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Romans

From Faith to Faith

92: Altar Blessings

March 24, 2024 • Sean Higgins • Romans 1:16–17, Romans 12:11

One test of whether or not you understand something is if you can explain it in your own words. It's not only a helpful exercise to engage with the material, it's strategic for locating the *point*. If we assume that what we're reading is organized in order to reveal truth — which we can assume with the epistle of Paul to the Romans — then we expect that all the parts build into a whole. I keep being not just surprised, but disappointed when I reach the last verse of a Bible book in a commentary and the next page is: Appendix A, or Topical Index, or Acknowledgments. What about the *synthesis*? What about the *point*? We spent all the time looking at the trees on our way through the orchard, and some of the trees had great fruit. Now that we can look back, how far did we come? To me, not just a review but a rejoicing review is in order. There were two phrases that stood out to me as summaries of the two main divisions of the letter. Those phrases stood out to me enough that I used them as my email signature in two different years. The first captures the doctrinal (though there's truth for practice) in chapters 1-11, and the second captures the practical (though there's principles of truth) in chapters 12-16. # From Faith to Faith I get this from Romans 1:16-17, arguable Paul’s own summary of the theme of the epistle. In the gospel is revealed the righteousness of God **from faith to faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.' (NASB)** - We cannot be saved without faith; the gospel is for all the believing ones. - We cannot please God without faith; the gospel argues against our righteous works. - We cannot resist sin without faith; the gospel forgives and the Spirit frees us from sin’s power and fulfills righteousness. - We cannot endure suffering without faith; the gospel gives us hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. While one day we won't need faith any longer, when we see face to face, we cannot live as Christians without it for even one day in these bodies. Faith is the instrument of justification, and this undid Rome *twice*, first the paganism of the Roman Empire and then again the popery of the Roman Catholic world. In the 16th century the dominant worldview, which came from the teaching and worldview of the dominant worship, was that men could only be righteous through a combination of faith *plus*: faith plus their own works, faith plus some saint's extra good works, faith plus money that purchased a status, faith plus visiting/touching/kissing some special artifact. To be righteous by faith *alone*, that led to the single greatest church split ever, and we are still blessed by that proper division 500 years later. That said, faith apart from works is not really our fight. We wear t-shirts and drink out of coffee mugs with *sola fide* printed on them. That doesn’t always mean we live from faith to faith. Our fight is more faith vs sight, faith except for all the times we think we can fix it ourselves. We are people who get things done, who make things happen, who take responsibility. We are realists, pragmatists, “modern” men of math and material things. If there’s a problem, we’ll solve it. We’ve got bullet points, after all. And then we see the second half of Romans 1 played out in front of us, and we thought cultural degradation should be done by now. More bullet points! But consider the placement of Romans 1:18-32. We say that it shows the *need* for the gospel, and it does. Men do not meet God's standard for righteousness, in unrighteousness and ungodliness they suppress the truth, so they are guilty and need the gospel. So true. But who did Paul write the explanation *for*? It wasn't an evangelistic tract for the pagans per se, it was encouragement for those who needed to live from faith to faith. He wrote about God's wrath so that the Christians in Rome would know what to tell their sinning neighbors, but also so that the Christians in Rome would not lose heart. Our culture is schizo. Unbelievers want more and more material things, we want physical comfort and prosperity, and we figure all that is possible if we follow the right 7 Steps to Success. But when it comes to moral things, the same unbelievers think that's up for grabs, think and act and be whatever you want, and we figure any of it is possible, just follow your feelings. What both those perspectives share is not *not* faith, certainly not saving faith, but an alternative faith, just that we don't call it "faith" because it seems like we have some sort of control. If there is anything that Romans teaches us, beloved, it is that men are not in control. As Christians we cannot even control our own flesh (think the last half of Romans 7); men are slaves to sin or slaves of righteousness, but they are not their own. It is God's will, by His eternal command, that the gospel go out, that faith would come by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. That faith confesses that *Jesus is Lord*. At what point in your Christian life do you not need to live in light of that reality? We do not enter the blessings by faith and then fix the rest ourselves. It's all by faith. # Don't Hold Back This is from part of a verse in Romans 12:11: **Do not be slothful in zeal**. Three times Paul references zeal in Romans, and all three assume that there are ways to mess up zeal. Paul said in Romans 10:2 about the Jews that "they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge." In Romans 12:8 he exhorted those with various gifts in the body and included, "the one who leads, with zeal," like it's possible to go out first halfheartedly. And it is. Then in Romans 12:11, **Do not be slothful in zeal**. I think that the first line actually sets the tone for 11-13, because "being fervent, serving, rejoicing, persevering, being devoted, contributing, and seeking" are all participles that hang on it. To be **slothful** is to be reluctant, to lag behind, to hold back. Brothers, Jesus is Lord, don't hold back. # Conclusion *We are individually offerings*, having received mercy by gospel, so Romans 12:1. > I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. We've been called to altar living. You are not allowed to hold back some part of your life, some time of the day, some percent of your will. “To be freed from only one sin—that’s just our own agenda." (—John Owen, _The Mortification of Sin_). The mercies of God move all our bodies up onto the altar. *We are collectively an offering*, being made by the gospel: Romans 15:16. Paul was > a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. The gospel is the power of God to make an offering of offerings, one made up of many, just like the singular body of Christ has a plurality of members. How then do we believe the gospel? Like offerings to God. We are part of the fulness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25), so that “the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy” (Romans 15:9). God has grafted us into blessings, and His blessings make us jealousable before men and pleasing to Himself. Because of the gospel we are to be a people of faith, believing in God and confessing Jesus as Lord and being conformed to the image of God’s Son. By His will we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. By His love we have reconciliation and peace with God. By His command the gospel has been known to us to bring about the obedience of faith among all peoples. By His mercies we present our bodies as living sacrifices. What altar blessings! What gift. What depth of riches and wisdom and knowledge of God. To Him be glory forever! ---------- ## Charge Christian, living from faith to faith is not a hobby or side-hustle, it is your life calling. It is your identity; you are "the ones believing." Keep on believing in your heart the word of faith about the Lord of all. He bestows His riches and joy and peace on all who believe in Him. ## Benediction: > Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! > > “For who has known the mind of the Lord, > or who has been his counselor?” > “Or who has given a gift to him > that he might be repaid?” > > For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33–36 ESV)

91: There Will Be Strength

March 17, 2024 • Sean Higgins • Romans 16:21–27

This is it, the last of the letter. Unlike our salutations there’s no “Sincerely,” but Paul sincerely commits the Roman Christians to the care of the only wise God. We'll see a few more greetings in verses 21-23, then a send-off doxology in verses 25-27. Next week, Lord willing, we'll take one more run at a Romans recap, then we'll rejoice together on Resurrection Sunday. # Other Withs (verses 21-23) Chapter 16 started with 13 expressions of greeting to those *in* Rome, verses 21-23 include four more greetings from those *with* Paul. **Timothy** was one of Paul's with-workers, and we know more about him than any other named person in the chapter. He even received two letters from Paul himself, extending the ministry to churches. **Lucius and Jason and Sosipater** were more of Paul's with-borns, called **my kinsmen**. There's no reason to think they weren't part of his extended family. Verse 22 comes from Paul's with-writer, though that is not actually a word; I made it up. **I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.** Have you heard of the job: amanuensis? It's the academic name for a writing assistant, for one who takes dictation. Tertius wasn't just a professional secretary, he himself cared about the believers **in the Lord**. **Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you.** If Pheobe hosted a church in the port city of Cenchrae, just south of Corinth, Gaius was hosting an assembly in Corinth itself *and* at least Paul as a guest. **Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.** Just for sake of observation, while Paul told the Corinthians in his first letter to them that having a rank in the world didn't guarantee having wisdom to know God, Erastus, who was a Corinthian, did have some recognizable rank, and had become a Christian. He likely had enough of a network to have known some who now lived in Rome. You might not have noticed that, at least in the ESV, there is no verse 24 (NAS has it in brackets, KJV includes it). The more likely to be original manuscripts don’t have it, and if we read verse 20, we don’t miss anything. # Strengthening Worship (verses 25-27) There is a difference between a Benediction and a Doxology. I think about it when I choose the final Scripture for our Lord's Day worship. Paul ends different letters *both* ways, both are good, all are yours. A *benediction* is a good word (from Latin *bene* and *dico*, good-speaking), a favor-blessing usually directed to/over the recipients. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you" (16:20) is a benediction, as were 15:6 and 15:13. A *doxology* is a praise word (from Greek *doxa* is glory and *logos*, praise-speaking), an honor-blessing usually directed to God. Romans 11:33-36 is a previous doxology. But both — praying to the Lord for His favor (benediction) and praising the Lord for His glory (doxology) — *bless* the hearers. It is good for us that this is our God, and so we lose nothing by finishing with doxology instead of benediction. It is a different kind of literary protein, both build the muscles of our faith. Verses 25-27 make the longest doxology in the NT, one sentence stretched out (11:33-36 is like three within one, or even just verse 36 alone is the doxology proper). **Now to him who is able to strengthen you**, and immediately we see how an attribute of God blesses the people who worship this God. We could pause here for a moment, because, are you allowed to be encouraged that God has abilities to enable your abilities? Or is that man-centered? Are you just coming to God because of what you can get from Him? There is a kind of exaggerated pietism that is too good to ask God for help, as if helping "*me*" is below God. But God doesn't want our strength, He wants us to thank Him and honor Him for all His power (see Romans 1:20-21, see also 2 Corinthians 4:7 and 12:9, see also Psalm 50:12-15). The establishing/stabilizing/reinforcing comes **according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ**, which, is Paul allowed to say "*my*" gospel (which he already did in Romans 2:16, too)? Again with the so afraid of being man-centered that we focus on how a man is doing it wrong. The gospel is the theme of the whole letter according to Romans 1:16, and note that the gospel converts only as the start, then it transforms (Romans 12:2) and fortifies. This message is **according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages**. What is the **mystery**? The OT prophets knew a lot, including knowing that they didn't know it all. We're told some of them studied their own writings to know the time and person of the Christ (1 Peter 1:10-12). The identity of the Messiah was a secret, but so also that “a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25). Then light! There were shadows, but now there is substance. There had been questions **but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations** (*ta ethne*). Have all the Gentiles heard the gospel? Had *Spain* heard the gospel? The point here is that the gospel is *good for* all the peoples, that there is to be no narrowed for the Jews *only* even if “to the Jew *first*” (Romans 1:16). While not revealed in its entirety, the revelation is not a change of course. The gospel has gone out **according to the command of the eternal God**. God is internationally known, eternally governing. The gospel of salvation to all who believe was **to bring about the obedience of faith**. The only other place the phrase “the obedience of faith” is used is in Romans 1:5. In it is root and fruit, faith that leads to obedience. It is impossible to be justified by works/obedience, and those who have peace with God have been raised to walk in newness of life/obedience. So we keep living from faith to faith. This is the second bookend, more about the "Him" of abilities in verse 25. God is also the God of wisdom: **--to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.** I appreciate that the ESV translates with an exclamation point. # Conclusion There’s room to recap the whole epistle and some of the emphasis we've considered, but what can we take-away from the final praise? God has wisdom and strength. Every moment God's wisdom and strength works all things for good for the called, for those who love God. Do you love God? He is the God of all glory; none compare to Him. Do you love God? He is the God of all wisdom; He neither seeks nor needs counsel. Do you love God? He is the God of all power, who has sent His Son for the eternal blessing of all who believe. From this doxology we are blessed to know that God is powerful, eternal, wise; those three attributes are stated explicitly. Also we see that God reveals His will. God has global intentions. God expects worship and obedience. God is personal, He has revealed Himself in Jesus Christ and the gospel. God deserves all glory. And He delights in glorifying Himself by giving us strength to worship Him as our Rock. You’ve been called to believe, to live from faith to faith. This is the God in whom you believe. > For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, > for my hope is from him. > He only is my rock and my salvation, > my fortress; I shall not be shaken. > On God rests my salvation and my glory; > my mighty rock, my refuge is God. > (Psalm 62:5–7 ESV) All the alternatives are smoke. They are superstitions and ignorance rather than revelation, deaf and mute and mortal and worthless idols rather than true. What are your temptations? What are your doubts? What are your sufferings? What are your weaknesses? Christian, do you need strength? *There will be strength.* ---------- ## Charge God not only has the power to strengthen you if He wants to, HE WANTS TO. The eternal and wise God saves you by faith and STRENGTHENS your faith to persevere in praise. He wills strength for you because He wills glory for Him. There will be strength! Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. ## Benediction: > Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV)

90: False Offenses

March 10, 2024 • Sean Higgins • Romans 16:17–20

There are only so many more verses left in this letter, only a couple more sermons from Romans after today. What a mountain of material we’ve traveled over, and yet the final 5% is still important. They say most accidents happen closest to home, Paul doesn’t want us to crash before we get there. He puts up a big warning sign as he gets ready to sign off. In verses 17-19 he urges the believers not to be naive because they’re in a battle, and in verse 20 he encourages them with a good word about winning that battle. # Divisions and Scandals (verses 17-19) There is a kind of selfish person that sounds as if he’s “in-the-know” and who gets kicks out of kindling strife. With only a few strokes left in his pen, Paul gets in this crucial instruction, how to identify offense-mongers (AKA offense dealers, offense traffickers), what drives them and how to respond to them. Before considering the exhortation, observe the problem people: **those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught.** **Divisions** is “dissensions” (NASB)(one of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:20), a break between people. We also call these factions, schisms, splinter groups. The divisions belong with the **obstacles**, which is from * σκάνδαλα*, so stumbling blocks, hindrances, *offenses*. And the structure identifies a group with shared characteristics. They are “the — factions and offenses - making ones.” This is the way of man, to “help” someone to see how BAD it really is, and form a Ring of the Ones Who Are Right (ROWAR) against those who are the cause of the BAD or even against those who can’t see how BAD it is. Show a person how upset, how offended he should be, the dam of love is broken, the floods of offense flow and now there are two sides. In marriage, two become one flesh; in the flesh, one becomes two, or more. These persons are creating a perverted koinonia as they teach how grieved some should be (at others). That divide-by-offense strategy is **contrary to the doctrine**. It’s false teaching making false offenses, teaching that is outside the “standard of to which you were committed” (Romans 6:17). What was the contrary teaching? It’s not specified here, and it’s not even obvious that such faction-makers had arrived in Rome. Paul addressed some arguers throughout the letter, but he had also just said that the Roman believers were doing great (Romans 15:14). That said, he’d been around “all the churches” (Romans 16:16), and of course he was writing from Corinth, known for their divisive quarreling. The problem and the problem people, are not those who have questions, who have exegetical disagreements, or those who have different convictions in disputable matters. Think back to Romans 14 and the need to sacrifice for and welcome whose who choose differently. Yet there is a kind of teaching that is opposed to salvation by faith alone; they teach there must be *more* than faith. There is a kind of teaching that is opposed to grace that frees us form sin and makes us slaves of righteousness; they claim that adds *more* to faith. Both of those angles have been addressed earlier in Romans. The gospel is the power of God to save and to cause us to walk in newness of ever-transforming altar-sacrifices. It’s not hard to see Pharisees, Judaizers, legalists, church ladies offended by free grace, and it’s not hard to see law-hating, obedience-oppressed, flesh-lovers. That kind of division is no good and works against the witness of harmony in the body as just seen in verses 1-16. Paul is also NOT calling sin confrontations “divisive.” Here’s an example. Person A is sinning, Person B goes to them (per Matthew 18:15-17) and Person A pushes it off. Person B takes Person C, maybe eventually Persons D and E, too, and Person A still won’t listen to the appeals. Especially if Person A is a leader (and see 1 Timothy 5:19-20), he may be tempted to use his position of authority to claim that that Persons C-E are causing division, but he would be *wrong*. Not liking that someone else (or multiple someones) can see your sin does not make them the object of this paragraph. When there is an offense-monger faction-maker, Paul urges the brothers **to watch out**, to keep their eyes open, and to **avoid them**. The KJV has “mark…and avoid,” which is punchy enough for a lot of social media, but is nonetheless a call to divide from the divisive (applicable to pulpits, podcasts, and parking lots). Verse 18 exposes the motivation: they want power. **For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites**. They “serve their stomachs,” their bellies. It could be a figure of speech, not just that they want food, but appetite represents the esteem and support they get from others. It’s the idol of ego, without the resources of Nebuchadnezzar to make a 90’ tall statue. They are dining out on the grievances they triggered. This is how most fundraising works, show how your opposition is the devil that’s ruining lives and the wallets open. Most outrage-raisers eat well. They also manipulate, **by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive**. This doesn’t only happen with soft verbal pats on your cheek, “you’re so pretty.” Smooth talk can seduce you to anger not just adultery, and flattery leads to war not just personal vanity, hence offenses that cause divisions. It’s like our politicians use verses 17-18 as a playbook. Why should they care if we’re too dumb, **naive** or unsuspecting, to destroy ourselves. The same happens in local churches (the immediate context of Paul’s warning) and denominations and extended families. In verse 19 Paul makes clear that he’s giving preventative medicine to the Romans. **For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.** Naivety is a sliding scale. The Roman Christians had knowledge as evidenced in their living. It still didn’t change the charge. Without saying her name, a number of terms seem to reference Eve: wise, good and evil, flatter and deceit, as well as Satan and feet in verse 20. Have all kinds of wisdom doing all the ways of good, but be unmixed, be pure, when it comes to evil. Jesus taught His disciples to be serpents of good and doves of evil (Matthew 10:16), which goes against the usual animal archetypes. # Grace and Peace (verse 20) Peace and grace, both are typical expressions by Paul, here in powerful promises. Satan loves schism. Our adversary loves making adversaries among WITHS. The devil works to conquer by division. He loves destroying faith, he loves destroying fellowship. **The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.** The juxtaposition of peace crushing is obvious, but how does it work? Peace is more than absence of conflict, just as fellowship is more than two people in a room not choking each other. We battle as worshippers of the God of peace, we have peace so we engage, and we know His aim is peace, not eternal wars. But we don’t become pacifists because of our God, we are not naive. We may be tired, but we’re not blind. Satan will be crushed by God who uses **our feet**. This seems eschatological, the final win, though it will be **soon** depending on how you see the timeline. As the Seed of the woman crushed the serpent’s head, fulfilling Genesis 3:15, so by extension God uses those who confess the Son as the Seed. Don’t hold back. The **grace of our Lord Jesus Christ** is also not throw away. The anointed Christ, the master Lord, the God-man Jesus, who is and was and is to come, from through and to Whom are all things, risen from the dead, the Lion who defeats the prowling lion, the Son of the God of all grace. Such personal grace is blessed to you who serve the Lord Christ. # Conclusion “The Church’s One Foundation” is a great song. > though with a scornful wonder > men see her sore oppressed, > by schisms rent a-sundered > by heresies distressed; > yet saints their watch are keeping, > their cry goes up,“how long?” Saints, keep watch, it won’t be long. ---------- ## Charge Christian, mark and avoid your OWN false offenses, mark and avoid your own selfish appetites. Be wise in the ways of truth and true fellowship. Be innocent in envy and grumbling. Let your obedience be known to all. Victory is promised, and the Lord's grace given to keep watch. ## Benediction: > Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21 ESV)

89: The Network of Saints

March 3, 2024 • Sean Higgins • Romans 16:1–16

This passage is by far the most extensive and detailed and intimate expression of love and appreciation in Paul’s corpus. In 15:14-33 he focused on his mission of the gospel and ministry to the saints. In chapter 16 he focuses on his relationship to other saints with him in his ministry. He reveals his deep affection for those whom he had served, for those who had served him, and for those who served with him. How does reading/studying a list of greetings compare to reading/studying a long genealogy? Both require some patience, both have some profit. Genealogies are who we're from. Salutations are who we're *with*. # Commendation (verses 1-2) Paul makes a personal recommendation. > I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. (Romans 16:1–2 ESV) Cenchreae was the neighboring port city of Corinth, from where Paul wrote this letter. This is the first time the word **church** is used in Romans, but it appears five times in this final chapter. We remember that the church is identified as *where the people* are, not necessarily a building with a sign (I suppose we could refer to a “church’s” building if we wanted to be precise, and yet churches as places were mentioned first sometime in the third century). To **commend** was to endorse or give a favorable reference. Paul’s reference for this **sister** as being a **servant** has caused quite a stir in theological circles. The Greek word for servant is *diakanon*, the term from which we get deacon. KJV/NASB/ESV all translate the word here as “servant” (NIV uses “deacon” and notes that it’s referring to the office). Paul doesn’t just doesn’t use the feminine form of “deaconess” (διακόνισσα), a form not found in the NT. Whether or not Pheobe held some official title or not, Paul commended her as a highly-proven servant of Christ and urged the church at Rome to receive her in the Lord. Why is so much attention given to Phoebe? It is almost certain that Phoebe was the one who delivered this letter to the church at Rome, a significant responsibility. Since the letter was hand-written (by Tertius, verse 22) there probably was no second copy. She was to be received into fellowship **in a way worthy of the saints.** There is unreasonable hospitality, and then there is *saints* hospitality. “Welcome one another as Christ as welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). Part of the reason for receiving her was that she had been a helper or **patron**. A “patron” was one who came to the aid of others, especially foreigners, by providing housing and financial aid and sometimes by representing their interests before local authorities when necessary. Phoebe was probably a woman of high social standing and some wealth, who put her status, resources, and time at the services of traveling Christians, like Paul himself, who needed help and support. # Salutations (verses 3-16) Paul offers multiple personal greetings. **Greet** or "salute" is used 13 times in verses 3-16, then 2 more times in verses 22-23. Although he had not yet visited Rome, Paul names twenty-four individuals, seventeen men and seven women, along with many who are unnamed, such as those in the households of Aristobulus and Narcissus. There are Jewish names, Latin names, and Greek names. His greeting of so many specific people also confirms that Paul was aware of the circumstances in the Roman assemblies. The first to be greeted are **Prisca and Aquila**, a husband and wife who were **my fellow workers in Christ Jesus**. This couple is actually mentioned six times in the NT. Paul first met them on his first visit to Corinth, where Prisca (with the diminutive form, Priscilla) and Aquila had fled from Rome when all Jews were driven out by the Emperor Claudius (Acts 18:2). They were tentmakers like Paul, and Paul stayed in their house while he began his ministry in Corinth (Acts 18:1-3). After working together in Corinth Paul dropped them off in Ephesus for a lengthy ministry (1 Corinthians 16:19). They were more than fellow workers with Paul, he says they had **risked their necks for my life**. Then apparently sometime after Claudius died (AD 54) they returned to Rome, where they lived and ministered when Paul wrote this letter. By that time one of the congregations was meeting **in their house**. Paul’s next greeting is to **my beloved Epaenetus**, who **was the first convert to Christ in Asia**, or “firstfruits” (KJV). He is mentioned nowhere else in the NT. Paul had kept track of him through the years and was pleased that he was now a part of church at Rome. Then, **Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.** Mary was a common name among Jews and Gentiles, so we do not know where this Mary came from, how or when she was converted, or anything else except that she had worked hard for the church in Rome. Paul calls **Andronicus and Junia**, **my kinsmen**, which indicates that they were not only fellow Jews (there were many other Jews in the list who didn’t receive this title), but they were probably Paul’s relatives, along with Herodian (verse 11) and Jason and Sosipater (verse 21). They apparently were at one point **my fellow prisoners**, which could have been anywhere since Paul was often in prison (or it could simply be saying that they had been imprisoned for the sake of the gospel like Paul). In verse 8 Paul greets **Ampliatus** who was **my beloved in the Lord.** The next two saints were **Urbanus** and **Stachys**. **Apelles** was a relatively rare name. Here Paul says he was the **approved in Christ**. The word “approved” carries the idea of being tried and tested and was used of precious metals that had passed tests for purity. Paul’s next greeting was to a group of believers whose names and number we do not know. They are simply identified as **those who belong to the family of Aristobulus**, who himself is not identified. Because he is not greeted, it seems he was probably not a Christian himself. At least one commentator has suggested that Aristobulus may have been the brother of Herod Agrippa I and the grandson of Herod the Great. So maybe this household was a group of believers within the imperial household. As with Andronicus and Junias (verse 7) Paul greets **Herodian** as my **kinsman**, so a relative to Paul. Like Aristobulus, **Narcissus** was probably not a believer, but some of his household were in the Lord. In verse 12 Paul greets and commends three women. The first two, **Tryphaena** and **Tryphosa** were possibly twin sisters (since it was common to give children names form the same Greek root). **Persis** was **the beloved**, suggesting (from the definite article) that she was loved by everyone who knew her and who had been a beneficiary of her hard work in the Lord. **Rufus** was **chosen in the Lord**. This doesn’t refer to every Christian’s election, but more like we might say an extraordinary Christian – a choice man. The specific greeting to **(Rufus’) mother, who has been a mother to me as well** does not mean that Rufus was Paul’s natural brother, but that Rufus’ mother had somewhere and in some way during Paul’s travel and ministry, cared for him as if he were her own son. Paul makes no comment about **Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, and Hermas**. The mention of the brethren with them indicates that the five names here were leaders of one of the many assemblies of believers in Rome. In verse 15 Paul greets another assembly of saints, which included **Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympia**. Finally, verse 16: **Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.** The kiss gesture of greeting seems more cultural, so not required for us, though a gesture of welcome is certainly appropriate. # Conclusion Who doesn’t like to hear their name mentioned aloud from up front (only some, ha)? There’s nothing wrong with names; *God* included these in His Word. Nothing wrong with expressing thanks for specific people. There were *many* in the network of saints (“in the Lord” - ἐν κυρίῳ - used in verses 8, 11, 12 (x2), 13, and 22; and see “in Christ” - ἐν Χριστῷ - in verses 3, 7, 9, 10). Men and women. Working, suffering, supporting, the kind of people worth standing with. From the end of Romans 15 and into chapter 16, Paul uses 6 different words beginning with the preposition meaning "with." 1. συναγωνίσασθαί - sun-agonisasthai (15:30) = with-struggle 2. συναναπαύσωμαι - sun-anapousomai (15:32) = with-rest 3. Συνίστημι - sun-istemi (16:1) = with-stand 4. συνεργούς - sun-ergous (16:3, 9, 21) = with-work 5. συγγενεῖς - sun-geneis (16:7, 11, 21) = with-born 6. συναιχμαλώτους - sun-aichmalotous (16:7) = with-prisoned We are IN so we recognize our WITHS. I urge you to be, or to excel still more at being, anti-isolatist. We want to be with you, not *without*. Saints love the saints they're WITH. Saints are stronger because of their WITHS. ---------- ## Charge One of the saints in our body has fought the good fight, finished her race, kept the faith. She has endured and her faith has been an encouragement to all those who have loved the Lord’s appearing. Beloved, work with and suffer with and stand with and sing with each other. Our WITHS are our strength. ## Benediction: > May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5–6 ESV)

88: Expecting Company (Pt 2)

February 25, 2024 • Sean Higgins • Romans 15:22–33

I keep lowering my bucket into this paragraph and my bucket keeps coming back up full. The main body of the letter ended in Romans 15:13; now we’re reading parts most consider unremarkable, the last chapter and a half of Paul’s extended good-bye. Verses 22-33 contain "Paul's Plan to Visit Rome" per the ESV section heading, and so be it. But he could have just said, “Hope to see you soon. Amen.” There’s more to it. The *point* of this section concerns Christians sharing and extending the network of blessings in Christ and for Christ. Paul wanted to visit the believers in Rome, to encourage and be encouraged by them, and then to have them help him on his way west into Spain to preach the gospel where Christ had not yet been named. These were his partnership plans in verses 22-24. But he had a stop to make first, that was in the opposite direction from where he was in Corinth. He’d been collecting a contribution for the saints in Jerusalem who needed aid. This was his service project described in verses 25-29. We got into this part last time. And we’ve got some TABs open, that is, *Truths About Blessings*. 1. Spiritual blessings and material blessings can/should be distinguished. Categories are good. 2. Spiritual blessings are greater than material blessings. Priorities are proper. 3. Spiritual blessings are rooted in God's work through the Jews. “To the Jew first and also to the Greek.” 4. Spiritual blessings are no guarantee of material blessings. 5. Spiritual blessings are not threatened by material blessings. All are yours. 6. Spiritual blessings can be increased by the right use of material blessings. The **contribution**/*koinonia* (verse 26) increased camaraderie/*koinonia* between Gentile and Jewish Christians. Material blessings were not merely redistributed, they were given away for sake of building a network of support that increased thanks, unity, and witness, which are spiritual blessings. The 6th TAB is key to the paragraph as it explains Paul’s personal investment in the service project. He calls the money *koinonia*, he postpones his mission for this money, and he asks for prayer that the money would be accepted. He knew the material blessings were doing more than putting food in the saints’ mouths. We pick up in verse 28, **When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by you.** The ESV is fine, really, but the KJV captures a unique phrase, “when I have performed this, and have *sealed to them this fruit*” **Delivered** fits with how we talk about packages, but “*sealed*” suggests more about identity, value, and security. It mattered that the entire gift arrived at the right address, along with the explanation card, so to speak. Paul sealed the deal. And why *fruit*? The metaphor connects the blessings shared out as the yield of root and branch blessings shared in. This project was worth postponing his missionary push into Spain, even though he expected that their company would be a great support. **I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ**. Is Paul going to *bring* the blessing to them or is he going to *benefit* from the blessing from them? It’s probably more one big-blessing cloud, with the **fullness of the blessing** due to Christ’s pleasure at their connection. The blessing of Christ enables and obligates *koinonia*. # Prayer Request (verses 30-33) Prior to partnership to push into Spain, Paul urged them to strive together to bless the saints. He did not ask the Roman Christians to contribute materially, but they could join the battle spiritually. **I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,** It’s the same way he started Romans 12:1. I prefer “urge” (as in NASB), though “beseech” has the right amount of unusual (Tyndale, KJV). He wants them join with him in his effort, to “fight along with” him. It’s a form of *sunagonizomai*, and maybe you hear *agonize* in the middle, the struggle; he urges them to “with-struggle.” There are a couple fronts he’d be fighting, mentioned in verse 31, but he’s urging them to enter the fray as they pray with him. Note the Trinitarian appeal: by our Lord Jesus and by the love of the Spirit to God (the Father). There are two requests: **that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints.** He wanted protection and reception. We happen to know from the book of Acts that on his way to Rome a prophet named Agabus saw Paul in Caesarea and prophesied that Paul would be arrested in Jerusalem, and the believers there urged Paul not to go (Acts 21:8-12). And actually, Paul *was* arrested in Jerusalem, and you may remember the 40 men who made an oath not to eat or drink until they killed Paul (Acts 23:12-13). He *did* need protection. As for his request for reception, it stands out, because what kind of principle keeps poor people from accepting money? And these are **saints**, serving the same Lord, having the same Spirit of love. Why would they not be glad to get the relief? One of the great middle-to-late first century problems in the church was a “too-good-for-them” attitude from Jewish Christians to Gentile Christians. The believing natural branches weren’t so sure about the grafted-in believing wild branches. Some were suspicious about, if not actually bigoted against, the nations (*ta ethne*) receiving the blessings of Christ. It's as if they were sons of Jonah, irritated that the Ninevites repented. They should have known, and welcomed, better. > For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. (Romans 10:11–12 ESV) How ironic if the Gentile *koinonia*/contribution would have been rejected, if their token of peace would have provoked the Jews to prefer their poverty. Paul prayed that the material blessings would be received and increase spiritual riches. The desired outcome: **so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company**. Did Paul make it to Rome? Even he knew that his ambitions depended on **God’s will**. This is such a proper frame, so *Deo volente* or even *D.V.*, “God willing,” belongs with letters in English by people who knew Latin and the Lord. And a benediction: **May the peace of God be with you all. Amen.** It’s a good word, not the final one in the letter, and **God of peace** returns in 16:20. The phrasing rings true from earlier descriptions in the chapter: - “the God of endurance and encouragement” (15:5) - “the God of hope” (15:13) - “the God of peace” (15:33, 16:20) Prayer and ministry is a spiritual battle, and we strive together to bless the saints. # Conclusion I can’t help but think about other problems that all this could have caused. Is this fair? What about all the *other* poor people? What about the poor in Rome, did Paul even think about them? Blessings make jealousable, and that can go wrong. Are you supposed to give money to people with bad attitudes? What about all the people dying who hadn’t heard the gospel? Paul knew it was good. Christians (receive and) share and extend the network of blessings in Christ and for Christ. *Koinonia* has a lot of faces. Participate in, and pray for, the extending of blessings by God's will. ---------- ## Charge Serve the God of peace not to avoid troubles but so that you are not troubled in troubles. Strive to see the blessing of Christ extended in a way that might make some people mad. That’s okay, the God of peace will soon crush all His enemies. The God of peace is WITH YOU. ## Benediction: > The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Romans 16:20 ESV)

87: Expecting Company (Pt 1)

February 11, 2024 • Sean Higgins • Romans 15:22–33

Since all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable, that includes the personal intros and final messages in a letter. Some of the info is historically significant and clarifies our picture of life in Bible times, here of Paul's travels and toils and concerns. Some of the details resonate for our own gospel growth, examples of projects and perspectives and prayers can still be relevant in our own context. We're not trying to get to Spain via Rome, but we're totally concerned with the blessing of Christ and serving the saints. Paul's tells the Romans his plans in verses 22-24, explains his relief project in verses 25-29, and makes his prayer request in verses 30-33. # Partnership Plans (verses 22-24) Paul almost apologizes for not having been to Rome yet. Why would they have expected his visit? Probably because they were (or at least thought themselves to be) *the* Gentiles of Gentiles. All the places from Jerusalem to Illyricum belonged to the Roman Empire. If God called Paul as a ministering priest to present an offering of non-Jews to God (verse 16), that offering wouldn’t be complete without Romans. How can you have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the bread? The bread in this case was never far from Paul's mind or mission. But he'd been busy working the middle. **This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you**, namely, his bold ambition to preach Christ where Christ had not yet been named (verse 20). **But now, since I no longer have any room to work in these regions**, he'd "fulfilled" the work (verse 19), **and since I've longed or many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain.** Spain was unreached territory, he desired **to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while**. He says again in verse 28, "I will leave for Spain by way of you." [map from Corinth, Jerusalem, and Spain] He expected *mutual* encouragement and edification and enjoyment. He wanted them to expect his company, and he expected their **company**, to be satisfied with enjoyment in their presence. He would make a visit, they would visit together. He believed that they believed the gospel; he'd heard the reports of their faith, but without so many problems (like reports out of Corinth and Colosse and Galatia and Philippi). Romans is more systematic in explaining gospel theology than those other letters that requires more specific instructions. Rome was a destination for Paul, just not a final home. His language suggests that Paul might be looking at Rome as a new base of operations. Antioch had been his church-hub, but first century travel and communication made sense for moving the whole support network west. Sharing their company was more than a means to an end, but partnership to push west was his goal. # Service Project (25-29) He had something else to do first. **At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints.** Southeast was the opposite direction out of Corinth from Rome. But while taking the good news to new places he'd been taking up a collection for old friends. **For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem**. We happen to know that moneys came in from more than those two locations, and we know this because Paul talks about this collection a *lot* (including 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, 2 Corinthians 8-9). It was personal to him, and he wasn't sure it would be well received (see verse 31). He not only talked about it and supported it, he traveled with it. Why? A couple things to note. First, the word **contribution** is *koinonia*, usually translated as “fellowship”; these funds were a token of fellowship. It's not just that some Haves donated to some HaveNots. It's not mostly a rich and poor, which we know because some gave out of “their extreme poverty” (2 Corinthians 8:2). This gift meant sharing, it was an expression of Gentile-to-Jew blessing. The contribution *created* more good than was previously there. Second, the blessings are ordered and connected by Paul. **They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if *ta ethne* have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.** The **share** is the verb form of *koinonia*. The nations/Gentiles shared some of the nation’s/Israel’s share. These are not categories we made up, we get them from God's Word. The ESV has **spiritual (blessings)** and **material (blessings)**, and that resonates, even though “spiritual *things*” and “material *things*” would be the more basic translation (KJV, NASB). But blessing is in view, certainly by verse 29, and the general terms work against our narrowing tendencies. **Spiritual blessings** belong with the gospel of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the power of God in the gospel for salvation to everyone who believes. Spiritual blessings include divine revelation and truth, forgiveness and peace, obedience and joy, knowledge of God's inseparable love and hope. Spiritual blessings include knowledge, goodness of character, and community of one anothers and body life. Spiritual blessings include identity and giftedness and purpose. Spiritual blessings include all the things that make us jealousable, including the ability to properly evaluate and steward material blessings. These are unseen things that belong with our eternal weight of glory. **Material blessings** are tangibles, things such as food and clothing (and with these we can be content, see 1 Timothy 6:8), fruit and profit. These blessings include money to buy needs and even assets, money to invest in business and futures, and money to have in order to give away. Material blessings are cans of peaches, which go best with the spiritual blessings of a can-opener so we can enjoy them (an old illustration from Doug Wilson). “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and He adds no sorry with it” (Proverbs 10:22). Tools build and bless others. Children and grandchildren are actually fleshy blessings and not necessarily spiritual ones (see Psalm 17:14). God gives gracious benefits, of different kinds, and we can observe at least these truths: 1. Spiritual blessings and material blessings can/should be distinguished. Categories are good. 2. Spiritual blessings are greater than material blessings. Priorities are proper. 3. Spiritual blessings are rooted in God's work through the Jews. “To the Jew first and also to the Greek.” 4. Spiritual blessings are no guarantee of material blessings. 5. Spiritual blessings are not threatened by material blessings. All are yours. Being poor is not more spiritual, though saints can be poor, as in Jerusalem. There is no prosperity gospel. And there probably should be another truth added. 6. Material blessings used rightly can increase spiritual blessings. This is part of why Paul cared so much about the contribution, and what he hoped it would accomplish. In the Millennial Kingdom, the New Covenant package of blessings includes new hearts *and* restored land and fruitful trees and whole/healthy bodies. For now, it is a spiritual blessing to recognize and give thanks for material blessings. God is the ultimate source of both, the response of joyful thanks and stewardship apply to both. # Conclusion Paul knew that *koinonia* in Christ could be expressed and INCREASED through *koinonia* in cash/coin. The Christians throughout the Roman Empire were at early stages of changing Western Civilization due to their God-given blessings, and the saints in the chosen nation weren't sure about it yet. This collection increased *koinonia* (between Gentile and Jewish Christians). Material blessings were not merely redistributed. More and better blessings (for all) were created by the giving (of some). That work continues today in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. More to come in the paragraph. ---------- ## Charge With all your blessings—spiritual things and material things—you ought to share and serve and bless. Give as the Lord your God blesses you. Give and it will be given to you. Give in order to create MORE blessings, more fellowship, more joy, more true wealth. ## Benediction: > May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. (Romans 15:33 ESV)

86: Bold Ambitions (Pt 2)

February 4, 2024 • Sean Higgins • Romans 15:14–21

We are part of a great offering of nations being sanctified by the Holy Spirit to be presented to God. Paul wrote Romans as part of that gospel work, and the first part of this paragraph lifts us up to the glory in that work. The second half of the paragraph, verses 17-21, belongs with the first part, but is more historical. As I said last week, starting in 15:14 Paul finishes off his letter with more personal than theological issues, and here he’s moving toward why he’s been trying to come and visit the Romans. He’s got bold ambitions. The first part of the bold ambition is that he’s aiming for the nations to be made an acceptable offering to God through the gospel. This has to do with their believing and then obeying the gospel. “Jesus is Lord” is the right confession, and it changes all our conduct and culture. This ambition had been Paul’s aim as an apostle, and his letter to the Romans had included some bold reminders because, though he saw signs of God’s grace among them, he wanted more for them. The second part of his bold ambition is that Paul aimed himself at places that had never heard the the name of Christ. He was what we might call a frontier missionary or pioneer missionary. Lots of jobs in lots of places belong with the preparing of an offering by the gospel, but Paul’s job was especially to take the gospel to places that had no knowledge of it. He’d been choosing his itinerary accordingly. In verses 17-21 he shares his excitement about God’s work through him and shares his ambition to cover even more new ground. (One of my Greek texts — UBS4 has verses 17-21 as one sentence, and the ESV only has two sentences, 17 and 18-21. Another Greek text — THGNT has separate sentences for 17-19, 20-21. My point in mentioning that is to say there’s reasonable disagreement as to where the divisions happen.) # Work Boast (verse 17) There’s a “therefore” or a **then**, connecting this boast to his bold project. > In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. (Romans 15:17 ESV) **Reason to be proud** is the usual word for a boast, a thing that he can “glory” (KJV) in. There’s only so much that Christians are allowed to humble-brag about. Paul is able to make a big deal about “the (things he’s done) for God,” and even still, those were only done **in Christ Jesus**. He’s about to explain what things/work he’s referring to, and it’s already been quite ambitious. # Work Area (verses 18a, 19b) If you’re reading an ESV you can see the dashes, separating off a sort of parenthesis. Before and after those dashes we get a statement of his accomplishments. > For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience…so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; (Romans 15:18a, 19b ESV) **I venture** is related to the world “boldly” in verse 15 (τολμηρότερον and τολμήσω); he was daring in some of his reminders to them but he would not dare in his boasting before them. His reminders were bold, but he’s not so bold as to talk about anything except **what Christ has accomplished through me**. What is that? It’s been the evangelization of parts of Syria and Turkey and Greece. “Resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles” (NASB). Again, **the Gentiles** are the *ethne*, and here is their obedience *of faith*. “The obedience of faith” bookends the entire epistle (1:5, 16:25), and is only used in those two verses. Romans is *the* place to go for justification by faith *alone*. There is no earning salvation by works. And also, the gospel includes a command to believe, and living faith obeys the commands of Christ. This who know the Great Commission hear the connection, we are baptized into Christ and then taught to obey all that Christ commanded. Paul is doing that work among the peoples. Specifically he’s worked **from Jerusalem…to Illyricum**. Illyricum is the area on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea that covers what we now recognize as Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, and North Macedonia. That he worked from one and to the other probably he means all the area in between; the names are the edges. ![](http://illyricum-to-jerusalem-scaled.jpg) [source](https://http://www.evidenceunseen.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/illyricum-to-jerusalem-scaled.jpg) And to **have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel** he doesn’t mean that all of them are ready to be presented as the offering to God, but that now those places heard the name of Christ. # Work Means (verses 18b-19a) This insert isn’t an afterthought, but it is a short clarification. It’s not necessary for the sentence, but it does give explanation as to the means of the accomplishment. > —by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God— (Romans 15:18–19 ESV) Paul did more than Francis of Assisi (who supposedly said "Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words”), Paul lived and spoke (and wrote). The **deed**s are probably explained by the phrase **by power of signs and wonders**, and the last two words probably “refer to the same events viewed from different aspects” (Murray); a miracle amazes and it points. While preaching and debating, Paul had healed a man born lame in Lystra, he’d expelled a demon from a slave prophetess in Philipp, and he’d raised Eutychus back to life even though he fell asleep during a sermon. These all were brought about by the **power of the Holy Spirit**. # Work Ambition (verse 20) Here’s his particular **ambition**, his aim; he “aspired” (NASB). > and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, (Romans 15:20 ESV) A place where Christ has **been named** is not a place where everyone has become a Christian, but a place where anyone could become a Christian. It’s hard for us to go back and consider what life was like before Jesus. I’ve mentioned before [_The Book That Made Your World_](https://www.amazon.com/book-that-made-your-world/dp/1595555455), and what a privilege to have our own copies of the Bible, but even to live in this generation that stands on the shoulders of Book People. Going through Omnibus, the modern period is dark, but not because the Light hasn’t come. The light is on a stand in the middle of the room, but we’ve put a basket over the light. That was not always the case. Paul was taking the Light into places that had never seen it. By God’s grace so many peoples have heard the name of Jesus, and the apostle John saw in times to come “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9 ESV). And yet according to the [Joshua Project](https://joshuaproject.net) website today there are 17,281 People Groups (*ethne*), with 7,246 still Unreached, some 3.4 billion people. The offering is not ready. Going is NOT the calling/program/ambition of all, but it is the work of some. We wouldn’t say that there are modern apostles, but there are still evangelists and church planters. Others build on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, continuing the sanctification of the offering. # Work Fulfillment (verse 21) Those of us who have complete copies of God’s Word recognize this as Isaiah 52:15. > but as it is written, > > “Those who have never been told of him will see, > and those who have never heard will understand.” > (Romans 15:21 ESV) In Romans 15:17-21, Christ is named explicitly in every verse except 21, which is a prophecy of Isaiah referring to "Him," the Servant of the Lord, the Messiah. The salvation of Gentiles was prophesied. In that context are “the world-wide effects of the Messiah’s sacrifice” (Murray). For those who know the context in Isaiah 52:13-15, God’s servant will shut the mouths of kings, He will be their king, and we know Him as “our Lord Jesus Christ” (so named in Romans 15:6, 30). # Conclusion Paul pushed for MORE, unto sanctification and into Spain! If it’s not broke, let’s get further west, and beyond. In one way we are the ends of the earth, 6,742 miles from Jerusalem to Marysville. And also, the offering isn’t ready just yet; the fulness of the Gentiles has not yet come in (Romans 11:25). Let us not take gospel obedience for granted. Children, do you believe it? You know the name of Christ, do you believe and love and obey Him? The gospel is God’s power for salvation both far and near. ---------- ## Charge Beloved, you are probably not boasting enough in what Christ has accomplished through you. And, beloved, you are probably not being ambitious enough in pursuit of Christ accomplishing even more through you. Let your boasts in Christ, and ambitions for Christ, be BOLD. ## Benediction: > Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25–27 ESV)

85: Bold Ambitions (Pt 1)

January 28, 2024 • Sean Higgins • Romans 15:14–16

From Romans 15:14 we’re headed downhill toward the last “Amen” in the letter. Verse 13 (which we looked at last November) is a great benediction, a good word that bookends the last major division of the application/implications (that started in 12:1) which addressed brothers welcoming one another as Christ has welcomed us (14:1-15:13). What remains is more personal, with some reminders from Paul about his commitment to the church in Rome as part of his commission to take the gospel to the nations. The paragraph covers verses 14-21. We’re going to take it in two parts. Verses 18-21 are probably one sentence, and it’s a sentence that begins by explaining verse 17; we’ll pick up at that point next time. For now verses 14-16 are a feast, more than an explanation for the epistle and his *tone*, they are an expression of Paul’s *life aim*. This is enough to get someone fired up; it certainly fired up the apostle. You know a lot about the apostle Paul. For that matter, we’ve been with him for fourteen and a half chapters (386 verses, 84 previous sermons) of this letter. If you had five minutes to write one sentence of Paul’s life mission, what would you say? You could hardly improve on Colossians 1:28, or even Philippians 1:25. Before he describes his work product (verses 17-21), he describes and defends what pushes his work. It wasn’t that he was discouraged about the Romans, it’s that his objective was so *ambitious*. Two parts: his confidence in God’s work among them and his compelling desire for God to accept them. Paul was well pleased with them, he wanted God to be fully pleased with them. # Confident Approval (verse 14) Paul wrote an awful long letter to some people he was convinced had everything they needed. > I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. (Romans 15:14 ESV) This is *personal*, **I myself** and **you yourselves**, along with the **my brothers**. It’s personal and emphatic and affectionate. It’s also *confident*. He starts by saying he’s **satisfied**, alright, also “convinced” (NASB) or “fully convinced” (NET), “persuaded” (KJV) as in, having been brought to a particular point of view. He had his info, and had no doubts. About what? His confidence was in their *maturity*. They were **full**, **filled with all**, **able**. It’s astounding, considering that the church in Rome had to have been less than a decade old, and Paul had never been there (see verse 22). But Paul thanked God for them, “because your faith is proclaimed in all the world” (1:8). Here their faith manifested in character: **full of goodness**. Their faith was not ignorant or sentimental, but they were: **having been filled with all knowledge**. (And that was true *before* having heard the contents of this letter.) And their knowledge was of the kind that was for the community, not just the individual: **able to instruct one another**, though “admonish” (KJV, NASB) would be better; assuming a standard and helping one another toward it in “congregational obligation” (Morris). (This was apparently true in spite of the stronger/weaker brother tangles.) They had goodness, knowledge, and capacity for speaking the truth in love and building up one another in the body. That’s some reputation, and Paul accepts it, affirms it, and yet is both pleased and not satisfied. This reference in _Mere Christianity_ isn’t exactly the same, yet there’s some overlap. > “As a great Christian writer (George MacDonald) pointed out, every father is pleased at the baby’s first attempt to walk: no father would be satisfied with anything less than a firm, free, manly walk in a grown-up son. In the same way, he said, **‘God is easy to please, but hard to satisfy.’”** # Compelling Ambition (verses 15-16) With that kind of endorsement, what else to they need? I don’t think that Paul is merely being polite; he’s plainly thankful for them, while also having such a massive goal that he can’t consider his work done. > But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:15–16 ESV) I referred to these verses a couple weeks ago applied to sermons and especially the word of reminders. Who’s to say that every Christian in Rome knew every bit of Paul’s teaching on sinfulness and guilt, on righteousness by faith and in our walk, on the love of God for groaning sufferers, on God’s blessing some to make Jews jealous that they would return to Christ, let alone all the particulars on presenting ourselves as living sacrifices. And so what if one of them said, “I know all that.” Paul still knew what God’s grace to him was for. He wasn’t just reminding, some of his reminders were **written to you very boldly**. In the original text **boldly** or audaciously is the first word in the sentence, grabbing attention. He wasn’t holding back, wasn’t reluctant to remind them. It was part of his calling. That’s what the **grace given to me by God** refers to, not his salvation, but his apostleship, as evidenced by the fantastic progression of his purpose in verse 16. He was a **minister of Christ Jesus**. It’s not the usual word for minister/servant, it’s *leitourgon* (λειτουργὸν), a man who leads in public service, typically in worship settings, but sometimes of the work of government officials. There’s a pattern to follow, a proper ordering of things. Of course our word liturgy descends from it. For sake of our mediation, he was a *liturgizer* of Jesus. This was aimed mostly at *τὰ ἔθνη* (same as the object of the Great Commission), the “nations” or the “peoples,” so not *the* nation, Israel, but the rest, so the ESV translates it, **the Gentiles**, all ethnicities other than his own (his Israelite brothers, Romans 9:2-3, 10:1, 11:1). Unlike his usual analogies (shepherd, builder, father, etc.), here Paul likens his work as **priestly service of the gospel of God**. He’s been talking about “the gospel of God” since the start: “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1 ESV). The gospel is the good news *about* the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and of peace through faith, but the whole news is from and through and to God. This priesting work was preparing an offering, **that the offering of the Peoples may be acceptable**. He considered the whole “fullness of the Gentiles” (τῶν ἐθνῶν - see Romans 11:25) — as many as were appointed to eternal life (see Acts 13:48) — as a “gift” brought as an expression of service. The gospel is making, transforming, *adorning*, a gift-people. You are part of that gift. > “[D]oubtless this is the priesthood of the Christian pastor, that is, to sacrifice men, as it were, to God, by bringing them to obey the gospel.” —John Calvin Such an acceptable offering is only possible as **sanctified by the Holy Spirit**. All three persons of the Trinity are working, and all three are honored as the offering is surrendered for His pleasure. The gospel can be summarized, and, its aims are sweeping, both for each believer and among the nations. As confident as Paul was in their faith, he was compelled by his bold ambition (also verse 20). In this case, if it's not broke, press the gas pedal. # Conclusion Is your character full of goodness? Are you filled with the knowledge of God and His will? Are you ready to come along side your brothers so that they might walk even better in newness of life, for altar-living? If yes, praise the Lord! You’re still not done for the Lord, and in particular, *we all* are being consecrated for presentation to the Lord. This is group jealousability for serious. The gospel of God is the power of God for salvation, from faith to faith, making an obedient offering to God. The gospel does more than get into your head, it messes with *all* our stuff. ---------- ## Charge Individually, we are meant for altar-living. Corporately, we are meant for completed, consecrated communing, to be an offering acceptable to God. He has purposed our whole group holiness and health. He has bold ambitions for us, to make us pleasing to Him. Live your amen, so let it be. ## Benediction: > Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. > > The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24, 28 ESV)

84: A Welcome Hope

November 19, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 15:7–13

Hope is as good as God’s Word. We learn what hope is, and what our hope is in, from Scripture. The strength and power of our hope comes from the trustworthiness of Scripture. Our confidence in what Scripture tells us to hope for in the future comes from what Scripture reveals about all the realities that God has fulfilled so far. That should sound advent/Christmas related. In fact I’ve used Romans 15:4-13 four times in our annual Christmas Eve service Scripture readings. Just as God promised to send a Savior to earth and did, so also God promised to set up a King in a kingdom on earth, which He will. One good advent deserves another, and here we are learning how to behave and wait—while everyone doesn’t agree on everything—*in hope*. Since the start of Romans 14 the instruction is about living in light of the coming Lord’s unique position. He is the one to whom we will give account, He is our Master, we serve Him. So we can get off our brother’s case regarding his diet choices. We pray for the kingdom to come to earth as it is in heaven, and we reckon that the kingdom is a matter of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (14:17). So eat and honor the Lord and give thanks or *don’t* eat, yet still with honor and thanks. Either way, take off the judgy-pants and put on your joy-pants. *Welcome* your brother (15:7), like 14:1. Welcoming is how it started, and welcoming should be how it’s going. How it started was receiving, and how it’s going is still receiving *with hope that it’s going to happen for God’s glory*. For all of the possible problems between people, God’s purpose and God’s power are still on track to accomplish all God’s promises. That’s a reason for hope. # Glorious Welcome (verse 7) Based on God’s granting of unity to glorify Him (verses 5-6), there is responsibility to embrace that unity. > Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7 ESV) **Welcome** is the same word and imperative as opened this section of the letter in 14:1. It has the idea of taking toward (oneself), of receiving as into one’s home or circle of acquaintances. Open the door and invite them in. The strong were told to *welcome* the weak in faith (14:1), and the weak were told to stop judging the eaters because of God’s *welcome* (14:4). The **one another** in 15:7 covers them both. And the standard calls us to level up. Don’t just *welcome* because Christ is Lord, but *welcome* **just as also Christ received you.** Christ bore reproaches of God’s enemies to receive His people, and that all happened **for the glory of God**. But this must also apply to us *welcoming* others like Christ. Do you want to glorify God? It is as obvious as patterning your welcome of the brothers after Jesus, and as onerous. Study the Scriptures for endurance/encouragement/example and welcome your brothers for the glory of God. # Covenant Welcome (verse 8) The welcome of Christ gets higher than divisions about disputable matters and touches people groups. > For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, (Romans 15:8 ESV) This has explanatory power for our welcoming of one another over issues of meat and wine and days and such, but bringing in the Jew/Gentile distinction doesn’t map onto strong/weak differences, as if one ethnicity of Christian necessarily was more able or less able in choices by faith. If there is one thing we’ve learned, it’s that (almost) anyone can have any problem. That said, the problem between Jewish Christians and non-Jewish Christians was a thing that required a lot of parchment in the first few centuries of the church. The believers in Rome were living with such tensions. Even though most Jews rejected Jesus as Messiah and would not confess Him as Lord, Paul, a Jew (Romans 9:3), said **Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God** (NASB). What is the **truth**? It’s **the promises given to the patriarchs**. And what were those promises? They had heard about a Seed who would save them (Genesis 3:15). The Lord promised to make Abraham a great nation, to bless that people and make them a blessing (Genesis 12:1-3), and to give them promised land (Genesis 13:14-15). Why refer to them as **the circumcision** rather than “Jews” or “Israelites” as previously in Romans? Probably because circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic *Covenant* (Genesis 17:4-13). To the Israelites belonged the covenants and the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and the Christ (Romans 9:4-5). Christ served the circumcised **in order to confirm the promises**. It’s important that Paul does not say in order to *fulfill* the promises, as if all the promises had been *completed* by Christ. They have been **confirmed**, “put beyond doubt” (BAGD), validated. The Gentiles might have thought that God was finished with Israel, but they shouldn’t have. The Jews are welcomed by Christ because of God’s covenant. # Merciful Welcome (verses 9-12) The Scriptures that were given for endurance and encouragement that lead to hope also foresaw a Son of Jacob/Israel that would save *the world*. Salvation blessings were covenanted to Israel and purposed for the nations. > and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. (Romans 15:9 ESV) The only covenant made with the nations is that God would not destroy them with a flood (Genesis 9), though even that was technically a covenant to Noah, and there weren’t any nations at that point. And yet, while choosing Israel as His national people, God purposed to bring Himself glory through every tribe, tongue, language, and people. He would show them **His mercy**. The good news is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16). All this was *prophesied*. No Scripture proofs were needed to corroborate Christ’s receiving of Jews; it would have been surprising if Israel did not receive God’s mercy. These multiple texts, though, leave no doubt about mercy extended; it shouldn’t have been surprising that Gentiles would receive God’s mercy. Paul weaves together four quotes in a row, from the Law, the Writings/Psalms, and the Prophets. The Jews might not have expected Christ to welcome the Gentiles, but only if they didn’t read their Scriptures. The first Scripture is Psalm 18:49. > As it is written, > “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, > and sing to your name.” (Romans 15:9 ESV) The second Scripture is Deuteronomy 32:43. > And again it is said, > “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” (Romans 15:10 ESV) The third Scripture is Psalm 117:1. > And again, > “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, > and let all the peoples extol him.” (Romans 15:11 ESV) The fourth Scripture is Isaiah 11:10. > And again Isaiah says, > “The root of Jesse will come, > even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; > in him will the Gentiles hope.” (Romans 15:12 ESV) Jesus is the Son of David, and it was to David that God covenanted a descendent who would be the King of kings. The Gentiles are welcomed by Christ because of God’s mercy. # Hopeful Welcome (verse 13) Just as I argued that the benediction/prayer ended the previous paragraph (verses 5-6), so this section ends with another fantastic expression of divine blessing. > May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13 ESV) The **God of hope** compares with “the God of endurance and encouragement” in verse 5. The reference to the **Holy Spirit** compares to “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” in verse 6; it’s a Trinitarian project. The God of hope is enabling and empowering **hope**. Three times **hope** in verses 12-13. There is hope for you, hope for me, hope for the world, hope by the Spirit through the Word in the Son of the God of hope. God fills us that we might overflow/**abound in hope**. # Conclusion If we are not allowed to despise a brother over meat, which he can choose, we certainly are not allowed to despise a brother over his ethnicity, which he did not and cannot choose. It’s a welcome hope, as in, a hope better than we were hoping for. It’s also a hope that enables us to welcome others. The only reason we don’t laugh at this international praising project is because we can look back at almost two-thousand years of God’s mercy in the lives of disciples of all nations. The Lord’s covenant and promises are on their way to being fulfilled, but it has not all happened just yet. The promises to the patriarchs are not completed, nor are they consumed in Christ as the terminal end; they will all be fulfilled *through* Him. Our Lord, come! Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His mercy to all peoples, and so welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. ---------- ## Charge Give thanks for the Messiah who confirms promises. Give thanks for the mercy of God that teaches you to rejoice. Give thanks, with all joy, and praise the Lord with your mouths, in songs and at suppers. Look to the Lord who blesses us, and who will return to rule us all. ## Benediction: > May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13 ESV)

83: Teaching Strength

November 12, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 15:1–6

Back at the beginning of the application part of Paul’s letter, he told “everyone among you not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12:3). It’s part of altar-living, actually, to live by faith, and not to put on bigger ski-boots than your skis can handle. We’re now starting into chapter 15, still talking about application for altar-living, and still talking about living by faith. One way to measure your sober judgment on the strength of your faith is by what your strength *does*. It’s really cool that a man thinks his faith is big stuff because he can drink wine, but is he being patient with his brother whose conscience can’t? It’s preferable to be strong, Paul saw himself as strong, and he described the work of the strong as *building up others* rather than tearing down, or even just distancing from. In other words, if you’re so strong, why isn’t there more peace in your relationships? By God’s grace, the strong are strong in order to *endure*, and the greater true strength of faith in a body there is, the more harmonious the life of singing. We show strength not because we all agree, but when we love one another through disagreements, especially about disputable things, as we’ve been considering since the start of chapter 14. The right approach here is not “Who cares?!” We are told to care, to be fully convinced, and that whatever doesn’t come from faith is *sin*; living by faith isn’t laissez faire. Loving right rights is righteous, that’s the fruit of faith, the obedience of faith. And as we care *more*, we care rightly, we keep the top care at the top, loving and serving and *pleasing* our brother. The instructions about getting along continue into the first couple paragraphs of Romans 15. Verses 1-6 not only give a summary exhortation about strength, but a Scriptural example, and a prayer-like expectation. # The Duty of Strength (verses 1-2) A parent is not only supposed to be the mature one when there’s a problem, the parent is supposed to help his kid learn the right way to handle the problem, for the whole family’s benefit. So also in the church family. > We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:1–2 ESV) This **strong** and **weak** are different words than in chapter 14, but the idea is the same. Some are more able to enjoy more things by faith, they are the strong. **Obligation** is an intriguing teaching; in this relationship the strong have an assigned *function*, they are answerable for their part. The job is **to bear with the failings of the weak**. But this is a different use of “bear” than how we often think of “putting up with,” just enduring what is unpleasant from another person. That sort of “bearing with” is the bottom floor expectation. The obligation here is to “pick up and carry” as to a better place. The strong hold the line *for* the weak, in the places where the weak are weak. The strong are the load bearing walls for the house. The second part of the obligation is **not to please ourselves**. Tyndale translated it as “not to stande in our owne consaytes,” in modern English: “not to stand in our own conceits,” where we let our ego and our self-regard for our preferences take precedence. Verse 2 redirects the pleasing impulse. **Each of us** (strong and weak, with carry-over expectations mostly to the strong) the **neighbor(brother)** should **please**, and that for his good and toward edification. It’s good for our brothers to be strong, and for us to help them be strong. Strength sustains the weak, and strength begets strength. Strength also satisfies the weak. On this obligation of pleasing, it doesn’t mean taking a survey, it doesn’t mean the weak is in the Seat of Power, it doesn’t mean the weak one immediately sees it as for his good. All of this requires wisdom and love, and nerve. Avoiding isn’t building either. But in what way can the able-ones defer for the good of the unable? There’s an example of what this looks like in the next verse. # The Standard of Strength (verses 3-4) If Paul had already written Philippians (which he probably didn’t for another 5 years), he could have quoted himself about the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11). He still looks to the ultimate example. > For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:3–4 ESV) There’s actually an extra conjunction at the start of verse 3, not just **for** but “For even/also” (καὶ γὰρ). Christ’s example isn’t jammed in where it doesn’t belong. A couple things really beg for some attention here. In reading the Gospels, would you say “Christ aimed to please His neighbor?” That’s not how I’d put it, yet Paul said, **Christ did not please himself**. We’re supposed to be looking at Christ’s life as a model for our motivations. But then look at the explanation of *what it meant* that Christ didn’t please Himself, and who He was aiming to please: ** but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”** It’s a quote from Psalm 69:9. It’s a David song, and applies in its context to David first. Zeal for the LORD’s house consumed David, and later was obviously applied to David’s Son, Jesus (John 2:17). And because of David’s trust in the Lord, he took the brunt of complaints from men who did not trust the Lord. In a greater way Jesus pleased His neighbors by taking their shots, and in His case, to the point of humble death as a servant in sacrifice. He didn’t just do whatever others said that they wanted, but what was for others good, and at the greatest cost. Paul justifies his application of the Psalm to the Messiah like he justifies application of *all* the inspired Scriptures to *us* as believers. I’m not Jesus, or David, or Moses, or Abraham, or Rahab, or Rebekah, or Samson, or all the others time fails us to tell of (see Hebrews 11:32ff). God knows we’re not Jesus, and yet He calls us through His Word to learn how to live like Jesus and the obedient saints. We get **instruction**, teaching, from the things written beforehand, the **Scriptures**. From that teaching we get **endurance**, the ability to remain under a burden; patience is fine, but the better sense is *fortitude*. From that teaching we get **encouragement**, or comfort. It’s heavy, it hurts, but the Word gives **hope**. Big Q: hope for *what*? For the hope that when we seek to please Christ as we love one another, He will help us and increase our harmony, *even* when people are acting like incapable babies. Strength for the fight of faith? Strength for salt and light and witness (see Romans 15:9ff)? Strength for good works? Yes, and amen, and the Scriptures teach us *strength for getting along with each other*. # The Gift of Strength (verses 5-6) A benediction, a prayer, part of Paul’s vision of hope as informed by the Scriptures. > May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5–6 ESV) When we talk about God’s attributes, we should include His **endurance** and His **encouragement**; He is the “God of endurance and encouragement.” And when we think about why the world is the way it is, and we acknowledge that the ultimate end for which God created the world is for His glory to be known and rejoiced in, then we should sit for a bit with the reality that for God to show off His infinitely excellent endurance He’ll have ordained a lot of parts of the story we’d rather skip. Endurance is inverse to skipping, the antithesis of quitting. He also is the God of encouragement, of consolation, of comfort. This God has given His Word, and through that Word He gives unity in worship. We have one-another **harmony**, or we are “of the same mind” (NASB), a shared-thinking according to Christ” With the purpose for same-minded and one-mouthed glorifying God. # Conclusion If we’re going to be jealousable (Romans 11:13-14), we can’t be jealous of one another. If we’re going to build one another up, bitterness and suspicions (let alone backbiting, or frontbiting) must be constantly rooted out. Be strong and strengthen others, enduring and encouraged by the Scriptures, unto hopeful and harmonic singing as worshippers of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ---------- ## Charge If your home WiFi was out, how quickly would you move to troubleshoot to fix it? Your expectations are on the “work” part of network. Beloved, God is increasing the stability and strength of His signal to the world. We, as brothers, are the signal. So work and live and grow in harmony. ## Benediction: > May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5–6 ESV)

82: Blessed and Building Up

November 5, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 14:19–23

I’ve referred to this before, (as James Clear wrote) that "Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits. Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits. Your weight is a lagging measure of your eating habits” and so forth. Likewise a church’s (shared) peace is a lagging measure of each member’s habits of dying to bring life. Peace is a hard thing to pursue directly, but it is impossible to achieve without wanting it. I also like to remind us every once in a while that we always do what we *most* want to do. We might have multiple wants, and some of those wants compete or even conflict with each other. But the strongest want will win. Christians can tell what they want most, in the main, by what they have (their possessions are a lagging measure of their pursuits). It’s a decent mirror, regularly not flattering. Christians who want to look good more than do good will probably get what they want. Christians who want to be right more than anything will get that reputation; they’ll be known for their want (probably more than actual wisdom). Christians who want to be left alone will make little effort to the opposite. Christians who fight for their Christian liberty will at least think that the bruises are a result of them fighting the good fight, though the good is debatable. And, Christians who want other members to be blessed will try to build them up and “live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). Sola fide in Romans 3 might be easier to understand and practice than this application for those who are saved by grace in Christ in Romans 14. Submitting to the truths of God’s sovereignty in Romans 9 requires less sacrifice than this application for those who are serving for the glory of God alone in Romans 14. There are a few better-thans in verses 19-23. I actually think that it’s possible to see the connections/divisions in Paul’s thought better than what read in our verse divisions, and even the paragraph division. Verse 19 ends the previous paragraph in the ESV, I think it makes a better lead-off statement for the final paragraph. Wherever it’s better to put the tab-space, we’re going to cover it, and see three points. # Building Up Is Better Than Tearing Down (verses 19-20a) In the kingdom of God, righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit have precedence. We should show this precedence in what we pursue. > So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. (Romans 14:19-20a ESV) The contrast is between building up and tearing down, as with walls. Christians will construct or destruct *their own structure*. **So then** swings from verses 13-18, if not from 1-13. We’re to judge/decide never to stumble or trap or destroy a brother when it comes to disputable things (especially as the weak have convictions/opinions about things without a verse and turn their preference into a “THIS ONLY IS RIGHTEOUS!”). Here’s what we should do. “We should pursue the (things) of peace and the (things) of one-another building.” Note that peace is not the direct object. But peace has “things” that go with it, **what makes for** peace. So with **upbuilding**, a word that describes actual house-building (οἰκοδομή), the structure from construction, and so spiritually here as desiring the strengthening, the edifying, of our fellow house members. We are one body, we are one house. **Pursue** the peace and edification things. Chase, seek, strive for. *WANT IT*. Every believer’s “aim should be to help one another rather than to criticize or despise” (Morris). And so we’re prohibited from working against God. God is strengthening, and we are not to **destroy** or “tear down” (NASB) or do demolition when it comes to disputable things, like **food**. This is a broad word for eaten things, while meat and wine are mentioned explicitly in the next verse. **The work of God** is either your brother himself, or the household of brothers, a.k.a., the body, the church. # Fellowship Is Better Than Flaunting (verses 20b-22a) We’re reminded of the hierarchy of rights. > Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. (Romans 14:20b-22a ESV) In verse 14 Paul said “nothing is unclean in itself,” and in the middle of verse 20 he says, on the one hand, “all things (are) pure.” But there is another hand, and it’s the hand that ranks higher. There is **clean**/pure=καθαρὰ, but it is κακὸν=evil/**wrong** to eat and make a mess for your brother. καλὸν=**good**/right **not to eat meat or drink wine**, which refers to alcohol for the first time specifically in the chapter. But just as Paul said, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31), so he says *don’t* eat or *don’t* drink or *don’t* do whatever would cause your brother to fall. The first sentence in verse 22 belongs with this instruction, and is important for any number of things it does *not* mean. To **keep (your faith) between yourself and God** does not mean that faith is private or personal, as modern men often speak, as if faith could be separated from public or secular choices. Meat and wine are daily dinner stuff, or even potluck party stuff. “Keep ” (ESV) makes it sound quiet, but “have your own conviction before God” (NASB) means you are ready to give an account of yourself to God (verse 12). This is another way to say be fully convinced in your mind (verse 5), an introduction to doing what we do with a clear conscience (next in verse 22). Not eating meat or drinking wine doesn’t mean a once-and-for-all transition to vegetarian or tea-totaler. It doesn’t mean never eating in the privacy of your home. This whole chapter assumes discussion about disagreements. We only know that a brother is upset when there’s discussion; we cannot read his thoughts. In that discussion, following Paul’s example, we look at the truth, that “nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:4), *and* that not all can be thankful for it *yet*, and so we don’t need to flaunt it. Both the stronger and weaker brothers have temptations, but they are to remember that 1) God has welcomed the brother, 2) we live and die as the Lord’s, 3) we will give an account to God, and 4) we ought to want blessing for our brother. Fellowship is better than rubbing our preferences in a brother’s face. # Blessed Is Better Than Condemned (verses 22b-23) We will eat, but not all will eat blessing. > Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:22b-23 ESV) The two people: “the one not judging himself by what he’s approved,” and “the one doubting what he’s (functionally approved by) eating.” One is **blessed**, one is **condemned**. Don’t go against your conscience, and, seek to inform your conscience with what is right. (See also Ecclesiastes 9:7.) **All which (is) not from faith is sin.** From faith to faith is a big deal (starting from Romans 1:17). Decisions and fellowship must not be driven by fear or guilt. A church eating and drinking but not by faith is pagan/worldly. A church not eating and drinking in the name of faith but really out of anxiety is weak. A church ripping each other’s decisions to shreds cannot say it’s by faith. # Conclusion We can work it out or get offended. We can work it out or stay immature. We can work it out or always be finding a new group of people to blame; church hop to shift blame. Pursuing peace is more than leaving others alone, and building them up in blessing is a *habit* to *pursue*. Food is better and blessed with faith. Fellowship is better and blessed by faith. Living by faith is the *only* way of salvation, the only way to have a clear conscience, the only way to please God, the only way of righteousness, the only way of recognizing that all are yours, and the only way of *fellowship*, at least for now. May the Lord make us strong in faith and blessed with peace and full of jealousable joy as His spiritual house. ---------- ## Charge When David fled from Saul and lived in the land ruled by Achish/Ambimelech, and acted insane and let spittle run down his beard to show that there was no reason for Achish to fear him, he had good reason to think about the man who desires life and wants to see good. Such a man would “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). So, Christian, in these days of great insanity, you must seek and strive for the things of peace and the things that build up your brothers. ## Benediction: > The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV)

81: The Right of Rights

October 29, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 14:13–18

There are three kinds of *right* in this paragraph. There is the kind of right that is not wrong, the kind of right that is a liberty, and the kind of right that is relational. With these three rights you can think something correctly, do something freely, enjoy something supremely. It’s great when all three line up together, but when they can’t, there is a *right* right, a highest right, a ranked right. As there is a holy of holies, so there is a right of rights. Paul continues his instructions about *disputable things* into the second half of Romans 14, and doesn’t finish until well into chapter 15. It’s a chapter and a half of instructions about loving our neighbor-brother, a thing that is of utmost importance and also of utmost difficulty. As disappointing as that is, it’s no surprise that our enemy would love nothing more than to attack at key fronts. The evil one hates nothing more than our joyful fellowship with each other. What is right and true is that all are yours. What is right and liberty is that you can enjoy, by faith in Christ, all that is yours. And what is right and relational is that your brother is among the all, fellowship with your brother is above the all. All are yours to enjoy, or to enjoy *not* enjoying, if that makes life with your brother better. Your brother is yours more than barbecue is yours. When we put barbecue over brother we’re burning the wrong ends. It’s possible to miss the right of rights in the name of lesser rights. We’ve seen it already in verses 1-12. We are judgment-making creatures, and one of the most important judgments we can make is to stop judging our brothers over disputable things. Judgment cuts two ways. The strong, referring to those who see and eat more freely by faith, judge-despise those who abstain (verse 3), and the weak, referring to those with more strict rules about what’s right, judge-condemn those who partake (also verse 3). We’re supposed to be convinced about what we do or don’t (verse 5), and we’re supposed to be honoring the Lord and thanking God in what we do or don’t (verse 6). All are ours, and we are the Lord’s (verse 8). Sanctification is a process of learning to love righteousness more than sin, which includes learning to love all the gifts and blessings that make us jealousable, and that involves learning that fellowship with the brothers trumps personal convenience/preference. We’ve been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son (Colossians 1:13), in whom we have righteousness and fellowship between saints. We ought not live like we’re still in the old kingdom, the kingdom of the world, where self-serving and distance and despising others is the way. There is the right requirement in verse 13, the right principle in verse 14, the right explanation in verse 15, the right conclusion in verse 16, and the right precedence in verses 17-18. # The Right Requirement (verse 13) Here’s more required response about judging. > Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. (Romans 14:13 ESV) Paul uses the same word negatively (**pass judgment**) and positively (**decide**) in both halves of this sentence. I think it’s less word play and more to show that it’s the application of judging that is good or bad, not the action of judging itself. We judge, but what and by what do we judge? We should **not pass judgment** on a brother, but we should **[judge] never to put a stumbling block** before a brother. This sequence adds to the requirements in verses 1-13. In that section we were to judge with right thinking about our brother, here we’re to judge that we could hurt our brother by doing what is technically right. A **stumbling block** and a **hindrance** share the quality of making difficult or even causing pain. One includes the idea of offending, the other of trapping. “Hindrance” is especially a weak translation compared to “occasion to fall” (KJV) or “pitfall” (HCSB), a thing that could entice one to sin. How might we make it more difficult for a brother? Not just by despising him, though that’s not right. We can make things more difficult for a brother by exercising lesser rights as if they were the highest right. # The Right Principle (verse 14) Only one English translation actually uses brackets around verse 14 (the HCSB), but the idea is what we might think of as kind of an inline footnote. > I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. (Romans 14:14 ESV) Because Jesus is Lord, and because we are in Him, all are ours (see 1 Corinthians 3:21-22). It’s hard to imagine a more emphatic way for Paul to put it. All the days, all the meats, all the wine, all the liberties are his, are ours (All the fulness-Psalm 24:1, the meat on a thousand hills-Psalm 50:10). The **unclean** terminology is basically “common,” as opposed to the sacred. The weaker brother thinks more things are unclean than are truly unclean. There’s great similarity in what Paul told the Corinthian Christians in 1 Corinthians 8. Whether or not the Roman Christians were struggling with the morality of meat offered to idols, the stronger-freer consciences relating to the weaker-encumbered consciences *is* the same. The true-right is that **nothing is unclean in itself**, clean/unclean isn’t a built-in of material things. So prohibition is not Paul’s principle. The liberty-right is to enjoy more, but the fact that not all see these first two right principles requires more. # The Right Explanation (verse 15) With the parenthesis out of the way, Paul explains more about the requirement. > For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. (Romans 14:15 ESV) The strong can **grieve** and **destroy** the weak (as can the weak grieve the strong, but that’s not the primary burden here). Giving grief that isn’t good is not only bad, it’s the opposite of loving one’s neighbor and it’s incompatible with the loving sacrifice of Christ. The atonement of Christ brings forgiveness and blessing and life, and to work against that works against the very purpose of the cross. The grief/destruction isn’t loss of salvation, but loss of thanks and joy in going against what faith allows. As I said, this is mostly aimed at the strong, But, can you see application for the weak? When the weak *claim* grief and hurt, when the weak use these claims to control, they are likewise grieving (with extra rules) and destroying (joy and liberty). Grief charges become weapons, and grievance mongers/victims are making a killing in our culture. # The Right Conclusion (verse 16) You’re fully convinced that all are yours and that all is good, but depending on how you hold it, you can make it look bad. > So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. (Romans 14:16 ESV) Don’t let “your the good” be blasphemed. You’re convinced about a good gift, and it causes someone else great grief. You give thanks for it (see verse 6), they bad mouth it. You can’t guarantee that someone won’t slander you. We’re blessed when we’re truly slandered, that is, when it’s a real lie. But we’re still in brother-with-one-another context, still in community fellowship, and there’s a way to love what you love—even when the “what” is right—and the other person is *right* to have nothing good to say about the “good.” # The Right Precedence (verses 17-18) Here’s another explanation for why we should recognize the right of fights based on the kind of subculture we live in. > For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. (Romans 14:17–18 ESV) The **kingdom of God** is the rule of God (mentioned only here in Romans). What are the keys to the kingdom? What has precedence in this kingdom? It is *not* externals *first*. This does not fulfill all the kingdom promises, but we are living differently in God’s rule now than will be when His kingdom is on earth as it is in heaven (which we pray to come!). In the meantime, the fellows who share the kingdom should share a fellowship. In this kingdom**righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit** have precedence. All of these are relational issues, and in this context we’re talking about *horizontal*/one-anothers and not vertical/Lord-servant issues. This is right/**acceptable** in the sight of God, as it is right/**approved** in the sight of men. Pleasing ourselves is *not* to be the precedence (see Romans 15:1, 3). # Conclusion Nothing in this paragraph is a discouragement against conversation, or teaching, *toward the better right of broad reception*. Don’t forget Paul’s parenthetical principle in verse 14. Keep in mind that disagreeing is not despising, and sharpening by a brother is not necessarily the brother condescending. Paul is not shutting down conversation, but he is shutting down condescension. Be patient, be kind, clothe yourselves with humility, grow up, give more thanks. Watch when you are eager for a fight. The strong are not strong because they have liberty not to love, their strength is what enables more liberty in how they love. Let’s pursue peace and building up one another (verse 19), living from faith to faith (verse 23). ---------- ## Charge Christian, at present you live in two cities, two kingdoms, the city of man and the kingdom of God. You will show which kingdom you value most by which kingdom’s gold you treasure most. Pursue *righteousness* and *peace* and *joy* in the Holy Spirit to build up and bless your brothers. ## Benediction: > So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16–18, ESV)

80: We Are the Lord's

October 15, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 14:5–12

Human beings are choosing machines. Well, we’re not actually machines, but we are choosy choosers always choosing. We are value recognizing, value assigning, and value pursuing people because we are image-bearers. God calls things good (or not), we’re made to reflect Him, and in the new life He’s given us we’re learning how to do it better. We make judgments, with good or bad reasons, but not with instincts like animals. We make judgments, about more or less important things, because we are not nihilists where nothing means anything. Because we are *fallen/sinful*, we get our judgments wrong sometimes, including our judgment of our own authority to judge. I’m not trying to be clever, but to acknowledge together some of the challenges we’re up against. While we live we can’t not make judgments, and when we get out of our lane crashes start to happen. This is especially true when it comes to disputable things, or indifferent things. On one hand, because Jesus is Lord, everything matters. On the other hand, because Jesus is Lord, everything doesn’t matter equally, or as obviously. What Romans 14:5-12 emphasizes is that because Jesus is Lord, whatever we choose should be *for* Him, *and* one of the things we must choose is to let our brothers choose differently than us for Him. Disputable things, in this context, are *moral* choices, or at least believed to be moral choices, or argued about as moral choices. This is not about the direction the toilet paper comes off the roll, though if you despise your brother over that, yikes. One dispute that goes around the internet every so often is yoga pants worn in public, and while the details of modesty are disputable, it’s not disputable that we’re to be modest. Likewise, there is probably some application here for sake of how we handle primary and secondary doctrines. Paul, no doubt, would rather have considered Romans 3 more critical than 14, yet here we are, following the Holy Spirit inspired instructions. We’re trying to figure out what needs breaking fellowship over, and fine. But don’t label everything a disputable thing in order to distance yourself from doing the work to develop and hold good convictions or good community. This passage requires the opposite. It’s as simple as our confession: we are the Lord’s. It is *not* as simple as saying: don’t worry about it. The first key is not to worry about the *wrong* things. The most important key is to be *thankful*. There are three parts to this paragraph, further explanation of verses 1-4. # Thankful Judgments (verses 5-6) Here we see another example of disputable things, and the two step plan for what to do about it. > One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:5–6 ESV) The word **esteems** works well, but what is it to esteem if not to judge? It is, in fact, the same original word as “pass judgement” in verse 3. We evaluate and then we choose. The judgment in verse 5 concerns special days. There are the *better* days (or “holy/sacred” days) group, however many they have, and the “all” days are good group. Jews had a few feast days during the year, and Jews of course had the Sabbath day set apart every week; it was one day above other days. Gentiles also had public party days, though many of those celebrations were devoted to idols, so Paul probably wasn’t promoting that the same way as he allowed for buying meat previously offered to idols. It’s noteworthy that the Sabbath isn’t mentioned once in Romans, and the only other sure time Paul refers to it is in Colossians 2:16 in which “let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.” Some think one is above, some think all are alike. We kind of want to know which **day** was so important so we can decide who is *wrong*. But the instruction is different: **Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.** It’s not “Just let it go.” It’s not even “Why not both?” You need to do what you think is right, and you need to think that it’s right for your brother to do the same. Demonstrated here is a “diversity of approved conviction” (Murray). Community doesn’t depend on conformity in disputable things. **In honor of the Lord…in honor of the Lord…in honor of the Lord**. Are you making judgments, proactively, to honor Him? Or are you afraid, and reacting, thinking the Lord will be irritated? And then **he gives thanks to God…gives thanks to God**. Liberty *for*, never liberty *from*, the Lord. What’s *not* right is choosing out of fearfulness. Anxiety is not weak faith, it’s the opposite of faith. Weak is one thing, worried is another. We should give the Lord our anxieties, but we do not serve Him in anxieties. He’s not more pleased by our level of freaking out. We do not choose out of fearfulness but out of thankfulness. As such we are not fastidious, which originally meant not just attentive to detail, but with an attitude of loathing. We’re not fully convinced so that we can justify feeling superior to our brother. If it’s so jealousable, sweet, show us, and stop hassling one another. Choose your weapon for the Lord, steak and/or Brussels sprouts. Wield it with thanks to God. Those fully convinced about disputable things are thankful to the Lord, not fearful or fastidious. # Life and Death Judgments (verses 7-9) The principle of honoring the Lord extends to every square inch and every second on earth. > For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (Romans 14:7–9 ESV) Because it’s almost too obvious, let’s note that four times in these few verses we’re talking about what the **Lord** is interested in; His cares are comprehensive. Godliness, altar-living, piety, cannot be restricted to only some types of activities/choices/judgments/locations/seasons. Living and dying take us from life’s first cry to final breath, all in Christ alone. Living is made up of judgments/choices, our physical dying is usually less of a choice, but, how we get there and in some cases how we go, is an ultimate, and final, choice. We don’t have privacy from the Lord. We don’t have “our” things and His things. So even the disputable things can be and *should* be done for the Lord, while we acknowledge that our brother is doing the same. It’s not a *threat*, it is a comfort. Also, the position of **Lord** has been settled. Verse 9 belongs among the great statements of God’s purpose. **For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.** We think *correctly* about Christ’s death and resurrection “for our sins” and for our salvation. The Messiah is *Savior*. He was “delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25). “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). *And* He came to take up His authority as “Lord of all” (Romans 10:12), Jew and Greek, heaven and earth. Jesus is Lord. He will be recognized by all, by His brothers and eventually by His haters. And the very practical application of this is to get off our brother’s back. Those possessed by the Lord hold no disputable things privately from the Lord. # Accountable Judgments (verses 10-12) Good questions and a great quotation. > Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; > for it is written, > “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, > and every tongue shall confess to God.” > So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10–12 ESV) Hey, “you,” and “you” again, why are you doing this? Why do you think it’s your deal? This is “unreasonable boldness” (per John Calvin). The quote in verse 11 is from Isaiah 45:23. Paul used it again in Philippians 2:10-11. (Of note, Isaiah 45 is God’s anointed appointment of Cyrus, the king of Persia, who was *not* a God-fearer, but still a chosen instrument to bless Israel in the return of the Jews and rebuilding of the temple). The recognition of Christ as Lord has only begun to be fulfilled among us, but it *will be completed*. Facts: **we will all stand before the judgment seat of God** and **each of us will give an account of himself to God.** This is true for *believers*, even though we are justified by faith not works, we will get to tell God what works we did for Him. That includes our choices about meat and veggies, and it includes our choices about who to confront about what and how we did it. We’ll give an account of how often we played the Lord rather than honor the Lord as representatives. From a receiving end, I have thought for a long time that giving account to my brothers is good preparation for giving account to God, *certainly* if they see my disobedience, and I’d include if they have questions about the disputable. The instructions in Romans 14 are less about stiff-arming the inquiries of others and more about making better judgments. If we can/should give the benefit of the doubt, then that includes the over-confronters; “bearing with one another.” Those prepared to answer to the Lord refuse to break fellowship over disputable things. # Conclusion Pastorally I’ve observed that those who are quickest to point at others typically do so as a distraction from their own insecurities, and some of those with the highest standards are among the worst hypocrites. Others are actually mad at a third/unnamed issue, but feel that they can get a dig in with the presenting problem. As for counsel on how to interact with one another about disputable things, in addition to Paul’s requirements for our perspective, you can hardly ever go wrong by asking questions. Start with questions toward a conclusion, not the other way around. And as for the “Tone Police,” that can be rough. But at least be sure to *welcome* (as Paul said) like you know the Lord is watching. To feast or fast, to live or die, in honor of the Lord and giving thanks to God is not a crushing burden, it is a comfort against unreasonable criticism by our brothers, a protection from being unreasonably critical toward our brothers, and a spur to genuine jealousability. ---------- ## Charge Ah, how tempted we are to live in fear. How tempted we are to throw off hope, optimism, good cheer. How much sin we see in the world, and how quickly we determine our brothers are doing stupid things. We are easily discouraged by the atrocities, apostasies, and maybe worst: the apathies. But Christian, live by faith. Christian, look to the Lord, and keep exhorting one another to look to the Lord as well. Beloved, God is faithful! ## Benediction: > [Y]ou are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:7–9, ESV)

79: Welcoming the Welcomed

October 8, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 14:1–4

This paragraph has something for everyone. All the paragraphs in Scripture do, and this one has some special perspective adjustments. Romans 12 took us from the glories of inseparable union with Christ revealed in the first 11 chapters to practical altar living. Through the last two chapters we’ve been urged to avoid worldliness, to live as one body, to not take personal vengeance, to submit to earthly authorities, to love our neighbors, and to live as light in a culture of darkness. Chapter 14 continues with gospel application for believers, but makes one big point from 14:1 to 15:13. What could be so important that we need to give it so much attention? The “all the commandments are summed up as love your neighbor as yourself” wasn’t enough? Yeah, apparently not. Sheep still have conflict with each other. And alright. Our convictions are built like our muscles, in more than one sitting. Christians do have convictions, Christians don’t always have the *same* convictions, and Christians living in the same community without the same convictions often have conflict. The conflict gets hot because we think TRUTH and RIGHTEOUSNESS are at stake. We think CHRIST’S NAME and HIS HONOR are at stake. And all of that *could* be; it depends. But as those in the culture war, as those who put on the armor of light, we can act like the man whose only tool is a sword, and tries to knit with it. There will be problems. Have you noticed that heretics usually don’t identify themselves that; they present as orthodox. And Christians usually don’t call themselves judgmental; they present as the *virtuous*. That can make us hard to deal with. Truth is SERIOUS and sin is RUINOUS and every hill is MOMENTOUS. We must take EVERY hill! But actually, while truth is serious and sin is ruinous, the truth is that not everything is sin. Not everything our conscience tells us is wrong is actually sin. Even more, while truth is serious and sin is ruinous, Christ dealt with sin on the hill of calvary for every Christian. He cares, He paid the cost, He calls the shots. Jesus is Lord. If we applied Romans 12:3-5 without fail, plus 12:9-11, plus 12:16, plus 13:8-10, plus 13:14, we might not need 14:1-15:13. But, we don’t, so we do. There’s a question that I regularly hear coming out of my mouth, and that I realize more and more is probably not going to lead to a satisfying conclusion. “What is the problem?” We don’t actually know the heart of the initial problem in Rome. There’s differences about diet and days, what is eaten or isn’t, what days are special or aren’t. But who are the vegetarians and sabbatarians? Paul refers to categories of weak and strong, who are which? The congregation in Rome had Jews and Gentiles, both groups had different upbringings, and either could have convictions about what was RIGHT for different reasons. The ways to be weak are quite a cornucopia. But there is a clear problem about our perspective toward and handling of what may not really be a problem. What is not disputable is acting like we’re Jesus, but not for the sake of winning fellowship like Jesus. That’s not all, because the ones who are being confronted start being critical of the church ladies and looking down on them for being so sensitive. One judgy-pants is like watching a bad individual ballet recital, two judgy-pants are like an ugly ballet mosh pit. It’ll be good to sit together in this larger section of Scripture for a few Sundays and see if we can’t have our minds renewed to see the good and acceptable and perfect. # The Existence of Disputable Things (verse 1) Here we tune in to the series of unfortunate arguments over personal preferences and dubious opinions. > As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. (Romans 14:1 ESV) There exist disputable things. Paul assumes their existence, he does not deny or resolve them. These things are **opinions**, thoughts and conclusions and choices that are *not* sin. But this is where it gets tricky, because some *treat* as sin what others don’t. Paul isn’t stepping in because people have good-natured disagreements over preferences, but because some turn preference issues into judging others. These are issues of conscience, things that don’t have a verse but get turned into a virtue. Verse 2 is the first example, those who only eat veggies. But verse 5 talks about observing certain days, and verse 21 references eating meat and drinking wine (which Jews, except for Nazarites, didn’t have an issue with). We’ll see in verses 5-9 that personal conviction is good, and that thankfulness is the key piece no matter one’s position. But the church 2000ish years later still has people arguing for *moral* betters. We still have “moral” confrontations over diet (gluten, sugar, fast food, GMOs) and alcohol, we could add in music and movies and screen time, sabbath/Sunday allowed activities, breastfeeding, recycling, and it’s sheep-to-sheep grief. The **weak in faith** is not a person who is having trouble believing in Jesus for salvation. There’s nothing in these chapters that suggests that such a person is a goat, let alone that they are in danger of losing their salvation. This kind of weak in faith as seen in context is one who is struggling to see his/her faith applied to some basic choices. They’ve got more baggage—wherever they picked it up—than verses. Two qualifications. First, when God’s Word identifies a sin, it is not “strong” to sin. Second, it is *not* better to be weak. It is *not* sin to be weak, but it is better to be strong though the strong ought not act superior. The “strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak” (15:1). The last part of verse 1 provides some indication of what it may be like dealing with the weak. It can lead to **quarrel(ing) over opinions**. This has been understood various ways, tricky to translate. But the weak person here has convictions about “disputable matters” (NIV), controversial preferences, scrupulous pinching. While we ought not ostracize the weak, the church isn’t the place where everyone needs to listen to their lectures. Likewise, we don’t need to keep pushing the weak until they say “Uncle.” **Welccome him**. Welcome is what God has done (verse 3), welcome is what Christ has done (Romans 15:7). Let them in the door, into the circle. Since this is how the section starts, it seems that the weak were probably the minority. As we know, though, it only takes a spark to get a fire going over disputable things. There are disputable things, and it's okay for now. # An Example of Disputable Things (verse 2) Here’s the first example of an “opinion/conviction” that might not always make for a healthy exchange of ideas. > One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. (Romans 14:2 ESV) Sometimes I think we must read 1 Corinthians 10:31 differently, as if it said: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to give grief to the person doing it differently than you. Speaking of 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote Romans from Corinth. And he had previously written to the Corinthians about some who were eating food offered to idols (1 Corinthians 8:1-13), whether they could get that meat cheaper or not. But while there are similarities, there’s no mention of tainted-with-idol meat. This isn’t just no-idol-meat, this is NO meat. **The weak person eats only vegetables**. Why vegetarian? Were these Jews following the Daniel Diet? Were these Gentiles feeling guilty about their pre-Christian days of Bacchus banqueting? It kind of doesn’t matter why, what does matter is that they turned it into a “better than thou” religious reason. It is one thing to talk about wisdom and good health and Creator-honoring stewardship. But wow do we have a hard time not turning it into righteous/unrighteous, “YOU ARE SINNING by eating *THAT*!.” There are stronger and weaker brothers, and it's okay for now. # The Exhortations concerning Disputable Things (verse 3) Paul provides equal opportunity imperatives. > Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. (Romans 14:3 ESV) The two prohibitions are similar: don’t despise and don’t judge. The strong are tempted to feel like the weak are annoying, petty, fussy; welcoming them seems like a guarantee of no fun. The weak are tempted to feel like the strong have sailed too far from shore in their liberty canoe; they might go right over the falls, and take us all with them. Usually the strong are more dismissive, the weak are more tyrannical. The final explanation applies to both, but is probably especially to the weak: **God has welcomed him**, so settle down. Sometimes you don’t want to be in the middle, and yet sometimes you just are. Depending on which side I’m talking to, I’ll probably tell them both: it’s going to be alright. Both the strong and the weak need to behave themselves, and it's never okay to despise/look down on a brother. # An Encouragement about Disputable Things (verse 4) There is a God and He knows what’s happening with each of His servants. > Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4 ESV) Again, this perspective adjustment is primarily given to the weaker brother, the brother who has more rules, the brother who is more sensitive about things, the brother who has concerns about what the other brother isn’t avoiding. All of it applies to both, but the one eating more than veggies is going to make it, if the Lord’s the Lord of them. Since Jesus is Lord, we are not permitted to be presumptuous. I thought about subtitling this sermon as: *On the Nature of Taking a Kuyperian Chill Pill*, or something like that. When we confess that Jesus is Lord, that’s an exclusive claim (Lord alone), that’s an exhaustive claim (Lord of all). It fires us up to be bold and drives us to be broader in our interests. But it is also an encouraging claim, a great reason to relax. Mrs. Bossy-pants on the new Brussels sprouts diet is not my Lord, and I also don’t have to be Lord over all the people not doing it like I would. Jesus is Lord of our brothers, and it's never okay for us to condemn or try to control them. # Conclusion The anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God, and the scruples of man don’t produce the sanctification of God. You don’t fight folly with fussiness, and you don’t convince a weak person to be strong by beating them up with your freedom, not Christianly at least. If love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), and it does, then certainly we can ease up things another person is thankful for. We have “weak” among us, including weak brothers who think they are the virtuous ones, and we have those who are irritated by the weak among us acting all virtuous. What is indisputable is that we all have one Lord over us. “We are the Lord’s” (Romans 12:8). Make sure to welcome the welcomed. ---------- ## Charge The charge is to live as we sing, with hearts abounding more and more in love and in multi-part harmony. The blessing of God is to give us just that, making us one as the Father, Son, and Spirit are one. ## Benediction: > May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:5–7, ESV)

78: The Day Is at Hand

October 1, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 13:11–14

It doesn’t really matter whether you like the term “culture war” or not, God put us in one. A culture has a shared language and lifestyle, some similar loves/values and looks/styles. Christians have a culture that appreciates light and life; we’re united in our belief in Christ and hope in His blessings. We’re trying to cultivate a world-and-life view where the confession “Christ is Lord” means that everything means something. The sons of disobedience also have a culture, where carrying out the desires of the body and mind are foremost. They follow the course of this world, passing their days in malice and envy, hating and being hated. They’re at various levels of intentionally cultivating a place where there are no gods or masters but every man in his own eyes. The two cultures are like night and day. The contrast, which can’t help but involve conflict, has been going on a long time, since Genesis 3:15 when the Lord put enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. The great Seed was Jesus, and by extension refers to all those who are in Christ. In Christ we stand against the schemes of the evil one, we take up the whole armor of God to be able to withstand in the evil day, we battle against the world, so we must not get stuck in its mold. By faith we resist the serpent and those who are of their father the devil. And we take every thought captive in our fight against our own flesh. We see the enemy every morning, and too often we see him in the mirror. How do we fight in this culture war? It begins locally, with altar-living (Romans 12:1-2). It continues locally as we love our neighbor (who is perhaps an enemy, see also Matthew 5:43-48), which requires wearing the right uniform (of Christ-likeness). And that requires daily vigilance, relentless differentiation, and maintaining our equipment. The very time we live in should rouse us to obedience in following the admonitions here. *It’s time to engage*. Verses 11-12 both argue for being done with the night and darkness. Verses 13-14 both argue for what it looks like to walk in the day and light. # Wake Up (verses 11-12) There’s a sort of faith-alarm going off telling us to wake up. > Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11–12 ESV) The NASB puts it this way, “*Do* this, knowing the time.” The **know** in ESV is fine but it’s really in the form of “knowing,” a modifying action. Paul is backing up our love of neighbor; we love our neighbor because we’re aware of the time. **The hour has come…to wake from sleep**. Get up and get loving. This **sleep** isn’t a metaphor for spiritual or physical death, it’s a metaphor for spiritual passivity. The sleepy are the lazy, the indifferent. It illustrates a failure to use the mind; so lack of care and failure to act. In a first-century society governed by the sun rather than by the convenience of artificial lighting, people rose at dawn because the sun was their life. There’s a similar dawn for Christians. The time for fighting is now, because **salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed**. Scripture refers to all three tenses of salvation: we *have been* (past), we *are being* (present), we *will be* (future), saved. Verse 11 is talking about that final consummation, the glorification as described in Romans 8. History is linear, and each passing day means we’re closer to the finishing of God’s purpose to conform us to Christ for His glory. “The day is near” (NASB). Don’t sleep on it. The reign of evil has almost reached its expiration date. The biblical context on this coming **day** shows that when it finally does arrive evil will be judged and the righteous vindicated (think Psalm 96:13). All of the imperatives in this text flow from the nearness of the end. Because the end is near, the people of God should respond with appropriate behavior. There’s no time to waste. **The night is far gone; the day is at hand.** **Night** and **darkness** go hand in hand, and both are times for sin, for ignorance and futile thinking. The **works of darkness** are the wicked things done driven by the depraved mind. We’re not on that side anymore. The **day** belongs with **light**; **So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light**. Paul enjoys and employs the put on/put off imagery a number of times. We take (dirty) clothes off, we put on new clothes, and Paul applies it to the attire of behavior. Interesting that we take off **works** but put on **armor**. In other letters Paul talks about putting off sin and putting on virtues. The armor here reminds us of the battle. We’re not just waking up to spend some time in the spiritual breakfast nook watching the steam come off our coffee. > Each calendar day brings nearer to us the day of final salvation, and, since it is life in the body that is decisive for eternal issues, the event of death points up for each person how short is “the season” prior to Christ’s advent. —John Murray # Walk Right (verses 13-14) Two cultures on display: > Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:13–14 ESV) How do we behave ourselves? We **walk properly**, or “decently” (NIV), “honestly” (KJV). We walk *right*. We walk **as in the daytime**. There’s a three-fold series of wrongs: - **orgies and drunkenness**. “Orgies” here is Bacchanalian/excessive feasting and partying — a word used for an actual procession in honor of Dionysus/Bacchus (BAGD) with a banquet that featured alcohol (or other drugs) that caused intoxication, people got hammered for their god(s). Other words for it are “carousing” (NASB)/“rioting” (KJV) when applied to a band of friends who accompanied a victor home from the games, singing his praises and celebrating his triumph as he went. So-called “PRIDE” parades are not new under the sun. - **sexual immorality and sensuality**. The NASB translates this as “sexual promiscuity” and Tyndale/KJV as “chambering” in reference to a private place/chamber with a bed; it refers to what happens in a forbidden bed. Sensuality is a “lack of self-constraint which involves one in conduct that violates all bounds of what is socially acceptable, self-abandonment” (BAGD); unrestrained lust. This is a culture of people who can’t keep their pants on. - **quarreling and jealousy**. Quarreling or strife is from a rivalry of positions, and is often caused by jealousy (see James 4:1-2). This is WOKE, Socialistic identity politics before those words were invented. Is it possible that these last couple vices describe our modern life even more than the first four? Instead **put on the Lord Jesus Christ.** “As many of [us] as were baptized into Christ *have* put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). But the indicative doesn’t contradict the imperative. Put on Christ. We are to consciously embrace our union with the Lord Christ in such a way that His character is manifested in all that we do and say. **Make no provision for the flesh**. Let’s say you and your flesh were going out for a picnic, don’t make a sandwich for the flesh; let him starve. Let’s say you were in a war in Afghanistan, don’t leave 7.1 billion dollars worth of your helicopters and air-to-ground munitions and M4s out for the Taliban. Let’s say you don’t like the unrestrained spending of the government who wants to fund abortions and launder money through foreign governments, don’t you pamper your selfishness and pretenses and sin. You are a Christian. # Conclusion Though Augustine had grown up with a Christian mother he was a slave to sin, caught in the lusts of his flesh. When he was 31 years-old Augustine was out in a garden. He heard the voice of children somewhere over the courtyard wall, repeating the phrase “Take up and read, take up and read.” He picked up Paul’s epistle to the Romans and read Romans 13:13-14 and God granted him repentance and faith. Why can’t this paragraph be gospel hope for you? If you are under the weight and burden of sin, *look to Christ* and believe. Jesus can deliver you. There is no neutrality. It is the Lord Jesus Christ or corruption, Christ or chaos, Christ or darkness, Christ or death. The people of the world fight for what they believe in. Right now the people of the world are striving, daring, plotting, planning, scheming, fighting. They get up early. They stay up late. They accept labor and hardship and stress because they believe their pay-off will be worth it. It seems that they never sleep. We are in a war of cultures. The fighting during this dispensation is different than any other time, different than Israel’s theocracy and different than Christ’s millennial reign. Now is the time. Christian, the day is at hand. Pray that you would be “strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” Wake up to daily vigilance—the day is near, relentless differentiation—against the darkness, and maintaining your equipment—the armor of light. Keep your altar commitments. Love your neighbor. ---------- ## Charge Christian, salvation is near, put on your clothes. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Encourage one another in this battle and build one another up, just as you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11). ## Benediction: > But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. (1 Thessalonians 5:8–10, ESV)