Romans 1:7 Commentary: Called to Be Saints

Rome in the mid-first century AD was the political, economic and military center of the known world. Paul wrote this letter to a church he had not founded and had not yet visited (Romans 1:10-13). The believers there were a mix of Jewish and Gentile Christians, likely meeting in several house churches because persecution under Claudius had expelled Jews (including Aquila and Priscilla) and then later allowed their return. Wesley notes that the Christians in Rome were 'scattered up and down in that large city, and not yet reduced into the form of a church', a fledgling, diverse community.

Paul's greeting follows standard epistolary conventions but transforms them. Ancient letters typically began with 'A to B, greetings' (χαίρειν). Paul instead writes 'Grace (χάρις) to you and peace (εἰρήνη) from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.' Lange's Commentary observes that Paul 'combines the heathen and the Hebrew form of salutation, and inspires both with a deep Christian meaning.' Grace echoes the Greek χάρις but now means God's unearned favor; peace (shalom) is the Hebrew blessing of wholeness and reconciliation, now mediated through Christ's cross (Colossians 1:20). By pairing both, Paul signals that the gospel fulfills the hopes of both cultures.

The phrase 'in Rome' (ἐν Ῥώμῃ) has textual significance. Vincent notes that a few manuscripts omit these words, leading some scholars to propose the epistle was encyclical (like Ephesians). But the overwhelming manuscript evidence, and the specific references to Rome throughout the letter, supports the traditional reading. Paul addresses real people living in the empire's capital, reminding them that their primary identity is not Roman but 'beloved of God.'

The words 'in Rome' (ἐν Ῥώμῃ) are omitted in one tenth-century manuscript and one eleventh/twelfth-century cursive. Vincent notes this omission parallels a similar omission of 'in Ephesus' in Ephesians 1:1, which has prompted some scholars (such as Archdeacon Farrar) to argue that Romans may also have been encyclical, sent to multiple churches with a blank for the city name. This theory is used to explain the placement of the doxology in chapter 16. However, the vast majority of Greek manuscripts include 'in Rome,' and the letter's specific references to Roman Christians (Romans 16) make the encyclical theory less likely. The consulted sources note no other significant variants for this verse.

Romans 1:7 has been treasured across church history as a greeting that reveals Christian identity. Chrysostom, according to Matthew Henry, valued the epistle so highly that he 'would have this epistle read over to him twice a week.' The phrase 'called to be saints' shaped monastic and Reformation understandings of vocation: monks saw in it a divine summons to a separated life; Reformers like Calvin and Luther used it to emphasize that all believers, not just clergy, are saints by God's call. In the Wesleyan tradition, the verse undergirds the doctrine of sanctification, where the call to holiness is both instant and progressive. The greeting 'grace and peace' became a standard opening in Christian liturgy and letters, echoing through the centuries in services of worship. Modern readers continue to find in this verse a concise statement of who they are: loved, called, and blessed by God through Christ.

Three-point outline

1. Beloved by God, Before anything is asked of them, believers are loved. This love is not earned; it originates in God's own goodness (Calvin). It is the foundation of identity.
2. Called to be saints, God's love does not leave us unchanged. The call is a summons into holiness. Paul insists that those who are called are, by that calling, set apart for God (Barnes, Cambridge).
3. Grace and peace, These two gifts are the content of the apostolic blessing. Grace is God's ongoing favor; peace is the result of being reconciled to God. Both come from the Father and the Son equally.

Five-point outline

1. God's initiating love, 'Beloved of God' is the first descriptor. It precedes calling and obedience.
2. An effectual call, 'Called to be saints' means God's summons creates what it commands. Believers are saints because God has called them (Gill).
3. The shape of holiness, The term 'saints' (ἅγιοι) implies separation for God's use. It is a holy identity that must be lived out (Barnes).
4. Grace as ongoing gift, Paul wishes 'grace,' not a one-time event but a continuous supply of God's favor (Clarke).
5. Peace from the cross, 'Peace' is the tranquility that flows from being right with God through Christ. It is both a present reality and a future hope.

Illustration hooks

• A welcome letter from a leader, When a new employee or student receives a letter from the head of the organization, the tone sets the relationship. Paul writes not as a stranger but as someone who already sees them as family.
• A new name in a new community, Think of adoption or marriage, where a new name signifies new belonging. 'Saints' is not a title earned but an identity given by the God who calls.
• Grace and peace as a daily text, A parent might send a child to school each morning with a blessing that reminds them who they are. Paul's greeting is like that, a reminder of what is already true.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Am I really a saint?, Many think 'saint' is a title for the super-spiritual dead. Paul uses it for living, struggling believers.
• Is the call to holiness something I achieve or something I receive?, The verse shows it is both: a gift that demands a response.
• What authority does Paul have to bless us?, Even though he had not visited Rome, Paul writes as an apostle with a message from God.

Paul's greeting to the Roman Christians is more than a polite introduction. It is a declaration of identity. Before he addresses any problems in the church, he reminds them who they are: beloved, called, saints. This is the ground on which everything else in the letter stands. As you discuss Romans 1:7, let these identities shape how you hear the rest of the epistle.

Discussion questions

1. Observation: What three descriptions does Paul give to the Roman believers in verse 7? List them in the order they appear.
2. Interpretation: What does it mean to be 'beloved of God', is this a general love for everyone, or a specific love for those who belong to Christ? How do the cross-references (Deuteronomy 33:12, Psalm 60:5) shape your answer?
3. Interpretation: The phrase 'called to be saints' is literally 'called saints' in Greek. What difference does it make whether we read it as 'called to become saints' or 'called saints by God's summons'? Which view do the commentators lean toward?
4. Application: If 'saint' means someone set apart for God, how does that identity change the way you see your daily work, relationships, and decisions?
5. Application: Paul wishes the Romans 'grace and peace.' In what areas of your life do you most need to receive grace (undeserved favor) and peace (wholeness) right now?
6. Application: The greeting comes from 'God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ', both are sources of blessing. How does this shape your prayer life? Do you pray to the Father through Jesus with this same confidence?
7. Connection to the whole letter: Romans is a long, theologically dense letter. How might starting with a reminder of identity help you receive the difficult teachings that follow?