I did not expect this series to go to five parts. But Paul’s farewell to the Romans is so full of wisdom, I have to keep extending it. There is so much here that could lead us to actually answer Jesus’ prayer for perfect unity!
“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me’” (Rom 15:1-3).
It would be too easy to apply this passage to all church relationships, but that would contradict what emerged out of Part 4. Paul is speaking of the weak and the strong only in terms of the Jewish food prohibitions discussed in Romans 14. In this, we are to sacrifice ourselves for our neighbor as Jesus himself would do, helping them to become stronger in the faith and freedom in Jesus.
But as we build up the weak in faith, we are reaching far beyond food choices to encouragement and hope and salvation through Jesus:
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Rom 15:4-7).
This is subtle, but I believe it is accurate: this passage also speaks to behaviors of perfect unity among Christian believers. This implies strongly that disunity among believers in the Lord Jesus is anathema, and should not even be possible!
Ah, what have we done to ourselves within the historical Christian church since Paul such that perfect unity among us seems impossible?
Try focusing on God’s purposes for the Jews and the Gentiles as stated so clearly by the prophets:
“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, 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’” (Rom 15:8-9; Psalm 18:49).
“And again it is said, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people’” (Rom 15:10; Deut 32:43).
“And again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him’” (Rom 15:11; Psalm 117:1).
“And again Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope’” (Rom 15:12; Isaiah 11:10; Rev 22:16).
All of these quotations are to show that all history points to Jesus the Christ as the hope of both Jews and Gentiles. His benediction, then, is written for all of us:
“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” (Rom 15:13).
Abound in hope, my friends, while living in the occupied territory of Jesus the King!