This morning I’m hovering over a phrase from Paul’s introduction to his letter to the Romans. In just a few short verses (Rom. 1:1-6) Paul unpacks the essentials of a great, great gospel. It’s the gospel of God. It was promised through His prophets in the holy Scriptures. It concerns His Son who, according to the flesh, descended from David, and who, through the power of the Spirit, was resurrected from the dead. And, for those who believe, it brings about the obedience of faith. This being true for all nations . . .

. . . including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

(Romans 1:6 ESV)

Called to belong. Those are the words I’m chewing on this morning.

Not all the translations render the phrase that way. In the NKJV and NASB it includes those who are “the called of Jesus Christ.” Noodle on it a bit, and that’s seems to be a significant difference. Being called of Jesus is far more open-ended than being called to belong to Jesus. The former leaves a fair amount of wiggle room to debate what the call means. Called to be blessed? Called to prosper? Called to fit following Jesus into however I think my life should be lived? Those are all options with a call of. But if I’m called to belong, then it seems to be less about what’s in it for me and more about why I’m in it for Him.

So, which is it? If the original word is just the word for called, then why did some translators render it called of and others called to belong to? A note from one of my online commentaries was helpful.

‘called to be Jesus Christ’s’; not ‘called by Jesus Christ,’ for the call is always ascribed to God the Father. (Lightfoot)

God the Father does the calling. The call of salvation is the Father’s call. True statement, I think. Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17 would indicate that salvation’s dynamic is that those who come to Christ are those given to Christ by the Father (Jn. 17:11-12, 24). Jesus emphatically stated that the will of Him, the Father, who sent Him, the Son, was that the Son “should lose nothing of all that He has given Me, but raise it up on the last day” (Jn. 6:49).

So yeah, I’m good with those translations which seek to make clear that being called of Christ is to be understood as being called to belong to Christ.

Okay, with that settled in my mind, time to camp on the implications of being called to belong.

That Paul understood this is clear from his opening words to the Romans. He begins his letter referring to himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus” first, then as one “called to be an apostle.” To own Christ as Savior was to be owned by Christ to be a servant. To receive Jesus was to be recruited by Jesus. To believe in Jesus was to belong to Jesus. To have faith would mean to be ready to follow.

Paul also makes that really clear in another letter of his.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

(1Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV)

Called to belong. Bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. That’s the good news. It’s not about what I get, but about what He gets — me!

Under new management. Called to flourish through the obedience of faith.

Oh, to really believe that I am called to belong. And then to behave like I’m called to belong.

Only by His grace. Only for His glory.