Bible Truth #84 - Romans 1:5-6

Romans 1:5-6

5  Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

6  And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

I know those who believe in free will and I can argue about the meaning of “received” in verse 5 - Paul and others received it but only because God chose them and gave it to them. They did nothing to merit its reception because as a lost person they were unable to do anything spiritual until God saved them and did a work in their heart to make them believers (John 6:29). Go back and read again Paul’s encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9). Do you think for one minute Paul had a choice?

But in the latter part of verse 5 Paul writes about the purpose they received grace and apostleship - to call people from among all the Gentiles... He didn’t write “to call ALL the Gentiles,” he said to call people FROM AMONG all the Gentiles. Now Paul simply put out the Gospel and let God call out His Elect and it’s clear Paul was making reference to God working through them to “call people from AMONG all the Gentiles.”

And what did he call them to? Obedience that comes from faith. Can a man believe without faith? No. Can a man give himself faith? No. A man will not believe or accept or repent or confess unless he has faith. So how does a lost man get faith? It is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). And God gives faith ONLY to those He has called, only to those He chose in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). These are they whom Christ is talking of in John 6:37.

The Arminian may want to say that God gives EVERYONE faith. OK, show me that in Scripture.

First - it doesn't exist.

Second - even if a lost man DID have faith it would do him no good because without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a lost man will never understand anything from God (1 Corinthians 2:14), whether he has faith or not. And how does a lost man get the Holy Spirit? Don’t forget he hates the Light (John 3:20), he is an enemy of God (Romans 8:7), and he can’t please God (Romans 8:8). So how does a lost man get the Holy Spirit? ANSWER - God quickens his dead spirit through faith, the faith that God gives him (Romans 12:3, Ephesians 2:8). God simultaneously gives him belief (John 6:29, Philippians 1:29) and repentance (2 Timothy 2:25) and the Holy Spirit indwells him - NOT because of anything he did but because of God’s mercy. (Titus 3:5)

Third - Scripture clearly says not everyone has faith (2 Thessalonians 3:2). Why? Because God gives faith only to those He chose in Christ before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).

In verse 6 Paul makes clear that he is writing to believers because he identifies this group in Rome as “among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”

God is saying [through Paul] that there are specific people called to the Gospel and salvation. And Paul received that grace and apostleship to call people FROM AMONG all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. Sounds pretty specific to me. NOT ALL ARE CALLED! (1 Corinthians 1:26)

We become children of God not by HUMAN decision (John 1:13).