Galatians 3:15-22 –Abraham and Moses contrasted

For a start let’s look at the differences between Abraham and Moses. To Abraham God gave the promise, but to Moses He gave the Law. The promise to Abraham states what God will do but the Law to Moses states what men must do. The promise to Abraham was based on God’s grace, plan and initiative, but the Law of Moses was based on men’s duty, works and responsibility. And the promise to Abraham dealt with grace and blessing, but the Law to Moses dealt with commandments and works.  

In this passage, Paul showed how his opponents were wrong in trying to use the Law to cancel the promise that God had made. In his arguments, he showed how the Law did not annul the promise but instead confirmed its necessity. He did it in two parts: in verses 15-18, he showed that the Law did not cancel out the promise; then in verses 19-22, he showed that the Law revealed the necessity of God’s promise.  

In the custom of those days, when a covenant or will had been ratified or confirmed, it was unalterable and could not be set aside. Paul’s point was this: the law did not cancel out the promise of God. He argued that if human’s will once confirmed would be unalterable, how much more the will of God. The promise to Abraham was confirmed by God 430 years before the Law was given. Therefore, the Law that came through Moses centuries later, could neither set aside nor cancel the promise God had made. Hence, the inheritance promised to Abraham was not based on law but on a promise, and it was clear that Abraham received it as a promise. Besides, it was the Law that revealed that necessity for God’s promise. From verses 19-22, Paul asked and answered two questions: The first one – “Why the Law then?” And the second question – “Is the Law then contrary to the promise of God?”

Paul dealt basically with his opponents’ accusation that in his message, he totally dismissed the Law. Paul argued against their deliberate misrepresentation. He did not say that the Law was unnecessary because he was quite clear that the Law had a part to play in the Gospel. His argument was that the Law was never given to save. It was given to show man’s sinfulness. And it was given until Christ came, because it looked forward to the coming of the seed, through whom the promise had been made.

In verse 20, Paul then showed the inferiority of the Law to the promise. The Law, he said, came through angels and Moses to man, but the promise of the Gospel was given to Abraham directly from God. Abraham received it firsthand. That being the case, was the law then contrary to God’s promise? Paul’s answer was no. In fact the Law was not against the promise of God, as his opponents had made it out to be. He argued that the Law was given to curb men’s transgression. And the fact that men could not even keep the Law tells us that it was not able to accomplish its purpose. The obvious truth is that the Law was not able to justify man. If it could, righteousness would have come through the Law. But the naked truth remained that the Law cannot make men righteous, because as sinners they break the Law every day. Hence, the promise was all the more vital and necessary. The Scriptures have declared that every human is a sinner, bound in their sin, but praise God, now all who believe in Christ can receive the promise of righteousness.

Now as the Father looks at us He sees not what we used to be, but He sees Jesus in us. He sees us covered by the righteousness of Jesus. Beloved, we are forgiven, made righteous and set free to serve His purpose!

Galatians 3:10-14 – Faith or works

Here Paul was dealing with the issue of works versus faith - the two options that bring different results. One brings curse and the other brings justification. What does it mean “to be justified”? It simply means “to be in God’s favor.” This leads to a life of fellowship with God and that is eternal life. At the opposite end is condemnation and curse. And to be cursed is to be rejected by God.

Everyone who tries to work for God’s favor by observing the Law is living under a curse. Why? Because Deuteronomy 27:26 states that such a person must fulfil all the standards and demands set by the Law or be cursed. Since no one can ever perfectly fulfil the standards and demands of the Law in life, that person would be living under a curse. Furthermore, based on Habakkuk 2:4, righteousness or favor with God can only be attained by faith, and the works of the Law is not faith. 

Since the righteous shall live by faith, it is only through faith that a person receives God’s favor. And the way of faith presents Jesus Christ and what he had done for fallen humanity on the Cross. Paul quoted Deuteronomy 21:23 to support what he had said. And this quote must be seen in conjunction with the works of Jesus Christ. Paul tells us that through the works that Jesus Christ had done on the Cross, we are redeemed and set free from the curse of the Law. His works guaranteed that the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles as well. And the blessing of Abraham is favor with God. When favor with God is attained, believers would also receive the promise of the Spirit. 

God redeems us so that the promises He had made to Abraham might be fulfilled in us, whether we are a Jew or a Gentile. And the Holy Spirit we have received is not because we have kept the Law but simply because we put our faith in Christ Jesus. And because we have put our faith in Christ, we also have become true children of Abraham. We have become the evidence that God had kept His promise to Abraham, that through him shall all the nations be blessed.

Remember, we are on a journey of faith. Let’s emulate Abraham, the father of faith and stay faithful and trusting, as we relate to God through Christ Jesus our Lord.  

Galatians 3:1-9 – Start well but also end well

In verse 1 Paul chided the Galatians for their folly because they had started by faith, but now lived as if their journey with Christ could be completed by their effort in obeying the Law. In using the word “bewitched,” Paul implied that their straying away from Christ was somewhat diabolical. It was as if someone had cast a spell over them, to cover their spiritual sight from the message of the crucified Christ. 

From verses 2-5, Paul asked a series of questions. The purpose for asking these questions was not to seek for answers but to emphasize a point. They were rhetorical questions, asked to realign the thoughts of the Galatians. Paul wanted to stir them to consider their actions and make correction to their wrong conduct.

 

Through the questions, the Galatians were brought back to their initial experience with Christ. They had begun by receiving the Spirit through the hearing by faith, and not by observing the Law. Paul emphasized that it was foolhardy for them to expect what had begun in faith to be completed by their self-effort in observing the Law. He reminded them of the hardship that was involved in order for them to attain their spiritual experience, and that they should hence not allow it to end in futility. In asking them if indeed it was in vain, Paul believed that the Galatians could be salvaged.

In verse 5, Paul basically said the same thing as verses 2-3 except that he put it in another way. He was indirectly talking about how God, through him, imparted to them the Spirit and works of miracles by the hearing of faith, and not through their observation of the Law. The “works of miracles” mentioned here was Paul’s indirect way of substantiating his apostleship, because one of the signs of an apostle is the working of miracles.

In arguing from Abraham’s life, Paul showed the genius that he was. His opponents used Moses to argue their case but he went back centuries before Moses, to the life and mission of Abraham. Here he quoted from Genesis 15:6 to prove that Abraham was made righteous by faith. God made Abraham a promise – the promise of a seed and posterity. But Abraham knew how humanly impossible it was for that to come to pass. So God took him out into the open and told him to count the number of stars in the sky, and promised him descendents as numerous as the stars. Abraham believed God and righteousness was reckoned to him. Abraham received his righteousness by faith and not works, because the Law and circumcision weren’t even given then. 

                                           

Wisely, Paul also linked this to another promise God had made to Abraham earlier in Genesis 12:3. The blessing to the nations through Abraham is justification. The means to receive that justification is faith. This is the only way for the Gentiles to receive it because they are not Abraham’s physical descendents. Paul proved here that the true children of Abraham are those who have received the promise made to his seed and not his posterity by physical descent. We have all began well so let us also end well, holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering. 

Galatians 2:15-21 – Faith alone Justifies

Paul first established that the only path to justification is through faith in Christ Jesus. And to be justified through Christ Jesus means to put one’s trust and confidence in Christ and His work on the Cross. It is embracing the truth that Christ alone lived a sinless life, and that he suffered for man’s disobedience. He died for man’s sin on the Cross because the penalty for sin is death. And to be justified, we need to embrace all that Christ had done, acknowledge our personal helplessness, repent and turn to accept the provision God had made through Christ.

In these verses, Paul also contrasted the justification by observing the Law. He substantiated that justification can only be received through faith in Christ. Paul began first by stating dogmatically that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus. After that he then supported it by citing both his and Peter’s personal experience.

He clearly said that “… even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified ….” Then he cited Psalm 143:2b that says, “… no man living is righteous” before inserting the phrase, “… by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified”. The word “flesh” refers to man’s fallen nature. Truly, it is impossible for man to keep the Law because of this fallen nature.

Paul also anticipated his opponents to argue that if man is only justified by faith through Christ, and still couldn’t keep the demands of the Law, wouldn’t it make Christ the author of sin? Meaning that justification by faith made it too easy for believers. It will take away their moral responsibility. And it will cause a person to continue in sin.

“Of course not!” Paul immediately responded. He went on to explain in verse 18. If a man returned to rebuild his old sinful life after destroying it, he would be personally at fault. He is the transgressor and Christ is not to be blamed. The person has himself to blame.

In verses 19-21, he showed why justification by faith does not encourage continual sinning. Justification takes place when a person puts faith in Christ. In that process he becomes united to Christ and becomes a new creation with a new purpose and direction in life. This new creation now shares the life of Christ fully. Paul brought up two key areas of Christ that a justified person shares – His death and resurrection.

In Christ’s death the demand of the Law was met. And since a believer is united with Christ in death, the Law also died in him. So he can now live to God. When Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ …,” he was saying he shared in the sin-bearing death of Christ and in Him his sinful past was cancelled. This union with Christ by faith also enabled him to live a new life because the life he lived, since being justified, was by the faith of the Son of God.

 

It’s all beginning to make sense, isn’t it? Faith life is not just a concept; it is a reality in experience. When one is united with Christ, his past is cancelled. He lives the new life not in his own strength. He lives it through the resurrection power of Christ. The Christ in “me” gives me the impetus for holy living. It is not that we cannot sin but we just don’t want to. In Christ our whole perspective and orientation to life has changed.

In verse 21, he set forth to overthrow the distortion that works can justify. “The Gospel,” Paul insisted, “is the grace of God based on the death of Christ.” If justification is attainable by works, then it would make the death of Christ needless. Remember, we are free not to do what we will; but we are free so that we can do what we should!

Galatians 2:11-14 – Seek to be congruent in living

The scene had now shifted from Jerusalem to Antioch. This was the place where the disciples of Christ were first referred to as Christians (Acts 11:26). Here we are given a glimpse into a conflict between two spiritual leaders – the apostles Paul and Peter. The issue had nothing to do with Peter’s teachings but his conduct. This teaches us to be careful regardless of our spiritual stature. Though Peter was a spiritual leader, he did not act rightly. He acted in hypocrisy. Prior to the coming of a delegate from James the leader at Jerusalem, he shared meals and fellowshipped with the Gentiles. When the delegate came, he withdrew from the Gentiles. Acts 15:5 tells us that among the delegate were some members from the sect of the Pharisees who believed in the necessity of circumcision and observation of the Law of Moses. We also know from Acts 15:24 that those Pharisees did not have the right to do what they did, although they claimed to have James’ authority. 

However, when the delegate came, Peter acted insincerely by withdrawing and keeping away from the Gentiles. He succumbed to the pressure of this group and acted out of the fear of men. By that he had given the impression that he agreed with these Pharisees and their position; that he could not fellowship with the Gentiles because they were not circumcised.

Paul had been defending his message that salvation came only through faith in Christ Jesus. He objected to the distorted teaching of faith in Christ plus circumcision and observing the moral and ceremonial laws. When Peter acted the way he did, Paul saw a loophole. By his insincerity, Peter had unwittingly undermined the truth of the Gospel. His hypocrisy had also influenced others around him. Even Barnabas, who was Paul’s close missionary partner, was carried away by it. In not mixing with the Gentiles, Peter unknowingly was endorsing that the Gentiles must undergo circumcision as a condition for fellowship. Paul then confronted Peter in the presence of everyone. His open confrontation with Peter also gave him the opportunity to align the truth with all concerned and re-enforced it. In chiding Peter, in verse 14, Paul asked him how he could expect the Gentiles to practice Jewish customs when he, a Jew, had already stopped practicing them himself. Paul was implying that since Peter’s conversion, he had not been practicing the Jewish food regulation and, in a sense, he had lived just like the Gentiles. How, then, could he now expect the Gentiles to live like the Jews and practice all their customs relating to food?

Though the epistle to the Galatians did not give us the outcome of this conflict, we deduced, from Acts 15, that it was this incident that precipitated the Jerusalem Council. And at that council, it was decided that circumcision was not mandatory for the Gentile believers. Here Paul’s action teaches us two things. Firstly, the truth must never be compromised. Secondly, any wrong idea about the truth must be corrected and not tolerated.

We need to be careful and congruent in our living. Even a spiritual giant, like Peter, was susceptible to wrong decisions and actions. It behooves us therefore to be careful how we walk, seeking always to understand what the will of the Lord is, and be consistent to the teaching of His Word. 

Galatians 2:1-10 – Paul’s ministry authenticated

One setback in Paul’s ministry was the oppositions that he had to constantly face. His opponents were all the time seeking to discredit him. It should not be a surprise if they would now compare him with the other apostles and their messages, especially that of Peter. Hence, it became needful for him to have the affirmation by the key apostles in Jerusalem. So 14 years later he, together with Titus (a Greek) and Barnabas, took a second trip to Jerusalem. This trip was prompted by a revelation Paul had. We have no detail of the revelation, but it was not because Paul was summoned to meet them. 

In a private meeting in Jerusalem, Paul laid before the key apostles the Gospel he preached. The reason he did this was to ensure that his work was not futile. He was conscious that his opponents’ distorted teachings were disrupting and discrediting his message. Thus, the consultation was not to seek the apostles’ approval but their affirmation.

When he met them, the other apostles did not even force Titus to undergo circumcision though he was a Gentile. However, Paul did encounter some trouble with some false brethren who managed to sneak into the meeting to spy on their freedom. They did try to put them under bondage. But Paul and his companions stood firm and did not succumb to the pressure, for they wanted the Galatians to have only the very truth.

Knowing that God is impartial, Paul was not intimidated by those who held key positions in Jerusalem, for he was not beholden to them. The key leaders recognized that just as God assigned Peter to reach the Jews, He had assigned Paul to reach the Gentiles. And God’s power was effectively working through both their ministries. Recognizing the grace of God in Paul, the Apostles James, Peter and John, the pillars of the church at Jerusalem, took Paul and Barnabas into their fellowship. They endorsed Paul’s mission to the Gentiles. However, they only requested that the needs of the poor be remembered, which Paul himself was already concerned about. Paul’s trip to Jerusalem and his consultation with the key apostles affirmed the Gospel that he preached was the same one that James, Peter and John preached.

Paul was not afraid of opposition because he was confident that his message could stand the test of truth. Like him, when we have the truth, we are not ruffled, we confidently remain steadfast in God. We must seek to know and stand firm in the truth. We must seek to know the Lord and confidently stand our ground in Him.   

Galatians 1:11-24 – The transforming Gospel

Paul began in verses 11 and 12 to make the assertion that the Gospel he preached did not originate from man. Here, he made three statements to support what he said. First, he said, “…it was not according to man.”  He meant that the Gospel was not a conjecture of his mind. He did not invent it. Therefore it was not according to man. Secondly, he did not receive it from man, that is, it was not passed down to him like an ancestral tradition. Thirdly, it was not taught to him by man. He was essentially saying that he was not taught the Gospel by any of the apostles before him.

In verse 12, he then made it clear where the Gospel came from; it was “… through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” And when we come to verses 15-16 about his conversion and call, he said, “… God, Who had set me apart … called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles ….”  Again he wanted the believers to know that the Gospel he preached was a revelation from God.

In saying what he said, Paul’s message was about the Lord Himself. And it was the Lord Who Himself personally gave this revelation to Paul. Although he must have already heard about Jesus Christ, he was not convinced that He was the Jews’ long awaited Messiah. But at his conversion, the light of God shone through and Christ revealed Himself in and to him. The purpose was for him to bring the message to the Gentiles.

From three key phases of his life, Paul substantiated all that he was saying: firstly, verses 13-14 describe his life prior to his conversion. He was a well-known radical, fanatical Judaist. His whole mission was to try and annihilate the church, so he persecuted it severely. So extremely zealous was he in Judaism that he was way ahead of many of his contemporaries in his ancestral traditions. At that point, Paul was not only wholeheartedly devoted to the traditions of Judaism but also the destruction of the church.

Secondly, he talked about his encounter with Christ. The conjunction “But” in verse 15 provided the contrast of intention. Paul was bent on advancing Judaism and annihilating the church. However, God Who had chosen him before he was born, revealed Christ in him, called and commissioned him to preach to the Gentiles.

Finally, he recounted what happened following his encounter with Christ in verses 16b-24. This is the third phase of his life. Immediately after his encounter with Christ, he did not consult with anyone. But he went away to Arabia and returned to Damascus later. He stayed in Arabia for three years before making a brief visit to Jerusalem where he met Peter for a brief 15 days. The other person he met was James, the Lord’s brother. After that he went off to Syria and Cilicia. During this time, although the churches in Judea did not even know how he looked like, the report that he was preaching about Christ was circulating in those churches. And the believers glorified God because of what was happening. These three phases of Paul’s life attested to the divine source of his message. His life was revolutionized by the revelation and it brought glory to God.  

All of us who have a relationship with Christ could only see Him because He lifted the veil to show us Who He is.  It’s His invitation to step into His program to have a transformed life. The goal of God is this: that through each of our changed lives, He will be glorified. Let’s step in and step up!   

Galatians 1:6-10 – Faithful to the end

Paul referred to the Gospel as the Gospel of grace as well as the Gospel of Christ. And this Gospel is the message of grace, because salvation through faith in Christ, is a gift freely offered to a fallen undeserving people. And it is by grace that believers are called to receive this gift by faith. It is also called the Gospel of Christ because it is about the Lord Jesus Christ. It is about Him and His work at the Cross that delivered humanity from sins and bondage.

Man’s response to God has not always been consistent and faithful. When not rightly grounded, we have the tendency to be distracted and wander away from the true course. The Galatians whom Paul was writing to, showed this tendency to be true. Paul was bewildered with their fickle-mindedness and was appalled that they vacillated and had so quickly strayed away from the Gospel. Although they had embraced the Gospel and trusted Christ Who called them by grace, they had now turned away from Him. Paul warned them that they were not deserting the message per se, but that they were actually turning away from Christ. That’s why he told them that they were deserting “Him” (v.6).

The teachers who taught another gospel were Jews who were still entrenched in their past beliefs in Judaism. They had infiltrated the church and were preaching a different version of the gospel. Their message was a distortion of the truth of the Gospel of Christ that Paul had preached, which the Galatians had embraced. This distorted gospel had now confused the Galatians, and resulted in them departing from the truth and Christ.

Appalled by the Galatians’ desertion of Christ, Paul sternly expressed his disbelief in their lack of faithfulness and tenacity. His main concern was that they were so quickly deserting the Lord. So in his concern for the truth, he pronounced a condemnation on all who preached a contrary gospel. 

Paul’s vehement response tells us something about his attitude as God’s servant. He was totally consumed with God and His truth. He only wanted to please God and not men. And he would not allow anyone to take the glorious Gospel, contort it only to usher believers into their destruction. This indicates to us the kind of heart he had, not only for God, but also for God’s people. And in referring himself as a bond-servant of God, Paul revealed himself as one who had willingly chosen to serve the Lord, His Master, uncompromisingly.

We must all emulate Paul and be faithful to God and Biblical truths. Having embraced the truth in the Gospel of Christ and chosen to follow Him, we must follow Christ steadfastly. Let’s not be fickle. Let’s be discerning, seeking to be faithful in our obedience to God. Know this: when the Lord reveals His truth to us, it is not merely for us to have a “wow” experience. It is also His invitation to us to step into His program, to actively participate in what He is doing in our lives, and partner with Him to make us more like Christ. We must stay connected with Him and be faithful to the end! 

Galatians 1:1-5 – Paul’s Gospel and us

Paul wrote this letter to the believers in the churches in Galatia. In the phrase “to the churches of Galatia,” he was referring to the churches that he had planted in the cities namely, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. These were the cities where he went to, and had established churches in his first missionary journey with Barnabas, described in Acts 13-14. The letter to the Galatians is the only letter that Paul had written that was addressed to a group of churches. In this letter we see Paul’s strenuous defense of his authority and his message. He first defended his credentials as an apostle, then went on to prove the validity of the message that he had preached.

After evangelizing those cities, Paul had moved on. Sadly, in his absence, Jewish Christian teachers, steeped in Jewish tradition, infiltrated those churches, and had distorted his Gospel with their custom and traditions. Some believers were led astray by a gospel that were mixed with Jewish traditions. They had seriously undermined the message of Paul and had even proceeded to undermine Paul’s credentials and authenticity as an apostle. Their aim was to discredit Paul’s authority and invalidate the influence of his message. Thus, it became necessary for Paul to rigorously defend his apostleship and the validity of his message.

Here we see Paul opening his letter by first asserting his apostolic calling. This is a clear departure from the usual form of letter of his day. He immediately called himself an apostle of Jesus Christ. This title was only meant for a small band of selected men, commissioned by Christ Himself during His earthly ministry. They were chosen to preach and teach in His name. In calling himself an apostle, Paul was claiming to belong to this small company of chosen ministers of Christ.

According to verse 1, his apostleship did not come about through any human appointment. It had nothing to do with human choice. He meant to tell his readers that his apostleship was totally divine in origin. He was called through Christ and God the Father. Perhaps at the back of his mind was the encounter he had with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. It was there that Paul received his commission to the Gentiles.  He could have also relied on the fact that it was the Holy Spirit who had set him apart, together with Barnabas during a fast and worship time in Antioch of Syria. Note that this Jesus Christ, to whom Paul’s apostleship belonged, was raised from the dead by God the Father. It was the risen living Lord whom Paul was serving.    

In his greeting, Paul used two words – grace and peace. His choice of these two words could be intentional. Because grace indicates the origin of men’s salvation and peace, the nature. So in sending this two-pronged greeting to the Galatians, Paul summed up the source and nature of their salvation. He then quickly talked about the most significant historical event – Christ giving Himself at the Cross. There are three truths about that historical event: firstly, Christ gave Himself for our sins; secondly, He gave Himself to deliver us from this present evil age; and finally, He gave Himself according to the will of God and the Father.

Certainly for us believers, there can be no god or anyone that is equal to this God and His redemption plan. We must also conclude with Paul in verse 5 that He deserves the glory forever and ever. What He did deserves our unending worship and adoration and we must offer it to Him. Amen!

Romans 16:21-27 – The all wise God

At the time when Paul wrote this epistle from the city of Corinth, he had a number of men with him who wanted also to extend their personal greetings. In verses 21 and 22, he mentioned Timothy and Tertius. What is said in verse 22 seems to claim that Tertius was the author of this letter, but we know that he was only acting as Paul’s stenographer. In all likelihood, Paul allowed him, as the common practice was, to have a little leeway to add some personal words.

Here we are reminded that Paul was also a team player. While recognizing the importance of personal ministry, he also reflected on the importance of ministering in team. He was enforcing the principle of 2 Timothy 2:2, about committing the truth to other faithful men, so that they might become able ministers too. Paul was not just a disciple; he was also a disciples-maker.

In his concluding words, the great Apostle Paul offered a benediction of praise, and in it Paul encapsulates for us the major themes of this great epistle. Firstly, we are reminded of the infinite wisdom of God. In wisdom, God conceived a plan to save sinful men, both Jews and Gentiles, and to give to them eternal salvation. His plan provided man’s salvation without violating His personal sense of justice and holiness. He sent Jesus Christ, His Son, to die in the place of sinful mankind. Secondly, we are reminded of the Sovereignty of God. He is all-powerful and thus able to accomplish and establish all His wise program for humanity. Finally, we are reminded of the Grace of God. In His grace, God showered upon mankind blessings and His unmerited favor.

As we come to the close of this book, we must conclude that this is one huge monumental book on salvation and Christian faith. No one can ever meditate on it and go away without a great awe for the God of all wisdom. We cannot help but be drawn to praise Him from whom all blessings flow. Let us each in our own way pause to thank Him for His great work of redemption and to praise His incomprehensible wisdom. And then to give our lives over to Him in faithful service. 

Romans 16:17-20 – Be discerning and watchful

In the midst of some personal greetings, Paul took some space out to write and instruct them what to do with the heretics and heresies. Being the person that he was, Paul felt the need to come austerely to warn them of false teachers. He must have sensed the lurking dangers and he was not the type that would just ignore them. So he wrote in verse 17, “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.”

Here three characteristics of false teachers are exposed:

·               They divide and contradict the teaching of Biblical unity (v.17).

·               They are persuasive and will prey on the naive and immature (v.18).

·               They are slaves of their own appetites and desires (v.18).  

In these verses Paul also gave three concrete advices. Firstly, to be watchful and be on a look-out for those who caused division. Christians must learn to stay awake to detect this unbiblical precedent. False teachings always come in subtle ways. Here we need to be discerning to rightly divide the truth. Secondly, to keep away from false teachers. Have nothing to do with heretics and their heresies.  Finally to act wisely. Be wise in good things but in evil things seek to be blameless.

The obedience of the believers in Rome was well-known to all and Paul rejoiced over this news. Our assurance of victory is the fact that Satan our enemy is a defeated foe. We stand on victory ground. We are on the side of the God of peace. He is working through us so that we can trample that old devil under our feet. Furthermore, His grace is upon us and this grace will enable us to be victorious over our circumstances.

Romans 16:1-16 – Be affable and value others

Although Paul had a strong personality, his close walk with the Lord must had helped to make him a very people person. In this concluding chapter of the epistle, we find this aspect of his life coming to the fore. He sent no less than 26 personal greetings to different individuals and also to five households in the city of Rome.

A look at this chapter reveals that it neatly divides itself into four segments: In verses 1-16 Paul sent his personal greetings; in verses 17-20 he gave some words of warning; in verses 21-24 we see the greetings he sent on behalf of the workers who were with him, and finally in verses 25-27, he concluded with a benediction, praising God.

In verses 1-2 Paul began by commending Phoebe, a sister from the city of Cenchrea, a port city of Corinth. She is said to be a servant of the church, meaning that she ministered to the saints. Paul sent a personal word of commendation and called on the saints in Rome to receive her and minister to her.

Priscilla and Aquila were the next to be commended (vv.3-4). In the six times that this couple’s names were mentioned in the New Testament, four times Priscilla’s name was mentioned first. It could well be that she was a more outgoing person and a more assertive teacher than Aquila. In Acts 18:24-26, we are told that this husband-and-wife team taught Apollos the truth concerning the Gospel. 

Other than Phoebe, Priscilla and Aquila, the list of names which Paul mentioned here were most probably ordinary believers in the church. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, mentioned them by name and thus, they provide us information about how Paul valued people in the ministry. Firstly, it tells us that Paul valued women and acknowledged their contribution to the ministry. Secondly, it shows that Paul was very personal. Thirdly, we see that Paul was a very people-oriented person. Though he had not set foot on Rome yet, he could mention individuals by name.

Let’s each learn to be a people person, each one reaching another for the sake of the Lord. People are valuable to the Lord, especially those who co-labor with us. Let’s learn to value them.  

Romans 15:22-33 – Forward looking

Paul had such a burning passion for the ministry that he just wanted to gain new grounds all the time. He had a deep passion to go to Spain to evangelize. Seeing that the Gospel had been preached to most places, he now looked forward to Spain. And as he was on his way, he wanted also to go to Rome and minister to the saints there. From Galatians 2:10, we are made aware that Paul had one task to do that could have kept him from going to Rome. That was to bring a ministry offering to Jerusalem from the believers from Macedonia and Achaia. After that assignment, Paul set out for Rome and then on to Spain.

From all that Paul had accomplished, no one will deny that Paul was an outstanding apostle. Apart from the power of the Holy Spirit, he had one additional factor working for him. This is perhaps a very important key that gave him the effectiveness. This factor is recorded for us in verses 30-33. That is the power of prevailing prayers. He solicited the prayers of the believers. Knowing of the impending dangers in Jerusalem that was waiting him, and the power of his Jewish opponents, he called for the believers to intercede for him. He asked not only to be delivered from his opponents, but also to be effective in the work and ministry to the saints which God had entrusted to him.

We might ask hasn’t he had enough at hand? Anyone looking at Paul’s schedule would feel that he needed a break, but alas it was not for him. He was looking for new vista, new horizon and new heights to scale for God. Paul was not only visionary but also passionately reliance upon the Master in the work entrusted to him to do. As we seek to emulate Paul, may we too be visionary and totally relying on our Master. Let’s learn to say that the life I now live, and the work I now do, I live and do by the faith of Him who loves me and gave Himself for me. 

Romans 15:14 – 21 – Be encouraging

Having given instruction to the believers on peaceful and harmonious existence among themselves, Paul then began to sell himself to the Romans. He gave us a close-up look into his own life and mission. Bear in mind that the church in Rome was not started by him. As he spoke about himself, we see an intimate side of his life. From Romans 15:14 onward, Paul explained his ministry’s philosophy, his plans and his reliance on prayer.

In verses 14-15, he openly evaluated the Roman believers. He wanted to bring the very best out of them. He acknowledged positively that they were full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to admonish one another. In other words, he recognized their maturity and told them they were well disposed, equipped and competent to counsel each other. However, Paul also knew that they too, like many others, had the tendency to forget some of the basic truths concerning faith and practice. He wrote by way of reminder and not with the intent to chide them. What is said here also reminds us that obedience is more valuable than merely pursuing deep teachings.  

Having evaluated the Roman believers, Paul went on from verses 16-21 to share about his own calling and ministry. He reminded them of his apostleship. He was called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. He offered himself to God as an act of reasonable worship, presenting himself as a priest to the ministry of the Gospel to the Gentiles. His task in the calling to the Gentiles was to present them to God as an acceptable offering. In reading what Paul had said about himself, we can see a humble man. He knew that by himself there would not be any fruit in the ministry to offer to God and that it was the grace of God that marked his work. He attributed the works he did as the Lord’s enablement. That’s what accounted for the signs and wonders in the power of the Spirit.

Paul’s ministry was not only characterized by power alone, but also by great vision. He had an unquenchable vision and desire to pioneer the ministry. He did not want to build upon other men’s foundations. As far as his desire went, he wanted to be a trail-blazer. Thus, he saw his life as fulfilling what the prophet Isaiah said in Chapter 52 and verse 15 of the Book of Isaiah.

How we perceive ourselves often determines how we live our lives. Note how Paul’s self-perception did for him. He saw his work and task as a sacred mission from God. As a result what anyone would deem mundane became a sacred task. Everything he did, he did it to please God. If we can also see in a similar direction, we will also be motivated to act thus. Let’s do everything to please God! 

Romans 15:1-13 - Go for unity

In Paul’s mind, unity was a crucial element for the Christians’ witness to be effective. He had spent time calling on the spiritually mature to refrain from behaviors that would stumble the weaker, and to do so in the spirit of love and unity. Now in the first 13 verses of Romans 15, he turned to show what the responsibility of the stronger ones have, toward their weaker brethren. And here he gave reasons why they should not insist on their rights for the sake of the weaker.

Referring to his readers and himself as those stronger in faith, he urged them in verse 1 to have consideration on those weaker brethren and not to focus merely on themselves. The main cause of the conflict between the two groups of people was selfishness. So Paul admonished the stronger brethren to consider the weaker ones and to bear with them. He admonished the stronger ones to set aside their personal liberties that would hinder the weak. Here he was in effect calling for the use of one’s right to help and edify the weak.

Here Paul provided several motivations for believers to consider the position of the weak. In verse 3, the motivation is in the example seen in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord lived His life not to please Himself but He chose a life of reproach for the sake of others. Here we see Paul quoting a Messianic prophecy from Psalm 69:9. He was calling on all believers to consider a life of self-denial for the sake of the weaker brethren.

Secondly, in verses 4-6, Paul continued to talk about the purpose of the exhortation of the Old Testament Scriptures. It is a source for the believers’ instruction. Through it believers receive encouragement and find hope. With that thought, Paul then offered a prayer in verses 5-6. He prayed that God Who is the source of perseverance and encouragement would glorify Himself by the unison praise brought forth by both the strong and the weak.

From verses 7-12, Paul gave another reason why the weaker brethren should be given due consideration. He cited the existence of God’s people from among the Jews and the Gentiles. Verse 7 serves to bring us back to focus on the issue at hand: the acceptance of one another regardless of their maturity. It could well be that the conflict in this church arose between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile believers. It could also be possible that Gentiles, without any of the Jewish scruples about certain days or foods, were exercising their liberties and offended the Jewish believers. Spiritual pride together with racial pride then created a potential danger against Christian unity.

In verses 8-12, Paul in dealing with the salvation of the Gentiles had only one purpose in mind. He wanted to evoke gratitude in the hearts of the Gentile believers. And in so doing he also reminded them of God’s purpose for the Jews. In this he was calling for an attitude of humility. Here Paul concluded with another prayer. He prayed for hope, joy and peace from God through the Holy Spirit.

Unity between brethren is serious enough for the Lord to spend time praying for it before He went to Calvary. Hence, it should also be our concern. It’s important to the Lord, it ought to be for us as well. Let’s make unity a goal in our fellowship!  

 

Romans 14:13-23 – Do not stumble others

If the church wants to have unity in the midst of diversity, here are some principles believers must put in place. Genuinely accept one another. No one should look down on another believer because of dissimilar practice. Be aware that two Christians can disagree with one another over customs and social habits and yet both be perfectly right with God. Refuse to judge others while submitting to the Lordship of Christ. Be aware that will all stand before Christ, our judge, to give an account of ourselves to Him.

Here in verses 13-23 Paul outlined four important things believers need to have, in order to achieve unity in the midst of diversity. Firstly, in verses 13-15, he urged believers to make up their mind not to be a stumbling block to others. We should not insist that the practice of other believers must suit our personal preference. We are all free to practice our convictions but we are not free to hinder a fellow believer. Every believer should seek to exercise restraint on his or her personal liberties.

The emphasis here is not on the right or wrong of a practice per se but on the attitude that every believer must adopt in relating to the brethren. It is important for Christians to have a right verdict concerning faith and practice. In verse 15, Paul tells us that the preference of food should not just be about being right or wrong. It ought to be a matter of love. The primary focus of love is edification. It seeks to build the brethren and never tear down or destroy them. Love will not cause the brethren to be stumbled. Therefore, the Christians’ preoccupation should always be love and not merely liberties.

Secondly, in verses 16-18, Paul switched to call believers to live as citizens of God’s kingdom. Living in this kingdom is about living with right priority. Know that the Kingdom of God is not about food and drink only, he said. The Kingdom of God is about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. Therefore, food is secondary and should not become a matter of contention.

Thirdly, in verses 19-20, the apostle encouraged the pursuit of what will be mutually beneficial.  Seek to be a light rather than a judge in our Christian liberty. Put at the forefront of your mind this question: “Do I build up another by the way I behave?” Do things that will edify other believers to build their faith.

Finally in verse 22 and 23, Paul admonished believers to do everything with a clear conscience. He gave an advice, each to the strong as well as the weak. He urged the strong ones to keep neutral things as a personal matter between them and God. One will feel happier and blessed and will not have to berate oneself, when faith is exercised knowing that others are not offended what one does. Then to the weak he said, “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.”  What Paul is saying is that a person should not act against his own conscience just to please others. Don’t be pressurized by others into sinning against one’s own conscience. While our conscience may not be an infallible guide, it is nonetheless wrong to go against it. We ought to never sin against our conscience, no matter who pressures us to do so. The right motivation to do anything is when we believe it is the right thing to do. It would be wrong when we do things out of social convention, or because it is popular, or to please men.

Action steps to consider: (1) determine not to stumble others; (2) behave as a citizen of God’s Kingdom; (3) act for mutual benefit; and (4) live with a clear conscience 

Romans 14:5-12 – Evaluate faithfully

In Romans 14:5-12, Paul turned his attention to the matter of observation of worship days and holy days. The principle Paul teaches here is for believers to aspire to be faithful in their judgment. Here we are told that some Christians would insist that a particular religious day should be hallowed over another. And such believers insisted that all other believers must observe it exactly the same way. However, Paul taught here that each believer should evaluate the situation personally because they were merely matters of personal conviction and preference. Nonetheless, he advocated that the choice they made must not violate their personal conscience. Each should let their heart guide their decision.

From the instruction of Paul we derive at three guiding principles. Firstly we must take note that personal convictions are matters of personal preference. Secondly, we must not be motivated merely by the desire to make others conform to our preferences. And thirdly, we must cultivate the mindset that each believer is accountable to the Lord.

However, the appeal here is for us to please the Lord. This should be the key motivation for all practices. In other words, make the decision as a matter of consecration to the Lord. All believers should live their lives for the Lord, since all believers belong to the Lord. Believers should not be busy passing judgment on others. They should instead focus on themselves, for finally everyone has to face God, and give an account to Him for his or her own life.

Making Christ the Lord is a foundation matter if we are to experience unity in the church where diversity of opinion abounds. It reminds us not to judge our fellow believers on things where there’s no specific Biblical injunction. We can be sure that an answer will be sought, for the judgmental attitude we adopt.

Let’s recapitulate from Romans 12-14 where the idea of love has been the mainstay of Paul’s exhortation. In Romans 12, he showed us the nature of God’s kind of love. In Romans 13, he explained that love would be made visible through submission. In Romans 14, he expanded further and showed us that love demonstrates itself in being patient and tolerant toward other’s points of view.

Let us pray that God will give us discernment to see what is essential and what is not. Bear in mind this - Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart.