The point of this episode revolves around the notion that the essence of discipleship transcends the confines of local church structures, encapsulating a holistic way of life for the faithful. As we delve into the concluding chapter of Romans, we reflect upon the vital role of God's people in manifesting His will within their communities, irrespective of formal ecclesiastical designations. It is posited that true identification as God's people emerges through the actions of faithful individuals who collaborate in service rather than through the mere presence of a church building adorned with institutional doctrines of men. F

urthermore, the episode emphasizes the importance of unity and mutual support among believers, as exemplified in the contributions made by the Gentile Christians for the impoverished saints in Jerusalem. Ultimately, we are reminded that the authenticity of Christian life is expressed through service, prayer, and engagement, fostering an environment wherein God's blessings can flourish amidst His people.

The last chapters continue the same theme that was begun in Romans 12. Rather than the emphasis being on the work of the local church, it's all about a way of life for God's people. It has been thought that the people of God would not be able to make themselves and the truth known in a community without a local church with the appropriate signage on a church building identifying it. This is like all the rest - God's people are known as each performs the will of God. Ideally, groups of individuals who form a community in a town will be involved in the same work and often working together. Yet, such groups are known by the households in which they were members, not church affiliations.

Takeaways:

• This episode emphasizes that the essence of discipleship transcends denominational divides, focusing instead on a unified way of life for God's people.
• The work of the people of God is defined by the overarching commitment of individuals to perform the will of God within their communities.
• Paul's collection for the poor saints in Jerusalem illustrates the obligation of Gentile Christians to support their Jewish brethren, fostering unity among believers.
• The call to strive together in prayer highlights the significance of their primary relationship and the resulting unity formed with others of the same mind. This is not to be equated with a "church service."
• Paul's greetings underscore the importance of individual fellowship in the home, the sphere of the community of believers.
• Paul's admonition to mark those who cause divisions serves as a caution against allowing discord to disrupt the unity and mission of God's people.

Christianity is very diverse, but all denominations share a common source that by its nature has created problems for which there is no biblical antidote.

Tim Glover provides an alternative.

Join him each Wednesday at 10am to share his studies with you.

Good morning and welcome to our study.

We are still in the Roman Letter toward the end, Romans, chapter 15.

And there's just a few comments that we can make about the latter end of this chapter, beginning at about verse 25, where Paul says that he goes unto Jerusalem, ministering unto the saints.

For it hath been good pleasure Macedonia and Achaia, to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints that are at Jerusalem now.

This has been going on for some time, this collection.

Paul discussed it with the Corinthians in chapters 8 and 9 of his second letter.

It's been an ongoing work in progress now for a little while in the Roman Letter he's mentioning it again.

This collection for the poor saints that are Jerusalem, he says it had been good.

Their good pleasure, and their debtors they are.

For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, they owe it to them also to minister unto them in carnal things.

When therefore, I have accomplished this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will go on my way unto you, unto Spain.

Paul intends to go to Jerusalem before seeing them or going into Spain.

And for some time he had been talking to different brethren about the contributions for the poor saints in Judea.

It had been mentioned over in First Corinthians 16.

You'll remember where he says, upon the first day of the week, let each one of you lay by him in store, as the Lord as God has prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

This collection was specifically for the saints.

It wasn't what I call a slush fund for just whatever is needed and you can pull it out for whatever business transaction needs to be had.

Rather, it was for a specific purpose, and monies were raged, or in this case probably goods were raised for the benefit of the poor.

These Gentile Christians felt an obligation to do what they could do to provide for their material, their physical needs.

And now Paul promises to visit Rome on his way to Spain, and after he had completed the business of taking the contributions of the saints to Jerusalem, continue his travels.

He did go to Rome, but how he was to go had not been revealed to him.

He would actually be arrested, spend a while in Caesarea before making his journey on into Rome.

But these are his plans.

And he says in verse 29, I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the business or in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

Before God's people can receive the fullness of the blessings of Christ.

Our hearts must be open to receive those blessings.

And it seems that Paul felt sure that Rome was ready and they were prepared to receive whatever blessings they needed and including the additional spiritual gifts that he mentions in chapter one.

Paul says in verse 30, I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, that we strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, and that I may be delivered from them that are disobedient in Judea, and that my ministration, which I have for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you in joy through the will of God and together with you find rest.

And then he ends.

Now, the God of peace be with you all.

Amen.

Paul had enemies in Jerusalem who had tried to kill him in the past.

If they'd gotten a chance again, they may continue that.

And even among the saints whose needs he was, you know, was preparing to supply, there were some bitter enemies of Paul there as well.

But he believed that the prayers of others would be helpful.

And so he begs the Roman brethren to strive together with him in prayer.

By the way, I find it interesting that he uses the word strive in relationship to prayer.

Prayer is a work, and it takes energy and time and a great deal of preparation.

We need to be striving together in prayer.

Seems to me that that is the one thing that we need the most and the.

And the last thing that we really prepare for.

We preachers spend a great deal of time, and they're studying for their sermons and their classes and their teaching and in preparation for.

For all of that.

But I don't know how much time is actually spent on the knees.

So there is a striving associated with prayer.

And Paul says or asks that they strive together with him.

People can sometimes be so antagonistic to others as to refuse any kind of assistance at all from them.

And Paul feared that that kind of attitude of the Jews to the Gentiles was so great that his contribution from the Gentiles wouldn't be accepted by the saints in Jerusalem.

So there was a little bit of concern about that.

It was given in hopes, or at least one of the purposes was in hopes that it might contribute to peaceful relations between Jews and Gentiles.

And so he asked the saints at Rome to pray that this work, this service would be accepted by the Brethren in Jerusalem.

And that shows, I think, that relations between them were very strained at this time.

You obviously can see what happens when Paul does get to Jerusalem.

He's arrested.

Because they have heard news about him being against the temple and against the law.

And so when they see him with this Gentile walking together, they assume that when Paul came out of the temple, he was with this fellow and took the Gentile with him.

And so they were ready to lynch him even on the spot, and would have probably done so had not the Roman officials intervened.

But yes, there was a great deal of strain at this time in Jerusalem.

There was a theory that had been advanced that one reason Paul was so anxious to collect much help for the poor saints in Judea was to bring the Jewish brethren to a better feeling toward Gentile brethren.

And so if the brethren there in Judea would accept this gift and his gift, he could then go on to Rome, enjoy through the will of God.

And that's how he ends this letter or this chapter.

And if the Judean Christians did accept this collection for them, then one cause of great worry would be removed from his mind and he could find rest at Rome.

And So in chapter 16, Paul continues in a.

In his salutation, you know, it's interesting that the original autographs that were written were written by scribes.

And of course, Tertius was the one, the scribe who wrote the book, the letter to the Romans.

He's mentioned in the 16th chapter.

It's very common for an author to write with his own hand as if to authenticate that the message or the letter came from him.

And I think, no doubt Paul has that in this letter just as much as he has any other letter.

Chapter 16 being the last chapter, we have that section where I think Paul writes with his own hand.

But at least for the greater portion of the book, it seems that Tertius, who wrote the Epistle, ends it in verse one.

He says, I commend unto you Phoebe, our sister, who is a servant of the Ecclesia, the called out that is at Cenchrea, that you receive her in the Lord worthily of the saints, and that you assist her in whatsoever matters she may have need of you.

For she herself also hath been a helper of many and of mine also.

Cenchrea was the home of Phoebe, and it was the eastern seaport of Corinth, just a few miles from Corinth.

There's been much said for and against the possibility that Phoebe was a deaconess.

We want to make officials out of churches.

If we have an institutional mindset about it.

That would be our tendency to think in terms of her being having some official capacity.

But Phoebe was just a servant of the Lord and a servant among brethren.

The use of this word, diakonos, translated servant, doesn't prove that she occupied any kind of an official position.

In fact, I don't believe anybody reserved that spot as some sort of an official position, let alone Phoebe.

But in these letters to God's people this word is oftentimes used.

We let our minds run to official positions way, way too much in our study of the Scriptures, instead of just identifying servants, people who have committed themselves to brethren and to the work.

And so on account of this, the condition of women of that age, aged women of experience and ability were needed to teach, and on many different levels.

Paul deals with this in First Timothy, Chapter 5, and in Titus 2 about women teaching younger women, the older women teaching the younger women, and matters upon which they teach related to the home, their role as wives and as mothers.

First Timothy 5 We see the work of women who had been called or brought into the number.

I believe this number was associated with a special work of service, seeing that they had demonstrated their work, that work in the home, and now they were widowed, they were brought into the number they had been responsible for, or been known rather for washing saints feet.

And that was the showing of hospitality of strangers, which this chapter deals with.

When he gets in talking about Gaius a little bit later, who was host to the saints there in Rome.

But he commends this sister Phoebe for her work.

To select a person for a certain work doesn't necessarily make him an officer, or her an officer.

It means to select a man or a woman to give them their encouragement to continue in the work, and perhaps even help them do that.

Maybe there was some financial assistance or some resource needed to accomplish so.

Selecting this woman to attend to certain duties doesn't have anything, any reference to some kind of official position in a church.

Whatever she was doing, Paul says, assist her in whatever matter she may need, and receive her and the Lord was to treat her as worthy of any need that she may have.

For he says, for she herself also hath been a helper of many, and my and me also.

Then verse three and four, Paul says, Salute Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life laid down their own necks, unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the Ecclesias of the Gentiles, all the called out, that is every city in where God's people are Found Prisca is short for Priscilla.

We learn of them over in Acts 18.

This good woman and her husband first joined in work with Paul when he was in Corinth.

And then they appear in, in Ephesus at toward the end of Acts 18.

And just when they endangered their own lives or laid down their own necks.

Paul says, for the life of Paul.

We're not told the details of that.

Probably it was during the uproar at Ephesus, but we're not told Paul.

And on all the brethren of the Gentiles, Gentile brethren gave thanks to them for what they had done for him.

And so the many that Paul mentions here by name were people that he had worked with and these had gone to Rome from points where Paul had preached.

And one can only wonder how he had kept track of them all.

But there was a close knit relationship in the family of God that allowed open communication.

No doubt there was letter writing among them at times and there was a close, very close knit relationship formed among them.

In verse 5, Paul begins this long salutation.

And I want you to keep in mind that as we look at this, Paul is not talking about.

He doesn't say, hey, remember to give remind or say hi to the church down on south side.

He's not identifying churches here is my point.

He's identified individual saints and that's important to note.

And if you'll see how he identifies them, he identifies them as a people, as a family and others who may be identified or associated with them.

And they're in their homes.

So verse five, beginning salute the Church.

This is the translation or the Ecclesia, the called out that is in their house, talking about Prisca and Asila.

Salute Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first fruits of Asia unto Christ.

Salute Mary, who bestowed much labor on you.

Salute Andronicus and Junius, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners who are of note among the apostles who have also been in Christ before me.

Salute Apliatus, my beloved in the Lord.

Salute Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ.

And Stachis, my beloved.

Salute Apelles the approved in Christ.

Salute them that are of the household of Aristobulus.

Notice now he's talking about those of the house or family of Aristobulus.

Salute Herodian, my kinsmen salute them of the household of Narcissus.

So we have the household of Narcissus.

We have brethren, the called out who are meeting in the house of Priscilla and Aquila.

And he says, these that are in the Lord are in the household of Narcissus salute Tir and Tyrophosa, who labor in the Lord.

Salute Perseus the beloved, who labored much in the Lord.

Salute Rufus the chosen in the Lord and his mother and mine salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobus, Hermas, and the brethren that are with them now.

So notice you've got a group of people and he just cites as a kind of the COVID others and the brethren that are with them salute Philologus, Julia, Nereus and.

And his sister and Olympus.

And all the saints that are with them salute one another with a holy kiss.

All the Ecclesias the called out of Christ salute you.

So evidently this all these refer to a group of Christians who met and on much occasion rather, who gathered, maybe even we would say today, hung out with brethren in these homes.

And so in the house of Priscilla and Aquila, Paul says salute the Ecclesia that is in their house.

In those days a large place was not always available in which a large group of Christians could meet.

As a matter of fact, I don't get the impression that there was a large group of any gathering.

They no doubt met in their homes.

That was a place where.

Where they would naturally come together and several groups would meet maybe in the homes of various members.

And that might be true of one city.

Several groups could be involved.

And it was to be noticed that each group was called the ecclesia.

And by group I mean a group known in that city.

In other words, there was never said to be churches or ecclesias in one city.

It was simply the ecclesia in that city or the ones associated with in that household.

Mary had been a good worker in the In.

In.

Among brethren at Rome there was several then individuals that are noted, brought to attention who obviously had some outstanding traits that are mentioned.

There are those who were first fruits of Asia that had endeared themselves to Paul.

Andronicus and Junius were Paul's kinsmen who had been converted to Christ before even Paul was.

And they had devoted themselves to the Lord as to become noted among the apostles.

The others had been fellow workers with Paul.

Some had journeyed with him, others had been in prison with him and associated with his chains.

And Apelles was an approved servant of Christ.

Some were laborers in the Lord.

Persis, the beloved, labored much in the Lord.

Rufus, the chosen of the Lord, his mother and mine.

This mother, the mother.

Rufus had been a mother to Paul at some place where he preached.

No doubt, I don't know that he's referring to his Literal Mother.

And then Paul says, salute one another with a holy kiss.

The common method of salutation, of course, would bend the kiss.

And Paul's point here is not so much emphasizing the kiss as much as it is the Holy Kiss.

From Paul's list we learn that the brethren at Rome had in many, many faithful workers.

Likely there were many that Paul didn't know, but he was hoping to go there and to grant or give them some spiritual gift to the end that they might be further established.

We learned that from chapter one.

And then verse 17 and 18.

Paul switches the gears a little bit.

He said, I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine that you have learned, and turn away from them.

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly.

And by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.

Now, this provides sort of a contrast to those that he had mentioned to give salutation to these that he recommends and recognizes as fellow Christians in this family of God.

Now he contrasts that with those who are divisive.

He's not interested in that kind of fellowship or encouraging that kind of behavior.

They cause divisions and they cause occasions of stumbling.

And all of that is contrary to the doctrine that they had learned.

I don't think Paul is talking about the things that people are teaching necessarily that are causing divisions contrary to the doctrine that they learn, but rather just individuals that can be identified as causing stumbling blocks and being divisive and that kind of attitude that is in fact, that which is contrary to the teaching of Christ.

And those people they should be turned away from because they do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly.

They are moved and motivated by their own views, their own selfish motivations, and they are causing divisions and occasions of stumbling.

And so because of that trouble that they were causing that was contrary to the teaching of Christ, they were to be withdrawn from.

That is an individual responsibility.

It is even in First Corinthians 5, which is to be publicly known and identified, yet it was to be individually carried out.

Same thing here.

The Judaizing teachers were the main troublemakers in Paul's labors.

They were determined to convince all Gentile Christians that they had to be circumcised and keep the law.

You'll find the first mention of this that became problematic over in Acts 15.

And if they didn't do that, they couldn't be saved.

And so there was a lot of pressure Here were professed Christians that had gained some Gentile Christians.

They were disturbing other saints because they were demanding that these brethren be circumcised.

Now some of these, well, if they had not reached Rome, Paul knew they would be there.

And even today there are, there are advocates of a, that are very similar to this Jewish supremacy that troubled the, God's people all over the country.

And said Paul says mark them.

He's not talking about going over and putting a red paint on their forehead, but he's just saying eye them closely, be aware of their presence, know their whereabouts.

Dude, why?

Because you can prepare yourself for your, your, your actions toward them.

In other words, don't shut your eyes to what they're doing.

Be aware of where they are and what they're doing and make no excuses for them.

Why?

Because they cause divisions and occasions of stumbling.

Turn away from them.

That means that brethren should have no fellowship with people that act this way.

That is contrary to the teaching that they had learned.

And that covers a wide field.

There's a lot of different, various issues that we could throw in there.

But I'm not really here to decide for you what, what's important, what's not important.

That's not my point, but simply that there are attitudes, divisive attitudes.

And I believe that's what Paul is after here more than he is any particular doctrinal view or church teaching or practice.

He's talking about people who are by their nature divisive.

And that in fact is contrary to the teaching that they had learned.

The man that causes divisions by being of that nature, he does not have interest in Christ because he's dividing the people of God.

I don't think the man here is causing division by introducing things not taught in the Bible.

I don't believe that's necessarily the case.

In fact, I think the things that are contrary to the teaching is his attitude and his behavior.

That's the very reason why he ought to be marked and the very reason why he ought not to be fellowshipped.

His interest is in himself.

They that are such, he says, serve not our Lord, but their own belly.

The more a man appears to be interested in people, the more he can deceive.

By their smooth and fair speech they can beguile the hearts of the simple.

So you know, the trusting unsuspected person, they're more easily deceived.

And so Paul wants us to mark those, be aware of their presence.

And the word translated simple here does not mean weak minded.

It's just rather the unsuspicious person, the deceiver knows how to get the unsuspicious to follow him.

People that are trusting, people that easily want to think the best of others, these kinds of people take advantage of them.

People seem never to learn that smooth and fair speech is the stock in the trade of a deceiver.

If he were to announce that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing, that would be easy.

That he has come to destroy and not to feed.

That he wouldn't deceive even the simple.

That'd be easy, you know.

In 2nd Corinthians 11, beginning in verse 14, Paul says, For even Satan fashions himself into an angel of light.

It is no great thing, therefore, if his ministers also fashioned themselves as ministers of righteousness.

2nd Corinthians 11, 14, 15.

Paul warned the Colossians against being deluded by persuasiveness of speech.

Colossians 2, 4.

And Peter said in second Peter 2, and in covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.

And so those kinds of people turn away from them.

Then verse 19.

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.

I rejoice therefore, over you, but I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple, unto that which is evil.

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

There was coming soon that Satan would be defeated.

And he's talking about not Jesus defeating Satan.

He's already done that.

But the God of peace would bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

There would be victory for them, as it had been for Jesus Christ.

God's people at Rome had been active enough for the report of its obedience to become widely circulated.

So it wasn't like they weren't known.

He wants them to sustain that reputation by continued obedience.

And if they allowed false teachers to cause divisions and scandals, that might begin a bad influence and not regard them so highly.

So people who are wise unto the good, they know the evil.

Only the person who knows what is good has a clear idea of what's evil.

The writer of the Hebrew letter says of those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

You know, living in sin and ignorance so blinds a person that he can't see what's good and what's evil.

It's kind of like those who in Isaiah 5, woe to them that are wise in their own sight.

And they call evil good and good evil, and put darkness for light and light for darkness.

But Paul gives them the comforting assurance that if they would turn away from evil and be wise unto that which is good, they would soon triumph over that which was evil and bruise Satan under their feet.

And shortly, Paul anticipated this kind of thing to be happening soon.

It's not something that's yet in the distant future and but that would be accomplished while while they lived.

In verse 21, Paul says, Timothy, my fellow servant, salute you.

Lucius and Jason and Susipater, my kinsman, I, Tertius, who write the Epistle, salute you in the Lord.

I think we'll end right here and have one more lesson on Revelation Romans 16 and because I think it'll open up an opportunity to compare a practice, compare a brother named Gaius.

And what actually was going on was very prominent in the first century.

I appreciate so much your attention to these things.

I pray you have a good day and a very pleasant week.