After introducing himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ and one of His apostles, Paul then goes on to introduce the message of this epistle. The primary message that Paul was concerned with was the gospel, or good news, of God. This message was so important to Paul that he uses a term that means to divide or sever. He is saying that he has been completely cut off from his former life for the purpose of the gospel. But it not only has a negative connotation of being cut off. It, in this context, has a positive connotation of being appointed to something.
It is important to notice that Paul does not say that he separated himself to the gospel, in the same way that he does not say that he called himself to be an apostle. Paul uses a passive verb here to emphasize that this separating is a work of God. As such, it is God who gets all the glory for the work done to Paul. And it is God who causes the work to be successful. And since God separated Paul for a particular mission, Paul is under obligation and has the desire to complete that mission.
We, too, have been separated by God. We have been separated from our former lives of sin. We have been cut off from the kingdom of Satan. We have been separated to Christ. Romans 7:4 says that we have been married to Another, that we might bring fruit to God. We have been separated to the mission of loving God with all of our hearts and loving our neighbor as ourselves. If we do that, the outcome will be the spread of the gospel. As you go out today into a world that is increasingly hostile toward the gospel, remember that God has separated you. He has appointed you to be His vessel to carry the gospel to this lost world. And since God has appointed you, His mission will succeed.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
1. Read Leviticus 20:24-26, Deuteronomy 10:8 and 1 Kings 8:53. What do these passages say about separation? Read Galatians 1:15-16a. In all of these passages, who does the actual separation? For what purpose was Paul separated according to the Galatians passage? (Parents - Take two pieces of paper. On one write a letter to your children expressing how much you care for them. With the other, make a paper airplane. Use these two to talk about the idea of separation for a distinct purpose.)2. The word “gospel” means good news. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-10. How is this good news? How are verses 9-10 part of the gospel? How has the grace of God been active in your life? How does the grace of God help you live your life?
Children’s Catechism Question
Q - Who made you?
A - God made me.
Adult Catechism Question
Q - Who is the first and best of beings?
A - God is the first and best of beings.
Hymn
Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise
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