Romans 15:7-13

The Hope of Christ: To the Jew First and Also to the Gentile

What is the effect of our union with Christ? Not only is it expressed in God’s saving plan but also immensely practical. If you have been united to Christ and he has welcomed you, you ought to welcome one another. This is really what Paul is emphasizing here in this passage.

As John Murray explains, “If we place restraints upon our acceptance of believers, we are violating the example of that redemptive action upon which all fellowship in the church rests.”

Paul is dealing with our horizontal relationships toward one another, or we could say the second table of the Law, commandments 5-10, or in confessional use, what duty God requires of man.

Yet implicitly, which Paul is highlighting in the present passage is all of that derives from God Himself. Is it not odd how much one prepositional phrase “of God” can have such an impact on our Scriptural understanding and theology. And like any good theological system or doctrine taught the primary focus in the subtle words of the Westminster Divines is to “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”

The vertical relationship between man and God which was severed in Adam’s first transgression by eating of the forbidden fruit and thereby subjugating all in him by ordinary generation to his fall, still God reaches down from heaven and provides the sacrifice and obedience necessary for salvation. The hope of Christ is Paul’s continual aim.

Again as the WSC helps us in relation to this hope, “The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ who being the eternal Son of God became man and so was and continueth to be, God and man, in two distinct natures, and one person forever.”

Hope in Christ.

[1] Christ the source of the seed (vv. 7-9a)

[2] Christ the source in the Scriptures (vv. 9a-12)

[3] Christ the source of salvation (v. 13)

[1] Christ the source of the seed (vv. 7-9a)

Romans 15:7–9 “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.”

Historical context of the church in Rome. Paul is not placing the Jews in the weaker brother category and the Gentiles in the strong. Certainly, there were both within each group. Rather, again, the emphasis is upon mutual love between the brethren despite those minor differences.

[v. 7]

A. Principal act of Christian fellowship is based upon God’s sovereign will.

“welcome one another”

Imperative force. Not a suggestion.

Same in Romans 14:1“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.”

Romans 14:3 “Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.”

Establishing the principle by way of our union with Christ.

Christ has welcomed you, therefore, welcome one another.

Purpose of our salvation, for the glory of God.

Ephesians 1:5–8“he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight”

Ephesians 1:12“so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 1:18“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”

Purpose of our salvation has an eschatological flavor as well.

2 Thessalonians 1:10–12 “when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

B. Principal act of God’s salvation was to call from every tribe, tongue, and nation.

[v. 8]

Christ became.

Q. 27. Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in his being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross; in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time.

Put on humility. Put on that of a servant.

Philippians 2:6–8“who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

“to the circumcised” - focused upon the Jews who were given circumcision as the outward sign of their inclusion into the covenant people of God.

Reminder of the aim of God’s saving plan, for his particular people.

Luke 1:54–56 “He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.”

Luke 1:70–73“as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us”

Acts 3:25–26“You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.””

Romans 9:4–5“They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”

Galatians 4:4–5“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Demonstrate God’s faithfulness to them, i.e. the truthfulness of what God had promised.

Covenant fidelity. God’s objective truthfulness. Found in objectivity and reliability of the Scriptures. It is the faithfulness of God, gen of source again.

Their faithfulness is not an indictment against God’s own faithfulness.

Romans 3:3–4“What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means!”

Micah 7:20“You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.”

Confirming the promises.

2 Corinthians 1:20“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”

Promise in Genesis 3:15“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””

Genesis 12:1–2“Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.”

Genesis 15:1–6“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

“Confirm” To assure without a doubt. There is no doubt, Paul is saying, that God has confirmed these promises through Jesus Christ.

[v. 9]

Yet the Gentiles are still included into the covenant community of God.

The purpose of God in confirming his promises to the Jews, or the circumcised, for the purpose that God may express his mercy to the Gentiles.

Seen in its entirety in Romans 9-11.

Romans 9:6–8“But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.”

Those of the seed of faith are part of the covenant people of God.

Seen in God’s sovereignty in election.

Romans 9:11“though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—”

And Paul emphasized the point that God is completely able and permitted to do such a thing.

Romans 9:15–18“For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.”

Sovereignty of God in salvation from a general principle Romans 9:21–24“Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?”

And all of this was verified in the Old Testament. You remember what God says in Hosea 2:23“and I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’ ””

Even God promises that despite Israel, the circumcised, rejecting, in Romans 11 he proclaims that grace of God in providing a remnant. All of which is by His own grace. Romans 11:5–6“So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

Application

Use 1. Since Christ became a servant, become a servant to others.

Who are you welcoming as a brother or sister in Christ?

Do you see cultural boundaries in the same lens as the Pharisees? They knew the Scriptures well, just not well enough. Meaning, they knew the Scriptures in the head but it never came down to the heart.

Or, do you allow the maturity of believers or lack thereof to influence the way you serve them? Being a servant means emulating Christ Himself, the Son of Man who came to seek and save sinners.

Use 2. Since Christ has welcomed you, welcome others.

How are you welcoming your brother or sister in Christ?

We are really good at theology and orthodoxy but often really bad at practical theology and hospitality. Are you welcoming those amongst the congregation into your own home despite their differences?

To the degree we are willing to welcome one other demonstrates the degree of our own commitment to Christ.

Matthew 9:10–13“And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.””

Use 3. Since Christ has been faithful to you, be faithful to him.

You really only have two choices in this life, either serve God or serve the world. Serve He who gives life, or serve that which gives death. Serve He who saved you from sin and bondage, or serve that which keeps you in sin and bondage.

Be faithful to Christ by obeying His law. Not that obedience to the law saves you but rather the fact that He has saved you yields obedience as the natural byproduct.

[2] Christ the source in the Scriptures (vv. 9b-12)

Romans 15:9–12 “As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.””

A. Sufficiency of Scripture

“As it is written”

Paul quotes from several OT texts. All of which fall into the major categories of the Hebrew Bible, the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. And this scriptural support points to the very fact and to substantiate what Paul has already declared that the Jews and Gentiles are the recipients of God’s covenantal mercy and grace.

If there was any doubt on Paul’s firm recognition of the sufficiency of Scripture in one passage, here it is. Not the first time Paul has used this formula in Romans to establish this principle.

In verse 9 we see elements of worship in response to God’s sovereignty. v. 9 - Final song of David in 2 Sam 22.50; Psalm 18:49 …

2 Samuel 22:50–51““For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.””

And in looking at this through the proper redemptive lens, this is less about David’s temporal victories and indeed pointing ahead to the great victories of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the one who defeats all of his and our enemies. It is almost as if Paul is providing for us the historical scope of Christ’s redemption. Here, we see it characterized through David as the king anticipating the True King of Israel.

v. 10 - Deut 32.43 / Here, Pau quotes from the Song of Moses. The preceding chapters just spoke about what would happen to those who violate the covenant of God. But after this covenantal disobedience, being in Adam, God’s people are promised in Deuteronomy 30:6“And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”

The condemnation of the Covenant of Works in opposition to the grace offered in the Covenant of grace highlights not only Christ’s kingship from verse 9 but also the international and cross-cultural extent of the atonement to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

v. 11 - Ps 117.1 / In following suit, verse 11 provides the stark realization of those who are saved to praise the Lord for his mercy. This connects beautifully with Romans 15:8–9“For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.””

v. 12 - First half, Isa 11.10

Paul concludes his series of OT quotes with that of Isaiah, the one who provides for us all of the pictures and foretaste of the Messiah coming to save his own. The inclusion of the Gentiles is alluded to or quoted 19 times in Isaiah, which I can provide later.

(e.g., Isa. 2:1–4; 12:4–5; 17:7–8; 19:18–25; 25:3–9; 42:4, 6, 10–12; 44:5; 45:14, 22; 49:6; 52:15; 55:3–5; 56:3–8; 59:19; 60:3; 65:1; 66:19–21)

And where we have this string of quotes following through redemptive history we are also given a beautiful eschatological description of what this looks like in Revelation.

Revelation 5:5 “And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.””

Revelation 22:16““I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.””

v. 12b - Isa 42.4 / Matthew 12:21 “and in his name the Gentiles will hope.””

More reference to this mystery of Paul’s gospel in bringing in the Gentiles into the covenant people of God, which was proclaimed back in Genesis 9.

Use 1. Since Christ is the source of the Scriptures, glorify God like no other.

This passage if ripe with words of worship, glorify, praise, sing, rejoice, praise, give praise. Glorify God for who He is and what He has done. Glorify God for his work in redemptive history.

Use 2. Since Christ is the source of the Scriptures, feed upon his word.

Christ is the word. Feed upon him, the bread of life, he who has the words of everlasting life. John 6 reff.

[3] Christ the source of salvation (v. 13)

Romans 15:13“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Get in where you fit in, HAHO jumps. Try to fit in to the stack to the best of your ability. You cannot be selfish or self-centered in these types of operations. First, you are a potential hazard with your fellow brothers, suspended by thin strings, a parachute canopy, with 70kgs plus of weight dangling from your body. Selfishness in the stack gets people killed. Second, you cannot deviate from the drop zone. That is the very place which has been designated to land together as a group. Not only are you susceptible to being snatched up by the enemy, but you are also subjected to immovable obstacles on the ground.

Too often in our Christian life do we think we can steer and navigate without compass, without planning, and without each other. In contrast, it is a beautiful and tactically sound thing to see a stair stepper of parachutes floating in the sky and 12 barrel chested freedom righters landing within 100m of each other.

But there is a stark difference in the Christian life. We are to get in where we fit in, Paul has made that clear in Romans 12.5-8 and also in other places like Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12-14, but despite how well trained we are, despite our elite status in the Christian like as the stronger brother, the Army Ranger or Green Beret of the Christian family, none of us can actually get in where we fit in.

Here, you are not able to do this, which is a great comfort. Here we see the Lord as the source of all things, the one who called you, saved you, justified you, and is sanctifying you. The Holy Spirit is the chief operator who is pushing you into the stack together with your brothers and sisters, both strong and weak, to proclaim the glorious graces of the Gospel.

Finally, as we conclude the preaching of God’s Word, four important points of application related to this particular passage.

Use 1. Let God be the surety of your hope.

We have a bad theology of hope. Hope to us is standard nomenclature for wishful thinking. That is not biblical hope. Hope is a firm conviction on the future promises of God that will be fulfilled. Hope is not a wish but assurance that what God promises will come to pass. Paul has been building upon this thus far.

Hope is synonymous with trust. Hoping leads to trust. And to not trust God is to violate the first commandment, have you ever thought about that?

QUESTION 94. What does God require in the first Commandment?

That, on peril of my soul’s salvation, I avoid and flee all idolatry, sorcery, enchantments, invocation of saints or of other creatures; and that I rightly acknowledge the only true God, trust in Him alone, with all humility and patience expect all good from Him only, and love, fear and honor Him with my whole heart; so as rather to renounce all creatures than do the least thing against His will.

Fading in hope is assuming and attributing to God qualities that are beneath him. And when we lack hope, we lack trust, and when we lack trust, we lack assurance. We put more trust in ourselves who fail us more than God Himself.

I love the first line of the WCF ch. 18.2 on Assurance. This conglomerate of pastors meeting in a small room in Westminster Abbey while war is raging around them write, “This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope; but an infallible assurance of faith, founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation”

God is the source of your hope, begin to serve and worship him as such.

Use 2. Let God be the strength of your joy.

If hope is a firm conviction on the promises of God’s faithfulness, then joy is the response one has in relation to God’s faithfulness which is not concerned with circumstances. Joy looks heavenward. And God is the filler of joy in our hearts because He is in us Himself.

You are temples of the Holy Spirit. That should fill you with joy. Not only did God elect you before the foundations of the world, not only did the Son purchase you by atoning for your sins and incurring the Father’s wrath on your behalf, God dwells in you.

Since God fills us with joy and the Holy Spirit, it should come as no surprise to us that when we sin, in thought, word, and deed, our joy is robbed. The enemy wants nothing more than to keep you in a slump of despondency your whole life. He has not won your soul but he will win your heart and affections if he can.

Thomas Watson identifies reasons as to why we may be without joy, it either arises because your inward comforts are darkened or because your outward comforts are disturbed. Your inward comforts become darkened as we sear our own conscience in thinking or permitting sin to reign in your life. You say, “surely this sin of lust or hatred or coveting does not hurt anyone, so I can let it creep in a little bit.” But does the Holy Spirit if He be in you live amongst such wretched thoughts?

Our outward comforts are disturbed and our joy robbed because we look to the transient, the temporal, that which will pass away to place our joy within its gates. Our foundation is skewed. A foundation that places itself on outward comforts, no matter how deep you try to place it, if it is upon the sand, it will fall down.

How many of you have seen people who live in places like southern California. Beach front property, cool 70F/20C all year around. Sunshine. Access to the ocean. Yet year after year, their property lines gets smaller and smaller, the bombardment of waves erode the non-viable foundation until the house, man’s kingdom, his everything, plummets into the depths of the oceans, a mere memory of what was once there.

No, your foundation will be unshakeable if it is upon Jesus Christ. The rock. As the hymn goes, “On Christ this solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

Use 3. Let God be the supplier of your peace.

God alone is the supplier of peace. It is not coincidence that Paul often opens his epistles with two prominent words, “Grace and peace to you all from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We have seen grace clearly articulated throughout Romans, specifically in the verses above. God’s grace in saving a remnant of Israel and the inclusion of the Gentiles into his covenant family. Grace that is unmerited. Grace that is given.

Peace, on the same note, is what we also receive. Like hope, we do not have a good theology of peace. It seems that over the past 100 years plus, there has been an uptick in war and conflict. We cannot grasp peace for it is not a reality we see.

While you were in your sins you were in open rebellion against God.

Use 4. Let God be the source of power.

In light of the differences between the weaker and stronger brother, we must allow God to be the source of our strength through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.