Paul, Our Appointed Apostle

Paul Raised Up to Be An Apostle

**Note: We will be doing a verse by verse study in Romans after these overviews of the main themes in Romans Chapter 1.**

It's important to again emphasize that Paul is our Apostle for the dispensation of grace. Romans 1: 5 and 6 says, "By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:"

Before Jesus saved Paul, the Apostle Paul (called Saul at the time) was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the early believers. He was a religious zealot who believed he was doing the will of God.

In 1 Timothy 1: 12- 16 Paul says, "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."

So, Paul is our pattern. We are to follow Paul in his Epistles as He followed Christ. 1 Cor 11 verse, 1 says, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." This does not mean worshipping Paul! This does mean that our doctrine is in Paul's Epistles. Paul's Epistles are Jesus's teachings for us today! In Acts 9:15 Jesus says, "But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:"

1 Tim 1 says "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;" Romans 11: 13 says, "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:" Paul wasn't being full of himself- he's clearly stating that He was sent by the Lord Jesus Christ!

Without this clear understanding of who Paul is and where our doctrine is laid, we could be more easily carried away with every wind of doctrine, we won't be living properly according to the will of God, and our spiritual life and Christian walk will suffer.

P.S. Even rightly dividing grace believers sometimes get caught up in bad doctrine. This is one reason why we have these Epistles; Paul warns us many times of false teachings and even teaches us how to get back on track if we have been swayed.

Journaling: Notice in Verse 13 that Paul says he doesn't want the Believers to be ignorant and that he wants them to have fruit. What are some believers ignorant of today? What fruit does God want us to have?

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