If you were alive in the first century and associated with our brother Paul, would you have had the honor of him mentioning you favorably in his letter as he does so many in this last chapter? I ask my friends this same question by the end of our study today. The answer is yes. They, like Paul, were merely redeemed men and women working out their salvation in their time just like us. What an honor for them to have had their names recorded in inspired Scripture by the Holy Spirit himself through Paul and Tertius. We see some very practical exhortations about how to become established in the Gospel today. If we love the truth, we’ll judge others as we wish to be judged by others by it in every good way as the body of Christ. It’s important to note that Paul does not mention Peter here in this long list of names. This is because Peter did not have a church in Rome. Anyone who says he did is wrong. He may have visited Rome, and almost certainly died in Rome, but he never established a church there. Not a chance. The theme of the “mystery” revealed in the Gospel, as I mention from places like Ephesians 1:9-10 and 1 Peter 1:10-12, is a wonderful truth Paul reminds them of here in his doxology at the end of the book. I pray with all my heart that you’re in Christ, that you love Christ, and that the fruit you bear in him as a result will lead in your life to the eternal glories of both God (first) and yourself. We’ll do at least one session of review through Romans before we close out this series that began almost one year ago on 19 February 2022.
This message is also available in audio format: https://biblecia.com/audio/to-the-saints-in-pakistan-part-37-romans-161-27-62-min/
God bless!
