[𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰. 𝘞𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘯 𝘡𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦, “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴”, 𝘣𝘺 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘗𝘢𝘶𝘭’𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘦.]

Embarking on our final lesson in the book of Romans, it was good to remember that Paul’s original letter was not divided into chapters.  It was one continuous thought.  We saw that so clearly when the beginning of chapter 15 completed Paul’s thoughts and challenges from the end of chapter 14.

Paul reiterated his plea for believers in Rome to be considerate of fellow believers who held more sensitive convictions than their own (15:1).  He encouraged them, again, to set their own preferences aside to focus on helping one another to do what is right in GOD’s eyes (to live a life that is pleasing to Him, not fellow humans) and to build each other up as their faith in JESUS continued to grow (15:2).

We were reminded that CHRIST is our ultimate example (15:3).  He didn’t live to please Himself, but to fulfill the Father’s plan.

We wondered what might help us to honor GOD in our attitudes and interactions with fellow believers?  As if to answer our question, Paul inserted this touching prayer:

May GOD, who gives patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of CHRIST JESUS.  Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to GOD, the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.  (15:5-6)

In our Emmaus study, William MacDonald described Paul’s closing comments about unity within the church (including his reminder that CHRIST came for Jews and Gentiles alike)  this way (p 144):

“Paul expressed the wish that the GOD who gives steadfastness and comfort will enable the strong and the weak, the Gentile and Jewish Christians, to live harmoniously according to the teaching and example of CHRIST JESUS (15:5).  The result will be that the saints will be united in the worship of the GOD and Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST (15:6).  What a picture!  Saved Jews and saved Gentiles worshiping the LORD with one voice!

In verses 15-18, the apostle reminds his readers that the ministry of the LORD JESUS includes Jews and Gentiles and the implication is that our hearts should also be big enough to include both.  GOD purposed that the nations should hear the gospel and that those people who believe should praise Him for His great mercy.  This should not come as a surprise to Jewish believers because it is frequently foretold in their Scriptures.  In Psalm 18:49, David anticipates the day when the Messiah will sing praise to GOD in the midst of a host of Gentile believers.”

Before shifting his focus to more personal comments at the end of his letter, Paul included another beautiful prayer for the saints in Rome:

I pray that GOD, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him.  Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (15:13)

.   .   .

In the second half of chapter 15, Paul began a string of concluding thoughts, clarifying his reason for writing (to reinforce truth he was assured the believers already knew, but he desired to strengthen them in their faith) and his plans to visit them during his upcoming travels (15:15, 23).

Paul again stated his passion to preach the gospel, especially to the Gentiles, a task he received from the LORD JESUS that he was intent on completing.  He was not shy in boasting about all that JESUS had done for him and through his service to GOD – bringing Gentiles to GOD through the message of Good News! (15:16-18).

He also clarified his determination to preach to unreached groups of people, “where the Name of CHRIST has never been heard … following the plan spoken of in Scripture, ‘Those who have never been told about Him will see, and those who have never heard of Him will understand.’” (15:20-21, Isaiah 52:15).

Paul said that he had faithfully presented the Good News of CHRIST from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum – modern day Albania (15:19).  This particular section of Paul’s letter took on new meaning for me this past week when we were privileged to host a missionary family from that very location – Albania!   

The country of Albania opened up to the spread of the gospel after being closed to Christianity for many, many years just as this husband and wife felt called to spread the good news of salvation through CHRIST to an unreached area (just like Paul).  During the short time they stayed with us before traveling back to Albania, it was deeply moving to hear about their amazing journey – living and working in Albania for the past 30 years. 

It was remarkable to learn how the LORD continues to open doors and provide them opportunities to lead people to Him as well as encourage them in their growth.  A big part of their ministry happens through radio broadcasts.  Their station has grown to include seven frequencies, reaching surrounding areas now branching into Macedonia.  How thrilling to see a work started by Paul renewed and continuing centuries later!

So many of these endeavors are dependent on prayer.  Paul’s needs were no different.  As he detailed his upcoming travels through Jerusalem (to deliver a gift from saints in Macedonia and Achaia who were so spiritually encouraged by the believers in Jerusalem that they wanted to support them financially), stopping in Rome to see them, and then continuing on to Spain, Paul pleaded for the believers in Rome to pray for him (15:24, 27, 30).

He then added another prayer of his own for the saints in Rome (15:33):

May GOD, who gives us His peace, be with you all.  Amen.

Mr. MacDonald shared this beautiful thought about the references to GOD in Paul’s prayers (p 147):

“In this chapter, the LORD has been named the GOD of patience and consolation (15:5), the GOD of hope (15:13), and now the GOD of peace (15:33).  He is the source of everything good and of everything a poor sinner needs now and eternally.”

.   .   .

In chapter 16, Paul took the time to send personal greetings to a number of friends in Rome – men and women from a wide variety of backgrounds whom he viewed as extended family, who served with him in the spread of the gospel, had been in prison with him, risked their lives to preach the Good News, and opened their homes to host newly established churches.  He also used the opportunity to introduce and commend Phoebe, a deaconess (servant) in the church in Cenchrea, who would be visiting their area (16:1-16).

Before closing his letter, Paul made one final appeal – a sober warning along with heartfelt encouragement (16:17-18):

Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught.  Such people are not serving CHRIST our LORD; they are serving their own personal interests. … But everyone knows that you are obedient to the LORD.  This makes me very happy.  I want you to be wise in doing right and to stay innocent of any wrong.”

Although much of the teaching they had received had been by word of mouth and from GOD’s own Spirit within their hearts, these dear believers now had this lengthy letter from Paul to reinforce gospel truth to them!  What a marvelous resource of Scriptural truth it became for them – and for us.  When voices around us crescendo but something in us feels uneasy about their validity, we can always go to GOD and His Word to settle our foundation in CHRIST alone!

As we neared the end of our Emmaus study, I really appreciated Mr. MacDonald’s comments about the end of Paul’s letter (p 151):

“The epistle closes in verses 25-27 with a doxology.  Paul addresses it to the GOD who is able to make His people stand firm in accordance with the gospel which he preached.

The particular mystery spoken of here is the truth that believing Jews and believing Gentiles are made fellow-heirs, fellow-members of the body of CHRIST, and fellow-partakers of the promise in CHRIST by the gospel (Eph 3:6).  GOD has commanded that the gospel be made known to all nations so that men and women, boys and girls, might obey the message and be saved.

GOD alone is the source and display of pure wisdom, and to Him belongs glory through JESUS CHRIST our Mediator, forever.  And so ends Paul’s magnificent epistle.  How indebted we are to GOD for it!  And how poor we would be without it!”

And there is no better way to conclude my own reflections (and gathering of resources) from Romans than to share these final thoughts from the Gospel Coalition:

“Paul has been so captured by GOD’s grace that he cannot instruct without celebrating, rebuke without grieving, and command without assuring.  He is so utterly convinced of GOD’s deep love in the grace of JESUS CHRIST that worship regularly erupts from his heart.  He wants it to erupt in our hearts too; that is the point of his writing in the first place.  As he gets to the end of his letter to the Roman church, then, he bursts out one final time in praise of GOD.  This short prayer encapsulates the main themes of what he has written.  And he does all this as an act of unabashed praise (16:25-27).”

Now all glory to GOD, who is able to make you strong, just as the Good News says. This message about JESUS CHRIST has revealed His plan for you Gentiles, a plan kept secret from the beginning of time. But now as the prophets foretold and as the eternal GOD has commanded, this message is made known to all Gentiles everywhere, so that they too might believe and obey him. All glory to the only wise GOD, through JESUS CHRIST, forever. Amen.

RESOURCES:

“The Letter to the ROMANS,” by William MacDonald, Emmaus Worldwide, 2020, Revised 2023.

The Bible Project, video summary of the book of Romans, Parts 1 & 2.

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/romans-1-4/

https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/romans-5-16/

“Knowing the Bible: Romans”, by Jared C. Wilson, The Gospel Coalition,  thegospelcoalition.org .