Romans 1:7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
This letter is written to the Roman believers in Rome. There is no record of when or by what means this church was started. It was a mix of Jews and Gentiles. Paul knew a lot of people at this church, as indicated in ch. 16. As part of his greetings, Paul reminds them that they are called to be holy. They are to live different than the culture around them because they have be transformed by the grace of God in Jesus (Romans 12:1-2). The greetings of grace and peace are significant because these are both deep desires and needs of humanity. They are part of the ancient greetings for Jews and Greeks of the time. The sources of this grace and peace are God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though this verse seems simple, it implies key themes of this letter and the gospel itself. Holiness, grace, and peace are what we can experience through Jesus Christ. These will change our perspectives and help us live victoriously in all that we do, in the ups and downs of life, and through the trials we face.
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