I Am Debtor

“I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.” (Romans 1:14)

There is a large number of “I am” statements in the Bible attributed to Jesus, particularly in John’s gospel. He said, “I am the way,” I am “the door,” I am “the Good Shepherd,” I am “the resurrection and the life,” along with many others.

Paul had some “I am” statements about himself. There are three in Romans 1: 14, 15 and 16. In the first one he says, “I am debtor.” This is not a monetary debt, but a debt like every person trained and educated in medicine has to the sick, ill and diseased to do what he can to provide healing and comfort. It is the kind of debt a man on shore with a rope has to a drowning man out in the water. It is the kind of debt a firefighter has to the people in a burning house. It is a debt that Paul, a saved man, had to the unsaved people of the world.

We, to whom the Lord has given eternal life, are debtors to those who have never heard of the free gift of salvation, or to those who have heard but do not know how to receive the gift of eternal life without someone showing them. We pay the debt by telling others the good news, by sharing the gospel.