet right after introducing himself and his particular calling, Paul made sure the Roman Christians knew that they were also called by God. God had called them “to belong to Jesus Christ” (1:6) and “to be saints” (1:7). I want to think with you about what it means to be “called to belong to Jesus Christ.”
The Greek behind this translation reads literally, “called of Jesus Christ [klētoi Iēsou Christou].” Almost all English translations agree that “of Jesus Christ” means something like “to belong to Jesus Christ.” You can see that use of language in 1 Corinthians 1:12, where Paul reports that the Corinthians were saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos” or “I belong to Cephas” or “I belong to Christ.” In Greek they were saying, “I am of Paul,” “I am of Apollos,” and so on. So, when it comes to Romans 1:6, we rightly understand that Paul identified the Roman Christians as “called to belong to Jesus Christ.”
First of all, we’re reminded that we are Christians because God has called us. Yes, we responded to God’s call through faith. But our faith wasn’t what initiated a relationship with God through Christ. God’s call came first. God initiated. We responded.
Second, the fact that we are “called to belong to Jesus Christ” underscores the fact that being a Christian is first and foremost a relational reality. Yes, we are also called to contribute to God’s work in the world. Yes, we are called to live in a way that honors and glorifies God. But, fundamentally, God calls us into a relationship with the triune God through the gospel. We are called to belong to Jesus Christ, to be Christ’s people in the world for his sake, to be his servants, his disciples, and even his friends (John 15:15).
You are one of Christ’s people because God wants you, seeks you, and loves you. God’s calling is an expression of God’s desire to be in a relationship with you. So, though it’s right for you to seek to understand what God is calling you to do with your life, remember that, above all, God is calling you into a relationship with him. The more you live into this primary calling, the more you’ll be prepared to receive and to live out the other callings God has for you.
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