Please turn in your Bibles this morning to Romans chapter
16 as we continue our study through Paul’s letter to the
church in
How easy is it for us to miss the blessings that God has for us, those things that are right before us. It is kind of like that old saying, “You can’t see the forest for the trees!” What that basically means is that a person has become so involved with the details of an issue that they have lost sight of the larger issue. Also, some have reversed this saying and said, “You can’t see the trees for the forest.” The idea here is that it is possible to be too broad when you are looking at a situation. Yes, you need to look at the whole picture but you also need to look at some of the small details before you come to a conclusion about a matter.
For Paul, as we will see, had this beautiful balance in his life and I believe that balance was all based in his relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If there is balance with the Lord, then there will be a balance in all that we do. There will be a balance with our relationships, with our actions, in the things we say. Let me show you what I mean with this following story of The Doughnut, and then we will get to our text this morning. We are told,
As a minister was addressing a group of men, he took a large piece of paper and made a black dot in the center of it with a marking pen. Then he held the paper up before the group and asked them what they saw. One person quickly replied, “I see a black mark.” “Right,” the preacher replied. “What else do you see?” Complete silence prevailed. “Don’t you see anything other than the dot?” he asked. A chorus of no’s came from the audience. “I’m really surprised,” the speaker commented. “You have completely overlooked the most important thing of all—the sheet of paper.”
Then he made the application. He said that in life we are often distracted by small, dot-like disappointments or painful experiences, and we are prone to forget the innumerable blessings we receive from the hand of the Lord. But like the sheet of paper, the good things are far more important than the adversities that monopolize our attention.
This reminds me of a bit of verse which, though I admit is somewhat trite, does express good practical advice. Someone has written: “As you travel down life’s pathway, may this ever be your goal: Keep your eye upon the doughnut, and not upon the hole!”
Yes, rather than concentrating on the trials of life, we should fix our attention upon is blessings. Let us say with the psalmist, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits” (Psalm68:19). - R. W. D.
- Our Daily Bread, March 10
How important it is not to lose sight of those blessings that are right before us, and those blessings I am speaking of are our spouse, our family, our friends, as well as the many other blessings that God has bestowed upon us. Don’t lose sight of that! With that said, let’s begin reading in Romans chapter 16, starting in verse 21, and see what the Lord has for us as we study His Word and finish up this powerful letter to the church in Rome!
As I have said, Paul closes out this letter with some names of those who were with him in Corinth when he wrote this letter, those who were a blessing to him and the work he was doing, and he wants the Romans to know that these men send their greetings to them. And then, Paul will conclude with a powerful benediction or blessing. So let’s break these verses down and see some of the people Paul mentions and then we will look at this blessing.
Paul lists the men that have been a help to him so that he might encourage them in the work they were doing for the Lord. He first mentions Timothy, and Timothy was like a son to Paul, a son in the Lord and in Philippians 2:19-22 Paul says, “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.” Timothy ministered with Paul in many difficult situations and oversaw the church in Ephesus for a time.
Here is what we know of this young man named Timothy. Timothy grew up, probably in Lystra in the province of Galatia, which is part of modern day Turkey. His mother was Jewish and her name was Eunice, who was a believer, and his father was Greek, and he was an unbeliever. He had a believing grandmother named Lois. Timothy was converted to the faith, we are told, in II Timothy 1:3-5, probably on Paul’s first missionary journey because in Acts 16:1-4 Paul saw Timothy as one he could clearly use in service to the Lord.
Also, here in Philippians chapter 2 Paul says that Timothy is “like-minded,” what does he mean by that? First of all, Paul said in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Thus, what Paul is saying here is that they both shared the mind of Christ, their love for the Lord and also for the people, like the Philippian believers and thus, Paul is going to send Timothy back to Philippi to see how they are doing, to bring back word so he may be encouraged by the report of their unity through humility, their growth in the Lord, as they put on the mind of Christ.
There were those in Philippi that were only serving for themselves, what they could get out of it, through selfish motives, but not Timothy, he went wherever he was needed, did whatever was needed all for the glory of God. In other words, Timothy proved himself and he stood the test. How great it is to have people who are like-minded, working together for the kingdom of God, it truly is a blessing! That was Timothy!
Next we see Paul mention Lucius, who some believe is the man who commissioned Paul and Barnabas from Antioch for their missionary journey, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, in Acts 13:1-3. Obviously we can’t be sure of that, but it is a possibility. Others feel this is just another form of the name Luke, the beloved physician and only Gentile writer of the New Testament. But again, that is hard to prove and it seems unlikely because Lucius was mentioned as his kinsman, and thus, he would be a fellow Jew and Luke was a Gentile! Thus, Lucius was just a fellow Jew who loved the Lord and served the Lord faithfully and this was a blessing to Paul and he too sends his greetings to the church in Rome!
Next we see mentioned Jason and Sosipater and these men again were fellow Jews, kinsman to Paul. Now we don’t know any more about these men and it is doubtful that Jason is the same Jason who protected Paul in Thessalonica, spoken of in Acts 17:1-9. The reason I say that is this Jason spoken of in Acts chapter 17 was probably a Gentile and this Jason was a Jew. The only thing we can say for certain is they too loved the Lord and served Him faithfully and they were a blessing to Paul and send their greetings to the church in Rome.
Tertius was Paul’s stenographer, he wrote this letter down for Paul as Paul dictated it to him. The thing I want you to notice once again is the love that Paul has for people as he called them by name; spoke highly of them to others, which must have made them feel special. That is the heart of God seen in Paul, for our God makes us feel special by His love for us. He even numbers the hairs on our head, He knows us that intimately, down to the tiniest detail!
And I want you to notice the service of this man Tertius. We don’t know how long it took Paul to speak these words, but Tertius wrote them down faithfully. He did not consider this role, this position as menial or not important. He did it unto the Lord and that is how we should do any ministry, any work we do, unto the Lord!
Paul makes this point in Ephesians 6:5-8, “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.”
Keep in mind that when Paul wrote this letter, according
to some commentators, the Roman Empire had some 60 million slaves
or ½ of its population were slaves! Notice Paul does
not call for a revolt against slavery. What he does say
is that if you are a Christian and you are a slave then you need
to do your best because the reality is, you are serving the Lord.
And please understand that most slaves were treated horribly,
they were seen as tools and not even human!
Gaius, a Roman lawyer puts it this way as he says, “We may note that it is universally accepted that the master possesses the power of life and death over the slave.” Vedius Pollio took a slave, who had dropped and broke a crystal goblet, and threw him into his fish pond that was filled with savage lampreys or eels that killed him. In fact a slave was killed for the reason of someone never witnessing anyone killed before. It all boils down to what one Roman writer said, “Whatever a master does to a slave, undeservedly, in anger, willingly, unwillingly, in forgetfulness, after careful thought, knowingly, unknowingly, is judgment, justice and law.” That is who Paul is speaking to here, slaves that were not treated well at all!
Even with all that, the way they were being treated, Paul says slaves were to “be obedient” to their masters and it is in the present tense in the Greek which indicates uninterrupted obedience. They were to obey their masters no matter what, unless of course what they were told to do went totally against what God has said.
How does this relate to us today? First of all we are bondslaves of Christ and thus, as we serve the others, we are serving the Lord. We are to be obedient in all we do as we work for others as we serve others. And the idea here in Ephesians is that we are to serve faithfully when our boss is around, and when he is not around our work should not change because we are ultimately serving the Lord. We don’t put a show on for our boss and when he is gone goof off! It is as Paul said in Colossians 3:23-24, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” The word “heartily” means to put your “life, mind, soul” into the work, give it your all no matter how unfair you are being treated, no matter how your boss talks to you, you serve the Lord and He will take care of you!
If you have that perspective it won’t matter how you are being treated, how small the task may seem to you, how insignificant it may be, because you are serving the Lord and nothing is going to stop you from completing the work He has for you. That was Tertius and Paul recognizes him as a servant of God and yes, this was written by Tertius, but Paul did not disagree with what he wrote. Thus, we see Tertius himself greet the brethren in Rome, that was the love of Christ that not only flowed into his life, but through his life touching others!
Gaius was probably a leader in the church in Corinth; he housed Paul and the brethren of believers meet in his house. He is probably Titus Justus from Acts 18:7 and whose full name was Gaius Titius Justus, the man whose house was next to the synagogue in Corinth. Luke tells us, “And he departed from there and entered the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.” Also, Gaius is one of only two people that Paul mentions that he baptized when he founded the church in Corinth. In I Corinthians 1:14 Paul wrote, “I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius.” Here was a man who opened his heart and his home and he is sending his greetings to the church in Rome!
Erastus was the treasurer in the city of Corinth. He held a high position. That just tells me that the Gospel message was not restricted by status in society, race, color of skin, but it was open to all who would receive it! Notice what Paul tells us in
I Corinthians 1:26-31, “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption — that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’”
The Lord has called us to go out into the world with the Gospel message, with the Good News of Jesus Christ and it is not about our ability, but our availability to be used by Him. God will do the work if we are willing to walk and Erastus was an example of someone in a high place who came to know Jesus because someone was willing to share with him.
Paul also tells us in I Corinthians 6:9-11, “Do
you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom
of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters,
nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor
covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit
the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed,
but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of
the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
Notice what Paul is saying here. First of all unrighteousness will not inherit the kingdom of God and thus, we are all unrighteous before God, dead in our trespasses and sins. But the Gospel message was spoken to us and we have received it and all our sins are cast as far as the east is from the west to be remembered no more. Thus, we once were like that but the blood of Jesus has washed our sins away, we were once like that but the Master, set us apart for His use, He has sanctified us. We once were like that but we have been justified, declared innocent before God through Jesus Christ. Thus, if that is where we once were and this is where others are today, we should show them the love of God, the forgiveness of God that is found in Jesus Christ so they too can be washed, sanctified, justified before God! But unless we are willing to walk, we will miss out on the blessing!
Lastly, Quartus could be the biological brother of Erastus but most likely he was a brother in the Lord. What a heart Paul had for people.
When you look at Paul’s life, when you look at how busy his was and what a drive he had to present the Gospel message to a lost and dying world, you would not expect him to list all these names that he has listed here in Romans chapter 16. It would seem like a waste of time but it wasn’t. You see, Paul saw ministry as people and not just doctrines. He saw people with the backdrop of eternity and shared his faith with them but he also saw the importance of building up believers in the faith, encouraging them in the work that God has for them.
Let me give you one example of Paul encouraging a brother in the Lord, a young pastor by the name of Timothy. As Paul was preparing to die for his faith in Christ by the hands of Nero, he wrote from prison to Timothy and said, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” II Timothy 4:1-5.
In other words, times are going to get tough Timothy, don’t lose focus of the calling that God has upon your life. Preach the Word of God if people want to hear it or not. Don’t water it down, don’t negate it, but speak it forth in power, the power of God’s Spirit. And he sums it up by telling Timothy to fulfill his ministry! What an encouragement to him and us.
Barnhouse, in regards to this section here in Romans chapter 16, wrote this,
When Cuvier, the great naturalist, founder of modern anatomy, was demonstrating his theory of correlation, he took a great slab of stone from which only one tiny fragment of a prehistoric fossil protruded. Everything else lay hidden in the stone. He said to his crowded lecture hall, “I have never come across such a fossil before. But I believe that from the small bone visible I can deduce the invisible form inside the stone. This animal is an opossum dating from the early Tertiary period.” The students were torn between faith and skepticism. No one could yet identify the typical pouch bones and the typical opossum teeth. Cuvier chiseled away chip after chip from the slab. More than an hour passed. At last, just as one of the students uttered a low cry of astonishment, with a jovial laugh Cuvier held up the pouch bones to the light. The fossil was in fact an early Tertiary opossum, as he had foretold.
We have before us the slab of stone that is the last chapter of Romans; and out of it are seen a few names. A rich host, a city treasurer, number-three boy and number-four boy. And from these names we can reconstruct a whole church hidden in the slab. Here we see what the transforming power of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ does in men’s hearts. There had never been anything like this before in the history of the world.
- Donald Grey Barnhouse, Expositions of Bible Doctrines
When you look at the variety of people within the body of Christ, there is no reason we should come together. There are many reasons why we should avoid each other, most of us don’t have the same likes and dislikes, we are very different. And yet, there is something that is very different within the Christian church and that is the love of Christ and this love for Christ and His love for us is the thing that unites us together. Thus, when we fight, when we cause divisions, we are no different than the world. Paul is showing us here that we are to be different and he gives his life as an example as he admonishes and encourages not only the believers in Rome with his greetings but the brethren in Corinth who are also sending their greetings!
But
make no mistake about it, this world is getting colder and colder
and I am not talking about the weather! Paul warns us in II Timothy
3:1-5, “But know this, that in the last days perilous
times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers
of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without
self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong,
haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having
a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people
turn away!”
When people become self-centered, when they love themselves more than others, look out! There is this isolation, this coldness among people. We saw that several months ago when a man tried to help a woman who was being robbed and the assailant stabbed him and this man took several steps before he fell to the ground. The sad and tragic thing is that people walked by him lying there and did nothing. Others tried to role him over but that was as far as it went. Still others took pictures from their cell phone camera. But no one did anything to help this man and he bled to death! Not one person even called 911! That is cold! In his book on Romans, R. Kent Hughes has this to say regarding the coldness of America and what people are longing for. He tells us:
We live in a heartless world. The recent United States census missed at least 5.7 million people who were anonymous even to the census takers. Every year thousands of unidentified and even unidentifiable bodies are found across North America. And only one out of twenty such bodies ever has a name attached to it! Our society has become a breeding ground for lonely people. Life in today’s world is very much like the unwritten rule in elevators: “No talking, smiling, or eye contact allowed without written consent of the management.”
A survey was taken recently in a suburban area of Houston to find out what had motivated people to choose the particular church where they were members. Some surprising answers were given: 12 percent chose their church because of prior denominational affiliation, 8 percent on the basis of the architectural beauty of the structure, 3 percent because of the person in the pulpit, 18 percent because of convenience of location, 21 percent because people in the congregation whom they respected. But a whopping 37 percent were influenced by the fact that friends and neighbors took an interest in them and invited them. Take Paul’s heart to heart. It can make all the difference in the world – and for eternity.
- R. Kent Hughes, Romans, p. 301
If we want to win people to Christ we have to reach out to them, we have to show them we care. If we want to encourage the brethren, we have to reach out to them, we have to show them we care and that is exactly what Paul did here in Romans chapter 16!
There are some who say that Paul is concluding here and that the rest of the chapter, verses 25-27 were added later on. I don’t believe that is true. I think that Paul wrote these words here in Romans 16:24 with his own hands, it was not from the pen of Tertius. Others say that it is Tertius that wrote these words here as well as in verses 22 and 23. For me, it seems like it is Paul because this is how Paul ends his letters. We see this in II Thessalonians 3:17-18 where Paul wrote, “The salutation of Paul with my own hand, which is a sign in every epistle; so I write. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” We also see this in Philippians 4:23. Thus, I do believe Paul wrote these words here in Romans 16:24 and they were not spoken to Tertius who wrote them down for Paul.
Now Paul closes this letter out, which it seems he has been trying to do for a while, but he loves the Lord and them so much, it is hard to say good-bye! This letter closes with a benediction or a short praise unto God. Paul just spoke of the dangers out there from the dividers and the deceivers but he gives them words of encouragement; that God will establish, strengthen them and us in the faith that is found in Jesus Christ! It is as Paul said in Ephesians, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21.
I like that. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that establishes men. And when Paul speaks of “my gospel” he is not saying that he has developed his own gospel or good news. He is saying that this is the Gospel message that has been given to him by the Lord and he is sharing that with others. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is now the Gospel of Paul. That is what Paul tells us in Galatians 1:11-12, “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” The one who persecuted the church and had a disdain for the Gospel, is now embracing it, it is his!
And like I said, it is the Gospel message that establishes us, makes us stable and thus, it is God who has sufficient power, He is more than able to establish us, to make us firm. In fact, as God establishes us, it does not cost Him any loss of His power, He is God! It is as Paul said in II Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” Even when things are difficult, God is in control and He will keep us. That is what Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 1:12, “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”
You see, God can establish us, protect us. He is in total control. Let me share this story with you and you will see what I mean. R. Kent Hughes wrote,
A missionary, Thomas Young, served for many years in the
deep Amazon with the South American Mission. The natives there
were big men who carried sixty-pound bows with arrows over six
feet long. One day Tom and his friend were headed down the Amazon
in canoes when they came to a narrow place. As they looked up
at the cliffs above them, a group of Indians were poised with
their bows drawn. The water was going too fast for the missionaries
to pull to one side or the other. But as the natives let fly their
arrows at almost point-blank range, a miracle happened. A great
gust of wind arose, causing the arrows to fall into the river
behind the missionaries! Some time later one of the natives came
to see Tom, and the first thing he did was to take his pulse to
see if he was human. God establishes and protects his people!
- R. Kent Hughes,
Romans, pp. 307-308
Now please understand that what Paul is speaking of here
in Romans 16:25 is that establishing in salvation, not for protection,
even though God does do that in our lives. You see, our salvation
is all of God, He has done the work and we just receive that gift
by faith. Thus, if God is doing the work, if He is the one in
control, He certainly can make people stand, He can certainly
establish them and He has and He continues to do so!
And please understand that the only Gospel that will establish a person, that will save a person is the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Thus, as people hear of the Gospel message, as it is spoken or preached to them, they have a choice to make, to either receive it or reject it but if you receive it, then it is God who will keep you, you will not be lost!
What a tragedy today that so many people try to work their way into heaven when the realty is, the work has been done for them. In fact, you can’t work your way into heaven; it is impossible. The only way to get into heaven is through Jesus Christ. Let me show you what I mean with this story. We are told,
Normally
the flight from Nassau to Miami took Walter Wyatt, Jr., only sixty-five
minutes. But on December 5, 1986, he attempted it after thieves
had looted the navigational equipment in his Beechcraft. With
only a compass and a hand-held radio, Walter flew into skies blackened
by storm clouds.
When his compass began to gyrate, Walter concluded he was headed in the wrong direction. He flew his plane below the clouds, hoping to spot something, but soon he knew he was lost. He put out a mayday call, which brought a Coast Guard Falcon search plane to lead him to an emergency landing strip only six miles away. Suddenly Wyatt’s right engine coughed its last and died. The fuel tank had run dry. Around 8 p.m. Wyatt could do little more than glide the plane into the water.
Wyatt survived the crash, but his plane disappeared quickly, leaving him bobbing on the water in a leaky life vest. With blood on his forehead, Wyatt floated on his back. Suddenly he felt a hard bump against his body. A shark had found him. Wyatt kicked the intruder and wondered if he would survive the night. He managed to stay afloat for the next ten hours.
In the morning, Wyatt saw no airplanes, but in the water a dorsal fin was headed for him. Twisting, he felt the hide of a shark brush against him. In a moment, two more bull sharks sliced through the water toward him. Again he kicked the sharks, and they veered away, but he was nearing exhaustion. Then he heard the sound of a distant aircraft. When it was within a half mile, he waved his orange vest. The pilot radioed the Cape York, which was twelve minutes away: “Get moving, cutter! There’s a shark targeting this guy!”
As the Cape York pulled alongside Wyatt, a Jacob’s ladder was dropped over the side. Wyatt climbed wearily out of the water and onto the ship, where he fell to his knees and kissed the deck. He’d been saved. He didn’t need encouragement or better techniques. Nothing less than outside intervention could have rescued him from sure death. How much we are like Walter Wyatt.
- Peter Michelmore, Reader’s Digest, October, 1987
Now this word “mystery” used here in verse 25 is not like our English word but it speaks of something that was hidden in former times but now has been revealed to us or specifically to Paul. And Paul is speaking of those things that were hidden in the Old Testament, for example, the coming together of Jews and Gentiles into one body in Christ, they are now revealed to us in the New Testament and for believers in those days, in these letters and through word of mouth as Paul shared these things as well as the other writers of the New Testament.
Paul spoke of this in Ephesians 2:11-22, “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh — who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands — that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” Jews and Gentiles united together in one body in Christ Jesus – what a debt we owe to Him that we might be partakers of the heavenly glory!
This plan of God, seen in the work of Jesus, is beyond the wisdom of any man, and yet God brought it forth and thus, He gets the glory. This letter has been called, The Gospel According to Grace because that is Paul’s point throughout this letter as Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Romans 1:16-17.
You see, the goal of this “revelation of the mystery” is that people of all nations might believe and obey Christ! Paul had a heart to see the Gospel of Christ spread throughout the world but the only way this would happen, the way that God has chosen is that the faithful saints would be willing to go out into the world and share the good news with the lost and this would only be accomplished through the power of God!
As I begin to bring this study and this book to a close look at how Paul laid it all out for us as he showed us that we are condemned before God because of our sin. There was no hope for us. We could in no way rectify the problem of sin for all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God!
From there Paul goes on to share about justification. You see, he does not leave us in that hopeless condition where our sin has separated us from God but he gives us the answer to the problem. You see, we are justified before God through Jesus Christ. Apart from Christ we are dead in our trespasses and sins. Peter put it like this in Acts 4:12, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” And Paul’s point in Romans is that salvation is revealed to us from heaven in the person of Jesus Christ apart from the works of the Law because the Law can’t save you, it can only point out your faults, your sins, it is a reflection of you. Jesus alone can save and He does if you are willing to receive Him into your life as Lord and Savior!
If you do receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, if you are saved, born again, then God has started the sanctification process in your life. You see, all of us are being sanctified through the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. And as I have said, this sanctification process begins the moment we are saved and it will continue until we go to be with the Lord. It is as Paul said in Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God will complete the work He has begun in us, setting us apart for His use, His glory as He conforms us into the image of Christ!
We then saw that God has also elected us. And that was a tough section but an important one. Paul showed us that God has chosen us and yet, we have the free will to chose the Lord or reject Him!
From there, after Paul has spent 11 chapters dealing with doctrine or the things that God has for us, Paul begins a section dealing with application or how we are to apply the truths of God to our lives. How we are to live out our faith. We know what God has for us, we know His truth, now we are to live it or our faith is empty. Thus, we need to apply all that God has for us to our lives.
What a powerful book if we learn these lessons and apply them. I hope you have been as blessed as I have been as we have gone through this letter that Paul wrote to the church in Rome over the last 1½ years! And now, as Paul said as he concluded this letter, let me leave you with his words, “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith — to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.” Romans 16:25-27.