As the letter to the church in Rome comes to an end, Paul gives a final pastoral charge to the church.He encourages the church to be on watch for false teachers, to be vigilant, and to take heart in the guaranteed victory in Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving does not just come after we are content with all that we have, but giving thanks to God actually helps us to be peaceful and content in all things.
In Paul's greetings, we see an amazing tapestry of the individuals who comprised the early church. These are those who made the church function. They were not pastor, preachers, or evangelists, but the regular church members who had a love for the Lord.God has a role for each of us to play in His church. If Paul wrote a letter to your church, would he find it necessary to mention you?
In this passage, we learn a lot about Paul's heart for mission and ministry. From it, we can also learn a lot about the type of heart we should have as followers of Christ.
Paul shows us that true ministry always flows from Christ, through the Holy Spirit, and to those who need to hear the Gospel.
Paul encourages the church in Rome by affirming his confidence in them that they are full of goodness, full of knowledge, and able to teach. We as a church should strive to have the same testimony.
Paul shows us that God's plan has always included the Gentiles and that both Jew and Gentile are a key component of God's people and God's work in the world.
Paul encourages us to follow the example of Christ and be willing to suffer for the good of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Paul continues his explanation of convictions in the church by now describing not only the attitude we should show one another, but also the actions we should take to love one another.All this we do, because there is one thing more important than all other minor issues, it is the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
In the Body of Christ, there are matters of sin, but there are also matters of conscience. We are to have a loving attitude toward those of differing convictions.
Paul says that there is one debt we owe one another, and that is to love each other.
The events of this past week have highlighted for us that the Church must take a stand for truth in the world around us.
As Christians, our faith should impact every part of our lives, even our Citizenship.God has instituted government to fulfill His good purpose.
When someone has a true faith in Christ, their actions will show it. Paul tells us that to live out a real faith we must show genuine love and a humble heart.
God has gifted everyone with certain talents, abilities, and resources to serve His Kingdom, and every individual is important.
After having explained the Gospel to us, Paul now shares with us the implications the Gospel has on our lives.
God has displayed His excellent wisdom in the way he orchestrated salvation history. Through reflecting on His wisdom, we can be prepared to trust Him in our lives.
Through Israel's rejection, God has accomplished great things, such as the salvation of Gentiles. Paul reminds us of this while also pointing to the fact that if God can do great things through Israel's rejection, He can certainly do wonders through their acceptance.
While God is accomplishing His purposes through the Gentiles, He has also promised that He has preserved a remnant of believing Jews who follow Him, just as He did in the days of Elijah.
Salvation does not require the accomplishment of huge tasks or impossible rules. It comes through faith in Jesus Christ in your heart.