Theology for Everybody: Romansنموونە

​​In Romans 16:8–10, Paul briefly mentions several people. Sometimes all he says is their individual names and perhaps one word about them. He might even use a nickname. We give nicknames to two kinds of people: the people we love the most and the people we hate the most. When we love someone, we give them a nickname to personalize them, and when we hate someone, we give them a name to depersonalize them. We no longer feel the need to treat them as human beings because they are caricatures frozen in time, and there is no opportunity for them to escape that sort of cemented identity. The nicknames Paul gives are all positive and encouraging. They build people up instead of tearing them down and are a good model for us to follow.

In verse 8, Paul writes, “Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.” The apostle gives us this person’s name and a single detail—he is beloved. God loves him. This brief description speaks volumes. In other religions, you need to be good, but in Christianity, you just have to be loved. In other systems of faith, love is at the finish line; in Christianity, love is at the starting line.

The letter of Romans is written to the church in Rome, which Paul has yet to visit. This letter gets there before his arrival, and everyone gathers to see what it says. Imagine being Ampliatus and wondering what Paul is going to say about you. Imagine that your whole life came down to one word: “beloved.” It’s amazing, right? You can never be told too often that God loves you. Every day the enemy tells us God doesn’t love us, or we do something that tests whether we believe He will continue to love us. God is our Father, and He always tells us that He loves us. He can’t love us any more or any less than He already does. He’s given His entire heart to us and will never take it back. I know some people have been betrayed, used, abused, or abandoned, but God will never do any of those things. The love of God is the most secure thing in all the universe; you can build your whole life on it.

God’s love is so powerful that He will receive you right where you are and then change who you are. We live in this world that preaches tolerance and acceptance. God loves you too much to allow you to stay as you are. God’s love is greater than tolerance. Tolerance says, “Nothing needs to change.” Love says, “I accept you, but I adore you so much that I want the best for you. I am going to make you like My Son, Jesus Christ.” The love of God begins where you are, but it doesn’t end until you are with and like Jesus.

“Beloved” is the language a groom uses for his bride. It is the language a grandparent uses for their grandchild and the language God the Father speaks over you. If you are in Christ, you are beloved.

Today’s Reflection

How does knowing you are God’s “beloved” change the way you see yourself?