Romans 15
McGeeCHAPTER 15THEME: Consideration of the weak brother; consolidation of Jews and Gentiles in one body; continuation of Paul’s personal testimonyWe have been looking at the great principles of conduct for the Christian. In the preceding chapter we have seen two of these principles: conviction and conscience. Now we see the third: consideration of the weak brother, a thought which is continued from chapter 14. In the first three verses the subject is separation. Then we shall see the consolidation of Jews and Gentiles in one body to glorify God, and finally the continuation of Paul’s personal testimony as the apostle to the Gentiles and to the Romans in particular. This chapter concludes the major argument of the Epistle to the Romans. In the final chapter, Paul will lapse back to personal relationships. A remark needs to be made here that radical higher criticism has questioned the authenticity of these last two chapters of Romans. Without any valid reason or documentary evidence, the Pauline authorship of these two chapters was rejected. Baur’s school led in this objection. Today the Pauline authorship is established, and we may conclude with this statement from Kerr in his Introduction to New Testament Study, “Despite these objections, the integrity of the epistle as it now stands is certain.”
Romans 15:1
CONSIDERATION OF THE WEAK BROTHERThis is the third and last guiding principle which should govern the conduct of Christians. When you invite a Christian over to your house who doesn’t believe in dancing, don’t put on a square dance for him, because you will offend him. Now maybe you can square dance, but I cannot. Why? Because there are certain things I very definitely feel I cannot do because of a consideration of others. Neither have I been inside a motion picture theater in yearsI can’t even remember the last time I went.
Somebody says, “Oh, you are one of those separated fellows who doesn’t believe you can go to the movies.” Maybe you can goI’m not judging you if you dobut I cannot. One of the reasons is right here: consideration of the weak brother. “We that are strong” I feel applies to me. I feel that I could go without losing my fellowship with the LordI’m sure that many of these movies would disgust me today, to tell the truth. But a weak brother might be strongly influenced and his relationship to Christ actually damaged by certain movies. So we who are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. Paul identifies himself with the strong ones, and he insists that these should show consideration for the feelings and prejudices of the weak believers. He wrote to the Corinthians, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend” (1Co_8:13). In other words, Paul said, “I can eat meat. I love a good pork roast. But I will not eat it if it is going to offend my brother.” Also Paul wrote, “Let no man seek his own but every man another’s wealth” (1Co_10:24). Seek the interest of the other man. “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Gal_6:2).
Romans 15:2
“For his good to edification” means with a view to his building up. The objective of all Christian conduct is the edification of our neighbor. Of course our neighbor is not to be pleased to his detriment or loss. Paul said, “For thou I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews …” (1Co_9:19-20). A great many people criticize Paul and cannot understand why he would take a Jewish oath, shave his head, and go to Jerusalem to the temple. You will understand it if you understand what Paul is saying here: “And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law” (1Co_9:20). Now let’s keep in mind that we are still in the area of questionable things, things that are not mentioned in Scripture as wrong. Going back to the example of the movies. Would I ever go to a movie? Yes, if I thought by so doing I could win someone for Christ. You may ask, “How far can you carry this?” Well, I know a group that went into a burlesque show to witness. I think they were in the wrong place. I know a girl who started going to nightclubs and drinking with her friends, thinking she could witness to them. But she became an alcoholic, and she didn’t win anybody. I can show you from Scripture that these things are wrong. However, because the Scripture is silent on many things in our contemporary society, we have been given these great guidelines, three principles of separation: (1) Conviction. Whatever we do is to be done with enthusiasm because we are persuaded in our own minds that it is what God wants us to do. (2) Conscience. Our conduct should be such that we do not look back upon it with qualms of conscience. (3) Consideration. We should show consideration for the feelings and prejudices of the weak believers.
Romans 15:3
The quotation here is from Psa_69:9. This is an imprecatory psalm and also one of the great messianic psalms. Christ never put His own interest and pleasures first. Stifler thinks that Christ is presented here as an argument rather than as an example. In The Epistle to the Romans (p. 250) he writes, “The Scriptures are not in the habit of holding up Christ as an example, for men are neither saved nor sanctified by an example.” Always when Christ is given as an example it is in connection with the redeeming grace of God.
Romans 15:4
CONSOLIDATION OF JEWS AND GENTILES IN ONE BODYPaul now begins to talk about the fact that Jews and Gentiles are in one body to glorify God. The Old Testament, therefore, does have a definite application to believers today. I frequently receive letters from folk who say, “I didn’t know the Old Testament was so practical,” or, “I had not realized that the Old Testament had such meaning for us today. I did not know it spoke of Christ as it does. Paul here says that it was written for “our learning.” In my opinion, the greatest sin in the church of Jesus Christ in this generation is ignorance of the Word of God. Many times I have heard a church officer say, “Well, I don’t know much about the Bible, but …” and then he gives his opinion, which often actually contradicts the Word of God! Why doesn’t he know much about the Bible? These things were written aforetime for our learning. God wants you to know His Word. As an officer of the church, are you boasting that you are ignorant of the Word of God? Well, you had better get down to business and find out what God has said to you in His Word. Ignorance of the Bible is the greatest sin of the hourin and out of the church. Paul says these things were written for your learning. What will a knowledge of the Bible do for you? “That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” The Word of God imparts patience, comfort, and hope. You won’t find any hope in the daily newspaper. You won’t find any hope in modern literature. Look at any field and see if you can find any hope. There is none whatsoever. It is dark and dismal when you look out at this world today. My friend, the only place you can find real hope is in the Word of God. I was in the state of Washington, speaking at a Bible conference, and it rained and rained and rained. Then it rained some more. Oh, how dark and dismal the days were! For our flight back home we went to the airport, and it was still raining. The plane took off and went up through a heavy layer of cloud. In a few moments we broke out into the lightthe sun was shining up there. Oh, how beautiful it was. Less than a mile up, the sun was shining. Here we had been living like a bunch of gophers in all that rain. Now, don’t misunderstand meWashington needs all that rain to grow that lush vegetation and beautiful trees. But because I live in Southern California, I am used to sunshine, and I love it. There are a great many Christians today who are living down beneath the clouds. The Lord says, “Come on up here and get in the sunshine of hope!” That is what the Bible will do for you, my friend. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1Co_10:11). When I was teaching the life of David, scores of people told me what an encouragement David was to them. One person said that he was going through a very dark period in his life and that the study in the life of David delivered him from suicide. Well, that is the reason God put these things in His Word.
God put David’s sin on displayand it wasn’t very nicebut God paints mankind exactly as he is for our learning. Everything in the Old Testament is written for our learning and to give us patience and to give us comfort and to bring hope into our lives.
Romans 15:5
Paul pauses here to pray that the blessings which are channeled only through the Word of God might have their effect upon both Jews and Gentiles in the body of Christ; not that they should see eye to eye with each other on meats and drinkthey won’tbut that they might demonstrate that they are one in love and consideration one of another.
Romans 15:6
There should be such a harmony in their praise that they reveal the unity of believers. When I was a boy in West Texas, we had a Methodist church on one corner, a Baptist church on another corner, and a Presbyterian church on the third corner. A story was told that one night the Methodists were singing, “Will there be any stars in my crown?” And the Presbyterians were singing, “No, not one; no, not one.” And the Baptists were singing, “Oh, that will be glory for me.” Well, that is just a story. I’m sure it never worked out that way, but sometimes it actually looks like that. However, if the Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians are really believers (just to be a member of one of these denominations doesn’t make you a believer, by the way), all three could sit down and sing the doxology together: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” That is the testimony we should give to the world.
Romans 15:7
Let me give you my translation of this: Wherefore receive ye one another, even as Christ also received you to the glory of God. God receives manboth strong and weak, high and low, Jew and Gentileon the simple acceptance of Christ. Now let both the strong and the weak receive each other in fellowship. The glory of God is the supreme objective. A man said to me the other day, “Since you are very critical of the Pentecostal point of view, why is it that Pentecostal brethren are friendly toward you and actually invite you to speak in their churches?” I said, “Well, the reason is that they have more of the grace of God than I have.” A recent letter from a Pentecostal pastor read, “We agree on too many things to let one or two differences separate us.” When we agree on the major doctrines of the faith, though we may differ on minor points, we need to receive one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Although I disagree with Pentecostal brethren on the matter of tongues, I see no reason why I should break fellowship with them. I just pray they will see it as I see it. And the very interesting thing is that one of these days, when we are in His presence, we will agree. In fact, all will agree with me. Do you know why?
Because I am going to have to change a whole lot of things also. All of us will be changed, changed into His image and His likeness. Then all of us will agree. In view of that fact, we had better concentrate on the areas in which there is agreement now.
Romans 15:8
When the Lord Jesus Christ came into this world, He came as “a minister of the circumcision"this is the only time it is mentioned. His ministry was confined to the nation Israel. He frankly said so Himself: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mat_15:24). Also He directed His disciples: “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mat_10:6). Christ came to earth about nineteen hundred years ago. He came in this capacity to confirm the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
God said that from the loins of Abraham He would bring One who would be a blessing to the world. Christ came to be a blessing to both Jew and Gentile. “And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb” (Luk_2:21). He could not have been “Jesus” unless He had been born in the line of Abraham and David and unless He followed the Law. They called Him Jesus after he was circumcised. He came to fulfill the entire Mosaic system. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal_4:4-5). Salvation came to Israel through Christ in confirming and fulfilling the truth of the Old Testament promises.
Also by this method salvation was brought to the Gentiles. The Gentiles’ only claim was upon the mercy of God. No promise was ever made to their fathers. I do not know who my father was, way back in the beginning in the forests of Germany and in Scotland. I do not know his name. But I do know that God never made any promise to him.
He did, however, make a promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Christ came to confirm the truth of the promises made to the fathers of the Jews, and He also came that the Gentiles might obtain mercy. In this the Gentiles are to glorify God. I thank God that He brought the gospel to my ancestors. They were pagan and savage and had done nothing to merit God’s grace. “As it is written” introduces four quotations from the Old Testament that show that the Gentiles are to praise God. “For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name” is a quotation from Psa_18:49. Christ is praising God through the Gentiles, which implies their conversion.
Romans 15:10
This quotation is from Deu_32:43. It concludes the song of Moses, which is a prophetic recitation of the history of the nation Israel until the coming of the millennial Kingdom. Here the Gentiles are invited to join Israel in praise to God.
Romans 15:11
This is a quotation from the briefest psalm (see Psa_117:1). It is an invitation to the Gentiles to join Israel in praise to God. It is interesting to note the occurrence of the word all twice in this brief quotation.
Romans 15:12
This quotation is from Isa_11:10. Though the Messiah is from the line of David, He is to rule over the Gentiles. Obviously it was the clear intention of God that the Gentiles should come to Christ. Some had come to Christ in Paul’s day, and they were the firstfruits of even a greater day. Remember that Paul was writing to the Romans, and the Roman church was largely a gentile church, as are our churches today.
Romans 15:13
“The God of hope” is a new title for God which is thrilling. The believing heart finds here the Rock of Ages who is the shelter in the time of storm. “The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.” This is what a study of Romans should do for you. I trust it has given you joy and peace and that it has strengthened your faith. I trust it has brought hope and power into your life, my friend. This is the benediction that concludes the doctrinal section of the Epistle to the Romans.
Romans 15:14
CONTINUATION OF PAUL’S PERSONAL TESTIMONYAt this point Paul resumes his personal testimony as an apostle to the Gentiles. You remember that he began this epistle in a very personal manner. Now he leaves the doctrinal section, and he picks up that personal note with which he began the epistle, in which he expressed the desire to visit Rome. “Now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you” (Rom_1:10). Now listen to him. This, I think, is one of the loveliest passages. Paul is offering in this verse a gentle apology for his frankness and boldness in speaking to the Romans in the doctrinal section. It was not because they were lacking in goodness and knowledge, but rather because they possessed these qualities that Paul was able to be so explicit. Isn’t that wonderful? He gave us the Epistle to the Romans so that he could talk to us about these important issues. My friend, an understanding of the Epistle to the Romans is an essential part of your Christian growth. Every Christian should make an effort to know Romans, for this book will ground the believer in the faith. Paul is being very humble and sweet about his exhortations in this epistle. He is not lording it over God’s heritage.
Romans 15:15
When Paul says, “I have written,” he is referring to this Epistle to the Romans. He is explaining the fact of his boldness by reminding the Romans that he is the apostle to the Gentiles. On the basis of this God-appointed office, which came to him through the grace of God, he is exercising that office in writing as he does to the Romans. He is ministering to them. This statement gives added weight to the inspiration of the writings of Paul. He adopts the language of the Levitical temple worship in describing himself as a minister preaching the gospel. The Gentiles are “acceptable"apart from the Law or any religionthrough Christ as preached by Paul. “Sanctified"the Holy Spirit indwelt the gentile believers, beginning with Cornelius. The sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit begins with Jew and Gentile the moment of regeneration when the Spirit of God takes up His abode within the believer. Paul gave the gospel, but God gave the Holy Spirit when they believed. It must be kept in mind that Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles in a very special sense. As a high priest, Paul offered up the Gentiles, making an offering unto God. It is difficult for us today to fathom the full significance of all this, and yet we as Gentiles have entered into all that this implies. My friend, if you have never thanked God for the apostle Paul, you should thank Him right now. God gave Paul to us. For this reason we should read his Epistle to the Romans.
Romans 15:17
Paul had written boldly to the Romans and was rather apologetic about it because he recognized that these saints in Rome probably did not need his instructions. In spite of this, however, he wrote with confidence to them. There is no personal assumption in this, He is a servant of Christ Jesus and is doing His will. This is important to see. There is one thing that should never characterize a servant of God, and that is pride. We should never become officious, but rather take the position that we are merely serving the Lord Jesus Christ, and He is the One in charge.
Romans 15:18
Paul is saying something very important in this passage. If we are to understand Paul, and especially whether he or Peter founded the church at Rome, we must pay close attention to what he says here. Paul is saying, “I will not take credit for the work of God that is being done by othersespecially among the Gentiles.” Of course he couldn’t take credit for what was accomplished on the Day of Pentecost, which was the beginning of the ministry that resulted in the gospel going to the Gentiles. He couldn’t take credit for the gospel going to the first Gentiles. It was Simon Peter who took the gospel to the home of Cornelius. Paul will speak only of those things which Christ wrought by him. He had a peculiar ministry as the apostle to the Gentiles. “Through mighty signs and wonders,” which were the credentials of the apostles and the ministers in the early church. These were given to establish the church on the right foundation before a word of the New Testament had been written. Paul, speaking to the Ephesian believers, says that they “…are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph_2:20). He does not intend to say that the apostles are the foundation. There is no foundation but Christ: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1Co_3:11). But the apostles are the ones who put down the foundation of Jesus Christ. That is what Paul is saying here. Paul says that the gospel of Christ had come through him “unto Illyricum.” Illyricum was a province of the Roman Empire next to Italy. It extended to the Adriatic Sea and the Danube River. Paul, you see, had preached by this time from Jerusalem to the province next to Rome. He had not quite reached Rome. By the way, we have no record of Paul’s journey in this area. Undoubtedly he went many places that are not detailed for us. There are those who believe that Paul went to Spain. I believe this epistle reveals that he did go to Spain, and I think he also went to Great Britain because he covered the Roman Empire, as we shall see.
Romans 15:20
Perhaps my translation will make these verses a little clearer: Indeed, in this way having made it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, in order that I might not be building upon another man’s foundation: but as it is written, They shall see, those to whom there came no tidings of Him, and those who have not heard shall understand. It was a point of honor with Paulnot competitionwhich caused him to go as a pioneer where the gospel had not been preached. Paul had a peculiar ministry. Paul did not minister where a church already existed or where others had gone. He was a true missionary, which is the meaning of the word evangelist in the New Testament. Paul never had a committee to do the groundwork ahead of him. When Paul entered a town, he was not given a welcome.
The mayor did not greet him. If anyone greeted him, it was usually the chief of police, who generally arrested him and put him in jail. Since the apostles laid the foundation, the believers would have to be very careful to discern who the apostles were and to whom they were listening. Paul had the credentials God had given to the apostles. It is said of Paul and Barnabus, “Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands” (Act_14:3). You see, these were the marks of the apostles and the early preachers of the gospel.
They did not come with a New Testament in their handsit hadn’t been written yet. They came with these credentials: mighty “signs and wonders.” Of course the day came when signs and wonders were no longer the identifying mark. The apostle John, near the end of his long life, wrote: “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2Jn_1:10). Correct doctrine was the identifying mark for a man of God even then. And today the identifying mark is correct doctrine, not signs and wonders. A tragic movement is going on at this writing. Coming to my desk is literally a flood of letters from people who are being carried away by fantacism, by wrong teaching, and by false doctrine. Although there is a movement of the Holy Spirit today, there is also a movement of the Devil. Satan is busy. A great many people are being carried away and trapped by incorrect teaching. Paul has been so careful to emphasize the fact that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink.
Well, the kingdom of God is not signs and wonders either. It is not any of these outward things. The Kingdom of God just happens to be righteousness. I hear of groups meeting and indulging in all kinds of sexual ritesnot living for God at allyet talking about certain signs that they demonstrate, such as speaking in tongues. My friend, it had better be a clean tongue. If the Lord has come into your life, He will clean you up.
A clean tongue and one that declares the Word of God accurately is what a great many folk need today. Paul always ministered where the gospel had not previously gone. He was a true evangelist, a true missionary. Since Paul said that he did not go where the gospel had been preached before, who is the founder of the church in Rome? He makes it very clear, both in his introduction and at this point, that he is the founder of the church in Rome. In Romans 16 we will be introduced to a group of people in Rome whom Paul knew. The record tells us that Paul led them to the Lord. He reached these people out in the Roman Empire and many of them gravitated to Rome. There they met together around the person of the Lord Jesus. I am sure they talked many times about their beloved pastor, Paul. He founded the church, not by going there in person, but by remote controlyou might say, by spiritual radar. “To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand” seems to be Paul’s life verse as a missionary. It is a quotation of Isa_52:15 from the Septuagint version. Paul was thrilled to go and preach the gospel to those who were spiritually blind. After Paul had preached, some brother would say, “I understand, brother Paul. I will accept Christ as my Savior.” My friend, there is no thrill equal to presenting Christ and having people turn to Him.
Romans 15:22
When Paul says that he had been “much hindered,” you may be sure of one thing: he was much hindered. Many roadblocks had been put in his way.
Romans 15:23
Paul makes it clear that he wants to take the gospel way out yonder and that he is coming to Rome. Now he says something unusually strange: “But now having no more place in these parts.” There is a question about what Paul meant by this. Was he saying that there was no longer an opportunity to preach the gospel in the section of the Roman Empire where he was at that time? Had the doors completely closed to him? Had everyone been saved? Had every nook and cranny been evangelized?
I used to take the position that the answer was “no” to these questions. However, now that I have visited the sites of the seven churches of Asia Minor, I’m not sure that I was right, because Paul and the other witnesses had been faithful, and the gospel had been sounded out through the entire area. The Word had gone out. Dr. Luke says that everyone, both Jew and Gentile, had heard the gospel. This does not mean that they all had turned to Christ, but they all had heard.
Now Paul is looking for new territory. He has his eyes on the frontier of the empire. He says, “Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you.” In other words, Rome was not his destination. He wanted to go to Spain. He had come from one end of the Roman Empire, and he wanted to go to the other end of the Roman Empire. He says, “For I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way witherward by you.” You see, Rome was not his terminal.
He wanted to go all the way to the other end of the empire. The question is: Did Paul ever go to Spain? If he did, we have no record of it. But neither have we a record of his journey to Illyricum; we would not know he had been there if he had not mentioned it in verse Rom_15:19. Personally I believe that Paul did go to Spain and to the rest of the Roman Empire. My reason is a statement that he made when he came to the end of his life. He said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2Ti_4:7). Paul said he had finished his course. I don’t think he would have said that if he had not been to Spain, because Spain was on his itinerary. Paul wanted to go to Spain and he also wanted to go to Jerusalem.
Romans 15:25
He wanted to go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the poor saints there, and he wanted to take it with his own hands. Why? Because with his own hands he had “wasted” the church at Jerusalem; he had led in the persecution of the believers in Jerusalem. Now it was in the heart of this great apostle to make up for that by taking a gift to them. “A certain contribution.” The Greek word which is translated “contribution” is koinonia, meaning “a fellowship.” This word was used for everything that believers could share: Christ, the Word, prayer, the Lord’s Supper, and material gifts. Christians have fellowship with God, with Christ, and with one another when they give. Fellowship is not just patting somebody on the back. The knife and fork clubs meet every week, and that is fellowship as far as they are concerned. But for a believer, fellowship is sharing the things of Christ. Paul is talking here about going to Jerusalem where previously he had persecuted the church.
Now he wants to have fellowship with them; he wants to take a gift to them. In Acts we have the historical record of this: Paul said, “Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings” (Act_24:17). This collection was very important to Paul. We find him writing about it in 2 Corinthiansin fact, chapters 8 and 9 deal with it.
Romans 15:27
Paul makes it clear that it was a freewill offering. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2Co_9:7). This is the offering Paul collected. Paul makes it very clear that it not only was a freewill offering (they couldn’t give any other way to please God), but he also enforces the fact that they had a moral obligation and debt to pay. The Gentiles had received the gospel from Israel. Our Lord Jesus said, “Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews” (Joh_4:22). You see, the gospel began in Jerusalem.
Macedonia and Achaia were obligated to Jerusalem. Now some of the saints in Jerusalem were having financial difficulties, evidently because of persecution. Macedonia and Achaia could now pay a spiritual debt in the coin of the realm. This is foreign missions in reverse! It is the missionary church helping the home church. This very thing may take place in our nation, by the way, in the not too far distant future!
Romans 15:28
You can see that this gift was on the heart of the great apostle Paulnotice the zeal he had in taking it to Jerusalem. That trip, of course, placed him into the hands of his enemies who had him arrested. I disagree with some of my brethren who believe that Paul was out of the will of God during this time. I maintain that Paul was absolutely in the will of God when he went up to Jerusalem, as we have seen in the Book of Acts. “And have sealed to them this fruit” is an awkward phrase for us and could mean no more than that he wanted a receipt for the offering. He secured to them the gift. It probably means that he wanted the Jerusalem church to see some fruits of their missionary efforts. I personally believe that if you are going to contribute money to some cause, you ought to know what it is doing. The area of Christian giving is one of grave danger today. I do not believe, Christian friend, that you should give to any work unless you know two things about it: (1) what it is doing, and (2) is it getting out the Word of God in a way that is effectual in hearts and lives?
Romans 15:29
This is Paul’s stamp of approval on his prosperous journey to Rome. He went there according to the will of God and in the fullness of his apostolic office. God gave him divine insight into this trip. Paul is not out of the will of God in going to Jerusalem. Neither was he out of the will of God in going to Rome. It may not look like a prosperous journey, but God used it that way. It is very easy for God’s children, when trouble comes and things look dark and doubtful, to say, “I must be out of the will of God.” My friend, just because you have trouble and disturbed feelings does not mean that you are of God’s will. In fact, it may definitely mean you are in His will. If you are living in perfect calm today and nothing is happening, the chances are you are not in His will.
Romans 15:30
I have been dwelling a long time in this area. One reason is that this is a personal area, and Paul is laying bare his heart. The second reason is that we are seeing how Christianity functioned in the first century. We are seeing the practical side of Christianity. In the first part of Romans Paul gave us doctrine. Now Paul is putting that doctrine into practice. This is one of the most solemn, earnest, and serious appeals of Paul for prayer that we find in the Bible. He says, “I beg of you, brethren, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that ye strive intensely with me in your prayers to God on behalf of me.” Paul recognizes that he is facing danger and has come to a crisis in his ministry. Enemies are on every hand. Paul had reason to fear, as succeeding events proved. He is asking for prayer in a very wonderful way, “through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul realized that everything that was to come to him had to come through Jesus Christ. He asked the believers in Rome to join with him in prayer. He says, “I want all of you to pray through ChristHe is our great Intercessorgo through Him to God on my behalf.” By “through the love of the Spirit” he means that love is the fruit of the Spirit which joins all believers together. And, friend, we ought to pray for each other. “That ye strive intensely for me.” The Greek word for strive is tremendous. We get our English word agonize from it. Paul is saying, “Agonize with me.” “On behalf of me"he is asking for prayer for his personal safety that he might come in “the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.” Oh, my friend, how we need to pray like thisnot just praying by rote or by going over our prayer list hurriedly. For the apostle Paul prayer was with great agony, great exercise of soul. He laid hold of God. This kind of praying is so desperately needed today! You and I need people who know how to pray for us.
Romans 15:31
In other words, this is Paul’s prayer request, and it is twofold. His life was in jeopardy from unbelievers in Judea, the religious rulers. He wanted to be delivered from them. Secondly, the church in Jerusalem might be hesitant in accepting a gift from Gentiles, and he wanted them to accept it. My friend, both requests were answered. Somebody says, “Yes, but he was arrested.” Right, but he was immediately put into the hands of the Romans and was enabled to appear before kings, and finally he actually appeared before the Caesar in Rome, which was the fulfillment of the will of God for the apostle Paul.
Romans 15:32
This is the conclusion of Paul’s prayer request. The prayer was answered: his life was spared, the church in Jerusalem accepted the gift, he did come with joy to Romein spite of the fact that he spent two years in jail at Caesarea, was shipwrecked on the way, and when he arrived in Rome he was in chains. Yet Paul came in the joy of the Holy Spirit. Oh, how all of us need that kind of joy in our lives! Did Paul find rest and refreshment in Rome? Well, the answer is debatable. He did find all this and more beyond Rome and Spain when he entered the presence of Christ. He wrote near the end of his life to Timothy, his son in the faith: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2Ti_4:6-8). This chapter concludes with Paul’s benediction:
Romans 15:33
“The God of peace” shows that Paul experienced peace in prison, in chains, in storm, and in shipwreck. I pray that you and I might have that kind of peace in our lives.