Romans 15.29-30-Paul Was Certain He Would Visit Romans And Requests They Pray For Him
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday July 18, 2010
Romans: Romans 15:29-30-Paul Was Certain He Would Visit Romans And Requests They Pray For Him
Lesson # 537
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 15:29.
This morning we will note Romans 15:29-30.
In Romans 15:29, Paul informs the Roman believers that he knew for certain that when the Holy Spirit permitted him to enter into the company of the Roman believers, he would enter in the state of possessing abundant blessing, which is produced by Christ through him by the power of the Spirit.
Romans 15:29, “I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.”
Romans 15:29 advances upon and intensifies Paul’s statement in Romans 15:28 in that it says more about his visit to Rome because it expresses his confidence that he will enter into their company possessing abundant blessing, which is produced by Christ through him.
“I know” indicates that Paul was certain that visiting Rome was in the will of the Father for him and that he was being assured by the Holy Spirit that he would in fact visit Rome.
“When I come to you” describes Paul’s certainty that when he does enter into the company of the Roman believers, he will come with the fullness of Christ’s blessing.
“I will come” indicates that it will come to pass or take place that when Paul enters into the company of the Roman believers, he will come in the fullness of Christ’s blessing.
“In the fullness of blessing of Christ” means that Paul possesses the abundant spiritual blessing or benefit which the gospel produces in that it would endue the Romans with divine power when Paul communicates it to them and when applied would reproduce the character of Christ in their lives, i.e. fruit of the Spirit.
Romans 1:11-12, “For I have been and continue up to the present moment to earnestly desire to visit all of you that I might impart a spiritual blessing to all of you with the result that all of you might be stabilized and strengthened. Namely, that is, in order that it might cause me to be encouraged while among all of you by means of each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” (My translation)
Although the Roman believers would be blessed or receive a spiritual benefit when Paul communicates the gospel to them, it would also produce blessing for Paul in that it would produce fruit for him in the sense of rewards.
Romans 1:13, “Now, I absolutely do not want all of you to be ignorant spiritual brothers that I have often planned in order to come to all of you and was prevented so far in order that I might also produce some fruit among all of you.”
This abundant blessing, or spiritual benefit that the Roman believers will receive when Paul communicates the gospel to them will in actuality be produced by Christ Himself (See Romans 15:18).
Romans 15:18, “For you see, I would absolutely never presume at any time to speak of anything except with respect to those things which Christ accomplished for Himself through me resulting in the Gentiles obeying, by word and action.” (My translation)
Therefore, in Romans 15:29, Paul is conveying this idea of Christ working through him when he communicates the gospel by the power of the Spirit.
Romans 15:29, “Indeed, I know for certain that when I am permitted to enter into the company of each and every one of you, I will for my own benefit enter in the state of possessing abundant blessing, which is produced by Christ.” (My translation)
To summarize, Romans 15:29 reveals that Paul knew for certain that when the Holy Spirit permitted him to enter into the company of the Roman believers, he would enter in the state of possessing abundant blessing, which is produced by Christ through him by the power of the Spirit.
Romans 15:30 begins the sixth and final paragraph of Romans chapter fifteen.
In this verse, Paul appeals to the Roman believers as a spiritual brother and their common relationship which they share together with the Lord Jesus Christ and on the basis of the divine-love produced by the Spirit to fight together with him by means of their prayers on behalf of him.
Romans 15:30, “Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.”
“I urge you brethren” indicates that Paul is appealing to the Roman believers on the basis of the common relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that he shares with them and on the basis of the divine-love produced by the Spirit to strive together with him in prayer for him.
“Through our Lord Jesus Christ” teaches that Paul’s readers were to strive together with him in prayer for himself on the basis of the Lord Jesus Christ and specifically on the basis of the common relationship which they share together with the Lord Jesus Christ.
“By the love of the Spirit” teaches that Paul’s readers were to strive together with him in prayer for himself on the basis of the divine-love produced by the Spirit in the believer.
“To strive together” is the verb sunagonizomai (συναγωνίζομαι) (see-nah-go-knee-zoe-meh), which means “to fight along with” and is used with reference to intercessory prayer emphasizing with Paul’s readers that they must identify with him in prayer assuming his person as though they were in his place.
Romans 15:31 reveals that the Romans were to fight along with Paul in intercessory prayer for him so that he might be delivered from those in Judea who were disobedient to the gospel.
They were also to pray that his service on behalf of the Jewish believers in Jerusalem might be acceptable.
Romans 15:32 reveals that they were also to pray that he would by the will of the Father enter into their fellowship and be refreshed by their company.
Paul is well aware that Satan and the kingdom of darkness would like for him to be killed in Jerusalem and that the Jewish believers in Jerusalem would not find his service on their behalf acceptable and that he would not arrive in Rome and head for Spain after that (Ephesians 6:18-20; 2 Corinthians 1:10-11).
“In your prayers to God” indicates that Paul is appealing to his readers to fight together with him by means of their intercessory prayers.
“For me” marks Paul as benefiting from the intercessory prayers of the Romans.
Romans 15:30, “Now, I appeal to each and every one of you spiritual brothers and sisters without exception on the basis of the common relationship we share with our Lord, namely Jesus, who is the Christ as well as on the basis of the divine-love, which is produced by the Spirit to fight together with me by means of your prayers in the presence of God the Father on behalf of me.” (My translation)
Romans 15:30 is not the only place in Paul’s writings where he requests that his readers enter into prayer on his behalf (2 Corinthians 1:8-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).
Ephesians 6:19, “Pray for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak – that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel.” (NET Bible)
Colossians 4:2, “Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time pray for us too, that God may open a door for the message so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” (NET Bible)