(Through the Bible) Romans 15-16 — Chuck Smith

Bearing the Infirmities of Weaker Believers

So we turn to the 15th chapter of Paul's epistle to the Romans. In the 14th chapter, Paul was dealing with the subject of walking in love within the body of Christ. Recognizing that we have differences of feelings, convictions, or opinions on the different issues involving the Christian walk.

Paul said those that are strong in the faith can eat meat. Those who are weak in the faith have convictions against eating meat, so they eat vegetables. But we need to recognize that people have different convictions, that not everybody is going to see the thing the right way like I see it.

And so, you've got to respect the right of people to be wrong, and not create a big dissension over the differences, is basically what Paul is pleading for. That if we disagree, we disagree agreeably.

That we not split over issues, and get in a big controversy over these little issues. It is tragic how the church has been split and divided over the most ridiculous things. So, the encouragement in chapter 14 by Paul is to accept those weaker brothers in the faith.

Don't get into arguments with them. And also, you should not flout before them your liberty, because you might stumble them when they see the liberty that you have. So, walk in love. And if you're eating meat stumbles the weaker brother, then for the sake of the Lord, don't eat meat in front of him.

You have the liberty to eat the meat, then have it to yourself. Do it in your own home. But do not flout your liberties in such a way that you could offend a weaker brother, and thus destroy one for whom Christ died, just because you're going to insist on exercising your liberty.

Now, he is continuing in that very vein of thought as he begins the 15th chapter. And here he puts the final few touches on this subject. But chapter 15 is a continuation of this very subject, of our treatment towards the differences within the body, and especially towards weaker brothers.

We then that are strong, strong in the faith, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. I shouldn't just be thinking about my own pleasure. I'm going to eat this prime rib.

I don't care what he thinks. Well, if it's going to stumble him and offend him, if I am strong in the faith and eating prime rib doesn't bother me spiritually, then I need to bear the infirmities of the weak.

I need to put up with him and not live for my own pleasure. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up. And so rather than living to please myself, should live to please others.

As a Christian, many times we are called upon to live by the standards that other men have set. Not that we share those convictions. Not that we would feel guilty if we did them. But walking in love, not living to please myself, but living actually to please the others.

Walking more rigid than I would if I were just, you know, following my own convictions. And Paul gives to us then the example of Jesus Christ, who did not please himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

So, Christ our example. He came not to please himself. But when he came, he said, I do always those things that please the Father. For I came not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. So a good rule is live to please God, not live to please yourself.

Living to please yourself can create a stumbling block for weaker brothers. So in love, because it would please God, be gracious. Don't exercise your liberty in such a way as to cause offense. Now he goes on to another subject.

Scripture, Patience, and the Hope of God

For whatsoever things were written before time or aforetime were written for our learning. That through patience and comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. And so the twofold purpose of the Word of God, the scriptures that were given to us, a twofold purpose listed here.

First of all, for our learning. The Bible was given to us to reveal God. For our learning about God, our understanding of God. That we through the patience and the comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Now, God and hope are inextricably connected together. There is no real hope apart from God. But it's amazing how that when you have God, hope is extended, hope is expanded. The psalmist said, why art thou cast down, O my soul?

Why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God. He is our hope. And all the way through, the hope of the believer is connected with God. So that God has given us the scriptures to understand His nature, His character, His faithfulness.

So that we, in the time of trouble, will not despair. We will not give up. But we will continue to hope in that work of God and in that work of God's victory within our lives. That position of despair and hopelessness is not one that the Christian should find himself in.

Like the psalmist found himself cast down, but he talked to himself about it. He said, why are you cast down? Why are you depressed? O my soul, why are you upset? Why are you disquieted within me? And the reason why was because he forgot for a while that God was on the throne.

And when we forget that God is on the throne and ruling over our lives, it's possible that we can get discouraged and upset over the situations. It's interesting how quickly we can forget that God reigns.

How quickly we forget that it's His church. And suddenly we get all worried and we get all concerned and we begin to wonder, what are we going to do? Over and over the Lord reminds me that it's His church.

And because it's His church, I have no business worrying about it. He can take care of it. He's created it and He is able to maintain it. And I don't have to lie awake at night wondering, oh, what are we going to do now?

Or what are we going to do next, you know? That God is in control. Now I need to bring that to my own life. I need to realize that God is in control, that God is going to work. Not to get upset, not to get discouraged.

Not to be in turmoil. For the Lord reigns and He shall bring to pass His work. If I just patiently wait for Him. But that's the problem, isn't it? That thing called patience. We are exhorted in reading of the Old Testament saints to realize that they, through faith and patience, inherited the promises of God.

And again we were told that we have need of patience. That after we have done the will of God, we might obtain the promise. There is that time after I have done all that I can do in following the will of God.

There is that time where I have to then by faith patiently now wait for God to do His work. Now there is where I am tempted to meddle and mess things up. Because I don't wait for God. Somehow He always seems to be slow, according to my calculations.

Of course, when it all works out, I realize He was right on time, I was fast. But that's because I'm impatient. I want God to do His work in their life right now. God, I don't want to wait for a week.

I don't want to wait for a month. God help me, I don't want like Abraham to wait for 13 years. Can't take that, Lord. So we have need of patience. And through the patience and the comfort of the scriptures, we might have hope.

The Patience of God and Christian Fellowship

Now the God of patience, and isn't He patient? God is so patient, and another word for it is long-suffering. God is so long-suffering, He is so patient to bring to pass His purposes. But that's because God is outside of our time dimension.

God lives in the eternal. I live in seconds, and of course now in milliseconds. You know, the scientists have divided them down. Minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years. God lives in eons. The eternity, and a thousand years is as a day to the Lord.

A day is as a thousand years as a Lord. It's been so long, when is Jesus coming back? It's only been a couple days. What's your hurry, you know? So because God is outside of the time dimension, and we move in this dimension of time, it seems that God is so patient in bringing to pass His kingdom, His work upon the earth.

And so we continue our prayer, Oh God, give us patience right now. The God of patience and consolation. The God of comfort, He's called. Grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Jesus Christ.

How are we to be? We're to be patient with one another. As God is the God of patience and consolation, so we are to be to each other. We are to be comforting to one another, and we are to be patient with one another.

Now there's an interesting thing. I appreciate God's patience with me. I'm thankful for that. However, I'm not so patient with Him. I appreciate other people's patience with me. But I'm not always so patient with them.

Now as you would that men should do unto you, that is the way you should do to them likewise. Comfort, be patient according to Christ Jesus. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherefore, receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now the church, as we minister to each other in the love of Jesus Christ and through the Word of God, we do glorify God through this life of love, consolation, patience with one another.

And we are to receive then one another. How? As Christ received us. Now how did Christ receive you? Were you absolutely the ideal perfect person? Did He say go out and clean up your act and then I'll accept you?

No, He received us with all of our imperfections. Isn't it amazing how horrible our sins look when someone else is committing them? How blind we are to our own faults. How astute we are in being able to pick out the flaws of others.

But as Jesus said, Hey, first take the four by six out of your own eye and then you can see more clearly to take the splinter out of your brother's eye. Why is it that I have such a hard time seeing the four by six in my own eye?

And yet I can see so clearly that splinter in your eye. It's all a matter of love. Love covers a multitude of sins and I just love myself so much I don't pay any attention, you see. But I'm to love you as I love myself and if I love you as I love myself, then I won't be seeing and picking at all the little flaws in you.

But I will then receive you even as Christ has received me. It was interesting, during the counterculture revolution, the hippie period, there were many churches that were willing to receive the hippies and allow them to fellowship with them if they would go out and get a haircut and a three-piece suit, a white shirt and a tie.

You'll be welcome. Come on in, you know. Now you look like us and we will receive you. But it was amazing how many churches were unwilling to receive them with their long hair and dirty jeans and the whole hippie attire.

Conform to my standards. Live like I want people to live around me and I will accept you as my friend and my associate. You know, you're welcome. But that's not how we're to receive each other. We're to receive each other with our differences and that love that we have in Christ should be greater than any difference that we possess.

It should be the unifying power within the body of Christ. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made to the fathers. In other words, He came to the Jews because God had made the promise to the fathers that He would send the Savior unto them.

The seed of David. The seed of Abraham. And so He came to minister unto those whom God had made the promise. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for this cause as it is written. And I love Paul. He makes a statement and then he begins to back it up with Scripture.

And when you can back up your statements with Scripture, three or four references, for in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established. It shows me, one, Paul's vast working knowledge of the Old Testament.

I mean, he's grabbing Scriptures out of several different books, putting them all together on the same subject. This fellow is a walking topical index. Give him a subject and he'll quote you all the Scriptures from the Old Testament that deal with that particular subject.

So he's introducing now the fact that Christ came directly to the Jews and yet the prophecies expanded beyond the Jews to the ministry to the Gentiles. He came to confirm the promises to the fathers, which he did.

But then that the Gentiles might glorify God through the mercy that they received as it is written, for this cause I will confess thee among the Gentiles and sing unto thy name. Isaiah 42, 6 and 7. And again he saith, rejoice ye Gentiles with his people.

Deuteronomy 32. And again, praise the Lord all ye nations. Praise him all ye people. Of course, you all know where that one is. Psalm 117. And again Isaiah saith, there shall be a root out of Jesse and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles and in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Or hope. Isaiah 11. And so he is stringing together all of these various prophecies out of the Old Testament relating to the gospel coming to the Gentiles through the mercy of Jesus Christ. Now, Paul said, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.

Again the subject of hope which comes from the Scriptures. The God of all hope. Hope is one of the most important things. We must not lose hope in God. He is the God of all hope. May he fill you. The result of hope is joy and peace.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? Why art thou disquieted? You see, he's talking about depression and unrest. The opposite of that is joy and peace. The result of the hope that we have is joy and peace in believing.

Believing what? The Scripture. The Word of God. So our belief is based upon the fact that God said it. And the result of that belief is joy and peace. Now, people oftentimes put their faith in the joy and peace or in a feeling that they have.

Are you a child of God? Oh, yes. How do you know you're a child of God? Oh, I feel such peace in my heart. Oh, I have such joy. I know I'm saved because I've never felt such joy. Oh, wait a minute. It isn't believing in the joy and the peace.

It's believing in the Word of God. You see, if you say that you are saved because you have such peace and joy in your life, you may wake up tomorrow morning on one of those Mondays and it is one miserable day and you feel horrible.

You knew you shouldn't have gone to Bob's after the service and had the onion on a hamburger. And now you're suffering for it. And you're irritable. And you're upset. What does that say? Oh, I'm not saved today because I don't have the joy and I'm all irritable.

You see, the faith is not in the feeling. It is not believing in a feeling. It is believing the Word of God, what God has said. And so my faith is founded in the fact of God's Word. It doesn't change.

Feelings do. My feelings are changeable. As you get my age, even the weather can change them. You know, I can wake up in the morning and tell you how long the fog is going to last by how much my knee is aching, you know, and stupid things that you can tell weather now by your body.

Feelings can change. They can be altered. The Word of God is forever established. And because my salvation and relationship with God is predicated upon His sure Word, my relationship with God never changes.

It's established. And so it is the believing that has brought me the peace and the joy. Paul said, after 14 days tossed in the ship, be of good cheer, for this night the angel of the Lord stood by me and he assured me that though the ship is destroyed, there will not be the loss of life and I believe the Word of the Lord.

Paul was cheerful. He was happy. He was encouraging them to be cheerful when they had lost all hope of ever being saved. They had given up hope of ever being rescued, ever coming out of this alive. And to have a guy getting up and whistling and smiling, they probably wanted to have him walk the plank.

Be of good cheer. Are you kidding, man? I'm so seasick. Fourteen days bobbing like a cork on the Mediterranean. Haven't seen the sun or the stars. He didn't say, be of good cheer. I feel good today. Today I have a peace in my heart.

No, I have the Word of the Lord and I believe the Word of the Lord. And so the faith is established and it is solid and it's secure because it's established in the Word, in the Scriptures. So be careful of that.

It's an easy trap to fall into where people get faith in their feelings. And it is interesting, we have to express so often by feelings an experience that we had. We use our feelings to express the experience.

But in expressing our experience of, say, salvation, oh, I had such peace. I never felt such peace in all of my life. Oh, I felt like there was just warm water poured over the top of my head and just down over my whole body and I just felt this great warmth all over me.

And as we are expressing, you see, our experiences, then people get in their mind, well, I've got to have that kind of experience or I'm not saved. Because when he was saved, it was like lights turning on.

Strobe lights flashing, you know, and whoo! His glory! And I haven't seen the strobes yet, you know. And so I can't be saved. And because we describe our salvation by the experiences of feelings or whatever that we have, people begin to relate to the feeling rather than to the Word of God.

You can't do that. I am saved because God's Word declares that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

I know I am saved because here is where God said it. You see, and I can point right to it and thus it doesn't waver, it doesn't change, it doesn't alter with my feelings. Again, I love the way Paul can just get right to the heart of the issue.

Now the God of hope fill you all, joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who makes the Word of God real to my heart. It is the Holy Spirit that teaches me God's truth.

He leads me into all truth. He shows me the things of God. He makes the Word of God alive in my heart. And so through the work of the Holy Spirit, working through the Word of God in my life, hope abounds.

Thanks be unto God who hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. A blessed hope of the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. A living hope, a blessed hope, an abounding hope that we have through the Word.

Paul's Ministry to the Gentiles

Now Paul said, I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able to admonish one another. I'm confident, brethren, that you're capable of doing this.

Full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able, capable of admonishing one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly unto you in some sort as putting you in mind because of the grace that is given to me of God.

Now I know that you can admonish each other and yet, and you have all knowledge, but yet because of the grace God has given to me, I'm writing boldly now these things to you. That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the good news of God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

So Paul writing to the Gentiles is declaring unto them that they are accepted by God. The offering up of the Gentiles. And that would be the offering of their praises and worship unto God. Because of the work of the Holy Spirit is accepted to God.

You don't need the priesthood. You don't need the washings and the cleansings of the law. But God accepts you because of the work of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God that is given to us. I therefore, I have therefore, whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by the word and deed. Paul the Apostle had a very powerful ministry among the Gentiles, but it was more than just the ministry of the Word.

It was the Word confirmed by the work of the Holy Spirit. In the book of Mark, the last verse, it says, and they went everywhere preaching the Word, the Holy Spirit working with them, confirming the Word with signs following.

Paul when he wrote to the Corinthians said, and my speech was not with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but with the demonstration and the power of the Spirit. Paul in the beginning of this epistle to the Romans declared that he desired to come to them that he might impart unto them some spiritual gift to the end that they both might be built up.

So Paul's ministry was in word and in deed. The Word of God is wonderful. It is important. It is powerful. It is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. But it has to also work in our lives and be demonstrated through our lives.

Many times what I say is totally lost on the ears of the hearers because of what I am. If the Word doesn't work in my life, and I cannot demonstrate the power of the Word of God through my life, then all of the principles in the world, if they're not practical, if they don't work, no matter how good a principle they may be, they're of no value.

So it is the Holy Spirit that takes the Word and then makes the Word operable in my life and the deeds then are demonstrated. That of love. That of power. And the Holy Spirit can manifest Himself in many different ways.

And so, Paul said, I really don't speak of anything except what the Lord has wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by the Word and deed. Jesus appealed to His works as the verification of the truth of what He said.

Philip said, Lord, just show us the Father and it sufficeth us. And Jesus said, have I been so long a time with you, Philip, and haven't you seen Me? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father. How is it that you're saying, show us the Father?

Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? And the works that I do, I don't do of Myself, but the Father that dwells in Me, He does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, or else believe for the very works' sake.

Jesus spoke of how His works testified of Him. And so, our lives are witnesses of that work of God and His Holy Spirit in us. Our lives are a greater witness than our words. We've always thought of our words as witnesses and we've always thought as witnessing in a verbal sense, that's verbalizing my faith to someone else.

Verbalizing their need for Jesus Christ. But a greater witness than your words are your works wrought through the Holy Spirit in love. And by this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, that ye love one another.

And so it is important that our deeds match the glorious Gospel that we proclaim through the Word. Paul here declares, the deeds were through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God.

It must have been exciting to be around Paul and to see those mighty signs and wonders that were wrought by the Holy Spirit and the power of the Spirit in his life. So Paul says, so that from Jerusalem and around about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel of Christ, or I have preached the full Gospel of Christ.

Yea, so have I strived to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation. It is always rather amusing to me how many people feel called to start churches close around Calvary Chapel here.

I must, well I guess I shouldn't, but I do. I shouldn't say I must. I do oftentimes question their motivation. It would appear that they're seeking to build upon another man's foundation. Because we have stacks of letters of people all over the United States begging for us to start Calvary Chapel ministries in their area, because there's such a total dearth of the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit.

And it seems to me the Holy Spirit is sort of not really using, you know, talent efficiently by calling them all within a few mile radius of Calvary Chapel here, as though, you know, we didn't have the Word and the Spirit of God working here.

So they feel that they've got to come close by here, rather than going where there was a true need. Of course, they know that I am offensive and I, you know, shoot from the straight and always people getting upset so they can always pick up the disgruntles around and get a good start with the new fellowship.

But I have problems with this. Paul said, Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel not where Christ was named. I don't want to build upon another man's foundation. Now, I really believe that every church needs an excuse to exist.

And I think that you have to be presenting to the people a different ministry than what they can receive elsewhere. Or else you really don't have any right to exist. Now, I do believe that God has a purpose for many varieties of churches because there are many varieties of people.

And there are some people who need a highly emotional, highly charged kind of a meeting. And God knows that. And so we need churches that are highly emotional and supercharged. There are some people who need things extremely quiet and reverent and very somber.

They like the smell of incense and the psyche of the candles. And so God has the ritual churches where they can go and touch God and feel blessed. But every church needs an excuse for being. And I don't believe that it is good to have four struggling full gospel churches in a little community.

All of them just barely struggling to make it. In fact, some of them hardly making it. The pastors all living on starvation wages. I think that they all ought to go together and have one strong work. Why duplicate the efforts?

And to have 22 Southern Baptist churches. I think it's 37 now in Tucson, Arizona. It seems to me they would be better if they would combine and have one strong work rather than 37 starving pastors. I think you have to have an excuse to exist.

You're offering to the people something they can't get in another church. So Paul sought to preach Christ where he wasn't heard of. He didn't want to come in and build on another man's foundation. He wanted to go where there was a true need and that is commendable.

But it is as it is written. You see, he uses even a scripture base for this. Paul was so filled with the knowledge of the Word of God. I love it. I love reading Spurgeon. That guy was like Paul. He used just all the way through scripture and scripture examples and oh how I love his sermons because they are so chock full of the Word of God.

But as it is written, to whom he was not spoken of, they shall see and they that have not heard shall understand. Isaiah 52. For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you because I've been wanting to go where there was a need, where people had not heard.

I've really been hindered coming to you. But now having no more place in these parts. Hey, that is quite a witness. I've told everybody around here so I've got to move on, you know. Having no more place in these parts to go where no one has not heard yet and having a great desire for many years to come to you.

Paul's Collection for the Poor in Jerusalem

Whenever I take my journey to Spain, I intend to drop by for I trust to see you in my journey and to be brought on my way thitherward by you. If first I'd be somewhat filled with your company. But now I'm going to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

Now Paul was in Corinth when he wrote this and he had gone to Corinth and to the churches in Macedonia to collect an offering to take to the poor saints in Jerusalem to help them in their need. He had written to the church in Corinth to take up a collection.

Before I get there, I don't want any offerings taken while I'm there. But each man has his purpose in his own heart so let me give it and I'm going to take it, you know, to the church in Jerusalem. The church in Jerusalem had experienced some real financial problems.

Probably stemming from that early communal sharing where everyone sold their possessions, brought the money, laid it at the disciples' feet and all. And in time, it ran out. And so they were left without property and all.

They had sold it. And so they were in a sad state in Jerusalem and Paul is seeking to take them help. And so I'm going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

And it hath pleased them truly. This was a good thing that they did for they are debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, it is their duty also to minister unto them in carnal things.

So they have benefited spiritually and so it is only proper that they minister to the carnal needs or the fleshly or the body needs. When therefore I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

And I am sure that when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. The fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. I know when I come. That's the way I'm going to come.

Why? Because that's the way Paul went everywhere. Just in the fullness. His life overflowed. Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake and for the love of the Spirit that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me.

Prayer for Paul's Journey to Rome

Paul here is requesting that they join with him in his prayers for himself. I think that one of the great, great blessings and they sort of pyramid. It has a pyramidal effect. That the more your ministry influences more people, the more people you have praying for you.

And the more people you have praying for you, the more effective and broader is the base of your ministry. It is such a thrill to go places like... We went to Tucson this last week. And there were close to a thousand people who came out there on Tuesday night in Tucson.

And afterwards as I was shaking hands, person after person said, Oh, you don't know what a blessing your ministry has been. The word for today, I eat breakfast with you every morning, you know. Or you go with me to work every day.

And my life has been so blessed and I want you to know I'm praying for you. And all over the country there are people praying for us. We got a beautiful letter from a body of believers in Siberia. And one of the persons speaks English.

And so they have our tapes and he listens and then translates it for these people in Siberia. And they smuggled the letter out and it said, We in Siberia are praying for you and those in Calvary Chapel.

Now how does that make you feel? Siberian believers praying for you. God help us. Are we praying for them? They need, I'm sure, our prayers much more than we need theirs. And that just made me really feel humbled and convicted because I haven't always remembered to pray for those blessed believers in Siberia.

And that's where you usually end up if you're a true believer in Russia. And so there are a lot of believers in Siberia. A lot of beautiful Christians up there in Siberia praying for you. God help us.

Let's return the favor. And let's pray for them. But Paul here is asking now prayers of the people. Join me in my prayers for me, Paul is saying. That I may, and this is what Paul wants prayer for, that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea.

And that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted by the saints. Paul wasn't on the best of terms with those in Jerusalem, not because he didn't want to be, but they were just always suspicious of him.