WWUTT 253 To God Be the Glory?

We have come to the conclusion of our study of the book of Romans and today we're going to go back through the last five chapters, chapters 12 through 16, outlining key passages to summarize the rich theology of this letter that we have been studying when we understand the text.

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Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. And greetings everybody. Today is the day that we conclude our study of the book of Romans by highlighting key passages in chapters 12 through 16.

So grab your Bible and maybe a pen if that's what you like to use. That's typically what

I use. I underline passages in my Bible or a special highlighter that you like, or maybe one of those highlighting crayons.

I got a couple of those too. I think those work rather well. If you are driving in the car, you like to listen to this program on your commute.

Well, you can do this later. Grab your Bible and listen back over this as we look at these key passages in these final five chapters of the book of Romans.

Now if you were with us as we study the first 11 chapters, then you've already done this once. We went back through those 11 chapters highlighting key passages because they're in chapter 12.

Beginning of chapter 12, Paul says, in view of God's mercies. And what he's talking about is the doctrines that he has laid out, the rich theology that we had read in those previous 11 chapters.

So we underline the key points to see the mercies of God. And in view of those mercies,

Paul says, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

So if you were with us that first time we were doing underlining, then you probably already have underlined

Romans 12, one and two, because it was in view of those doctrines in the first 11 chapters that we highlighted verses one and two of Romans chapter 12.

So if you haven't done that yet, that would be where you would want to start. And that's where we're going to begin reading those two verses.

So I'll read this again. Romans 12, beginning in verse one, I appeal to you brothers by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

That becomes kind of a bridging point between the rich theology we were looking at in the first 11 chapters, and then what we will view in the last five, which is

Paul giving instruction on how this right doctrine is supposed to look in the life of a

Christian. So how does this play out? We've read about orthodoxy. Now we have orthopraxy, which is simply the practice of right belief.

And so that's what chapters 12 through 16 are talking about, how this doctrine will be lived out in the life of a believer.

The next verse you will want to underline is Romans 12, verse three. So we've already underlined the first three verses of Romans chapter 12.

We kind of shift into the living out this doctrine here as we get into verse three.

For by the grace given to me, Paul says, I say to everyone among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Because our understanding should be, as we're thinking about how this faith plays out in the life of a believer, we should understand that the faith that we have has been given to us by God.

It is not something that we manifest or we take any credit for. Therefore we need to not think of ourselves more highly than we probably want to, than our flesh desires to, but with sober judgment and each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned to each and every person

God has called in a specific way and given specific tasks.

And we all have spiritual gifts, different spiritual gifts, which Paul talks about as we go on.

And in fact, you may want to even underline verse five, because Paul says we, though many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another.

That is such a key passage when it comes to understanding the function of the body of Christ, that we're all different members, but functionally together as one body holding fast to Christ Jesus.

So that's why that verse becomes so important. So as each person has been given their task and has their own spiritual gift, we need to think with sober judgment, according to that measure of faith that God has assigned to us and the calling that he has given to each and every individual person.

But this calling as individuals doesn't mean that we're going to exercise that as individuals outside of the body of Christ.

This is still the body working together. And then we are a functioning body of Christ, not you and your own individual.

Well, here's my gift. And so I'm going to go out and do this. You are working with the body of Christ. Next passage to underline verse nine, where Paul says, let love be genuine, abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good.

Now it's very difficult in verses nine through twenty one to kind of single out what to underline because each and every verse kind of becomes its own thought.

Paul is giving this flow of instructions to the body of Christ in how to engage and behave with one another, but also how as Christians to behave in this world when the world is going to be hostile toward us because of our faith.

And so the instructions here that we have in verses nine through twenty one is how the body of Christ is supposed to interact with that unbelieving world.

When the world is going to get hostile against us because of our faith, how are we supposed to respond?

We need to be tightly knit with one another because the members of the body of Christ are going to encourage and support one another when the world bears down on us.

So that's the bulk of these instructions that we read in verses nine through twenty one. But I think something that's very important to find here is what we see in verses nineteen through twenty one, where Paul says,

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine,

I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him.

If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For by so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. So ultimately, when we summarize how it is that we respond to an unbelieving world when that world gets hostile against us, that's the section that summarizes it the best.

Verses nineteen through twenty one. Next, as we continue this flow of underlining, underline in chapter thirteen, verses one and two.

This is a different section now where Paul is talking about submission to governing authorities and he says, Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed and those who resist will incur judgment.

Very important passages to underline as we understand how we interact with the world and we do submit to the governing authorities.

We're not anarchists. We're not nihilists. OK, we're not running around saying, hey, you know, these manmade institutions have have no nothing on me because I'm a follower of God and I am a citizen of his kingdom.

Yes, that's absolutely true. But as we understand God and his sovereignty and that he is apportioned each and every person for every time and place that they have, he is appointed even the rulers and the authority that they have in the different positions of authority where they have been in place, different countries or regions or, you know, whatever system of government you live in, whether it is a monarchy or a republic, we are to be subject to those governing authorities.

And if you want to contend with that, well, I would suggest that you go to Acts chapters 20 through 28 and read how

Paul responded to the governing authorities, how respectful he was of Felix and Agrippa, how he used his

Roman citizenship, his rights as a Roman citizen that were afforded to him to get a free trip to Rome, which was where he wanted to go, that he might be able to preach the gospel in the capital city of the world.

Paul was subject to the governing authorities. And so we must be as well, knowing that they have been instituted by God.

Now, there comes a point when the government would probably say to us that we cannot declare the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And if you do, you're going to be punished for that. Well, then you see how it is that Peter and the other apostles responded to that at the beginning of Acts.

They would respond to those governing authorities still very respectfully, would say to them, you do what you think you have to do.

But we know that we need to preach what it is that we've seen, that Jesus Christ was crucified and risen again from the grave and that he appeared to every one of us and commissioned us to go and make disciples of all nations.

And so that is what the apostles are doing, obeying that commission that was commanded of them by God.

So at any point, the government tells us to start doing things that are against the word of God. Well, that would be the point where we would say still in a very respectful way that we must obey

God rather than man. But we still need to be subject to the governing authorities because every authority has been established by God.

Even tyrannical rulers have been established by God, a judgment on a people for the time and place that God has appointed those rulers to those positions.

So as we keep going on in chapter 13 here, it's verses one through seven, where we read about submission to the governing authorities.

And maybe you want to want to want to put a bracket around that whole section because that's all very important. The next verse

I would suggest that you underline is verse eight, oh, no one, anything except to love each other for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

As Jesus said, the greatest command is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And the second is like it to love your neighbor as yourself.

This is a summary of the first and second table of the law. The first table of the law is the first four commandments, everything that is vertical.

And then the second table of the law is the next six commandments. Everything that is horizontal, talking about man's relationship with man.

So the two greatest commands summarize the first and second table of the law. And so when

Paul says here that loving one another fulfills the law, he's talking about how we fulfill that second table of the law.

The first table was given in the first 11 chapters of the book of Romans. But here is we're talking about the fulfillment of that second table of the law.

This is the instruction that he gives here in chapter 13, verse eight, love each other for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

We look at verse 13. This would be the next one that I would suggest that you underline verses 13 and 14.

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy, but put on the

Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.

It's just a good summarizing couple of verses instructing us to stay away from the sins of this world and pursue the holiness of God.

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Then we get to chapter 14. And once again, we're continuing a flow of underlining because in chapter 14, you want to underline verse one.

As for the one who is weak in the faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. And this continues with the theme that Paul began in chapter 12, verse three, by the grace given to me,

I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. And so Paul is sort of repeating the same thing here as he begins a new set of instructions in chapter 14.

As for the one who is weak in the faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

Next section that I would instruct that you underline in verse 12, where Paul says, so then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

I think that's very important to remember. And so underline that verse, but then verse 13, therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother, not because of food, not arguing about a day that's important or any of these other things.

Okay. These are all tertiary issues. So on the tertiary doctrines, we're going to disagree with one another in the body of Christ.

We all hold the mains in common. If you attend a particular denomination, then you're going to have the secondaries in common.

But the tertiary issues we will differ on within that same body.

Let us not become divisive over those matters because each of us will have to give an account of himself to God.

Therefore, do not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or a hindrance in the way of a brother.

Verse 19, so then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

And verse 20, I would say, add in with that as well. Do not for the sake of food, destroy the work of God.

Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

And so those important passages and understanding the theology of what is being presented there in Romans chapter 14, at the end of that chapter, it says, whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Underline that. Not the whole verse, just that phrase. Because whatever does not come from the faith that we have in Christ Jesus is sin.

This is why a person who is not in Christ, everything that they do is sin. Even when you see them do kindness for somebody else, they're still sinning because their very acts and their deeds are motivated by a self -righteousness, believing that they are righteous on their own and they don't need

God and they certainly don't need Christ. And so whatever they do is sin.

And that is one of those passages that helps us to understand that concept. Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

We get to chapter 15, and I would say it would be wise to draw a bracket in chapter 15, verses 1 through 7.

That whole paragraph, that whole section there, very important because they're good instructions on being a gospel -centered church.

But underline verse 1, We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.

I've also added in verse 2, Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.

And this completes the thought that was began in chapter 12, verse 3, continued in chapter 14, verse 1, and then chapter 15, verses 1 and 2.

Not much else in chapter 15 will be underlined. In fact, I don't have anything else in chapter 15 that I have underlined there, except for those first two verses and putting a bracket around verses 1 through 7.

We get to chapter 16, and in verses 1 through 16, Paul lists a lot of names. So you wouldn't think there's a whole lot there to underline.

But for you ladies in particular, I would encourage you to underline the names of the women that are listed here, because it is an important reminder to you of just how, well

I'm going to use the word again, important, how important the role of women is in the church.

A lot of what we read, just a lot of masculine pronouns in the Bible, more so than we read the feminine pronouns.

So it's very easy to think that the church is a man's world. What is there for a woman to do, especially when you start arguing about passages like first Timothy chapter 2, where it says that I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man.

And then the instructions in first Timothy chapter 3, for men to be the elders and the deacons in the church. So then women can get to feel like, you know, the church is a man's thing.

What in the world is there for a woman to do? But Paul mentioned so many women in this list that the

Roman Christians are to receive to themselves as being just as instrumental and just as important to the function of the church as the men.

And so therefore, I think it is important to underline the names of these women so that you can be reminded of the important role that women have in the church.

The first one that's listed is Phoebe. So in verse 1, underline Phoebe's name.

The next one is in verse 3, Priscia. Underline Priscia's name, who is also Priscilla mentioned in Acts chapter 19.

She is the wife of Aquila. In verse 6, underline Mary, who could be either

Mary Magdalene or Mary, the mother of James, which would also be Mary, the mother of Christ. In verse 7, underline

Junia. This is another husband and wife team, Andronicus and Junia. Just like Priscia and Aquila are that husband and wife duo.

So underline Junia's name. Next name that comes up, feminine names in verse 12,

Trephana and Trephosa. We don't know who they are. They're not mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. I've read from some scholars that they think they might be twins or sisters at least.

So two sisters that function in a purpose of ministry together. The next one is in verse 13, where it says greet

Rufus, chosen in the Lord, also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well.

So underline that section. In verse 15, Julia. So underline

Julia's name. And then you have Nereus and his sister. So underline his sister.

And then finally, verse 16, just because it is that important summary of greeting one another in Christ.

Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

Underline that. Now, the next thing that I have underlined is the doxology.

I don't have anything before the doxology underlined, but put a bracket from verses 17 through 20.

Just because this is such an important summarized instruction on watching out for false teachers.

And that is something that we need to constantly keep in mind. We need to constantly remember. Maybe you want to underline all four of those verses.

That would be fine too. So verses 17 through 20, as Paul appeals to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught, avoid them.

For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. And by smooth talk and flattery, they deceive the hearts of the naive.

For your obedience is known to all so that I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

And then at last, the final thing that I have underlined is the doxology, which is verses 25, 26, and 27.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages, but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations according to the command of the eternal

God to bring about the obedience of faith. To the only wise

God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ. Amen.

You've been listening to When We Understand the Text with Pastor Gabe Hughes. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Gabe will be going through a

New Testament study. Then on Thursday, we look at an Old Testament book. On Friday, we take questions from the listeners and viewers.