Letter to the Romans -- Chapter 15
Piggybacking on his teaching about “disputable matters” in regards to Christian freedom, Paul continues on to implore us to bear with our fellow man not only in these matters but at all times. “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” (Romans 15:1-2). Anyone who is strong is made strong by God for the very purpose of bearing with and upholding those who are “weaker.” The strong must not lord over those who are weaker, but they must realize that the position of the strong is actually below and beneath the weak, since they are to carry the weak above themselves. In his letter to the church at Galatia Paul reiterates this very point: “Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). This love of carrying our fellow man is what Christ is ultimately pointing us to when He says that the humbled will be exalted and that the exalted will be humbled. “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). Those who are strong or exalted are to be humbled (brought beneath) in order that they may uplift the weak (the humbled). This cycle continues endlessly as we in the Body of Christ are constantly called to humble ourselves while we exalt those around us so that they themselves may in turn serve us in this way.
It is also important that we realize that even those who are strong in faith still have their own burdens of sin and failings that they themselves cannot carry. No man is free from this and every man is accurately described here in the cries of David: “There is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart” (Psalm 38:3-8). It is because none of us is strong enough to bear these immeasurable burdens of our own that we are only made strong in Christ. In fact those who think they are the strong are in truth the real “weak” ones that Paul is referring to. “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). It is the common thought of the sinful flesh to assume that we ourselves are the “strong” that Paul is speaking of, but if this is what we think then in reality we are the “weak” with whom our fellow brethren are needing to be patient. To think we are strong is to truly be weak. It is therefore only in our own great weakness that we are made strong in Christ because there we no longer rely on “self” but on God. “For Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Our bearing of one another is therefore only a byproduct of Christ first bearing us on the cross. He sets this example and He is the One who is upholding all of us while we in turn help those around us: “For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me’” (Romans 15:3). Christ is the perfect fulfillment of bearing as He carries all our sin, failings, weaknesses, and even our troubles in this life. “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Any insult, wound, disease, or abuse thrown at us in this life Christ Himself bears graciously for us on the cross. “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases” (Matthew 8:17). This bearing that Christ did for us is the foundation of everything that we stand for and proclaim. The very Gospel news is that Christ bore all of our burdens and sin on the cross so that we might be healed and set free. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Christ bore our burdens once and for all on the cross and thru that He is also daily bearing our burdens. “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens” (Psalm 68:19).
Paul continues on by elaborating on the means by which the grace, endurance, and hope of the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb comes to us in our daily life: “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). This is a very important point for us to acknowledge: The power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes to us thru the Scriptures. God has chosen the humble means of the written and proclaimed Word of Scripture as a way in which we are daily strengthened and encouraged in Jesus Christ so that we might be empowered to bear the burdens of our fellow man. All of the Scriptures were written to point us to Christ, so that thru their Message we might be brought to faith in the atoning sacrifice and work of the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. Jesus Christ Himself taught the importance of the Scriptures as the teacher and carrier of His Gospel: “‘Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’” (Luke 24:44-47). Christ even went so far as to “qualify” belief in Him by stating that true belief in Him is always in accordance with the Scriptures: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38). Following the example of Christ, Paul, in all his writings, also continually stressed the importance of the Scriptures as the bearer of God’s Word and truth in regards to the work of Jesus Christ: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In teaching his pupil, Timothy, Paul hammers home the need for all of us to continue in our knowledge of the Scriptures, so that thru them the Holy Spirit might teach us, bring us to faith, and sustain us in the grace of Jesus Christ. “Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
Having taught us that the Scriptures should be our daily connection to Christ, Paul continues on by praying that we might have unity in the truth of Christ so that we might glorify and give thanks to God for His marvelous works. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: ‘Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name.’ Again, it says, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.’ And again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples.’ And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him’” (Romans 15:5-12). In this prayer we see the true leadership ability and teaching of Paul as he wisely leads us by example. Instead of only telling us to continue in the Scriptures, Paul himself stays true to his own advice and actually quotes the Scriptures four separate times in this prayer. Thru daily immersion in the Scriptures we ourselves can be empowered to glorify God thru a bearing of our fellow man and his weaknesses. Jesus Christ Himself is carrying us in His grace so that we too might join in carrying those placed in our life around us. “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket” (Psalm 81:6). “You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor” (Isaiah 9:4).
It is also important that we realize that even those who are strong in faith still have their own burdens of sin and failings that they themselves cannot carry. No man is free from this and every man is accurately described here in the cries of David: “There is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart” (Psalm 38:3-8). It is because none of us is strong enough to bear these immeasurable burdens of our own that we are only made strong in Christ. In fact those who think they are the strong are in truth the real “weak” ones that Paul is referring to. “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). It is the common thought of the sinful flesh to assume that we ourselves are the “strong” that Paul is speaking of, but if this is what we think then in reality we are the “weak” with whom our fellow brethren are needing to be patient. To think we are strong is to truly be weak. It is therefore only in our own great weakness that we are made strong in Christ because there we no longer rely on “self” but on God. “For Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Our bearing of one another is therefore only a byproduct of Christ first bearing us on the cross. He sets this example and He is the One who is upholding all of us while we in turn help those around us: “For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me’” (Romans 15:3). Christ is the perfect fulfillment of bearing as He carries all our sin, failings, weaknesses, and even our troubles in this life. “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Any insult, wound, disease, or abuse thrown at us in this life Christ Himself bears graciously for us on the cross. “He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases” (Matthew 8:17). This bearing that Christ did for us is the foundation of everything that we stand for and proclaim. The very Gospel news is that Christ bore all of our burdens and sin on the cross so that we might be healed and set free. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Christ bore our burdens once and for all on the cross and thru that He is also daily bearing our burdens. “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens” (Psalm 68:19).
Paul continues on by elaborating on the means by which the grace, endurance, and hope of the manger, the cross, and the empty tomb comes to us in our daily life: “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). This is a very important point for us to acknowledge: The power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes to us thru the Scriptures. God has chosen the humble means of the written and proclaimed Word of Scripture as a way in which we are daily strengthened and encouraged in Jesus Christ so that we might be empowered to bear the burdens of our fellow man. All of the Scriptures were written to point us to Christ, so that thru their Message we might be brought to faith in the atoning sacrifice and work of the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. Jesus Christ Himself taught the importance of the Scriptures as the teacher and carrier of His Gospel: “‘Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’” (Luke 24:44-47). Christ even went so far as to “qualify” belief in Him by stating that true belief in Him is always in accordance with the Scriptures: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38). Following the example of Christ, Paul, in all his writings, also continually stressed the importance of the Scriptures as the bearer of God’s Word and truth in regards to the work of Jesus Christ: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). In teaching his pupil, Timothy, Paul hammers home the need for all of us to continue in our knowledge of the Scriptures, so that thru them the Holy Spirit might teach us, bring us to faith, and sustain us in the grace of Jesus Christ. “Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
Having taught us that the Scriptures should be our daily connection to Christ, Paul continues on by praying that we might have unity in the truth of Christ so that we might glorify and give thanks to God for His marvelous works. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: ‘Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name.’ Again, it says, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.’ And again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples.’ And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him’” (Romans 15:5-12). In this prayer we see the true leadership ability and teaching of Paul as he wisely leads us by example. Instead of only telling us to continue in the Scriptures, Paul himself stays true to his own advice and actually quotes the Scriptures four separate times in this prayer. Thru daily immersion in the Scriptures we ourselves can be empowered to glorify God thru a bearing of our fellow man and his weaknesses. Jesus Christ Himself is carrying us in His grace so that we too might join in carrying those placed in our life around us. “I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket” (Psalm 81:6). “You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor” (Isaiah 9:4).
Paul continues with a heartfelt prayer: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13-16). In this prayer Paul reiterates his call from God and how he was chosen to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentile world. He also prays that the church at Rome would remain steadfast in the bold teachings he proclaimed to them, trusting in the one God who forgives them for the sake of Jesus Christ. “Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 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 miracles, through the power of the Spirit” (Romans 15:17-19). Here we see Paul’s relentless focus on Jesus Christ. All that he has done has been with the goal of speaking only Christ and pointing men only to the manger, cross, and empty tomb in order that all glory may be given to God. “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace” (Acts 20:24). This singular focus of Paul needs to be our example as we ourselves look to make our entire lives about serving Jesus Christ in the capacity and calling He has given us. This focus of Paul is illustrated in his first letter to the church at Corinth: “When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Paul resolved to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. So too, this should be our focus as all that we do in life should be about the one thing we know that truly matters: Jesus Christ crucified for the forgiveness of our sins.
After speaking of his plan to visit the church at Rome Paul then continues on: “I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. The God of peace be with you all. Amen” (Romans 15:30-33). Here Paul implores each and every one of us to do our part in the great mission of the Gospel, that is, to pray. Even if we are not called to be teachers, proclaimers, or missionaries of the Word of Christ we must not forget the ever important role we have all been given as Christians: the role to pray endlessly for our fellow man and for the mission of the gospel. Look at how often Paul implores us to this: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should” (Colossians 4:2-4). “Brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:18-19). Paul confidently urges us to pray because He knows the promise we have been given for the sake of Jesus Christ: the promise that whatever we ask for in Christ’s name will be done. “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14). We must not think that this makes God our personal vending machine, but we need to investigate further in order to see what it really means to ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Asking in Jesus Christ’s name is explained elsewhere in the Scriptures: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you” (John 15:7). “I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19-20). “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). Therefore we see that praying in the name of Jesus Christ is about remaining in the revealed Word of God, joining together in one voice with our fellow believers in prayer, and ultimately seeking for the will of God to be carried out. All prayers and petitions to our Father above are ours by going thru our Mediator and High Priest Jesus Christ. It is thru Him alone that we may approach the very throne of God Almighty. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:14-16).
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