Our Hope in All Things is in Christ – Romans 15 & 16

Having instructed us on what Christian relationships are to look like Paul finishes up his letter to the Romans with a reminder. We must take careful note that we are to become like Jesus and Jesus is the perfect example of how to treat others.

Romans 15:1-2
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

The message should be clear. It is repeated in Philippians 2:3-8.
 

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Our hope lies in Christ in all things. Relationships are difficult, as evidenced by the fact that Christians, despite commands against it, divorce at the same rate as non-Christians. This should not be. Even our ministries are replete with strife as just don’t get along. This should not be. But there is hope and that hope is through Christ. We must give each other the same Christ has given us; ourselves.

Romans 15:5-7
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Do it for the glory of God. Do it in the power of the Holy Spirit for in this we find our hope, for God is our hope.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

As Paul’s letter closes he takes time to send greetings to his brothers and sisters in Christ. This reminds us to do the same. To remember we have our own brothers and sisters in Christ and that in Christ we are all joined as one body. He wraps up again warning us about division.

Romans 16:17-19
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.  For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.  For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

Satan is busy. He and his minions are actively working to destroy our marriages, our families, and our ministries. These are tough days but Paul ends with a great message of hope. Jesus is coming back.

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

Until then be strong in Christ and seek only to bring Him glory.

Romans 16:25-27
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

How Christians Should Deal With Each Other's Opinions - Romans 14

Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” What a wonderful statement. Sadly we Christians don’t always dwell in unity. In Romans 14 we find Paul continuing on in the topic of relationships, particularly directed at how Christians relate to each other when it comes to opinions. Paul opens up with a basic truth; there are many things in our lives that allow for differences in how we live.

Romans 14:1
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

There is two points to take hold of in this verse. First of all some of us are weaker than others in our faith. This isn’t the end of the world and probably we all have different points of weakness. The second point is that we will have differing opinions. That’s ok. But let’s not make them divisive issues when they are simple non-essential issues.

Two problems had risen up in the church at the time of Paul having written this letter. There were issues over what foods were ok to eat and over what days to celebrate. This was a natural situation that is easy to grasp. Jews and Gentiles were suddenly being mixed together into the new church. There was a danger of division over things that really were not that important. I think the best way to explain this is to say that simply some of us have certain convictions. Some would call these “gray” areas, things that are not strictly commanded for or against in scripture but are issues for some of us. For me alcohol is one of those areas. The Bible never says we cannot have a drink. But in my life God has told me I need to abstain. I cannot condemn others for drinking a beer. Paul’s point is that we need to respect each other in these areas of conviction. Here is Paul’s explanation.

Romans 14:5-8
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.  The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.  For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.  For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.

What really matters is that in our heart we are in our own personal way trying to honor God.

Sometimes we have legitimate concerns over our Christian brothers and sisters’ behavior. Unless they are living in sin, and there is Biblical support for confronting true sin, we are to let people work out their own salvation.

Romans 14:10-12
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;  for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”  So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Each of will answer to God.

Paul then makes a very important point.

Romans 14:13
Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

We should never use our freedom in front of those who don’t have the same freedom. Again I use alcohol as an example. Drinking a beer is no sin. Drinking a beer in front of someone who struggles with a drinking issue is wrong and sinful. For you smokers who have tried to quit, you know how tempting that cigarette is that a co-worker is smoking. Paul’s point here is simple; don’t bring temptation to others. Sure maybe it is a weakness in them but as a fellow Christian we must help each other.

Romans 14:19
So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Paul again uses food as an example.

Romans 14:20-21
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.  It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

Paul wraps up here with an admonition.

Romans 14:22-23
The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.  But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. That is a profound statement. I suggest each of us ask the Holy Spirit to make this real in our lives. We are called to be different and separate. We are called to be holy. Yet we need to tread carefully when imposing our calling unto others. Our Christian life requires something called discernment. This can only come through God’s power as made manifest though the indwelling Holy Spirit.

My prayer is that we all can dwell in unity and respect our differences. But we must never let sin take old. Sometimes we will differ in opinion. But the Bible is really quite clear on what sin is. Let us listen to it.

The Christian's Relationship to Government – Romans 13

In Romans 12 Paul addressed how a Christian’s relationships ought to be. Chapter 13 continues the theme as it looks at how we are to relate to the governing authorities of man. Living in the days we do here in America I think we all need to carefully consider the truth of what God expects from us. Paul makes it clear.

Romans 13:1
Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist are instituted by God.

The Bible has a pattern of using certain words, words which are very inclusive and absolute such as the word all. Romans 8:28 is one of my favorite examples of using words that are absolute. “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” What makes this promise great is the word all. Live this one out and suddenly faith becomes real in your life. If God works all things out for good then why should we ever be worried or upset? Romans 13:1 is also clear. The word used is another absolute. Everyone, yes everyone must (must is another absolute) submit to the governing authorities.

We don’t like this verse, do we? But Paul gives the reason why we must submit. We must submit because it is God who gave them the authority over us. Next Paul issues a rebuke to those who resist authority.

Romans 13:2
So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.

Paul tells us why we need this authority.

Romans 13:3-5
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval.  For government is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For government is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.  Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of your conscience.

Yes, I can hear the response from all of you out there. I know that sometimes authority does wrong and violates scripture. Yes, I am familiar with Acts 5:29. Certainly there will be times we must choose to obey God and that will come against the governing authority. But when we make those decisions we better be very careful we are walking in the spirit and not in the flesh. Each of us will answer to God for all we do and say, so I always fall back on two scriptures when I consider these types of scenarios. Philippians 2:12, which instructs us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” And 1 Thessalonians 5:21 which tells us to “test all things. Hold on to what is good.” We must be close to God in studying and knowing His Word and in following the Holy Spirit’s teachings and leading in all things. And we must be sure we have spent time hearing from God through prayer. Just as our freedom in Christ is not license to sin neither are the words of Peter license to rebel against authority. We must be very sure before we act, that we are in God’s will. 

Having begun conversation on how to relate to others and to the government Paul gives us the simple answer to relationships. The key word is love.

Romans 13:8-10
Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.  The commandments: Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.  Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

Paul explains love in 1 Corinthians 13. Read that and it becomes obvious that love is the secret to relationships. Sadly even we Christians usually fail to love the way scripture tells us. Our battle with our old nature, the flesh, is the blockade that keeps us down. Paul wraps up with another admonition as chapter 13 closes.

Romans 13:11-14
Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.

As Christians we must wake up. Most of us have failed to crucify the flesh as we are told to do in Galatians 5:24 which says, “…those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” The secret to good relationships is love, but real love is about others, not self.

So here is the challenge. Each day when we wake up we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires. Then our love for others will thrive and they will see Christ in us.

The Importance of Right Relationships – Romans 12

In writing the Book of Romans Paul has addressed great theological issues such as salvation, justification, sanctification, and the sovereignty of God as seen in our divine election. But knowledge of theology without practical application does not fulfill the entirety of the Christian life. The Holy Spirit has taught me an important lesson. Bible study that does not lead me to become more like Christ has little value. Paul always provides practical lessons in his writings and Romans is no different. Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship with God. Paul begins chapter 12 answering the question of what should a relationship with God look like.

Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Doing the will of God is the paramount attribute of how we must relate to God. To accomplish this we must give God our body. This speaks of humility, the most evasive of all qualities in man. Paul instructs us next.

Romans 12:3
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

There is no room for this high self-esteem the world and its psychologists demand we have. Hear the words of Philippians 2:3 which commands us to “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” This should be the basis of all our relationships.

In verse 1 Paul instructs us to give God our body and in verse 2 he tells us to do the same with our minds. In other words, God gets all of us. The world and its ruler for now, Satan, fight against God to have both our body and mind. Thus we must surrender all to God.

Paul explains in verses 5-7 that we are all part of one body and that is the Body of Christ. This, my friends, is what the church is. Christ’s body acting in unison through individual gifting of the Spirit cannot be defeated. This is why church is so important.

Paul goes on next to give a picture of what Christians should look like.

Romans 12:9-21
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”  To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

That explains what our relationships with others must look like. Take careful note that Paul did not limit this behavior to fellow Christians, but he extends this to show how we must relate to even our enemies. Jesus has previously called us to the same standard. We might not be able to live at peace with all men, but we can let them be the bitter and hateful ones as we love them in the same way Christ loves us all.

Paul is clear. Jesus is clear. As Christians we must love each other and we must love our enemies. Obviously we must love God but what Jesus is saying and Paul is teaching is that loving God means loving others. This has never changed from the OT and the NT because we find the same command in both. When Jesus was asked which of the commandments is the most important He said the same thing as the law commanded the Jews to do.

Matthew 22:37-40
He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and most important command.  The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

It is clear what God expects us to do when it comes to relationships. We are to love.