Romans 15
Edify others by your actionsverses 1-6
We then that are strong out to bear the infirmities of the weak
and not to please ourselves
Let every one of us please his neighbor FOR his good to EDIFICATION
for even Christ pleased not HIMSELF – but – as it is written
The reproaches of them that reproached YOU fell on ME
FOR whatsoever things were written aforetime
were written for our LEARNING
that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures
might have hope
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded
one toward another according to Christ Jesus
that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify God
even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
Receive one anotherversse 7-13
Wherefore receive you one another – as Christ also received us
to the GLORY of God
Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision
for the truth of God to confirm the promises made to the fathers
and that the Gentiles might glorify God for HIS mercy
As it is written
For this cause I will confess to YOU among the Gentiles
and sing to YOUR name
And again HE said
Rejoice you Gentiles – with HIS people
And again
Praise the Lord – all you Gentiles
and laud HIM – all you people
And again Isaiah says
There shall be a root of Jesse
and HE that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles
in HIM shall the Gentiles TRUST
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing
that you may abound in hope
through the power of the Holy Ghost
Paul reminds Roman Christians To be full of goodnessverses 14-19
And I myself also am persuaded of you – my brethren
that you also are full of goodness – filled with all knowledge
able also to admonish one another
Nevertheless – brethren – I have written the more boldly
to you in some sort as putting you in mind
because of the grace that is given to me of God
that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles
ministering the gospel of God
that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable
being sanctified by the Holy Ghost
I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things
which pertain to God
FOR I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not
wrought by me – to make the Gentiles obedient – by word and deed
through mighty signs and wonders
by the power of the Spirit of God
So that from Jerusalem – and round about to Illyricum
I have fully preached the gospel of Christ
Paul wants to preach to new areasverses 20-22
Yea – so have I strived to preach the gospel – not where Christ was named
lest I should build on another man’s foundation
BUT as it is written
To whom he was not spoken of – they shall see
and they that have not heard shall understand
For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you
Paul wants to return to Romeverses 23-24
BUT now having no more place in these parts
and having a great desire these many years to come to you
Whensoever I take my journey into Spain – I will come to you
for I trust to see you in my journey
and to be brought on my way thitherward by you
if first I be somewhat filled with your company
Paul wants to bring an offering to Jerusalemverses 25-29
BUT now I go unto Jerusalem to minister to the saints
for it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain
contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem
It has pleased them verily – and their debtors they are
for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things
their duty is also to minister to them in carnal things
WHEN therefore I have performed this – and have sealed to them this fruit
I will come by you into Spain
And I am sure that – when I come to you
I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ
Paul wants prayer for his ministryverses 30-32
NOW I beseech you – brethren – for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake
and for the love of the Spirit
that you strive together with me in your PRAYERS
to God for me
That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea
and that my service which I have for Jerusalem
may be accepted of the saints
That I may come to you with joy by the will of God
and may with you be REFRESHED
Benedictionverse 33
NOW the God of peace be with you all. Amen
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. (700 “please” [aresko] means win favor, found approval, be acceptable to, to set up a positive relation, to be agreeable, or to accommodate one’s self to the opinions, desires or interests of others)
DEVOTION: Our neighbor in this verse is referring to our fellow believers. We have a huge responsibility to our fellow believers. Our whole life should be dedicated to building up the Christians around us. We should do things that will encourage them in the LORD.
Paul is concerned with the actions of stronger believers in relation to young or immature believers. These individuals are watching these mature believers. Too often the mature believers were only thinking about their actions in relation to their liberty in Christ. They were free to do many things that immature believers would not be able to handle. This is not talking about sin but about actions that might cause immature believers to go back to their pagan ways.
We need to listen to them. We need to realize that we all grow at different levels. What is acceptable to us; may not be acceptable to them. Instruction is important. Patience is without a doubt something we will need when working with new Christians and some old ones. We will have to be long-suffering with our fellow believers. If we find one who is doing things that are against Biblical teaching – we need to try to convey the truth of the Word to them.
As the last chapter stated, we are not in the business of condemning our fellow believer. The LORD will take care of that at the judgment seat of Christ. HE will also send chastening their way to show them HIS disapproval of their actions. Remember that HE sends weakness, sickness and pre-mature death to believers who stray from the instructions HE left us.
We might not understand where some believers are coming from but that is because we have not walked in their shoes. We need to give ourselves time to get the rest of the story regarding our fellow pilgrims and their trials. Are we being agreeable with our fellow believers? Have we been majoring on edification or building up our fellow believers? Or are we looking at their faults?
CHALLENGE: Look for ways you can encourage those believers around you on a regular basis. Sometimes it might only be a smile!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. ( 19 “goodness” [agathosune] means uprightness of heart and life, kindness, the quality of moral excellence, good act, generosity, virtue, beneficence, or to benefit others)
DEVOTION: Paul had a high opinion of the church in Rome. He stated that they were “full of goodness.” That should be true of all churches today. Your local church should be noted for their goodness to each other and to others.
When people spoke of the church in Rome Paul thought they had only good things to say about the people. He wrote in this letter that there were areas where they could improve in their witness to each other and to the community.
He also wanted them to be full of knowledge. There needs to be good teaching of the Word of God to those who attended the services of the local church in Rome. They had the Old Testament and the teaching of Jesus and the teachings of the apostles to use as guidelines for their Christ life.
Remember most of the New Testament wasn’t written even when Paul was ministering in Rome. His letters were passed around to the different churches for them to use to edify their members. They had the sayings of Jesus to pass around as well.
We have such a strong advantage over the first century Christians. We have both Testaments. We have commentaries that have been written regarding both the Old and New Testament. There are thousands of books today that help us understand the Word of God.
Too often many Christians don’t even pick up their Bible between Sundays let alone looking at other sources to help them grow. This is very sad.
We have the responsibility to “admonish” one another. This means that we have to know enough about the Word of God to help those around us who need to know answers only those that are mature in the faith can give.
It is not supposed to be “what do you think” but “what does the Bible say about this matter.”
CHALLENGE: Too many people are depending on what they think and most of the time it is wrong if it is not based on the Word of God.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 27 It has pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in carnal things. (3008 “minister” [leitourgeo] means to serve the state at one’s own cost, to discharge a public office at one’s own cost, of those who aid others with their resources, and relieve their poverty, perform religious duties, or worship)
DEVOTION: Paul wants the saints from the Gentile world to help the saints from the Jewish world. These two worlds came together in Christ. Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles. He wanted to preach where no other man has preached.
He gave an illustration of the difference between the spiritual blessing of the Good News and the monetary blessing that people consider part of the carnal things of the world.
So the Gentiles who have accepted the message of Christ which came through the Jewish nation should want to help that nation when they were going through financial needs.
We have a responsibility to help any group that might need our help through the offerings of the local church. There should be a percentage of the budget of every local church to help those in their community and communities around the world. Many churches call this their mission’s budget.
One of the problems today is that many large churches and some small churches are only concerned with themselves. They don’t have an established percentage of their budget to help others. They will take a special offering once in a while to use for this purpose but not a regular amount that can help missionaries have a regular income throughout the year.
Each church should establish at least ten percent of their income to missions. Many have given more. If there is a special need a freewill offering could be taken to help.
Also each church usually has a “deacon’s or elder’s fund” to help those in the church and in the community with special needs. Find out your churches policy and pray for those they support.
CHALLENGE: Are we helping those believers in our churches and around our churches to love the LORD more because of fellowship of believers?
: 32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. (4875 “refreshed” [sunanapauomai] means to take rest together with, to sleep together with, enjoy a refreshing visit with, or to recruit together)
DEVOTION: Paul is writing to the church in the city of Rome. They had promised an offering for the poor in Jerusalem and he wanted them to be prepared before he came.
All believers need encouragement. It was going to be an encouragement to Paul that the believers were collecting money to give to another group of believers.
He wanted no only himself to be encouraged but that the church in Rome was encouraged as well. With an offering gathered it would encourage the church in Jerusalem and the church in Rome and Paul. It was a triple blessing.
When we help others it is an encouragement to them and to us that we can be used of the LORD for HIS glory around the world. The saints of God need to stick together if they are going to reach the world for Christ.
The secular world is watching us at all times to see how we act in any given situation. Many of them are looking for excuses to not become a believer because they see us do things wrong.
They see us fight with one another. The devil seems to be winning this battle as many churches are condoning activities that the Bible says are sin. If we can’t agree on what is sin it is hard for the world to know our message.
If our standard is the Word of God or the Bible, we need to state that it says what sins are, and if a church or minister doesn’t agree with it they are wrong. Somehow we have to get this message across to the world.
Like Paul we would like to rest together with other genuine believers in our battle against sin. Also like Paul we want to see one group encourage one another through an offering to help them when they are going through difficult circumstances.
CHALLENGE: True believers are responsible for the growth and encouragement of others believers. We rise or fall together at times.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Contributionverse 26
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Prayerverse 30
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Sing to Godverse 9
Praise the Lordverse 11
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
As it is writtenverses 3, 4, 9, 21
Scripturesverse 4
Psalm 18verse 9
Deuteronomy 32verse 10
Psalm 117verse 11
Isaiah 11verse 12
Isaiah 52verse 21
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Godverses 5-9, 13, 15, 17, 30, 32, 33
God of patience and consolationverse 5
Fatherverse 6
Glorify Godverse 6
Glory of Godverse 7
Truth of Godverse 8
Gentiles might glorify Godverse 9
Mercyverse 9
Lordverse 11
Praise the Lordverse 11
God of hopeverse 13
God gives grace<verse 15
Gospel of Godverse 16
Prayer to Godverse 30
Will of God<verse 32
God of peaceverse 33
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Christverses 3, 5-8, 16-20, 29, 30
Pleased with HIMSELFverse 3
Jesusverses 5, 6, 16, 17, 30
Christ Jesusverse 5
Lordverses 6, 30
Lord Jesus Christverses 6, 30
Christ received usverse 7
Jesus Christverses 8, 16, 17, 30
Minister of the circumcisionverse 8
Confirmed the promisesverse 8
Root of Jesseverse 12
Reign over the Gentilesverse 12
Christ gave to Paulverse 18
Gospel of Christverses 19, 29
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Holy Ghostverses 13, 16
Power of the Holy Ghostverse 13
Sanctified by the Holy Ghostverse 16
Spirit of Godverse 19
Power of the Spirit of Godverse 19
Spiritverse 30
Love of the Spiritverse 30
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Gentilesverses 9-12, 16, 18, 27
Gentiles trust in Lordverse 12
Gentiles acceptableverse 16
Gentiles sanctifiedverse 16
Gentiles obedient: word and deedverse 18
Illyricumverse 19
Spainverses 24, 28
Macedoniaverse 26
Achaiaverse 26
Partakers of spiritual thingsverse 27
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Infirmitiesverse 1
Infirmities of the weakverse 1
Please ourselvesverse 1
Do not believeverse 31
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Strongverse 1
Edificationverse 2
Learningverse 4
Patienceverses 4, 5
Comfortverse 4
Hopeverse 4
Like-mindedverses 5, 6
One mouth glorify Godverse 6
Receive one anotherverse 7
Praise the LORDverse 11
Praise the LORDverse 11
Trustverse 12
Fill of joyverses 13, 32
Full of peaceverse 13
Believingverse 13
Abound in hopeverse 13
Power of the Holy Spiritverses 13, 19
Full of goodnessverse 14
Filled with all knowledgeverse 14
Able to admonish one anotherverse 14
Graceverse 15
Minister of Jesus Christverse 16
Sanctifiedverse 16
Saintsverses 25, 26, 31
Contributionverse 26-28
Spiritual thingsverse 27
Minister in carnal thingsverse 27
Fulness of blessingsverse 29
Strive togetherverse 30
Refreshedverse 32
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Fathersverse 8
HIS peopleverse 10
Isaiahverse 12
Root of Jesseverse 12
Jerusalemverse 19, 25, 26
Judaeaverse 31
Church (New Testament people of God)
Preached the gospel of Christverse 19, 20, 29
Brethrenverse 14, 15, 30
Paul used signs and wondersverse 19
Paul fully preached the gospel of Christverse 19
Paul not building on another man’s foundationverse 20
Minister of saintsverses 25, 26
Minister to Gentilesverse 27
Last Things (Future Events)
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
QUOTES regarding passage
The first item is goodness. Having just written of the Holy Spirit, Paul undoubtedly has in mind the goodness that is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). So it is not a native disposition but the moral excellence wrought into the texture of life by the Spirit’s indwelling. He may give it prominence as the quality needed to carry out the recommendations directed to both groups in the previous discussion. Desire to do the right thing by another is essential, but it must be coupled with knowledge of what is rightly expected of the believer. Paul goes so far as to call his readers “complete” in this area and therefore “competent to instruct one another” (v. 14). Such language shows his confidence that the Roman church, which had been in existence for at least a decade, had been well taught (cf. 6:17). At the same time this relative maturity did not make his contribution superfluous, because it served to confirm what they knew, underscoring it with apostolic authority, making them the more capable of instructing each other. This word “instruct” (noutheteō) reflects more than the imparting of information. “Inculcate” comes close to expressing its force (cf. Col 3:16, “counsel,” and 1 Thess 5:14, “warn”). In the absence of resident pastors, brethren were the more under obligation to exercise such a ministry among themselves. Paul’s use of the term at this point reflects the admonition in the preceding chapter.
Though he was not the founder of the Roman church, Paul has been outspoken, and he proceeds to explain this lest he be thought immodest or tyrannical or simply tedious in going over things he now admits they were already aware of. He is simply doing his duty, fulfilling the commission God in his grace has granted him as a minister of Christ (vv. 15, 16). Furthermore, his boldness has been in evidence “on some points” (v. 15) but has not pervaded the letter as a whole. Since in this connection he emphasizes his call to go to the Gentiles, one may assume that most of his readers were Gentiles (cf. 1:13) and would be especially interested in this allusion. Redeemed Gentiles are his special offering, a sacrifice acceptable to God (cf. Isa 66:18–20). His own function as a priest pertains directly to the proclamation of the gospel and the winning of Gentiles to Christ. (Harrison, E. F. (1976). Romans. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians (Vol. 10, p. 155). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
Paul was qualified to remind his readers of those points because he had his special position as a result of God’s grace (cf. Rom. 1:5). He was a minister (leitourgon, a “public servant”) to the Gentiles. This ministry was carried out as a priestly duty (the Gr. verb hierourgounta means “to work in sacred things”) and involved his proclaiming the gospel of God (cf. 1:2–4). Because of his sharing the good news with Gentiles (11:13; Gal. 1:16; 2:2, 7–9; Eph. 3:8; Col. 1:27; 2 Tim. 4:17) they became an offering acceptable (the words to God are not in the text but are obviously understood), sanctified (perf. tense, “having been sanctified” or “having been set apart”) by the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Peter 1:2). Like a priest, Paul introduced Gentiles to God, and then presented them like an offering to the Lord. God’s willingness to accept Gentiles, set apart by the work of the Holy Spirit, shows His plan in the Church Age is to unite Jews and Gentiles in one body (Eph. 3:6). (Witmer, J. A. (1985). Romans. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, pp. 496–497). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
15:15 as to remind you. In spite of their spiritual strength, these Christians needed to be reminded of truths they already knew but could easily neglect or even forget (cf. 1Ti 4:6; 2Ti 2:8–14; Tit 3:1). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ro 15:15). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 15. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you, &c.] Or freely, in taking notice of their party contentions and ill usage of each other, and in reproving, advising, and exhorting them; and which he excuses by observing, that it was, in some sort, or in part only; meaning either that it was only in some part of the epistle he had took such a liberty, which is the sense of the Arabic version, which renders it, in some parts of the oration; or else that he had regard not to all of them, but to some only, to a part of the church who were most culpable; and did not design a charge against them all, and that what he said should be applied to the whole body; or rather that the boldness and freedom he had taken was but in some sort, it was but in part: this he says to mitigate it, and that it might not be thought to be so large as it might appear at first; it was but a little more boldly, that he wrote unto them, as the Syriac renders it; for this clause is not to be read in connection with the word written, as if the apostle had only wrote of the doctrines of grace in some sort, or in part, for he declared the whole counsel of God, and never kept back any thing profitable to the churches: he adds, as putting you in mind; which is also said to excuse his writing, and the manner of it; he did not take upon him to be their teacher and instructor, to inform them of things they knew nothing of; only to be their monitor, to put them in mind of and refresh their memories with what they had been well instructed and established in before; see 2 Pet. 1:12, 13 because of the grace that is given to me of God; meaning not the doctrine of grace, concerning which, as the Ethiopic version renders it, he was putting them in mind; nor the internal grace of the spirit, by which he was inclined and assisted to write unto them; but the grace of apostleship, or that high office, which, by the grace of God, and not because of any merits of his, he was called unto: this he mentions also to excuse the freedom of his writing; since what he did was in consequence of, pursuant and agreeably to, his office as an apostle; and therefore could not have answered it to God, or them, if he had not done it; wherefore he hoped it would be took well by them. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, pp. 575–576). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
Paul was called to minister to the Gentiles and he regarded his ministry in a most remarkable light. He viewed himself as a spiritual priest to the Gentiles. As God had laid Israel on the heart of Moses, so He had laid the Gentiles on the heart of Paul; he was, so to speak, their “priest.” His great function was not to offer up sacrifices for the Gentiles; that had already been done at Calvary. Nor did he regard himself a priest in the Old Testament sense, but rather in a highly figurative sense. The sacrifice he offered as a priest was the Gentiles themselves, and that sacrifice was acceptable to God because it was sanctified and made holy by the Holy Spirit. This is a most exalted view of the responsibility which had been accorded to him. God had called him and he had obeyed. He had dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the task before him. His greatest joy was to see Gentiles saved and then “offered up” as a living sacrifice to God. What a challenge to regard any work to which we have been called of God as a “liturgy,” a priestly service, to be discharged until the fragrance of the sacrifice ascends to God.
Paul next speaks of (2) the reality of what had been accomplished through him. Paul was not a boastful man. In fact, he could say, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gal. 6:14). On the other hand, he was not afflicted with a self-depreciating false modesty. He speaks freely and frankly about what has been wrought through his missionary zeal. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring Romans: An Expository Commentary (Ro 15:15–21). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
“Dr. Brookes was an amazing blessing to me, but never more than in telling me this: ‘There is no such thing in the Bible as an abstract proposition. Everything in the Bible is meant to be turned into life. It must first of all be grounded in doctrine. There is such a thing as experience which is real but which is not founded on Scripture; then it becomes either fanatical or a discouragement. Therefore, we are always to interpret experience by Scripture—never Scripture by experience. There is always in Scripture a doctrinal basis, and there is always in Scripture an account of an experience based on that doctrine; and this account is perfectly accurate because it is inspired.’ ” (Trumbull, C. G. (1920). The Life Story of C. I. Scofield (p. 36). New York; London; Toronto; Melbourne; Bombay: Oxford University Press.)
The new pastor’s first sermon, preached that Sunday morning, was from the text: “The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12). He had made a special study of endogenous trees, as a boy, and he took occasion to tell something about the habits and facts of palm-tree life as illuminating the text. (Endogenous plants, like the palm, are the “inside growers,” so called: those that grow from within rather than by the addition of layers from without. The believer, with Christ within as his life, grows and flourishes like the palm-tree.) (Trumbull, C. G. (1920). The Life Story of C. I. Scofield (p. 42). New York; London; Toronto; Melbourne; Bombay: Oxford University Press.)
Well, if the people wouldn’t come to hear him, he would go after the people. He capitalized his experience with the St. Louis railroad men, and began persistent visiting in the homes of the folks in Dallas whom he wanted to win. (Trumbull, C. G. (1920). The Life Story of C. I. Scofield (p. 45). New York; London; Toronto; Melbourne; Bombay: Oxford University Press.)
The Saturation Process: Hooking Kids on Sex by Eric Metaxas
….. For example, the Affordable Care Act includes the provision of $75 million annually to fund so-called comprehensive sex-education programs. These programs are designed to indoctrinate young people in the kind of relativistic morality that creates so many problems in families, businesses, and schools.
Take just one example. The federal Personal Responsibility Education Program, or PREP, has given $20 million to a coalition of six Planned Parenthood affiliates in Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Alaska. While the program claims that it teaches abstinence, it defines “abstinence” as avoiding activities that carry the risk of pregnancy or STDs. That is, abstinence has been redefined, at taxpayer expense, to mean something completely different from actual abstinence. And students are provided with cash incentives to encourage them to attend. ……
In the apostle Paul’s scheme for reaching the uttermost regions of the civilized world with the good news of Jesus Christ, he probably realized the potential of converts in Spain. The chief evidence that Paul included Spain in his strategic planning is in Romans 15:24, 28. In that letter Paul clearly sets forth his message to Romans and Gentiles throughout the empire. To follow up on this letter, he planned to visit Rome and then make his way to Spain. Testimony of Paul actually visiting Spain comes only from a vague reference after his death. Clement of Rome, an early Christian writer at the end of the first century ad, stated that Paul went to “the limits of the West” (1 Clement 1:5). Although most Romans considered Spain as the western limit of their empire, this vague phrase does not give sufficient evidence for a Pauline visit. Yet clearly Paul saw Spain as a strategic place for mission work; thus, it stands to reason that he himself, or others whom he designated, planted the Christian church in Spain during the first century ad.( Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary. Tyndale reference library (1217). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.)
Spain – the location of ancient Tarshish, listed in Isaiah 66:19 – was the end of the world, according to the thinking of Paul’s time. When Paul wrote Romans, he and other believers had taken the gospel to every region in Isaiah 66 – every region except Tarshish. (Destiny Destination by Michael S. Heiser in Bible Study Magaizine)
JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30
Let me show you the essential difference between justification and sanctification. Look at it like this: Justification is an act of God the Father; sanctification is essentially the work of God the Holy Spirit. There is this division of work in the blessed Persons of the Trinity. It is the Father who declares righteous and just. It is the Holy Spirit who sanctifies.
Second, justification takes place outside us, as in a tribunal; sanctification takes place within us, in our inner life. I stand in the court when I am justified, and the judge pronounces that I am free; it is a statement about me, outside me. But sanctification is something that is worked and takes place within.
Third, justification removes the guilt of sin; sanctification removes the pollution of sin and renews us in the image of God.
And therefore, last, by definition justification is a once-and-for-all act. It is never to be repeated because it cannot be repeated and never needs to be repeated. It is not a process but a declaration that we are pronounced just once and forever, by God. Sanctification, on the other hand, is a continuous process. We continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord until we are perfect beyond the veil.
So there is nothing quite so erroneous and confusing and unscriptural as to mistake the essential difference between justification and sanctification. That is the whole trouble with Roman Catholic teaching and all Catholic piety. If you confuse sanctification with justification, you will be doubtful as to whether you are justified or not. If you bring in your state and condition and sin that you may commit, then you are querying your justification. But if you realize that justification is forensic, external, and declaratory, you know that you are justified whatever may be true about you.
A Thought to Ponder: Justification removes the guilt of sin; sanctification removes the pollution of sin. (From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 174-175, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Genesis 45
Joseph and his brothers reconcile.
INSIGHT
Forgiveness! Where would we be without forgiveness? Without forgiving and being forgiven?
We see in this chapter a very moving example of Joseph being willing to forgive the very ones who some years earlier had plotted to kill him. Notice that Joseph’s ability to forgive was rooted squarely in his theology: “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20).If we lay hold of eternal rather than earthly things, we can more easily forgive when someone robs us of earthly things. Forgive and accept forgiveness. (Quiet Walk)
Sometimes when my Labrador retriever wants attention, he’ll take something of mine and parade it in front of me. One morning as I was writing at the desk with my back turned, Max snatched my wallet and ran off. But realizing I hadn’t seen him do it, he returned and nudged me with his nose—wallet in mouth, eyes dancing, tail wagging, taunting me to play.
Max’s antics made me laugh, but they also reminded me of my limitations when it comes to being attentive to others. So often I’ve intended to spend time with family or friends, but other things occupy my time and awareness; and before I know it the day slips away and love is left undone.
How comforting to know that our heavenly Father is so great that He’s able to attend to each of us in the most intimate ways—even sustaining every breath in our lungs for as long as we live. He promises His people, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you” (Isaiah 46:4).
God always has time for us. He understands every detail of our circumstances—no matter how complex or difficult—and is there whenever we call on Him in prayer. We never have to wait in line for our Savior’s unlimited love.
(By James Banks, Daily Bread)
Paul’s Growth
“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)
Many times today we look at Paul and wish to be greatly used of God as he was. But Scripture teaches us that use of Paul as a role model requires a proper view of Paul—his humility and his submission to Christ.
Paul didn’t start out as a humble servant. In fact, before his conversion, he was quite proud of his pedigree (Philippians 3:4-6). He was the overseer at the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58). He was fanatical, the haughty persecutor of the early church (8:3). In grace, he was informed of his error by “Jesus whom thou persecutest” (9:5), and soon Paul recognized the worthlessness of his background and human achievement, and counted all these things “but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8)
Once his view of Christ was proper, Paul’s view of himself began to decrease. In AD 56 or so, Paul, who had been set apart for a ministry to the Gentiles “from my mother’s womb” (Galatians 1:15), called himself “the least of the apostles, that am not meet [fit] to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).
While in prison several years later, Paul wrote to the Gentile churches he had founded, marveling that this ministry was given “unto me, who am less than the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8). Shortly before he was beheaded in prison for his faith, he testified “that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15).
As Paul grew older, his evaluation of his own worth decreased. As one draws closer and closer to the light, he is able to see more clearly his own unworthiness.
(JDM, The Instituite for Creation Research)
The Bible does not dull the conscience by making sin look normal and righteousness look strange. (p. 118)
We must consider the possibility that mucho f what churchgoing people do to unwind would not pass muster for the apostile Paul. Not to mention God. (119)
(The Hole In Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung)
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.