Some may wonder why I keep "beating the drum", singling out the Apostle Paul as the one true believer.

Have you read Romans?

You don't have to read the whole epistle, just the first few lines and it becomes clear why it is that he possess a special place in God's plan.  

First, because he is a "called apostle".  He was not chosen by Jesus to be one of his Disciples, such as Peter and John and the remaining ten.  He did not have the pleasure of knowing Jesus in the flesh.

He was singled out on the road to Damascus, and made blind by the glorious face of Jesus Christ!  God used this way to "call out" this "hide-bound" observant Jew, making him  an Apostle to Jesus the Christ. 

It would take such a miraculous event in order to change this hard-charging persecutor of the followers of Jesus into the most ardent follower, a slave of Christ Jesus.

Now, I know must of the abridged versions of Romans call him a "servant", but reading the Concordant version.. he calls himself a "slave".

What distinguishes a slave from a servant is that a slave "belongs to another" and there is no need for recompense, whereas a servant works for another in return for recompense.

It's evident that the translaters pulled back from using the word "slave", due to the connotation of the odious practice of slavery in world. Why would anyone want to willingly become a slave?

But Paul, is not only "called out", he has proclaimed himself a slave to the Christ Jesus!  He has openly declared this lot to be his in life, and whatever his lord wants he is at his "beck and call", willingly and without reservation,  unto death.

The abrideged versions also use the term "separated' or  'set apart"  to indicate that he was to teach the gospel of God, which was promised by the prophets.

But, once again, read the Concordant version and it's translated correctly to read "severed".

Now, that connotes a "cutting", which indicates that it is more a rendering physically from the others, making clear that his teachings are not to be associated with theirs in any way!

So, there you have it, made clear in the first few lines of Romans, why he is special.."called out", "slave", "severed" to bring the truth of God..paulnbob