Wolves

Romans 16:17-20

We are at the close of Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome.

In writing to believers he had never met, Paul was also writing to us. The Holy Spirit used Paul to record God’s word for all believers. We are the spiritual descendants of the Roman Christians and can count the book of Romans as written to us.

As we come to Romans 16:17, Paul has just expressed how precious these believers are to him. Out of the abundance of his affection for them, he makes an appeal. As an Apostle, he could command them. As their leader, he could make demands upon their loyalty. However, he chooses to appeal to them.

Appealing to us in a humble, affectionate way, is Paul’s way. Consider Romans 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God...” Even his manner of addressing them is in keeping with his humility and gentleness. He calls us brothers. In our American culture, he would, of course, say “brothers and sisters,” because he means to address all believers in an inclusive and affectionate manner. This is an example for us. In 1 Timothy 5, Paul says:

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2 ESV)

We should not be harsh and demanding with each other.

In a gentle, affectionate way, Paul appeals to us and says, “Watch out for those who cause divisions...”

This is a warning. The New Testament gives a few warnings like it. Here are a few of them:

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:28-30 ESV)

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? (Matthew 7:15-16 ESV)

If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 ESV)

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 ESV)

Like wolves attacking sheep and lions devouring prey, those who cause divisions are to be watched.

Have you ever watched a prairie dog village? They are hard to sneak up on. They always keep watch and at the slightest disturbance disappear into their holes. They are vigilant because those who are not vigilant are dead. Hawks, coyotes and bobcats are just a few of the creatures who think prairie dogs are fine eat’n. Those who cause divisions and raise obstacles are a couple of the critters that think souls make fine eat’n.

Paul’s warning is to keep an eye on those who cause divisions and create obstacles. We all know what division looks like. Another word for this is strife. Look out for those who cause strife. Obstacles in Romans 16:17 is another word for stumbling blocks. A stumbling block for the Gentiles of Paul’s day would have been a requirement to be circumcised to be a Christian. It would be a stumbling block today.

Teachings abound that are stumbling blocks. Some teach that one cannot be a Christian and listen to the wrong music, wear the wrong clothes, breathe the wrong smoke, or drink the wrong drinks.

How are we to know which side of a division to be on? How are we to know which teachings are legitimate and which ones are divisive?

The line is drawn for us by Paul in verse 17. He says, “...contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught.”

This is very important.

Paul assumes that the average believer is able to discern from what has been taught, i.e., the Bible, what is true and consistent with Scripture. What has been taught is recorded in the pages of Scripture, and Paul lays on us the responsibility of weighing the words of teachers against the text.

In Galatians Paul says,

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8 ESV)

The word of God is essential for us as believers! In his history, Luke took special note of the Berean, because they measured the teachings of Paul against the text of Scripture. Please notice, Paul does not leave himself out of the curse when he says, “...even if we.”

Paul had experience with wolves. Galatians was written because some people came teaching that believers had to be circumcised and keep the law that was given by Moses. They said Christians should eat kosher, observe the Sabbath and observe Jewish religious practices.  These stumbling blocks started almost as soon as Gentiles started coming to Christ. Acts tells us:

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. (Acts 15:1-2 ESV)

These events took place in Antioch, the church that sent Paul and Barnabas out as missionaries, and these events took place after the completion of Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey. By the time he wrote Romans, Paul understood wolves, thus, his warning, “Watch out!”

Notice, what Paul says about wolves in Romans 16:18. “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ.” Of course, we understand that this is exactly what wolves claim for themselves. This is why Jesus described them as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Look at what Paul said about his opponents when he was imprisoned in Rome.

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. (Philippians 1:15-17 ESV)

Wolves are motivated by selfish ambition. In Romans 16:18, Paul says that they do not serve Jesus, but rather they serve their own appetites. Service to appetites is behind their mode of operation. Wolves use “smooth talk and flattery” to deceive the hearts of the naive.

In Colossians, Paul says:

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8 ESV)

Empty words and flattery are a ready trap for the foolishly naive and unsuspecting.

In Romans 16:19, Paul points out the attractiveness of us as believers. Our obedience is known to all. This makes us targets for those who wish to gather a following. Just as Paul expresses his joy at the Romans’ fruitfulness and obedience, so too, the wolf would like to gain easy fruit. Therefore, Paul says, “I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.” He does not say “ignorant of what is evil.” He says “innocent.”

This takes us back to what we said about teaching contrary to “the doctrine you have been taught.” Doctrine is contained in the word of God, the Bible. Do not be intimidated by the word “doctrine.” Doctrine is just another word for teaching. A school child can grasp the truth of the gospel as taught in the word of God. However, we are not to remain school children in our understanding. Paul encourages us to be wise. Wisdom implies growth in both knowledge and understanding.

When God set up the rules for the kings of the nation of Israel to follow, He laid out the following rule:

And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel. (Deuteronomy 17:18-20 ESV)

Do you notice what is used to keep the heart of the king?

He was to read the word of God every day of his life.

The word of God is sufficient to make a king, or the naive, wise.

In Paul’s warning, we see the danger is real, and it is great. However, we do not need to live in fear. Romans 16:20 says:

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Romans 16:20 ESV)

In this verse, we see the opposite of divisions and obstacles. We see the God of peace. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness... (Galatians 5:22) We also see the real enemy, the one driving the wolves. Hallelujah! Satan will soon be crushed under our feet. We will not crush him; the God of peace will do that.

The Scriptures tell us that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. The Scriptures tell us:

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4 ESV)

We are to be alert. We are not to fall asleep or be lulled into complacency. And, we are not to live in fear. We are to put on the whole armor of God: the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the belt of truth, and we are to have our one offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. It is sharper than any double-edged sword and can split between bones and marrow and even divide between the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.

I want to close with words the Apostle Paul first addressed to the believers in Colossae.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. (Colossians 2:8-10 ESV)

Watch out for anything that would draw you away from the purity of your devotion to Jesus Christ.

Greetings, Part 2

Romans 16:3-16

Romans 1:1 introduces Paul as the author. It says:

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, (Romans 1:1 ESV)

In brief, as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God, Paul has influenced the Church throughout the centuries. We owe a lot to his work and his faith. He worked harder than all the other apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9-10), and he was used by God to clarify much of New Testament doctrine. However, Paul did not work alone. Many people supported, encouraged and upheld him both physically and spiritually.

In chapter 16, as he closes his letter, Paul introduces us to some of these people. Many more remain anonymous, but from the few named here, we can gain insight into the love, devotion and passion shared by these early believers.

First, in verses 3 through 5 of Romans 16, we meet Priscilla and Aquila. Paul calls them Prisca and Aquila. Priscilla is a less formal, warmer version of the name. 

This little difference in naming people shows up between Luke and Paul. When Luke names people, he tends to favor a less formal form of their name where Paul tends to stick to the more formal names. For example, in Acts, Luke names Silas as a companion of Paul. In his letters, Paul calls him Sylvanus. My grandfather’s name was Timothy, but people called him Tim. My name is Joseph, but people call me Joe. The same kind of thing is going on in the differences in names used by Luke in his history and Paul in his letters.

Paul speaks warmly of Prisca and Aquila, and he had spent some time with them. Paul was warm and emotional. For example, in Acts 20, Luke tells us Paul hugged and kissed the elders of Ephesus, and Paul often speaks of interceding for churches with tears. Therefore, I do not think it is from over formality or stiffness that Paul uses a more formal form of peoples’ names. I think it was from humility and respect. Even when Paul wrote to correct and rebuke, such as in his Corinthian letters, we see that Paul did not want to put himself above another or to pull his “Apostle card” (To use his position as an Apostle to try and force compliance to his wishes). He preferred to appeal to them as brothers. It is this kind of humility that is reflected in his tendency to speak of and address others with respect.

Of Prisca and Aquila, Paul says that they are his fellow workers. This means that as lay people and tentmakers they worked together with Paul in and for the cause of Christ. We also note that they had a church in their house wherever they went. And, they went.

We meet Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18.

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. (Acts 18:1-3 ESV)

This is where we learn that Priscilla and Aquila and Paul are all tentmakers by trade. We also see that Priscilla and Aquila were originally from Rome, but were cast out of Rome by Emperor Claudius. So, we meet them in Corinth when Paul first went there. Perhaps it was in the persecution against Paul and the Church that started there when Priscilla and Aquila risked their lives for Paul.

We next find Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus. When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, he wrote from Ephesus, and in that letter chapter 16, verse 18 he says:

The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 16:19 ESV)

Of course, having been part of the starting of the church in Corinth, Priscilla and Aquila were well known to the body there. Notice also that the church in their house sends greetings as well. So, we can see that not only have Priscilla and Aquila moved, but they have started a church in their house.

At the time Paul wrote Romans, Priscilla and Aquila are back in Rome, and again they have a church in their house. I don’t know if you notice a pattern here, so I will point it out. Wherever they went, they had a church in their house.

When Paul was at the end of his life and writing to his beloved Timothy, who was in Ephesus, he says:

Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. (2 Timothy 4:19 ESV)

This brought tears to my eyes. Paul is writing at what he knows is the end. He has said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith...” (2 Timothy 4:7, NASB) And, almost his final words, “Greet Prisca and Aquila.” How dear! How precious they must have been to him. Notice, though, the significance of their location. They have moved from Rome back to Ephesus. They started out in Rome, moved to Corinth, moved to Ephesus, moved back to Rome and then moved back to Ephesus. Most of their moves, we assume, were due to persecution. These people who risked their lives for Paul also risked their lives for the gospel.

Next, Paul greets Epaenetus, who is notable for being the first convert to Christ in Asia. This Asia is not modern Asia. This Asia is the province of Rome where Ephesus was located and located in what is now called Turkey. Epaenetus was the first of many people who came to Christ in that area and was, therefore, cause for much joy and rejoicing both in heaven and in Paul’s heart. 

We do not know much about Mary other than that she was a hard worker. She reminds me of Jesus’ friend Martha, always working. We all know dear souls like Mary, ladies who work tirelessly for the benefit of others.

In verse 7 of Romans 16, Paul greets Andronicus and Junia.  Now, some translations have Junia, and some have Junias, Junia being a feminine name and Junias being masculine. To be fair, there is no way to determine which is right. However, I prefer to think of them as a missionary couple. The ESV text says, “They are well known to the apostles.”  The NASB is a more literal translation when it says, “who are outstanding among the apostles.” 

Apostle is the Greek word for messenger. The twelve were the messengers specially chosen by Jesus. The Church also has messengers. We call them missionaries, but the early church called them apostles without confusing them with the 12.  Andronicus and Junia were outstanding among the apostles, not the 12, but among those missionaries sent out by the Church. Paul and Barnabas were not the only ones sent out. They were just the first ones sent out. Andronicus and Junia obviously were zealous workers because they, like Paul, spent time in prison for the cause of Christ. 

It is also interesting to note that Paul says they were in Christ before him. We all know that Paul was a violent persecutor of the Church before he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Notice, Paul calls them his kinsmen. The normal meaning of this word would mean that they were his relations: cousins, aunts, uncles - that kind of relation. The word could mean countrymen, but that would not be the first meaning one would go to. The main objection to them being relatives I ran across in my reading is that some authors did not find it likely that Paul would have that many relatives in Rome. But, this is an arbitrary argument to think that we would know how many relatives he may or may not have had in Rome. On the contrary, I find it consistent with the way the Lord works that relatives that Paul would have once persecuted are now greeted as being “outstanding among the apostles” and “in Christ before me.”

In verse 8 of Romans 16, Paul says:

“Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.”

Paul had called Epaenetus beloved, now he is calling Ampliatus beloved. Paul did not have any problem telling people he loved them. Ampliatus is interesting for another reason. Ampliatus was a slave name. Slave names were not used by free men. There may be no connection, but John MacArthur in his message on this passage says:

And there is a cemetery at Domatia, the earliest of the Christian catacombs.  One of the most fascinating things I've ever done is to wander through the catacombs of Rome.  They were the burial place of Christians in the first century.  And the oldest of those, the earliest of the catacombs is at Domatia.  And in that early catacomb there is a very decorated tomb and on that decorated tomb is this large name Ampliatus, which is quite interesting, because single names were unique.  A Roman nobleman or a Roman free man would have three names, but a slave would only have one name.  And Ampliatus was a slave.  The fact that at his burial, if it be the same Ampliatus, he is given a large and rather decorated tomb and his name is placed there for all to see, indicates in comparison with the other burial places in the catacomb that he was set apart as high ranking in the church, which is a wonderful insight because what it tells us is that while the world may have ranked people according to their economic status, the church didn't do that.  And a slave could rise in the church of Jesus Christ to a place of recognized prominence to be given unique honor in his burial.  It may well have been that in the church in many cases and in many places slaves were actually the elders teaching their own owners the Word of God. 

All these people that Paul names were special to him, and had a part in spreading the gospel.

As part of the opening of his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul says:

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. (Romans 1:8 ESV)

Please notice that Paul says he gives thanks for “ALL OF YOU.”

The warmth and closeness, as well as the shared work and impact of their lives, show the character of the early Church. The Church is a body and the ties that these Christians shared with each other reflect that reality. Paul did not do what he did alone. He deeply loved and had strong emotional ties to these people. We are their spiritual descendants and owe them a debt of gratitude for their sacrifice and service for our Lord Jesus Christ. 

We too will leave a legacy, a heritage for our spiritual children. 

What will our legacy look like?

These words of the Apostle Paul come to mind:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV)

Greetings

Romans 16:1-16

Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the churches of Christ greet you.

Romans 16:16 ESV

Romans is a letter from the heart of Paul, the Apostle. Romans also is a doctrinal thesis that lays out both the truth of the Gospel and the practicalities of how that truth is to be lived out. This letter reveals the depth of Paul’s insight and understanding. It also shows his passion. In this epistle, we see reflected the truth of his statement in Philippians 3:8-9.

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith (Philippians 3:8-9 ESV)

In this passage from Philippians, we find the “why” of Paul’s life. Everything he did was shaped by this one overriding passion; that he could “gain Christ.” Why did Paul have the friends he had? Why did Paul make the trips he made? Why did Paul write the letters he wrote? Why did Paul say the things he said? Why was Paul willing to suffer hardship and imprisonment? Why? Because he was determined to gain Christ.

In his endeavor to gain Christ, Paul built relationships with a disparate group of people. These people were from different ethnic backgrounds, different social backgrounds, different economic backgrounds and different linguistic backgrounds. They differed in every conceivable way, and yet Paul was tied to them with the strongest bonds of love.

As we begin our look into the final chapter of the book of Romans, we come to a list of greetings. In these greetings, we will see the relationships that the heart and passion of Paul forged. We will see how a strong, successful businesswoman was used of the Lord to advance the Gospel. We will see how a husband and wife team worked together in the Gospel. We will see how a single man and a single woman served Jesus. And, we will see how a couple dedicated themselves to mission work.

These are not all of the people we meet in this chapter, but they will help to show us that each of us has a place in God’s work. Whether we are strong or weak, bold or timid, male or female, married or single, the Lord can use each of us, and He will use us if we are willing.

In Romans 16:1 we meet Phoebe.

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. (Romans 16:1-2 ESV)

First, you will notice Paul commends Phoebe. This is a recommendation. In those days, it was the practice for people to carry letters of recommendation when they traveled to a new place. This was important for the early Church to guard against false teachers and those with malicious intentions. Since the close of this epistle includes the recommendation of Phoebe, it is the assumption of most of us that Phoebe is the person who carried the letter from Corinth to Rome.

We can thank her for seeing that it arrived safely in Rome and is preserved for us to this day.

Next, we see that Phoebe was a servant of the church at Cenchreae.

Cenchreae is on the coast/water and was the port city of Corinth. We do not know if the Christians of Corinth met in Cenchreae or if there was more than one gathering of believers in Corinth. Our assumption is that because of persecution the believers met in the port city because it was more “out of the way.” This would mean that Phoebe was a vital part of the Church in Corinth/Cenchreae.

The word translated “servant” by the ESV is the word “διάκονον” (diakonon). This is the word Paul uses nearly 10 years later when writing to Timothy. In 1 Timothy 3:8-10, he says:

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. (1 Timothy 3:8-10 ESV)

From this passage, we know that the Church had an office called “deacon.” This office was established early in Acts when Stephen and 6 others were elected to serve in the distribution of food. In verse 11 of 1 Timothy 3, it says:

Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. (1 Timothy 3:11 ESV)

This verse has an issue in its translation. It appears that the word “women” is translated “wives” based on the assumption that a woman could not serve in the office of “deacon.” “Wives” is not a mistranslation, because wives is a possible translation of the word used, but wives is not the primary meaning of the word. Thayer, in his Greek lexicon, defines the word in 1 Timothy 3:11 as “universally, a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow.”^[1] As an example of a literal translation of the text of 1 Timothy 3:11, Young’s Literal Translation renders 1 Timothy 3:11,

Women -- in like manner grave, not false accusers, vigilant, faithful in all things. YLT^[2]

In 1 Timothy 3, Paul first gives the qualifications for the office of overseer or bishop. Then in verse 8, he uses the word likewise to lay out the qualifications for the office of deacon. And, without a break, he says, “In the same way, Women...” The natural progression and context of the passage would be to assume that women in the office of deacon would “in the same way” need to meet the listed qualifications. Given that 10 years earlier Paul used the word “deacon” in introducing Phoebe, it is reasonable to assume that the Church in Corinth had at least one woman in the office of “deacon” and that she was qualified according to the qualifications Paul lays out in 1 Timothy 3.

In her office of deacon of the Church in Cenchreae, Phoebe was entrusted with Paul’s letter to the Romans. She apparently had both the means and the respect of the Apostle Paul to be entrusted with such a task.

The next thing I want to point out about Phoebe is that Paul says, “…she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.”

“Patron” is defined as: “a person who gives financial or other support to a person, organization, cause, or activity.”^[3] Now, if, as Paul says, Phoebe was a patron to many, it is safe to assume that she had money. Based on this assumption, it is not difficult to imagine she had business that would take her to Rome. Legal or trade matters could easily have required the trip. However, we are given no details. Please note that Paul instructs the Christians in Rome to “help her in whatever she may need from you.” From the greetings that follow, we learn that there were members of the imperial household in the Church. Therefore, people with significant political influence were among the believers.

Whatever the circumstances, we have a lady who had means and a reason to travel to Rome, who was a trusted member of the Church in Cenchreae. We do not know how she traveled, but for a woman to tackle such a voyage in that day and time, she was strong, independent, resourceful and apparently successful. We do not know if she was married. There is no mention of a husband or household.

I would like to make two comments.

First, there is a place in the Church for strong, independent, resourceful and successful women.

Second, Phoebe strikes me as what our American culture is pushing as the model for all women to follow. The culture seems to insist that women must have their own careers, be independent and strong, and be successful apart from men.

Looking at the greetings in Romans 16, two couples are listed: Priscilla and Aquila, and Junia and Andronicus. These couples also serve as models for Christian service. Throughout the Scriptures, we find women in many roles, and it is not good to find one role and say “all women should fit this model. God has created each person unique, and each person has a unique role or place to fill. Priscilla was not less in her service to God because she was married and had a partner. Paul’s list of friends and co-workers in the cause of Christ shows a wide variety of people.

Phoebe was in Paul’s life because they shared a “why.” Paul lived to gain Christ. Apparently, Phoebe shared the same passion. For this reason, they were friends and workers together for a common cause. As part of the fruit of this partnership, we enjoy the epistle of Paul to the Romans.

In reading Paul’s recommendation of Phoebe, I am reminded of why. Why should we welcome somebody in the Lord? Why should we behave in a way worthy of the saints?

Because, we make it our goal to gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of our own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ. In these greetings, we can see a why that is worthy of our devotion and our lives, a why that will bind us together in love.

---

^[1] https://biblehub.com/greek/1135.htm (accessed February 1, 2019).

^[2] https://biblehub.com/1_timothy/3-11.htm (accessed February 1, 2019).

^[3] https://www.google.com/ (Accessed February 1, 2019).

Striving Together

Romans 15:20-33

“My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.” Romans 15:20 NLT

When Jesus ascended into heaven, the whole world was unreached. His followers immediately set out to reach the world with the Good News.

Paul is talking about reaching unreached people when he says, “My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard.”

While the idea of an unreached people group is not new, the emphasis in the 21st century Church has shifted from “countries” to “people groups.” To help us understand the difference, I have included here a lengthy quote from The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Church.

At the time of the Lausanne missionary conference in 1974, there were evangelical Christians in most countries around the world. During the conference, a missiologist named Ralph Winter drew the attention of the missionary world to the priority of unreached people groups. A people group is not the same as a country. Members of a people group share the same ethnic identity. They typically have a common language, a common religion, and a common history.

A country, defined by a fixed geographical border and a central government, usually has more than one people group living within it. People groups, on the other hand, often spill over political borders and live in more than one country. When Jesus commanded his followers to make disciples of all nations (Matt, 28:16–20), he used the word ethne, which refers to people groups and not to geopolitical countries.

Examples of people groups would be the Catalan and Basques of Spain, or the Kurds of Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. Everyone is part of a people group. But some people groups have access to the gospel (such as ours, if you are an English-speaking North American like me), and some do not. Ralph Winter pointed out to the evangelical world that there were still thousands of people groups that no one was trying to reach with the gospel. Unless someone intentionally crossed barriers of language and culture to bring them the good news of Jesus, they would remain lost in darkness. Beginning in the 70s, the focus of evangelical missionary activity shifted more and more toward unreached people groups.^[1]

Reaching unreached people is part of the Church’s DNA. The word “ethne” as used in the New Testament did not have in mind international boundaries as we might assume when we hear the word “nations.” The heart of the Church given by the Holy Spirit has always been that all may know, no matter what their ethnicity may be.

At the end of Romans 15, Paul makes an appeal for the believers in Rome to “strive together” with him, which I am sure they did. The Church continues to “strive together” in the cause of the Gospel as we see in the missionary efforts going on around the world. In Paul’s words, we find a recipe for striving together, making common cause in the Gospel.

In Romans 15:20-33, we see that the early Church was 1) united in purpose, 2) united in partnership, and 3) united in prayer.

First, we see that they were united in purpose. We see this in verses 20 and 21.

When Paul says, “and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named,” (Romans 15:20 ESV) he is addressing something that lies at the heart of the Church’s purpose.

Jesus spoke on a number of occasions of the worldwide ambitions of His kingdom. When He ascended to heaven, He left us with orders to “Make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19) When He taught about how the end would come, He said:

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14 ESV)

Romans 15:21 quotes the prophet Isaiah when it says:

But as it is written, "Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand." Romans 15:21 ESV

We see in these words the desire for everyone to know and understand the Gospel. The promise of God to Abraham included the words “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” The global ambitions of the Church are built on the foundation of love from which grows the passion and desire that everyone might know the truth.

This purpose of God to reach all the families of the earth is shared by us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Having been baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ, we strive as one for the cause of the Gospel. We are united in purpose. Because of this unity of purpose, we are also united in partnership. In Philippians 1:5, Paul even speaks of the partnership of the Gospel.

We see this partnership of the Gospel at work in Romans 15:22-29.

Paul speaks about how he has longed to visit the Roman Church but was hindered because of his continuing work. His work, of course, was preaching the Gospel to those who had never heard. However, the work had progressed to the point that there were Gospel preaching churches in places like Colossae, Philippae, Ephesus, Corinth, Thessalonica, and so on. Because the work had progressed to this point, Paul set his sights on regions yet further from Judea and names Spain as his next mission field.

As Paul speaks of his plans, a deep partnership is revealed. The churches of Macedonia and Achaia were sending financial assistance to the Church in Jerusalem.  In this act, we see not only love in action but the temporal or physical nature of what is spiritual kinship. Paul states:

For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. (Romans 15:27 ESV)

One aspect of our partnership in the Gospel is the obligation to support each other. The principle of reciprocity was established in the Law of Moses as the Apostle Paul points out in his letter to the Corinthians.

For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. (1 Corinthians 9:9-10 ESV)

We owe a debt of gratitude to those who have wrestled in prayer and labored for our benefit in the gospel. For example, it was because of farmers, mechanics and their families that I heard the Gospel. They gave of their time, their money and their love so that our small community would have a church, a Sunday school and a vacation Bible school. I owe these people a debt of gratitude that I can never repay. However, I can, as the saying goes, pay it forward. This is the kind of obligation Paul is speaking of in Romans 15:27. This is why he says, “For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.”

In Romans 15:22-29, we see that Paul fully expects both to bless the Roman Church and to be blessed by the Roman Church. He expects to bless them spiritually and to be blessed materially. He assumes they will partner with him in his efforts to reach Spain with the Gospel, and that they will be happy to do so. In this, we see another aspect of our partnership in the Gospel. He expects them to be happy to help because our partnership in the Gospel is a source of much joy and blessing. We cannot measure the joy that comes from knowing that our resources and efforts have brought the truth of the Gospel to those who have never heard, just as we cannot measure the joy of knowing that our children have grown up to love Jesus and follow Him. Our partnership in the Gospel is both an obligation and a privilege.

We have seen how we are united in purpose and partnership. Paul closes this chapter by showing that we are united in prayer. He says:

I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, (Romans 15:30 ESV)

Prayer is where purpose and partnership come together, where the heart for the work and the heart for the people come together in a plea to Heaven for guidance, strength and provision.

Paul asks for prayer for his immediate concerns. He asks for prayer that he would be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, that his offering and service to the saints in Jerusalem would be accepted and that he would be brought safely to Rome.

All three of these request were granted.

The offering and messages from Macedonia and Achaia were successfully delivered.

The unbelievers in Jerusalem made every effort to kill Paul, and God used Roman soldiers and a Roman prison to protect Paul from the hands of his would-be assassins. God used these same efforts and people to transport Paul safely to Rome. In the meantime, Paul had a furlough of study, prayer and ministry in prison for two years in Caesarea, where he ministered to the governing authorities of the region. And, although he was a prisoner, he did make it to Rome with joy and was refreshed in their company just as he had requested in Romans 15:32.

…so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. (Romans 15:32 ESV)

Prayer is where striving together in the Gospel begins. We are united in purpose and partnership, and this finds its expression in our prayers. We communicate with missionaries so that we can know what to pray for specifically, so that our prayers go beyond “God, bless the missionaries.” As we fellowship with each other, we learn of each other’s burdens and concerns so that we can bear each other’s burdens in prayers and petitions on each other’s behalf.

We do not control the results, but we continue faithful in prayer. No one, including Paul, expected their prayers on his behalf to be answered in the way that they were. However, their prayers were answered. Paul’s prayer request was “so that by God’s will I may come to you...” He did not lay out the route or the means for God to get Him to Rome. He most likely had in mind a sea voyage, but probably not as a prisoner. We must not forget that God works all things according to His purposes. The NLT translates Ephesians 1:11 to say, “He makes everything work out according to his plan.”

Prayer is joining together in purpose and partnership with each other and the Holy Spirit to see God’s will accomplished on earth. Jesus told us He is with us until the end of the age. We are to continue striving together until that end, His return, comes.

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^[1] https://www.imb.org/2016/11/22/what-do-we-mean-by-unreached-peoples-and-places (Accessed January 23, 2019).

Persuaded

Romans 15:14-19

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. (Romans 15:14 KJV)

Most of us think we know people.

We become pretty good judges of character.

In our high school yearbooks, we single out the class clown and the most likely to succeed.

Jesus said we would know people by their fruits. Therefore, a certain amount of judging or judgment takes place and some of it is necessary. For example, if someone is needed to give a speech, one would not choose the shyest person in the class. To varying degrees, we all make judgment calls. For another example, I have never called my mother for help with car trouble. On the other hand, my father is an excellent resource for car problems.

Some of our judgments are more important than others. Things like who one hires, or who to go to for advice and counsel are examples of decisions having more impact than who one talks to about car trouble. The process of making these judgments involves time, experience and assumptions.

Assumptions can help us or get us into trouble. Today, I want to look at some assumptions that we should make in favor of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Romans 15:7 tells us to, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:7 NIV) The passage we are looking at today, Romans 15:14-19, will help us with the accepting of each other. To this end, we will look at: 1) our assumptions, 2) our role, and 3) our goal.

First, Let’s look at some assumptions that we should make about brothers and sisters in Christ.

Romans 15:14 says:

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. (Romans 15:14 KJV)

Where it says, “I myself,” this is Paul talking to the believers in Rome. He had never traveled to Rome, and while some people he knew were among the believers in Rome, Paul had not met the majority of the believers. From his letter, we understand that there were both Jews and Gentiles in the Church in Rome. So, their backgrounds were as diverse and varied as possible. We also know that their faith was being reported all over the world (Romans 1:8).

Of these diverse believers, Paul says, “I am persuaded of you.” Other translations say, “convinced,” or “satisfied.” This word “persuaded” or “convinced” is used often in the New Testament. Two examples of its use are:

1)      For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, (Romans 8:38 KJV)

2)      Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6 KJV)

Therefore, Paul is convinced, confident or persuaded of truths about believers he has not met. This means he is making assumptions. He is judging facts about their character without seeing or meeting them.

He assumes three things are true of them. These things are actually true of every believer. Let’s look at the verse again. It says:

And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. (Romans 15:14 KJV)

The three things he says he is persuaded of are:

1.       They are full of goodness.

2.       They are filled with all knowledge.

3.       They are able to admonish one another.

Paul has good reason to make these assumptions. All three of these things are imparted to each believer by the indwelling Spirit of God. As we have already learned:

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9 ESV)

Every believer has the Spirit of Christ. If I can refer you to the Scriptures again:

For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV)

Because of the indwelling Spirit, Paul can say he is persuaded that the believers in Rome are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to admonish one another. In 1 John 2:20 the Holy Spirit is said to give all believers knowledge.

But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. (1 John 2:20 ESV)

We also can assume the same three things about other believers.

1.       They are full of goodness.

2.       They are filled with all knowledge.

3.       They are able to admonish one another.

These assumptions should influence all our relationships with other believers. However, as Jesus said:

Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16 ESV)

If a person is not a believer, then these assumptions are not true. Sadly, not every person who says he is a believer is telling the truth. Jude wrote to the Church to warn us of such people. He says:

For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4 ESV)

Therefore, while we are safe in assuming the Holy Spirit and goodness dwells within other believers, we need to be wise. Jesus taught that just as we know a tree by the fruit it produces, so also we know people by the fruit they produce.

After stating his assumptions, Paul says that he has written rather boldly by way of reminder (verse 15). He says he has this boldness because of the grace given to him by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles (verse 16). He is talking about his role, his assigned task. Paul was called by God to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. He says that he had the priestly duty to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles so that the Gentiles may become an offering.

As a priest, Paul’s offering was the Gentiles. He spoke in a similar manner when he said:

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. (Philippians 2:17 ESV)

Offerings and sacrifices were part of the Law of Moses. From the time when Abel offered a lamb until the time when Jesus died on the cross, sacrifices were part of man’s relationship with God. Jesus died for our sins once for all, and now we are called upon to offer up ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2).

We are also called a royal priesthood and a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). We each have an offering to bring.

Paul was unique. He was the Apostle to the Gentiles. His job is done, and he has gone ahead of us into the presence of Jesus. Each one of us is unique and has a role to fill. Each of us should live boldly in the role God has called us to. Our job is not finished, and the best evidence for this is we are still here. Since we have assumed other believers have the Spirit of God and knowledge, we must boldly remind each other of what is written. So that, each of us can boldly fill the role God has called us to. We are to encourage each other as long as it is called today (Hebrews 3:13).

We assume that every believer is given the Holy Spirit, and this shows up in both the fruit of the Spirit in each person’s life and the role that each person fills in the Body.

Since we all have one Spirit, we all work toward one common goal.

After Paul explained why he had written so boldly and what he assumed about the believers he had never met, he said:

Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. (Romans 15:17 NIV)

He gloried in Christ Jesus. In another place, he said:

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

(Philippians 3:8, 13-14 NIV)

Paul’s goal was to know Christ and be found in Him. This goal is reflected in what he says in Romans 15:18-19.

I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. (Romans 15:18-19 NIV)

We share the same goal with Paul and with our fellow believers, to know Christ. We glory in Christ and what Christ has done through us.

Because of his unique calling, Paul gloried in preaching the gospel in places like Jerusalem and Illyricum. I have never been to those places. That is not my calling. Why should I be jealous of Paul? We both have the same goal, but God has called me to a unique role.

We can accept one another to bring glory to God (Romans 15:7). We can also submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21). We can function as a Body with our assumptions about each other, our unique roles and our common goal. These things make us one.