Romans 1:1
Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God.
Made a decision to tackle the book of Romans, so I started last night reading.
This morning, I made my way to the office that I clean, armed with my trusty mp3 player, downloaded with Dr. J. Vernon McGee's commentary on the book of Romans.
Right off the bat in chapter one, verse one,God caught my attention with the words....Separated to.
When we think of separation, we think of being cut off from something. Be put at a distance from someone or something. Yet here in Scripture, Paul states that he was separated to something...that something being the gospel or good news of what Jesus can do for a life.
When someone goes into treatment for their addiction, the most common problem they experience is the idea of being separated from the things they love.
They are asked to give up their drugs, which has been their best friend for years. Never mind the pain and destruction....it is a very warped relationship.
They are asked to give up their booze...here again, a love affair is being ended.
They are asked to give up old friends (at least we see them as friends..they usually aren't..just co-conspirators in using).
They are asked to give up places they use to frequent..or as treatment refers to it...."You've got to find new play grounds."
So the person coming into treatment has a huge mental check list of things they are being told they must separate from. Things they must give up. My thought is to encourage them to begin to look at what God is going to give back in return.
But they are never told....for the most part...that they can be separated "TO" someone...
Separated to something that will produce within them, the ability to walk out a new life...a new way of seeing and doing business with the world.
It's not enough to be separated from something...
You have to be separated to someone or something...In this case....Jesus Christ and the good news of the gospel. Paul goes on to define this gospel as containing the Power of God to salvation. It isn't just flowery words...or pie-in-the-sky hope that the planets will line up in your favor. No! It is the unshakable truth that God is who He claims to be and can do what He has said He would do. Now that is something worth being separated to.
Think on this...
God on you...
mb
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