Romans 15: 1-13

Why Read Romans?

This book is rich in theology and teaching, which communicates the INS and outs of how a person is redeemed, transformed, sealed and sanctified for that day when we will all stand before the Lord (14:10-12). It explains that salvation is received by grace through faith. It articulates the foundation of Christian belief, explaining how the good news of salvation has been made available through Jesus death on the cross and it's actually worked out through the holy spirits work in us. Reading this book has been a turning point for many. Most notable it was helpful for Martin Luther to discover that faith alone justifies a critical truth that helps bringing about the Reformation if you desire spiritual renewal, reading romans is a good starting point.

Why was it written?

Paul wrote this letter for three reasons

1. to introduce himself to the believers in realm and enlist their help in spreading the gospel.

2. To develop and defend the truth of the gospel message he had been preaching.

3. To encourage the Roman believers to rely solely on God's grace for their salvation (3:24) helping them understand how people can be made righteous and live transformed lives through Christ.

What to look for in Romans?

Watch for the major themes of faith, grace, righteousness and justification. You'll find the foundation of the gospel that comes by grace through faith in the first 11 chapters. Then in the last five chapters, you'll discover practical implications of faith and righteousness how faith works itself out in everyday life.

Romans written around AD 57

Pauls

First imprisonment AD 59-62

10 or 11 years later Paul was arrested and killed in Rome AD 67-68

Accept one another

(14:1–15:13)

The Christian church is a new community. In Rome, Christians of Jewish and Gentile backgrounds are going into one another’s houses and sharing the same meals—for the first time in their lives.

Paul knows that some Christian Jews will still want to keep their food laws and observe their holy days. He describes their faith as ‘weak’. They don’t realize Jesus has done everything for their salvation. They feel they still have to add some details themselves.

Gentile Christians, on the other hand, may know they can eat anything, and regard every day as holy. If so, their faith is ‘strong’—but they must not be proud.

Paul tells Christians of different backgrounds to respect one another’s consciences. Everyone should take their lead from the Lord. Those who hold to a strict diet, avoid certain foods or refuse meat that has been killed in pagan temples do this to honour the Lord. Others thank God for everything and eat with grateful hearts. They, too, honour the Lord in their way. Each group should accept the other, as Christ has accepted both.

Paul knows all about food laws. He used to be a Pharisee. Now he can eat anything! But he is careful not to offend anyone with his new-found freedom. If someone will be misled or upset by what Paul eats, then Paul won’t eat it. Why should he distress his fellow Christian just to show off his liberty?

Paul gives Jesus as the perfect example. No one was more free to please himself than Jesus, and yet he always put himself out for the needs of others. This is the way that leads to unity and so gives glory to God. And diehard Jews can see their own scriptures coming true. Gentiles are being welcomed into the community of faith.

15 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”[a] 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews[b]on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”[c] 10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”[d] 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”[e] 12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.”[f] 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. In this section Paul first summarizes how the strong should treat the weak. He then roots his teaching in the broader storyline of scripture, showing the global purposes of God in the Messiah (7-12). The Lord Jesus example of serving others and not himself is stress in the saviors work of redeeming and welcoming a people from all nations is celebrated.

Put others First (15:1-6)

What is the responsibility of the strong? the strong ought to bear with the feelings of the weak? They should modify their conduct for the good of the week. Further, they should not live to please themselves. Paul point is clear it is selfish to trample on the week. That is not the way of a humble servant of Christ. The apostle added a positive way to say what has been said instead of causing a Christian to stumble, tearing a brother down, or damaging him, the strong should seek to build up the weaker brother. Paul then gives a theological basis for such behavior (3-4).

Paul reminds the readers of Psalm 69 to show what kind of attitude the Lord Jesus had. This particular song is found throughout the New Testament as writers highlight the suffering of Jesus.

Paul then uses these words endurance and encouragement in his prayer for the church in Rome (v5-6). This is a wonderful prayer for unity that churches would do well to memorize today. It is a unity that is Christ centered that follow the example of Jesus. Paul's prayer is that the church would be filled with Christ centered harmony and love, instead of quarreling and Division, so that god may be glorified. Paul knows this kind of unity requires prayer and the unifying work of the spirit. In order for the church to have unity that transcends preferences and differences of opinions and disputed matters, we need more than a pep talk. We need god to intervene.

Welcome one another as Christ welcomed you (15:7-13)

Paul comes back to his opening appeal of accepting the person weak in faith (14:1) by urging the weak and the strong to welcome one another (15:7) This mutual acceptance reflects the nature of christ's grace. He has accepted or welcomed all belief. In this mutual acceptance god is glorified.

In versus 8-13 called and puts the issue in light of the grand story of redemption. Through the Messiah, God's promise to the patriarchs has been fulfilled, bringing salvation not only for the Jews but also the Gentile which we can see in v8-9. God's fulfillment to the Jews with the inclusion of the Gentiles thumbs up a key theme in Romans, bringing closure not only to the weak and strong discussion but also to the whole letter. God word has not failed, for Christ has confirmed it (9:6).

Paul picks up the theme of hope in verse 13 with another prayer petition to the God of hope. Paul asks god to fill the Christians in Rome with all joy and peace in believing (ESV) or as you believe (CSB). Meaning that joy and peace only comes through believing in the Messiah. The purpose of this filling is so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. So once again the note of hope is struck, another major theme in romans.

This chapter is then concluded by Paul to make it clear that appeal to unity rests not on some modern view of tolerance nor some vague sentimentalism, but on the fact that jesus christ has come for the nations, and if he has welcomed people from every background who trusted him, we must also welcome one another. Such mutual acceptance and upbuilding will require sacrifice and putting others first period it will happen when we make the gospel central, refusing to divide over disputable matters. It will happen when we are filled with hope, living in view of god's saving purposes revealed in scripture. It will happen when we do what Romans 14:1-15:13 call the US to do which is to submit to our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and walk in his ways. This is where we should begin in seeking unity by fixing our eyes on our Lord who lived, died, and rose again to have a people for himself from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation (Rev 5:9).