Romans Chapter 16

The Dedicated Servants At Rome

 

When you come to church week after week and the pastors minister to you faithfully through teaching the Word and prayer, you probably feel fed and encouraged. Do you ever wonder who feeds the pastors? Who builds them up and encourages them? Where do they get the spiritual energy to keep going?

Well God places within each congregation people with gifts that minister to the pastors. Some of you have the gift of encouragement and that bolsters your pastors more than you can know. Today we learn from Paul about some of the people who served that function in his life.

In this closing chapter Paul continues what he really began in chapter fifteen, verse fourteen, where he began to reveal his heart. He gave us some personal insight into the nature of his ministry, how he viewed the role that he was to play, and his gifts and calling within the will of God. Here in chapter sixteen we again look into Paul’s heart. Beginning in Romans 15:14, Paul gave us some information about himself and his ministry. Now in Romans 16 he focuses on his relationship with people and exactly how so many have been supportive of him and assisted him, even to the point of risking their lives for him.

In many ways this chapter is sort of a living illustration of the love he talked about in Romans 13:8-10, where he wrote:

So as Paul ends this great epistle, he talks about relationships that tell us a lot about his accountability, his love, and his dependence on other saved believers. Let us focus now on Paul’s love for his fellow believers.

Romans 16:1,2 NRSV:
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae,
2 so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well.

In some ways the names in this chapter are incidental because we really do not know very much about any of them.

Paul, over and over, expresses appreciation for the hard work of so many people who did not become famous, but without whom Paul’s ministry would not have been nearly so effective. Note how many times Paul comments about the hard work these individuals performed for the sake of the gospel. This chapter provides one of the clearest possible insights into the community of believing people in the early church and how that community functioned together.[fn]

This incredible letter, the epistle to the Romans, when completed was taken to the church in Rome by a very special Christian woman by the name of Phoebe, and that is why Paul commends her to them. If you recall, Paul wrote this letter to the Romans while he was in Corinth. Corinth was in what we now know as Greece. Rome of course is in Italy and that is a journey of over 600 miles by land and sea. Phoebe was given a significant responsibility.  So we see at the very beginning of chapter sixteen a commendation and expression of love for this faithful Christian woman to whom he entrusted this great epistle to the Roman church.[fn]

In verse 1 we see the word commend. It basically means to introduce. Only it is really a richer word than that. It is not to just introduce in a casual way. It is to introduce with a positive statement about a person‘s value.[fn] Letters of commendation were very common in the early Church. They were written when a believer would be traveling to another city. They could carry a letter of commendation that would allow them to be welcomed into the fellowship of the church in the city to which they were going. The reason for that was because of a need for a place to stay. In those days the Inns were nothing short of brothels where there was looting and stealing. They were not safe places and would be dangerous for any Christian traveler. So when traveling, Christians would carry these letters of commendation in order that they would be warmly received by members of the church in other cities, and provided with food and lodging. Many such letters have been found in the Egyptian deserts.[fn]

In verse 2 Paul tells them to receive Phoebe as one who belongs to Jesus and who is a servant of the saints. This is how Christians should receive other Christians. We are all members of the family of Christ and are therefore expected to provide for the needs of one another in love..

Beginning in verse 3 we see a list of names that runs down to verse 16. Paul sends his greetings to 29 individuals plus a number of groups. All of these names give us insight into Paul’s love because we see a whole lot of loving greetings to everybody. Paul knew the saints by name. He knew who stood with him and he loved them. He was not so into his leadership role that he lost touch with the workers. They were an essential part of his life and a great encouragement to him in his ministry.  In fact, without some of these people, as we shall see, Paul’s ministry would have been cut short and have been less effective.

Paul had never been to Rome but he names here twenty-four people, seventeen men and seven women, and he names two households along with some unnamed brothers and unnamed sisters in Christ who are at Rome. Paul had been instrumental in winning so many people to Christ who had gone to Rome and were now there as a part of the Roman church. These people are undoubtedly very devoted and faithful Christians. Now many of us when we come to a section like this just surf right over it because we consider a list of names pretty inconsequential. An exegetical commentator (an explanation or critical interpretation of a text) by the name of J.B. Lightfoot (1828-1889)[fn] seemed to be preoccupied with who all these people were and he has uncovered some interesting information. William Barclay (1907-1978)[fn] also researched who all these people were and he also adds some interesting information. We are going to look at some of this because we believe it important for you to see that these folks in Romans 16 are real flesh and blood people. So let us begin by reading Romans 16:3 NLT:

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila. They have been co-workers in my ministry for Christ Jesus.

They were not apostles. They were not prophets, but they were Paul’s fellow workers. If you go back to Acts 18:3 you will see that they were tent makers. They had the same profession as Paul did. When Paul was in Corinth he went to the synagogue and that is where he met Priscilla and Aquila. This couple is mentioned six times in the New Testament, three by Paul and three by Luke. When Paul met them they became good friends because of their common love of the Gospel. They had originally lived in Rome but were thrown out of Rome because the emperor, Claudius, banished all the Jews from Rome. Two years after their original meeting Priscilla and Aquila moved to Ephesus. When they moved to Ephesus they established the proclamation of the Gospel there. They then returned to Rome upon the death of Claudius when the ban on Jews had been lifted. Later they will again appear in Ephesus when Paul writes 2 Timothy. There we see Paul greeting them in chapter four, verse nineteen.[fn]

This couple is best known for instructing the great preacher Apollos (Acts 18:24ff.). They are also known for having a church in their home in Ephesus (1 Corinthians 16:19). So they were a very active and involved Christian couple and they used their tent making business to support their ministry as did Paul. In that way Village Church is very much like the first century churches. I hope that we are like the first century churches in other ways as well because that is one of our goals.[fn]

Let us now see why Paul sends them his love. Romans 16:4 NLT:

4 In fact, they risked their lives for me. I am not the only one who is thankful to them; so are all the Gentile churches.

Paul first of all says that they are his fellow workers and they have labored together through the years. They have also risked their lives for Paul. Now that is loyalty. We do not know the details but we know what they did. And not only is Paul grateful but so are all the churches Paul founded on his three missionary journeys. Those churches felt that without Paul they may not have heard the Gospel message.

When we read any of Paul’s letters we think, “Oh what a man that Paul must have been to have accomplished such things.” Well, Paul was an exceptional man called directly by Jesus Himself, but we need to be reminded that Paul could have been killed on a number of occasions if it had not been for these two people who were willing to die to protect Paul and his ministry. We hope this helps you get a feel for the life of the church. We have this wonderful woman, Phoebe, and these two dear faithful servants, Priscilla and Aquila. Let us continue now in Romans 16:5:

5 Please give my greetings to the church that meets in their home.

So we see Priscilla and Aquila in Rome and their home is open to house the church. Now you will see as we go through this chapter that the church in Rome met in several places. They did not have a single building which was the church as most of our churches exist today. This is another way in which Village Church is like a first century church. Any resources we have go first to cover our minimal expenses and the rest is available for those that we see have a legitimate need. Priscilla and Aquila were two people who loved Christ and who loved Paul and helped make Paul’s ministry possible. Then also in verse 5 Paul writes:

Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the very first person to become a Christian in the province of Asia.  (NLT)

Epenetus was the first person to be converted to faith in Christ in Asia Minor which is modern Turkey. Just as a point of information, Asia Minor was the home of all the churches that are mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3. Now Epenetus is in Rome, a member of the church in Rome.[fn] To give you an idea of just how much Epenetus means to Paul, in many translations Paul refers to him as his “beloved Epenetus.” The first person to come to Christ in Asia had a special place in Paul’s heart. Based on the twisted perspective of our culture today it is probably necessary to clarify that the term “beloved” as used here means to have a special place in one’s heart. We know nothing else about Epenetus. Then in verse 6 we read (Romans 16:6 NLT):

6 Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit.

Now there are six women in the New Testament who have the name Mary. This Mary is known to Paul because of the very hard work, perhaps to the point of exhaustion, she has provided for the church in Rome. Now how did Paul know how hard Mary worked for the church in Rome? The best explanation is that, if you recall, Aquila and Priscilla came from Rome and it would be entirely possible that they told Paul about the tireless work that Mary provided. Then we come to verse 7 and we meet another twosome (Romans 16:7 NLT):

7 Then there are Andronicus and Junia, my relatives, who were in prison with me. They are respected among the apostles and became Christians before I did. Please give them my greetings.

Start here

Adronicus is a masculine name and Junia is a feminine name, although her name has raised some varying opinion among scholars.[fn] In some translations her name is listed as Julia, which is unquestionably feminine. Early Church scholars, that is, those who lived within the first thousand years or so after Christ, all believed Junia was a woman. An important principle in Biblical interpretation is to consider what those individuals closest to the time of the original writing believed. John Chrysostom, commenting on Romans 16:7 somewhere around 400AD, said,

“’Greet Andronicus and Junia. . . who are outstanding among the apostles’ (Romans 16:7): To be an apostle is something great. But to be outstanding among the apostles—just think what a wonderful song of praise that is! They were outstanding on the basis of their works and virtuous actions. Indeed, how great the wisdom of this woman must have been that she was even deemed worthy of the title of apostle.”[fn]

Origen of Alexandria, who lived near the end of the second century, and Jerome (340-419 AD) also agreed that Junia was a woman. Peter Abelard (1089-1142 AD) also wrote that Junia was female. The change in this interpretation came about around 1298 under the reign of Pope Boniface VIII. His contemporary, Aegidus, was the first to say that Junia was a man. Aegidus was very likely the Archbishop of Bourges who helped Pope Boniface write one of his major papal decrees. Aegidus made that statement about Junia in 1298, the same year that Pope Boniface VIII issued the Periculoso, a papal decree that declared that no nun could ever venture outside her monastery, thereby turning nuns into virtual prisoners. The commentary written by Aegidus was the one that Martin Luther depended on heavily, and that is how the transmission of that error regarding Junia was perpetuated into Protestantism.

Today there are a number of evangelical scholars who have corrected the misinterpretation by Aegidus and now also recognize that Junia was a woman. They also feel that Andronicus and Junia were married. Paul refers to them as his relatives, which means they are Jews of course, but could also mean they were blood relatives or perhaps related by the tribe they belonged to. This must have been very comforting to Paul, knowing that he had come out of a Jewish family as a member of the tribe of Benjamin, and that some of his family had accepted Christ as he had. We therefore get the feeling that Paul’s extended family, or tribe, could have also been involved in his ministry.[fn]

Paul comments that Andronicus and Junia were “of note among the apostles.”  In other words, this couple had worked so hard that others considered them outstanding among the various apostles.  In the early church a person was considered to be an apostle if they met one of four possible qualifications: 1) They were one of the original twelve who walked with Jesus; 2) They had seen the risen Lord and had been commissioned by Him; 3) they were a missionary successful in church planting, labor and suffering; or 4) They were an emissary or missionary sent out by a particular church to perform specific tasks. We know that Andronicus and Junia did not meet qualifications 1 or 4, but it is entirely possible that they met either condition 2 or 3.[fn]

Paul also mentions that they were his fellow prisoners. Somewhere along Paul’s missionary journeys, during which he was often imprisoned, he had run into Andronicus and Junia. Paul goes on to say that they were respected among the apostles. This means they were highly thought of for their spiritual life and service. You will note that Paul also mentions they became Christians before Paul did. Paul, of course, was converted on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus where he was in the process of persecuting Christians. So it is very likely that Andronicus and Junia became Christians through the church in Jerusalem some twenty-five years earlier. Therefore, they would have been known by the original apostles.[fn] If indeed Andronicus and Junia were married, just as Priscilla and Aquila were married, we see that husband-wife ministry teams were prominent in the New Testament and were appreciated by the Apostle Paul. Village Church then would also fit nicely into that model with its husband-wife ministry team.

In verse 8 Paul mentions Ampliatus (Romans 16:8):

8 Say hello to Ampliatus, whom I love as one of the Lord’s own children.

Paul is a loving man and he expresses his love without any fear of expressing it. Some people find it hard to say “I love you,” or to call someone “ a beloved friend.” But Paul had no problem with that. Now we do not really know who Ampliatus is, but we do know that Ampliatus is a slave name. In studying the history of this time we find this name among the slaves and slaves did not bear the name of free men or noblemen. So Ampliatus is a slave name. In fact it was a very common name in the imperial household of Rome, that is the household of Caesar. There is a cemetery in Rome at Domatilla, the earliest of the Christian catacombs (burial places for Christians). In that cemetery there is a decorated tomb, and on that tomb is the large name, Ampliatus.”  This is interesting because single names were unique. A Roman nobleman or freeman would have three names. But a slave would only have one name. The fact that he is a slave and is given a large and well decorated tomb for all to see indicates he was set apart as high ranking in the Church. This is a wonderful insight because it tells us that while the world may have ranked people according to their economic status, the Church did not do that. So a slave could rise in the Church of Jesus Christ to a place of recognized prominence to be given unique honor in his burial. It may very well have been that in the Church in many cases and many places slaves were actually elders teaching their own masters the Word of God.[fn] This brings to mind Galatians 3:26-29 NLT:

26 So you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have been made like him.

29 And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and now all the promises God gave to him belong to you.

That is yet another reason why Village Church is like the first century church. Now let us go to verse 9 (Romans 16:9) NRSV:

9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.

Here we meet two other interesting men, Urbanus and Stachys. Urbanus is a very common Roman name which suggests he was a Roman and most probably a Gentile. Co-worker would mean that he had helped both Paul and the Roman church at one time. We do not know when but we know he did. Stachys is a very unusual Greek name. It means “ear of corn.” It is kind of like naming your son, Cobb.[fn] We do not know where Paul met him or how he knew him, but he did. Verse 10:

10 Give my greetings to Apelles, a good man whom Christ approves. And give my best regards to the members of the household of Aristobulus.

Appelles was obviously tried and proven true. He had been tested and proven trustworthy. Imagine how you would feel if you knew in your heart that you were a person of whom Christ approved? Appelles was worthy of trust and confidence. We do not know anything else about him but what more would we need to know? Then Paul tells them to give his “best regards to the members of the household of Aristobulus.” Paul does not say to give his regards to Aristobulus, but rather to his household. This could possibly mean that Aristobulus is not even a member of the church at Rome.[fn] Perhaps he is not a Christian. If he was a Christian, Paul would probably have sent him his regards as well. It may well be that the Gospel has divided this household, perhaps a family. It could be his wife, his children, or his servants, or all of the above. This confirms something else for us about the early church. It was divisive. Jesus said in Matthew 10:32-38 NLT:

J.B. Lightfoot, who we mentioned earlier, suggests this man may have been the brother of Herod Agrippa I, and the grandson of Herod the Great. Aristobulus may well have been in the family of the Herods. We do not know for certain but there is evidence which suggests it. He would have therefore been an intimate ally with Emperor Claudius, the Roman Emperor. When Aristobulus died his household would have become the property of the emperor and they all would have been absorbed into the emperor’s imperial household. So in the imperial household you would also have the family of Aristobulus. They would there be known as the household of Aristobulus.[fn]

Look now at verse 11 (Romans 16:11).

11 Greet Herodion, my relative.

Here is a Jewish relative of Paul who definitely has some relationship to the family of Herod. Herodion would have obviously had some connection to the family of Herod. So it is very possible that the household of Aristobulus was a group of people who actually came from the imperial household of Herod the Great. We can speculate, but we cannot be certain, that there was within the very imperial household a growing congregation of those who loved the Savior, Jesus Christ. Then continuing in verse 11:

Greet the Christians in the household of Narcissus.

Again we see that Narcissus is probably not a believer but there are believers in his household. Now who is Narcissus? Well, William Barclay has looked into this and he suggests and agrees with Lightfoot who holds the same view, that Narcissus is a very common name, but the most famous Narcissus was a freeman who was secretary to the emperor, Claudius. He had a great influence over the emperor, thus having provided him tremendous wealth. His power had been built on the simple fact that all correspondence with the emperor had to first pass through his hands. People would therefore pay him large bribes to make sure their petitions and requests reached the emperor.[fn]

When Claudius was murdered and Nero came to the throne, Narcissus survived for a little while. In the end he was compelled to commit suicide and all of his fortune and all of his household and slaves came under the possession of Nero. The household of Narcissus referred to here could well be the slaves who once belonged to Narcissus and have now been redeemed. Barclay says that if Aristobulus was really the Aristobulus who was the grandson of Herod, and if Narcissus is really the Narcissus who was Claudius’ secretary, that would mean that many of the slaves in the imperial court were Christians and that Christianity had already reached the highest circles of the empire.[fn] This reminds us of the verse in Philippians 4 where Paul writes in Philippians 4:22 NLT:

22 And all the other Christians send their greetings, too, especially those who work in Caesar’s palace.

Then in Romans 16:12, Paul requests greetings for three ladies:

12 Say hello to Tryphena and Tryphosa, the Lord’s workers, and to dear Persis, who has worked so hard for the Lord.  (NLT)

The first two names, Tryphena and Tryphosa mean “delicate” and “dainty.” We know nothing else about them except they worked hard for the Lord, and as mentioned earlier, what more could be said about a person that mattered? Persis means “Persian woman.” In the church in Rome there was a Persian woman who loved Christ. We do not know how Paul met her but she worked very hard for the Lord as well.[fn] Verse 13 NLT:

13 Greet Rufus, whom the Lord picked out to be his very own; and also his dear mother, who has been a mother to me.

Now the Lord has accepted everyone who comes to faith to be His very own. But this verse probably suggests some special kind of service that Rufus had been selected for. Then we see that his mother had such a loving relationship with Paul that she became like a mother to him. That is a pretty special kind of relationship. Now do we know anything about Rufus? Look at Mark 15:21 NLT:

21 A man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the country just then, and they forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon is the father of Alexander and Rufus.)

Cyrene is in North Africa. So here we have a guy who comes to the city of Jerusalem for the Passover. He happens to be walking by, and the next thing he knows he is immortalized by being the one who carries the cross of Christ. He is also the father of Rufus. How fascinating it is that Mark very likely wrote his gospel from Rome, and that he wrote his gospel with the Romans in mind. If Mark was writing from Rome and had in view a Roman audience, then how wonderful for him to make a connection between the Roman church and the man who carried the cross. So to make that connection as he writes about Simon, he says, “By the way, he is the father of Rufus who is a member of your church.” And the gospel of Mark was written after the epistle to the Romans. So Mark no doubt identified Rufus who is the same Rufus greeted by Paul. Imagine how the people would have perked up as they listened to Rufus tell how his father had carried the cross of Jesus. These are real people. Then in verse 14 NLT:

14 And please give my greetings to Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them.

These names will be on the quiz and proper spelling is required. Here are five guys who had a church in someone’s home. It is possible they were leaders who were pastoring or shepherding one group of Christians in Rome, who as we mentioned earlier, met in many different places. Then in verse 15:

15 Give my greetings to Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and to Olympas and all the other believers who are with them.   (NLT)

These folks could very well be leaders pastoring another branch of the church in someone else’s home. Paul wants to send his greetings to all the faithful servants in the church in Rome. Now we do know a little more about Nereus. William Barclay writes that in A.D. 95 an event occurred that shocked Rome. Two of the most distinguished people in Rome were condemned for being Christians. They were husband and wife. The husband’s name was Flavius Clemens and he was the consul of Rome. His wife’s name was Domatilla and she was of royal blood. She was the granddaughter of Vespasian, a former emperor, and the niece of Domitian, the reigning emperor at the time. The two sons of this couple had been designated as Domitian’s successors in the line of imperial power. Flavius was executed and his wife was banished to the island of Pandateria. The name of the treasurer of Flavius and Domatilla was Nereus. Barclay asks if it is possible that Nereus had something to do with the conversion to Christianity of Flavius and Domatilla?[fn] Then finally, Romans 16:16 NLT:

16 Greet each other in Christian love. All the churches of Christ send you their greetings.

This early church came to life. It had something that we do not see enough of in the church today. These people worked diligently for the Lord, endured hardship, were willing to give their lives for Christ. They risked their safety and security in order to reach out to unbelievers. Paul knew each of these people individually by name and what they had done in the service of Christ.

You have probably received letters in your life from family members that end with a bunch of X’s, or with the closing, “Give everyone a kiss for Me.” That is pretty much the same way Paul is ending this letter. Paul knew what it meant to love each of the people in the church and that without that kind of love there is no church.

 

Do Not Expose Yourself To False Teaching
Romans 16:17-20

We are coming close to the end of this great, great epistle to the Romans. In the second half of chapter 15 and all of chapter 16 Paul decided to reveal his heart to the people of the church in Rome so that they might know him better. Having given them the theology of the Holy Spirit of God, which is justification by Grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ, Paul then shares his heart so that they might know him as a person as well as a preacher, teacher, and apostle. Paul’s purpose in doing this is that not only will they trust his teaching because of the genuineness of his heart, but that they might get to know him because he wants to come to Rome and he wants them to assist him in a desire he has for taking the Gospel message to Spain. Paul shares something of that desire in chapter 15. He also shares his commitment to do the will of God. He lets them see how totally committed he is to his apostleship and those things which God has placed upon his heart.

Then in chapter 16 as he still reveals his heart to them. He gives a long list of commendations and cordial greetings to people who were in Rome at that time and who were significant, important people in his life and ministry. In this way he is able to identify himself with many in the congregation at Rome though he had never been there himself. If you will recall we mentioned that Paul wrote this letter to the Romans from Corinth. This letter provides a base of relationship and friendship upon which he can build so that when he does come to Rome, the church will be willing to assist him on his way to Spain.

We have already seen how deep Paul’s love was for many of these saints in Rome. In the first sixteen verses we saw this catalogue of names, people who had a very important part in Paul’s life and ministry. Paul had a great love for all the people in the church and he was  the kind of leader who did not see himself as being above everyone else. Paul was a down to earth caring man and he showed it to all those who shared his love for Christ. He considered them friends and beloved co-workers. Paul’s love for people appears over and over again throughout all of his epistles. We will not take a lot of time looking at all of the evidence, but look for example at what he says in Philippians 1:7-8 NLT:

7 It is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a very special place in my heart. We have shared together the blessings of God, both when I was in prison and when I was out, defending the truth and telling others the Good News.
8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.

In Philippians 4:1 NLT:
1 Dear brothers and sisters, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and the reward for my work. So please stay true to the Lord, my dear friends.

Then in 1 Thessalonians 2:7-9 NLT:

7 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but we were as gentle among you as a mother feeding and caring for her own children.
8 We loved you so much that we gave you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.
9 Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that our expenses would not be a burden to anyone there as we preached God’s Good News among you.

This type of expression continues all the way down through verse 20.

And that is the way things will be in Village Church because Betty and I will not allow it to be any other way. If someone decides they want to behave in some other way, we will lovingly sit down and discuss the matter with them. If they continue in such behavior, it may be necessary to apply church discipline as the procedure is outlined in the Bible. We will not allow the church to become a social club with a church name.

We are the Church of Jesus Christ and we are not to forget that Jesus has entrusted us with His Church and the guidelines for how it is to function. Far too many churches today allow things to go on that should not be allowed to go on because no one wants to offend anyone else. Pastors fear for their security if they call someone to account for their behavior. It can be dangerous to call an influential church leader to account if his or her behavior is out of line. There is also the possibility that a certain group of people might be offended if the church takes a stand on sensitive issues such as homosexuality, abortion, salvation through Christ alone, and the reality of Hell. Village Church will not hesitate to teach the truth that is found in the Bible, but at the same time we will show Christ’s love to those who refuse to listen to the truth. If someone does not want to hear the truth about God and Christ, they would probably be more comfortable in another church. And if they should ever change their mind, they are welcome to come back.

So Paul’s ministry is filled with a love for the people of God. The book of Acts gives us many names of those who were a part of that close-knit fellowship of servant for Christ that surrounded the apostle Paul. If we had time we could begin with his ministry in chapter 13 and the four co-teachers and prophets who worked with Paul in the church at Antioch, and we could continue right on through Acts 28 and create a list of people who were part of the fellowship of the apostle Paul, who shared his life and ministry with them, and who were bound together in love. But nowhere in the New Testament is there a list of people who were bound together in love as those who were a part of Paul’s life here in the sixteenth chapter of Romans.

So this chapter reveals Paul’s heart for those who served with him. And it is so typical of someone who is effective in the service of God that they are not only loved by the people who serve with them but that they love those people as well. We can say honestly that the greatest joy and privilege Betty and I have in our ministry here at Village Church is the relationships of those who labor alongside of us. They have enriched our lives in ways they may well not realize. We can only hope that the kind of love they have given to us has in some measure been given back to them.

In summing up his love to all of these friends now residing in Rome, Paul calls on them in Romans 16:16 NLT to:

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

This calls for a demonstration of physical affection and is an old custom in the East. You can go all the way back into the Old Testament period and you will find this kind of kiss very common. It was a sign only of warm affection towards another person. Such expression was for those of the same sex and those of the opposite sex. The New Testament Church picked up and used this same expression of affection. So Paul asks them to greet everybody on his behalf in this way. What they are doing in effect is demonstrating their love in a physical, real way. I would suggest to you that the kind of affection that is in some way communicated by a touch tends to break down barriers.

Paul also said in this verse, “The churches of Christ greet you.” Imagine how wonderful it must have been have been to be around when there were no denominations. Imagine being able to say, “ALL THE CHURCHES GREET YOU!” There were no factions, no disagreements. There were no Baptists, Presbyterians, Catholics, Lutherans, or Methodists. They all had the same emphasis for ministry. Thus Paul could say, “All the churches greet you.”  They all love one another. Look at Colossians 2:2-4 NLT:

2 My goal is that they will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God’s secret plan, which is Christ himself.
3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
4 I am telling you this so that no one will be able to deceive you with persuasive arguments.

Paul then goes on to point out that love has concern for the safety, prosperity, joy, and blessing of that which is loved. Just think about the way you feel about your husband, your wife, your children, or any one you love. If you really love that person one of your strongest instincts is for their safety and prosperity. You will never see the love of Paul demonstrated more completely than you will see it demonstrated in his caution.

In Acts 20 Paul says in verses 25-31 NLT:

25 “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again.
26 Let me say plainly that I have been faithful. No one’s damnation can be blamed on me,
27 for I did not shrink from declaring all that God wants for you.
28 “And now beware! Be sure that you feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his blood—over whom the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders.
29 I know full well that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock.
30 Even some of you will distort the truth in order to draw a following.
31 Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.

This is an act of love. Love has a motivation that warns and cautions those that are loved.
Paul undoubtedly took his cue in this regard from Jesus who repeatedly warned against false prophets and shepherds. He also warned against false Christs. In the end times there will be many who claim to be Christ. There will be deception. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NLT:

13 These people are false apostles. They have fooled you by disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light.
15 So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve.

In 1 Timothy Paul calls on Timothy to set things right in the church and correct the heresy
that is leading people astray by teaching false doctrine. In 2 Timothy Paul warns about false teachers and false prophets and the lies they teach. So it is the nature of love to do that. Let us look at Paul’s warning in Romans 16:17 NLT:

17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things that are contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.

This is what false teachers do. They teach something different than the truth and create division. They bring conflict into the church. John Calvin said:

False teachers bring human teaching. Sometimes they get very close to the truth, sometimes taking part of the truth and then manipulating it. Love as proposed by various church denominations today is a far cry from the kind of love Paul proposes. Paul’s love warns against error. The kind of love we hear about in the Church today is kind of a sickly sentimentalism wanting to set doctrine aside in the name of so-called love. Any love that ignores truth to promote doctrines of human invention should be rejected because that is not the essence of real love. All the talk about love and all the talk about unity that sets aside truth is the work of false teachers and false prophets. All they want to do is create division.

What should you do when you come across false teaching? Do you debate it? Do you dialogue with it? No. If someone were to ask us if we would like to go on the Larry King Live program and debate with him and others about the finite nature of God, and that Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life, we do not believe we would do it. If Larry wanted to give us that hour to preach and then give equal time to someone else to give their viewpoint, we would agree to that. Because you see we are finding more and more that it makes no sense to debate or dialogue with heresy or error. It makes no sense to get caught up in their anger and resentment toward the message of the Gospel, because until they open themselves up to that message they will never accept it no matter how skillful of a debater you are. Paul says the only thing you do with such people is to recognize what they are and avoid them. If you know your Bible you will be able to do that. If you do not then you are oh so easily misled. The world is jam packed with false teachers and many of them are in the Church, and most people do not recognize them because very few Christians know their Bible.

We are not to kill or argue or threaten or hate those who promote false teaching. Just avoid them, move away. We would like to suggest that there is a very fine line in the study of the Word of God at advanced levels. There is a fine line between a helpful understanding of error and an exposure to error that sucks the life out of a well meaning person. It has happened to a number of well intentioned theological students. They find themselves so involved in dialogue with error that it destroys their usefulness. They come out of that with so many questions and so few answers that they render themselves useless, to say nothing of their own anxiety. We think it is ridiculous to take a young man or women who believes in Christ with all their heart and send them off to a college that attacks that belief. I believe that Paul is saying here to stick with what you know to be true and reinforce that.

I have been reading the book, Encountering Religious Pluralism, which provides an interesting account of how non-Christian religions were introduced to the western world. The author, Harold Netland gives this interesting account:

“History is full of the ironies of unintended consequences, one of which is the fact that it was in part the very success of nineteenth century missions that introduced non-Christian religions to western audiences (Europe and the United states for the most part). Western missionaries encompassed the globe, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout Asia, the islands of the Pacific, Latin America, and much of Africa, sending back to constituencies at home haunting images of millions of “heathen” and “pagans” opposed by spiritual darkness. Especially significant are the unintended consequences of the missionaries’ study of other religions and the translation of their sacred texts into European and American languages. For example, William Carey, early missionary to India, felt that missionaries needed to understand the religious context of those to whom they ministered, and thus, in addition to his translations of the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit and Marathi, he also translated Hindu sacred texts into English texts.

“Other works prepared by missionaries for the training of missionaries also had the effect of propagating in the West the very religions they were seeking to conquer. By the 1850’s there were many works explaining Buddhism with wide circulation among the increasingly better educated laity (general population).

“By the mid-twentieth century, Eastern influences were readily apparent throughout Europe and North America. Then by the 1990’s, the symbols of Hindu, Buddhist, and Taois spirituality were so prevalent that it was increasingly difficult to distinguish the East from the West.”[fn]

17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things that are contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.

Love sounds this warning especially when we realize that all of us are susceptible to being tossed to and fro and influenced by every wind of doctrine as Ephesians 4:14 NLT says:

14 Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth.
15 Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
16 Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Paul says that we should see this kind of doctrine for what it is and get away from it. Stick to the doctrine which you have learned is true. Do not open the door for Satan to have his way with you. Paul then gives two reasons why these lying teachers are not worthy of your attention. Romans 16:18 (NRSV):

18 For such people do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.

This is something that is repeated many times in the Scripture. These people are doing this to promote their own personal interests. Look with us at Philippians 4:17-19 NLT:

17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.
18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ.
19 Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth.

These people are into earthly satisfaction, fulfillment on the human level. They are into money, fame, ego, success. 2 Timothy 3:1-9 NLT:

1 You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.
2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good.
4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
5 They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that.
6 They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by many desires.
7 Such women are forever following new teachings, but they never understand the truth.
8 And these teachers fight the truth just as Jannes and Jambres fought against Moses. Their minds are depraved, and their faith is counterfeit.
9 But they will not get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as happened with Jannes and Jambres.

We believe we could interpret that these people have sexual desires on their minds as well as other selfish motives. If we were to explore the subject of false teachers in more detail, we would find that sexual perversion runs rampant. And Paul gives some more of the same kind of instruction here. Get away from these kind of people.  Peter also tells us in 2 Peter 2:1-3,10,11,14,15 NLT:

1 But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end.
2 Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and his true way will be slandered.
3 In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is on the way.
10 He is especially hard on those who follow their own evil, lustful desires and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at the glorious ones without so much as trembling.
11 But the angels, even though they are far greater in power and strength than these false teachers, never speak out disrespectfully against the glorious ones.
14 They commit adultery with their eyes, and their lust is never satisfied. They make a game of luring unstable people into sin. They train themselves to be greedy; they are doomed and cursed.
15 They have wandered off the right road and followed the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong.

19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves to sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.

Jude speaks virtually the same thing. Jude 12,13 NLT:

12 When these people join you in fellowship meals celebrating the love of the Lord, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are shameless in the way they care only about themselves. They are like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much but producing nothing. They are like trees without fruit at harvest time. They are not only dead but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out by the roots.
13 They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the dirty foam of their shameful deeds. They are wandering stars, heading for everlasting gloom and darkness.

They may appear on the surface to be well meaning but they are not concerned at all with anything except their own gratification. Their only concern is themselves. They are not worthy of your attention. Who are these false teachers? Well, turn on any talk show and you will find an example of a false teacher. Go to any church that teaches doctrine that is not consistent with the Bible and you will find a false teacher. Go to a movie that promotes sex outside of marriage and you will find false teachers. Listen to anyone who teaches or promotes anything contrary to what is found in the Bible and you will find false teachers. Don not go there, because it will ultimately cause you grief. Now let us take another look at why we should not give such people our attention. Romans 16:18 NLT:

Boy can they talk and can they be clever. After all, Satan would not use a klutz to teach false doctrine. He would use a smooth talking angel of light if he wants to get his point across. They use false eloquence, flattery, and well chosen, polished, flattering lies that sound appealing, and consequently they deceive the hearts of the innocent. They gain one’s attention and deceive their heart. They are selfish and sexual and sensual and they deceive with cleverness those who are not yet corrupt. It happened in Corinth, they tried it in Rome, and they are at it today. Now Romans 16:19 NLT::

19 But everyone knows that you are obedient to the Lord. This makes me very happy. I want you to see clearly what is right and to stay innocent of any wrong.

Paul tells the church at Rome that their spiritual reputation is well known among the believers. This reminds us of what Paul said way back in Romans 1:8:

8 Let me say first of all that your faith in God is becoming known throughout the world.

Paul wants them to remain innocent of any wrong. Why? If they fall that would be a severe tragedy because of the wonderful reputation they have. Paul wants then to be wise about what is good and simple and about what is evil. He warns them not to become expert about lies, deceit, and heresy. Stay away from those things. Run from those things. The greatest security we have against lies is to hold fast to the truth. That is why Philippians 4:8 NLT says:

Colossians 3:16 NLT:

Paul tells them to keep their minds focused on what is good and pure and right. People tell us they like to watch television and go to the movies to keep abreast of what is going on in our culture. Considering what is on TV and in the movies these days, you may go there to analyze culture but you are going to lose your analyzing power when all that trash and filth fills your mind. You know, practicing sin only makes you better at it, and if you apply yourself to it long enough it will find its way into your life. Sin dulls the sense of hatred of evil and cripples spiritual usefulness. Do not study false religions, do not study sin, but stick with truth and Godly obedience. If you want to know what a counterfeit dollar bill looks like, make sure you have a thorough knowledge of what the real dollar bill looks like and you will be able to spot a counterfeit a mile away. If you find such people in your church, give them a couple of opportunities to see the error of their ways, and if they do not, get rid of them. Romans 16:20:

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

We can look forward to the day the spiritual warfare is over. God will win and everything will exist in perfection. I like that Paul says “under your feet.” That means we are going to be in on the victory. We are going to reign with Christ. Until then we are going to be engaged in spiritual warfare that demands all the best we have to offer. So Let us give it our best until the Lord calls us home or we are raptured at His second coming.

 

INTRODUCTION TO THE “DOXOLOGY”
Romans 16:21-27

Finally in the closing verses of this great epistle Paul considers this small group of people who have been with him in Corinth as he wrote this letter. They too wish to extend their greetings to the people in the church at Rome. Paul begins with Timothy in Romans 16:21: Timothy, my fellow worker.

Timothy is Paul’s beloved child in the faith, his protégé, his number one disciple and friend. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:19-22 NLT:

19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon. Then when he comes back, he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along.
20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare.
21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.
22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has helped me in preaching the Good News.

It sounds like Paul thought very highly of Timothy. Timothy loved Paul as well and stood by him. You can read about Paul’s affection for Timothy in many of Paul’s epistles. If you care to do some research on your own you might want to read 1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10,11; 1 Timothy 6; 2; Timothy 1,2,4; and 1 Thessalonians 3:2.

Paul tells the Romans that Lucius sends his love as well. When Paul first started out his ministry in Acts 13, one of the five men who were leading the church at Antioch was Lucius of Cyrene. Perhaps that is who this is. Another possibility is that this could be Luke since Luke was with Paul at this time. The book of Acts was of course written by Luke and in Acts 20:5, Luke uses the words “us” and “we” which confirm that Luke was with Paul. It is entirely possible that Lucius refers to Luke because in three places Paul refers to Luke as Lucas, which is simply an equivalent to Lucius ((Philemon 1:24; Colossians 4:14).

Then Paul adds the names Jason and Sosipater also in Romans 16:21. We do not know who these men are, although from the text we know they are either relatives of Paul or Jews or possibly both. The only information we have appears in Acts 17:5-9. Jason was Paul’s host on Paul’s first visit to Thessalonica and Jason became a follower of Christ as a result of that visit. So it is very possible that Jason became a traveling companion of Paul in his ministry. Sosipater, also called Sopater, was from the town of Berea and was probably one of those Old Testament students who studied the Scripture. He was in Paul’s group at this time as well and is mentioned in Acts 20:4.

These men were all Paul’s friends and they were part of his life which demonstrates again that loving relationship he had with so many people. Then in Romans 16:22, we read:

22 I, Tertius, the one who is writing this letter for Paul, send my greetings, too, as a Christian brother.

Paul had a secretary who took all his dictation and his name was Tertius. So Tertius just jumps in here and takes the opportunity to send his own greetings to the Roman church. Paul often used a secretary. You can see that in 1 Corinthians 16:21 and Galatians 6:11. Then in Romans 16:23 Paul wraps up the greeting: “Gaius, my host.” In Acts 18:7 he is called Justus. Romans usually had three names and this man’s three names could have been Gaius Titius Justus. He was first seen in Corinth and it was said of him that he worshipped God. He was a true seeker after the true God and he lived next door to the synagogue. Paul reached him for Christ and he was baptized as we see in 1 Corinthians 1:14: I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius.

So this man is also now with Paul supporting his ministry. We are next introduced in Romans 16:23 to: “Erastus, the treasurer of the city.” Erastus also sends his greetings to the people in the church at Rome. Here was a man of prominence involved with Paul’s ministry. Then finally Paul mentions Quartus, and the only thing we know about him is that he is a brother in the faith. So Paul is surrounded by a beloved group of people who share his life and service. Then another benediction in Romans 16:24:

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

Paul has now given the Romans five benedictions in the Book of Romans, four of those are in chapters 15 and 16. The other one is in chapter one. You may think of a benediction as something that ends a church service. But it is actually a prayer that God will bestow certain blessings on His people. We see that benedictions are another way Paul expresses his  love for the Christians in Rome.

Paul’s heart is so filled with love. We believe this is just an emotional response on the part of Paul. He just said it four verses back in verse 20. He loves these people and has a heart of compassion for them. Now let us go on to the concluding verses of Romans in Romans 16:25-27 NKJV:

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

This book ends in these verses with what is called a doxology. Those of you who have been in the church since childhood probably remember growing up singing the Doxology. Do you remember it?

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

That is a doxology. It really means a praise saying. Paul uses a praise saying to bring this epistle to a conclusion. The Word of God is filled with many doxologies. There are many times when the writers of Scripture just stop in the middle of all they are writing and lift their hearts to God in praise. Let us give you an illustration of this. The book of Psalms was basically the hymnbook for the Hebrews. There are one hundred and fifty Psalms which the Jews read and studied and even sang. The Psalms are divided into five books. These books speak about the attributes of God, the work of God, the power of God, the wisdom of God. At the conclusion of each book there is a doxology. Book one ends at Psalm 41:13, a praise saying for all that has been said about God in these first 41 Psalms:

13 Bless the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives forever from eternal ages past. Amen and amen!    (NLT)

So ends Book One. Now let us go to the end of Book Two at Psalm 72:18,19 NLT:

18 Bless the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things.
19 Bless his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and amen!

The Third Book ends at Psalm 89:52 NLT:
52 Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and amen!

Book Four ends at Psalm 106:48 NLT:
48 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord!

Book Five ends at Psalm 150 and the entire Psalm is a doxology:

1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his heavenly dwelling; praise him in his mighty heaven!
2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!
3 Praise him with a blast of the trumpet; praise him with the lyre and harp!
4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
6 Let everything that lives sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord! (NLT)

So doxologies are a very important part of the life of the people of God. When you come to the New Testament you find that at the birth of Jesus Christ the angels appeared and spoke a doxology. Luke 2:13,14 NLT:

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God:
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors.”

As Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem in Luke 19 as the Messiah, all the people said:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”

Another doxology, another praise saying, directed toward Jesus.

The disciples’ prayer by which Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:13 contains another doxology, another song of praise:

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

As you come into the epistles of the New Testament, there is a resounding doxology in Ephesians 3:20, 21 NAS:

20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Another doxology is found in Hebrews 13:20-21 NAS:

20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,
21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

These doxologies appear throughout the Bible and they all have a common theme. They are praise offerings to God and Jesus. So as we come to the last section of chapter 16 in Paul’s letter to the Romans, we are on familiar ground as we come to another one of these praise sayings. As we look at this, we want you to see that this doxology captures the three major themes of the entire Roman epistle. You will hopefully remember that the book of Romans can be divided into three parts:

1. Chapters 1-3 deal with humanity’s sin.
2. From the end of chapter 3 through chapter 8 Paul deals with the matter of salvation.
3. From chapter 9 to the end of chapter 16 we see matters related to Christian life, ministry, and relationships.

 

Also you need to note that there is a parallel between the closing doxology and the first eleven verses of Romans. You will notice the word “establish” in verse 25 of chapter 16. In Romans 1:11 Paul speaks about “establishing“ or “strengthening.” In verse 25 he speaks about “my gospel.” In Romans 1:1 he speaks of “the gospel of God.” In verse 25 Paul talks about “the mystery which has been kept secret.” In Romans 1:2 he talks about “the gospel promised beforehand.” In verse 26 he speaks of “the Scriptures of the prophets.” In Romans 1:2, it is “the holy Scriptures.” In verse 25 he speaks of “the preaching of Jesus Christ.” In Romans 1:3 it is about “God’s Son.” In verse 26, he speaks of “the obedience of faith,” and in Romans 1:5 he also speaks of “the obedience of faith.” Here he speaks of “all nations” coming to the Gospel in verse 26 and in Romans 1:5 “all the Gentiles” coming to the Gospel. So Paul closes this great epistle by discussing the same things with which he began the epistle. He is bracketing these truths around the rest of the letter.

The book of Romans is introduced and concluded with elements that summarize all that is in between. Now in this doxology there are four main truths for which Paul praises God:

1. It is a Gospel to establish (strengthen) men and women.
2. It is a Gospel concerning Jesus Christ.
3. It is a Gospel revealing mystery.
4. It is a Gospel that is being made known to the Gentiles.

 

Let us examine each of these:

1) Paul Praises God for the Gospel that Established (Strengthens) Men and Women

In Romans 16:25, Paul writes:

25 Now to Him (God) who is able to establish you according to my gospel.

This is a Gospel that is capable of strengthening people. So Paul offers His praise to God for the fact that the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ strengthens people. You see God is able to do this because He is powerful enough to do anything. The Greek word used here for establish or strengthen means To set steadfastly in an immovable position, to plant their feet. It suggests emotional stability.

You know what it is like before you know God, before you become a Christian, before you turn your life over to Jesus Christ and begin to understand the Word of God. You are uneasy. That is the emotional condition of our whole fallen world. There is an uneasy, uncomfortable attitude in the world today. And we am\re not referring to all the wars, strife, and political turmoil. We mean it in the sense of the struggle for truth on the inside. Men and women are not emotionally at ease. But the Gospel is capable of settling the mind on what is true and right, on a course of action in life, on a true path. The saving Gospel is able to make us comfortable, it strengthens us, and it grounds us solidly in our minds as to what we believe and how we are behave. Once you come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, once you have committed yourself to His saving Gospel, then you know the truth and the truth lights the path for your life. No one in the world is more comfortable inside themselves than a true believer in the Gospel of Jesus.

And Paul calls it “my Gospel” in Romans 16:25. He is not being possessive. He simply means that it is the Gospel in which he believes and which he preaches. But we should remember that Paul had been given the Gospel message by direct revelation from God. He did not learn the Gospel like we do by hearing someone preach. He did not learn the Gospel by reading about it. He learned the Gospel because Jesus Himself gave it to him. Paul says in Galatians 1:11,12;15-17 NAS:

11 For I would have you know, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
15 But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased
16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

In that fallen and unstable situation, people have no defense against Satan. They may be constantly learning but they never find the truth (2 Timothy 3). They grab at every moment to get from it all the joy, meaning, fulfillment, and satisfaction they can find. But there is nothing there of real substance. This is reflected in the line from Arthur Miller’s play, After the Fall, in which the husband says to the wife as they are eating breakfast, “Frankly dear, life has deteriorated to how many miles per gallon we get on our Volkswagen.” This reflects the purposelessness and meaninglessness that people get out of life after chasing after the fulfillment of their lusts and greed. Those who do not know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and have a thriving relationship with Him, do not know what to believe or where to stand. So they may try to drown those feelings in activity, work, sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling, or whatever. God is able to take that fallen person, lift them up, and set them on their feet, and give them a new heart, a good heart (Ezekiel 36:26; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Luke 8:15).

That is what Romans 1-3 is all about. The theme of these chapters is The Fallenness of Mankind. In these chapters Paul describes the condition of people before they were strengthened by God. In Romans 1:19-22, Paul writes:

19 For the truth about God is known to (unbelieving people)[fn] instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts.
20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they would not worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused.
22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead.

24 So God let them go ahead and do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
25 Instead of believing what they knew was the truth about God, they deliberately chose to believe lies. So they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever. Amen.

29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, fighting, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
32 They are fully aware of God’s death penalty for those who do these things, yet they go right ahead and do them anyway. And, worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.   (NLT)

Here we see the predicament of people before they come to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, before they are established in the truth. So it is no wonder that Paul praises God in this doxology for having the ability to establish us, to change our hearts, and set us on the path to new and eternal life. Neither God nor Paul wanted people to remain in this condition. So God provides a power that can lift people out of this hopeless condition, set them on their feet, and give them power and eternal life. What power is that? We will soon find out as we conclude the book of Romans.

 

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

Romans is a great book in the Bible and for some time now we have been examining it in depth. We are now looking closely at Romans 16:25-27, which constitute a glorious doxology.  It is really quite remarkable how Paul has captured the essence of the whole of Romans in two short verses (25 and 26) of his closing doxology. The reader is carried back and swept through the whole Roman epistle to review quickly the Gospel that brings praise to God; the Gospel which gives rise to the doxology.

We saw that in these verses Paul praises God for four main truths. The first truth found in Romans 16:25 and 26 is that the Gospel establishes and strengthens men and women. Now we will look at the remaining truths. The second truth is that it is a Gospel concerning Jesus Christ, thirdly it is a Gospel that reveals mystery, and fourth it is a Gospel that is being made known to the Gentiles or to other nations.

Back in Romans 1:16,17 NLT, Paul says:

The Good News is that from God, through Christ, there is power for life change. So is it any wonder that Paul says in Romans 16:25: “ Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel.” You see nothing else could accomplish this transformation. The Gospel alone gives us the Good News that God alone can strengthen us. Jude had the same thing in mind in his doxology. Jude 24,25 NKJV:

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

The Gospel of Christ alone is able to strengthen, transform, and provide for eternal life in Heaven. But it is not only a Gospel that establishes people, it is also a Gospel about Jesus Christ. Romans 16:25:

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.

2) The Second truth for which Paul Praises God  is that the Gospel is a Gospel Concerning Jesus Christ

Is the public preaching of Jesus Christ a major theme in Romans? Starting in Romans 3:20 and running all the way through the end of chapter eight, the theme is always Jesus Christ. This was Paul’s life commitment. In 1 Corinthians 1:23 Paul says: “We preach Christ crucified.” In 2 Corinthians 4:5 Paul says: “We do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord.”  In 1 Corinthians 2:2, he says:” I determined not to know anything among you except Christ crucified.” So Paul praises God not only because the Gospel lifts up fallen people and strengthens them, but also because of the preaching of Jesus Christ which is the foundation for transformation and strength. From Romans 3:21 all the way to the end of Romans 8, Paul itemizes every single feature of Christian living that comes as the result of the wonderful work of Jesus Christ.

1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.
2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure.
4 And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation.
5 And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

The preaching of Jesus Christ gives us all of that. Now we want to mention that the peace spoken of in Romans 5:1 is a spiritual peace. Christians often struggle because they do not recognize there is a difference between spiritual peace and psychological peace. So when their anxiety level rises, they conclude they have no peace, or their “friends” do. Spiritual peace consists of two things. First it is a peace that comes from a cessation of hostilities with God. In fact, the majority of Old Testament references refer to peace as a cessation of hostilities.

Deuteronomy 20:10-12, NAS:
10 "When you approach a city to fight against it, you shall offer it terms of peace.
11 "And it shall come about, if it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then it shall be that all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and shall serve you.
12 "However, if it does not make peace with you, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it.

Job 5:23, NIV:
For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the wild animals will be at peace with you.

So therefore, when God has His people make peace offerings with Him, He is giving them a tangible demonstration that the natural hostility between God and people has been set aside because of their repentance and obedience. We see that peace can then generalize over into other aspects of the individual’s life when they live in relationship and obedience to God.  Hence, the psalmist can use this analogy to speak of the individual’s peace with God as long as the individual does not return to sinful ways:

Psalm 85:8, NAS
I will hear what God the LORD will say; for He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; but let them not turn back to folly.

Proverbs 16:7, NAS
When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Christ was the supreme Sacrifice, so we no longer make animal peace offerings. Today we come into a state of peace with God by accepting the work of Christ on the cross on our behalf. So a person accepts Christ and comes into the family of God. They are now on God’s side rather than the devil’s side.  They have peace with God, as stated in Romans 5:1. In warfare we do not do battle with the people on our own side, only with the enemy.

The second aspect of spiritual peace is the awareness of the many Bible verses that can quiet our hearts when the tendency to worry arises. Verses such as these:

Psalm 94:19, NAS:
When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul.

John 14:27, NAS:

Philippians 4:7, NAS:

Now there are some Christians who read or hear these Bible verses and feel very disturbed because they know they experience frequent anxiety. Because they have these anxious feelings they tend to consider themselves not very spiritual. They may even doubt their salvation. It is important for these people to differentiate psychological peace from spiritual peace. Psychological peace is influenced by both biology and mental state.  Some people are biologically predisposed, because of their neurotransmitter levels and other physical factors, to experience increased anxiety almost constantly. They may remind themselves of God’s Word and God’s promises frequently, yet still experience the effects of increased adrenalin pumping through their systems. What these individuals, and the people who love them have to keep in mind is that God understands their biology and that when they recall and lean on the promises of God He knows they are trusting Him to the best of their ability, even though they still feel anxious. They also have to realize that their peace with God does not depend on their feelings, but on God’s trustworthiness.

For other people, recalling God’s promises may well flood their minds with a calmness that they equate with peace. They have to remember that non-Christians can use sayings and mantras to come to a state of calmness, which is not necessarily the peace of God. They must also recognize that their peace with God does not depend on their feelings, but on God’s trustworthiness.

It can be very misleading to equate peace with calmness. The peace of God is something deeper, more sure, and more dependable than an individual’s state of calmness, which can be merely reflective of a person’s adrenalin or serotonin levels. The peace of God comes from having the Holy Spirit within and from having a vital relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Anyone who has experienced the “peace that passes all understanding” knows that it is something more deep and more solid than a mere feeling; they will tell you that it is a deep inner knowing that God is in charge and that God will do all things well. The person with high biological anxiety who wants to trust God and who is reminding himself constantly of God’s promises can still experience the peace of God. This person may be far more spiritual and closer to the Lord than the person without such biological anxiety who finds it easy to remain calm and who may not focus his or her mind as frequently on God’s Word and on God Himself.

So when Romans 5:1 speaks of “peace with God” it means we stop fighting against God and surrender our will to His, thereby willingly being adopted into His family. It is not simply a feeling. And there is more. Romans 6:3-9 NLT:

3 Do you not know that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him?
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was.

7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

9 We are sure of this because Christ rose from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.

Sin can no longer punish us or judge us. Christ cleansed us of all sin in the eyes of God. We died with Him, we rose with Him, and we walk in newness of life. This is peace with God. Romans 6:16,18,22,23 NLT:

16 Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.
18 Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

All of these things are the blessings that come to those who believe in the preaching of Jesus Christ. Such “Good News” moves us to offer our praise to God by saying: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen”

In chapter 8 Paul says that another blessing that comes to us through the preaching of
Christ is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In verse 2 he talks about the law of the Spirit. In verse 4 he talks about walking in the Spirit. He talks about possessing the Holy Spirit in verse 9. He talks about the life the Spirit gives us in verse 11. He talks about the power of the spirit to kill the deeds of the body in verse 13. He talks about the leading of the Spirit in verse 14. He talks about how the Holy Spirit confirms to us that we are children of God in verse 16. Then in verse 23 Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit guarantees that one day we are going to be in Heaven with the Lord. Paul concludes his description of the wonderful ministry of the Holy Spirit in verses 26-28 where He speaks of the work of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit prays on our behalf. All this because of the preaching of Christ. Such “Good News”  moves us to offer our praise to God by saying: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”

Finally in chapter 8 Paul winds things up by talking about the eternal security of the believer. Verse 1 said it when Paul wrote:

Then starting in verse 18 Paul talks about our future glory. Then starting in verse 28 we see that all things work together for our good. Nothing will ever separate us from the love of Christ. We are going to Heaven because God will never reverse His promises to believers or judge us for our sins. All of this flows out of the work and the preaching of Christ. “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”

3) The Third Truth for which Paul Praises God is that the Gospel Reveals a Mystery

In Romans 16:25-27 NAS, Paul says:

25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;
27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.

Because we know the Gospel message, because we have the epistle to the Romans, we know the mystery that all the saints of the Old Testament looked for. Peter said in 1 Peter 1:10-12 NLT:

11 They wondered what the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward. They wondered when and to whom all this would happen.
12 They were told that these things would not happen during their lifetime, but many years later, during yours. And now this Good News has been announced by those who preached to you in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

Now what exactly is the mystery? Turn to Ephesians 3:3-6 NLT:

3 As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God Himself revealed his secret plan to me.
4 As you read what I have written, you will understand what I know about this plan regarding Christ.
5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now he has revealed it by the Holy Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets.

3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”   (NLT)

Abraham of course was the father of the family tree from which Christ descended. God’s intention was to bless the whole world and embrace them in His salvation through the people of Israel, of whom Abraham was the first called by God. But even though the prophets often spoke about this, the details of the event were not revealed until Jesus Christ came bringing with Him the fulfillment of all these promises and the activation of the new covenant. In the process Jesus clarified that salvation was offered to both Jew and Gentile. This is the mystery which was revealed according to the commandment of God, that the saving Gospel should be made known to all nations and all people so that they might have the opportunity to come to faith. Such “Good News” moves us to offer praise to God by saying: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”

So Paul praises God because God gave us a Gospel through Christ that can lift us up and establish (strengthen) us in righteousness. Because we have a Gospel that centers on the work of Jesus Christ. A work that is totally transforming. Paul also praises God for revealing the mystery to us.

4) The Fourth Reason Paul Praises God Is that The Gospel Is Being Made Known to the Nations (All People)

The mystery, the secret, was that God wanted salvation for everyone and now He wanted to make it known to all the nations, so that they all might be obedient to the faith. That is the theme that Paul begins in chapter 9 and continues through 11? Do you remember what it was about?

Romans 9, 10, and 11 are about the fact that Israel, the Jews, are not the only ones to whom salvation is possible. Romans 9:6-8 NLT:

6 Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to the Jews? No, for not everyone born into a Jewish family is truly a Jew!
7 Just the fact that they are descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too.
8 This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. It is the children of the promise who are considered to be Abraham’s children (Genesis 17:18-21; 25:12-18)[fn]

Just because you were a Jew, a descendant of Abraham, did not mean that you had an exclusive right to salvation. Salvation was for everyone, Jew or Gentile, who trusted in God and later believed in Christ as Savior. Romans 9:24 NLT:

24 Even upon us, whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.

Such “Good News”  moves us to offer our praise to God by saying: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”

This theme continues right through the end of chapter 9.

Then in Romans chapter 12, Paul talks about the relationships those Jews and Gentiles are to have in the Church. They are to use their spiritual gifts starting in verse 3 down through verse 8 to strengthen the Church and one another. Starting in verse 9 Paul tells them how they are to love one another and be kind to one another and care for one another. Then in Romans chapter 13 Paul talks about this new body, Jew and Gentile, one in Christ, and how they are to respond to the society in which they live and how they are to be submissive to the government. In verses 8-10 he tells them they are to be seen by other people as loving, and to understand that by loving God and one another they are fulfilling the whole Law. Such “Good News”  moves us to offer our praise to God by saying: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”

Paul goes into Romans 14 and 15 telling them they must be sure not to offend one another and cause each other to stumble. From chapter 9 on it is all about how the Jew and the Gentile are to get along in the Church.

Is it any wonder then that Paul cries out in conclusion in Romans 16:27:

27 To God, who alone is wise.

Ephesians 3:8-11,14,15 NLT:
8 Just think! Though I (Paul)[fn] did nothing to deserve it, and though I am the least deserving Christian there is, I was chosen for this special joy of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.
9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.
10 God’s purpose was to show his wisdom in all its rich variety to all the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. They will see this when Jews and Gentiles are joined together in his church.
11 This was his plan from all eternity, and it has now been carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.
14 When I think of the wisdom and scope of God’s plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,
15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.

Paul has been given the task of bringing people to see the cosmic mystery at last revealed, and how God has chosen to work out His eternal purpose (Ephesians 3:9, 10). The verb used for “explain” means “to enlighten” and assumes that there is a fog of spiritual darkness that needs to be cleared away. The language probably refers primarily to conversion (Ephesians 5:8-14; Acts 26:17-18; 2 Cor. 4:4-6; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5), but Paul also is referring to his sense that people will continue to grow into a greater understanding of God’s eternal purposes as a result of Paul’s continued prayer for these Christians and his continued teaching. So we see that God’s whole purpose in Paul’s preaching, teaching, and praying ministry is that the church should be built up so it would show God’s wonderful wisdom to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

What does this involve? The rulers mentioned are probably all heavenly beings; not merely God’s angels nor merely the evil powers, but both. Note that we are speaking of heavenly beings, not Heaven. They are both holy and evil angels before whom God  displays His wisdom. He does this through a Church which brings His wisdom to expression. That wisdom is His eternal purpose in Christ (Ephesians 3:11), which quite clearly is none other than his intent to unify all things in Christ (Ephesians 1:9–10). It is brought to expression in a universal church where Jew and Gentile live and worship as one body, in harmony with God and with brothers and sisters in Christ (Ephesians 1:6; 2:11–22). Paul’s teaching and prayer in Ephesians 1–2 is thus dedicated to emphasizing and encouraging this kind of unity. This kind of Christian unity is an essential ingredient in the teaching of the Gospel. In this he follows Jesus whose whole final testamentary prayer in John 17 focused on the request that God keep the Church unified in love just as there is a unity of love between the Father and the Son.

What does this doxology at the end of Romans 16 say to us? First, if you are reading this and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, it tells you that a very wise and loving God has revealed a plan which previously was a mystery. This plan is that through the Gospel, which is clearly stated in Romans 10:9,10, you can be strengthened and established as a Christian, a member of God’s family, forever. And what does Romans 10:9 and 10 tell us?

Romans 10:9-10, NIV
9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

And what does this doxology say to a believer? It says that our hearts should be filled with praise. Furthermore we should remember that Christ did not accomplish His wonderful work so that we could live in sin. So we should feel a renewed commitment to holiness. I was not given the fullness of salvation by the perfect work of Jesus so that I could give back to God a disobedient life in return. Jesus did not do what He did for me so that I could serve Him with half a heart. We should be reminded that He saved us to put us into a great fellowship. I want to give all to that fellowship that there is in me to give and hope that you will as well? We are part of the unveiling of the mystery of ages past and now revealed. It is a great gift deserving constant praise.

Such “Good News” moves us to offer our praise to God by saying, by singing, and maybe even by shouting: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.”

Isaiah

John

Romans

1 Peter


© Ron Teed - Used by permission. All rights Reserved.