Romans 1:1-17 & 16:1-27

Glory to the Only Wise God

[July 31, 2005 -- Started the Book of Romans]  The book of Romans not only contains the longest introduction of any of Paul's letters, but as you can see this morning it also contains the longest closing.  And at first glance, it may in fact seem that there would be very little we could gain to build our faith upon from such a closing filled with names of people, most of whom we know nothing about.  However, even this final set of greetings from Paul and his companions is filled theological meat upon which we will feast this morning.

The list of names itself reminds us of the historical nature of the gospel which is grounded in the real life and blood of people who were forever changed by the power of God's salvation.  This gift of salvation is not some disembodied ethereal spirituality that never touches where you live.  It lives and breathes in human bodies because the Eternal Son of God became flesh and dwelt among us.  The gospel has impacted your everyday life and you are forever connected to a long history of the family of God's elect who have served God for thousands of years. 

These names are really not foreign to you at all.  Phoebe, Prisca, Aquila, Epaenetus, Rufus, Timothy, Gaius.  These are your brothers and sisters, who were fellow laborers in the gospel of Jesus Christ and who, by God's grace, kept the faith once delivered to the saints and ran the race well that you too, through them, might come to know Jesus Christ and glory with them in the only wise God.

It is for this reason that Paul leads you in worship this morning to glory in God's wonderful plan of redemption in Jesus Christ.  In v. 25, Paul closes this letter singing the doxology of God -- the One who is able to strengthen you in the faith.  In 1:11, Paul says that he wants to come to Rome to strengthen (uses the same word) the Roman Christians in Christ.  Here he reveals that this strengthening of God's people will only take place by God's power. 

But how will that power be displayed?  What will God use to strengthen you this morning?  Paul makes it clear that the means of strengthening you is the gospel -- the preaching of Jesus Christ (v. 25).  This sounds very much like the beginning of Paul's letter: 

Romans 1:16-17  16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith."

The gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ is God's means to strengthen you.  And further, Paul says it is God's "revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past" (v. 25).  In 1 Cor. 4:1, Paul says that he has been given the ministry of the "stewardship of the mysteries of God."  What does Paul mean by a "revealed-mystery"? 

Well, Paul gives a nice definition right here in vv. 25-26:  1.)  God's plan of your eternal salvation that was at one time kept secret in ages past; but now, 2.) is manifested by God's will (in accordance with the prophets); 3.) has now been made known to all the nations.

First, Romans 1:1-6; Col. 2:2-3 -- Jesus Christ Himself is God's mystery now revealed.

But Paul also uses the term "mystery" to speak of his own specific calling he has received within the larger ministry of making the gospel known and that is the calling of the Gentiles to faith in Christ:  Eph. 3:3-9; Col. 1:25-27 -- The gospel promises are now universally available for all who will call upon the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the OT, the prophets looked forward to a day when the nations of the world would come to Jerusalem to worship Yahweh alongside the children of Israel at His footstool of the Temple of God.  But what they couldn't possibly see was the utter fullness of this promise in that the Gentiles would become fellow heirs and fellow partakers of the promises to Abraham through Jesus Christ.  In other words, they wouldn't simply be a "second-class" of worshippers with Israel in an exalted position of power and dominance over the nations.  Through Jesus Christ, the Gentile people are now full members of God's chosen people.  They themselves have become full recipients of the promises made to Israel as if those promises had been made directly to them.  There is no longer any distinction between Jew or Gentile in the one people of God in Christ (Eph. 2; Col 3:11; Rom. 10:12).  And as the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul has been given the unique mission of making this aspect of the mystery known to the Gentile people.

But further, many of the Jewish Christians, known as Judaizers, thought that even though the Gentiles may now be fellow-heirs of the promises of God made to Abraham that they had to come to the Messiah the same way they did:  through keeping the law of Moses.  And these Judaizers followed Paul all over the Roman empire causing division and disunity among the newly planted Gentile churches by preaching their false gospel of adding Moses to Christ.  But this was another aspect of the mystery of God that has now been manifested in Christ:  that the Gentile Christians do not have to follow Moses in order to be full members of God's elect.  They are heirs of Israel's hope through faith alone in Jesus Christ.  Through faith they belong to Christ and in Him they are all sons of Abraham and heirs according to the promise (Gal. 3:29).

It is this mystery of God's plan that Paul announces has now been manifested!  You belong to God -- You now have hope -- You have been brought near to God through the blood of Jesus Christ and it is through Him that you have becomes full heirs of God.

It is this mystery that Paul has unfolded throughout the whole of the book of Romans.  And it is to these who are listed in vv. 1-16 and 21-23 that Paul now greets as those who are co-laborers in making this good news known to the world.  With this manifestation of the mystery of God we have now reached the pinnacle of God's work of redemption.  We have arrived at the climax of all that God had promised for thousands of years.  The fullness of time has arrived in Jesus Christ.  And this salvation is not limited to a small handful of people hidden in one corner of the world.  It is the good news of salvation for all -- all people everywhere -- that God forgives sinners who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.

But Paul knows that just as it has happened everywhere else that he has been, that it won't be long until those who preach another gospel will attempt to infiltrate the church at Rome.  There will come others from Jerusalem who will attempt to pollute the simplicity and purity of Paul's gospel by trying to get the Gentile believers in Rome to add Moses to the Jesus Christ. 

But this was not only a problem in Paul's day.  It continues to be the struggle of the gospel in every age down to today.  What is the gospel?  Is salvation by God's grace alone, received through faith alone, on account of the work of Jesus Christ alone?  Or are we made right with God through our own following of the Law?  While, today's Judaizers are not pushing circumcision and the following of Jewish feast days, they are still trying to enslave followers of Christ to place themselves under the heavy yoke of Moses which Peter himself confessed to be such an impossible burden which "neither our fathers nor we were able to bear" (Acts 15:10).  There are those even today that say we might be justified through Christ but that we are to be made perfect, or sanctified, through Moses.         

It is to these Judaizers that Paul warns you this morning to be on constant watch (v. 17).  "Look out for them" -- "Keep your eye on them."  Why?  Because they cause dissension in the body of Christ and place stumbling blocks in your way to Christ.  A "stumbling block" is serious because through their heretical teachings they keep people from seeing the simplicity and purity of Jesus Christ who alone is the way into God's eternal presence as well as the only way to continue to dwell in His presence forevermore.

So what are you to do with those who seek to turn you away from Christ?  Paul says in v. 17 -- "turn away from them" -- "stay as far away from them as possible."

They are in bondage to the law -- slaves to their own flesh.  They do not belong to Jesus Christ but serve only themselves -- Gal. 6:11-18!  Paul says in Phil. 3:

Philippians 3:2-9  Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;  3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,  4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:  5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;  6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.  7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ,  9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

Do you hear Paul's focus here?  Knowing and gaining only Christ Jesus!  He continues:

Philippians 3:17-21  17 Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.  18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,  19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.  20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;  21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Now as enemies of the cross of Christ, Judaizers don't make their false teachings plain to see.  Rather, as Paul says in v. 18, they are much more subtle by using "smooth and flattering speech" to deceive the innocent. They are sure to use many Scripture verses and quotes from some teacher somewhere who has agreed with them in the past.  And they will write large tomes filled with these things trying to convince you that there is more to the Christian faith than Christ alone.  And for those who are not prepared for the onslaught of their evil deceptions, they will get swallowed up by their impressive display of erudition. 

Now while Paul greatly rejoices in the maturity of the Roman Christians (v. 19) he wants them to be discerning of this coming false teaching so that they don't get overtaken by its subtle deception.  As Jesus says:

Matthew 10:16   16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.

So how do you discern this false teaching that Paul warns you about?  Very simply:  Ask whether or not the one teaching is taking your eyes off of your heavenly hope in Christ alone!

Paul says very clearly in Col. 3:

Colossians 3:1-4  If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.  3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

And in Heb. 12:

Hebrews 12:1-3  Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

Whenever you hear a sermon or someone teaching from the Bible always ask yourself, did the teacher fix my eyes on Jesus Christ?  Or did they turn my eyes upon my own flesh giving me just another list of things I need to do to be right with God?  There will come those who will take the simple reading of Paul's gospel found in the book of Romans and will make it so complicated that you are drawn further and further from Christ (Wonderful Test:  Romans 6:1). 

Another way of asking the same thing is:  are my eyes drawn to Heaven where Christ is or is this teacher trying to get me to set my mind on the things of earth?  Where is your hope, in Christ or anything else?

In fact, this is what the whole book of Romans is about and Paul has made all of this perfectly clear.  Why?  So that through the purity and simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ, God may strengthen and establish you as Paul says in v. 25.

Now fix your eyes on Jesus knowing that the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet (v. 20).  John uses this same word, "soon," in the book of Revelation to refer to the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  This is spiritual warfare that you are a part of as a fellow co-laborers of the gospel of Jesus Christ and it will soon end when Jesus Christ returns.  Until then you must be discerning in every sermon and every lesson from the Bible that you do not fall victim to Satan's deceitful workers who would lead you away from Christ.  Steer clear of them because as Paul says it is only through the gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ, that God will strengthen your faith.  As God promised all the way back in Gen. 3:15, Christ has already defeated Satan at His cross.  But Satan, your adversary, continues to walk about this world as a roaring lion seeking those he can devour (1 Pet. 5:8) and his ways are always subtle and he often appears as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:13-15).  But you can be certain that Satan's ultimate downfall, along with all his fellow co-laborers, is imminent. 

So, fix your eyes on Jesus Christ and know that God will strengthen you through Paul's gospel, the preaching of Jesus Christ.  And the one whom Paul describes as the "only wise God" (v. 27) whose wise plan of salvation has now been unveiled in the good news of Jesus Christ for everyone all over the world who will call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be saved.  To this only wise God may there be glory forever and ever through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen! 

-SDG-