Romans 1:1-7 - Part 3 (vv. 5-7) & 1:8-15
For His Name's Sake
The apostle Paul is a man with a mission. He knows what his purpose in life is all about. He can tell you in a split second why he is on this earth. And though Paul is uniquely called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, we will see this morning that his ultimate purpose is our ultimate purpose. His overall mission is our mission.
In v. 5-7, Paul sums up his greeting to the Roman Christians by giving us the ultimate purpose for his apostolic call "to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake" (v. 5). Here Paul tells us his primary mission ("to bring about the obedience of faith") and what is the ultimate goal of that mission ("for His name's sake"). This morning, whether you are a teacher, a student, or a factory worker, your primary goal in life is to make the name of the Lord Jesus Christ great by making the good news of the salvation He has accomplished known to everyone you meet. This is the great commission that we have all been given and the promised privilege that marks our lives with purpose and meaning. In it we will find Christ's promise that He is with us even to the end of the age.
This morning we want to look in detail to Paul's purpose in life as he seeks to fulfill it in his missionary endeavors first to Rome and hopefully to Spain as well.
First, note that in v. 5 Paul explains that his apostolic calling was mediated through Jesus Christ our Lord (cf. v. 4b). Paul has received grace and apostleship from God through Jesus Christ. Paul here specifically mentions the grace of God given to him in the form of the gift of his apostleship. And what an incredible gift that was, especially in light of what Paul was before his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. He tells us in 1 Tim:
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; 13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; 14 and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. 15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 16 And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life (1 Tim. 1:12-16; cf. Gal. 1:13-16; 1 Cor. 15:8-10).
There is only one thing that can explain how this one-time persecutor of the church came to serve as an apostle of the Head of that same church and that is the sovereign grace of God who gave the blind Saul new eyes and turned his heart of stone to a malleable heart of flesh in the hands of Christ.
Paul now describes his particular calling as an apostle with three prepositional phrases: (a) "to bring about the obedience of faith;" (b) "among all the Gentiles;" and (c) "for His name's sake."
To the obedience of faith (v. 5) -- Many have debated about the meaning of Paul's statement: "obedience of faith" arguing for one of two meanings:
1. Faith itself is the obedience to God -- in other words, Paul is speaking of the obedience to believe the call of faith, to have faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Here Paul would be referring to the pre-conversion work of evangelism -- the call to initial salvation, faith that leads to justification. We are called to obey the command to believe or rest in the meritorious work of Jesus Christ for us. This view would certainly fit the context (vv. 8, 12, 16-17; cf. 10:16; 11:23, 30-31; 16:19). The subject of the first 5 chapters.
2. The obedience that springs from faith -- in other words, Paul is speaking the post-conversion obedience of the Christian faith, the fruit of faith. Here Paul would be referring to God's progressive work of sanctification, which grows out of our justification -- the daily walk of obedience to God, which grows out of our faith. The subject of the rest of the book.
Paul's phrase is probably purposefully inclusive of both ideas. Paul's commission was to call all men and women to total and complete submission and surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ (cf. v. 4). Our submission to Jesus certainly begins at our conversion, which begins in faith, but that submission to the will of Christ continues throughout all of life as we progressively grow in our maturity in Christ in an ever deepening, lifelong commitment to His Lordship.
For Paul, obedience to Christ is always rooted in faith in Christ, both in the initial step of faith and in our continual faith relationship with Christ. Equally, Paul called men and women to a faith that was always inseparable from obedience and that obedience to Jesus as Lord can only thrive as we daily rest in Him -- in our faith-union with Christ. Obedience to Christ always involves faith and faith always involves obedience. While our obedience is never the ground or basis of our salvation, it will always be present with our salvation because the Savior in whom we believe is the Lord and He calls men and women to an obedient life that is rooted and grounded upon our faith in Christ.
So Paul's little phrase, "the obedience of faith," wonderfully captures the fullness of Paul's commission including both the initial phase of evangelism as well as the building up and establishing the people of God in faith in Christ. The fullness of Paul's commission also fits with Jesus' commission that we are not merely to make "converts" to Jesus Christ but we are called to make "disciples" of Jesus Christ, baptizing them and teaching them to observe al that Jesus commanded you (cf. Matt. 28:19).
Second, the apostle Paul was to bring about the obedience of faith specifically "among the Gentiles." Paul was uniquely called among the apostles to be Jesus' ambassador and witness to the Gentiles in distinction from the Jews. This doesn't mean that Paul excluded his own countrymen but that he was specifically sent to open the door of salvation to all other nations and peoples of the earth (cf. vv. 13-14).
Third, the ultimate goal of Paul's apostleship was for the sake of Jesus' name to be made know throughout the entire world. Paul said of this name:
God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:9-11).
Ultimately Paul does not minister for personal gain or for the ultimate benefit of his converts, but for the glory and benefit of Jesus Christ our Lord.
In v. 6, Paul tells the Roman Christians that they are part of these Gentile people whom Jesus has specifically sent him to minister to. They are certainly within the scope of his Gentile mission. But more important than their physical birth or ethnic origin is their new spiritual rebirth as those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. Paul is not referring to the outward call or merely an invitation to believe in Christ, but the effectual, sovereign calling of God's grace that irresistibly brings us into God's Kingdom of Light. Even as Paul has been called to be an apostle, the Roman Christians have been called to be the people who name Jesus as Christ and Lord.
Finally, in v. 7 Paul returns to his original greetings, which began in v. 1. He now identifies the recipients of the letter: to all in Rome.
They are the "beloved of God" and those who are "called saints." Both of these phrases are OT descriptions of Israel, which point to the fact that they are God's special, uniquely chosen people. But now Paul opens the doors of the blessings to Israel to all peoples extending the promise of the Messiah and His bounty to all the Gentile nations, all who trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation.
Note that these once Gentile people are now identified by God's love and call upon them. We are no longer what we once were when we were born. We are new creations who have been set apart from the rest of the world who are loved by God and called to belong to Him forevermore in His Son Jesus Christ.
And it is because you are set apart by God's love and called to belong to Him that you are called saints -- you have already been sanctified in Jesus Christ. It is because you are already sanctified that God is now sanctifying you in Jesus Christ. Therefore, you are the saints of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the heart of Paul's commission because he is the heart of the gospel. He is the promised Messiah of Israel, the see of David, the Son of God and the Lord of all who call upon His name. When Paul fulfills the mission of his life he is making the name of Jesus known and it is what Jesus has done for us, outside of us, that truly makes the gospel the good news.
In the ancient near eastern world, letters traditionally followed a similar form, beginning with greetings, which included the author and the recipients of the letter, followed by a thanksgiving and a prayer for the readers.
In vv. 8-15, Paul begins by mentioning his thanksgiving to God for the faith of the Roman Christians in v. 8, followed by his revealing to them of his constant prayers for them, and especially his desire to visit them (vv. 9-10). The reason for his desire to come to them is mentioned in vv. 11-15 that Paul and the Roman Christians might strengthen and comfort one another in their faith, especially has Paul comes to them to preach the gospel among them.
In v. 8, Paul offers thanks to God through Jesus Christ. Jesus is both the sole mediator through whom Paul offers his thanksgiving to God and it is because of what Jesus Christ has done that Paul has something to thank God about.
Jesus Christ is the place, position, sphere where we meet with the Father in prayer that we might offer up our thanks to God. Paul said:
He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, 16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. 17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; 18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father (Eph. 2:15-18).
Also, why do you think Paul thanks God for the "faith" of the Romans? It is only because faith does not originate in the heart of man, but only as God's gift to those who belong to Him. God alone is the author of our faith:
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast (Eph. 2:8-9).
In vv. 9-12 Paul mentions his unceasing prayer to God for them especially in his desire to minister to them personally (vv. 10-11) and to receive their ministry to him (v. 12).
In v. 9, Paul wants them to know his deep, heartfelt concern for them and to attest to the truth of what he is saying by turning to God as his witness. Paul calls God as his witness to testify that in the deepest part of his soul is his desire to serve them in and with the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is describes in three ways: in v. 11 to share the gift of the Spirit with them, in v. 13 to reap a harvest of fruit among them, and in v. 15 to preach the gospel to them. Paul is coming to share the gospel with them that their faith may be strengthened.
But in v. 12 Paul quickly adds that he too looks forward to being strengthened by them as well -- Paul speaks of a mutual strengthening of each other's faith. This mutual comfort or encouragement will be accomplished by faith -- both their's and Paul's.
Note that Paul sees faith as the instrument of encouragement -- of building up one another in their faith. Faith has the power to encourage because our faith receives its power and strength from Christ in the gospel (v. 16). God's Spirit works in the power of the gospel through our faith to give us all the gifts of God in Jesus Christ. Faith is the instrument that God uses to connect us to Christ so that His life-saving/giving grace sustains us and flows through us to others.
And it is through faith that we encourage others because our faith does not treat others as they truly are or as they deserve but sees them as they are in Christ. Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:
Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Cor. 5:16-17).
We no longer recognize others in Christ according to who they were when they were born into this world. That old life has been crucified in Christ and it is now the life of Christ that lives in and through us. We are new creations in Christ. Therefore, as we look at those who are in Christ we look at them by faith of who they are in Christ that we might as Paul says in Ephesians:
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear (Eph. 4:29).
In faith, it is actually God's own encouragement, rooted in His grace, that is building us up. It is the gospel that is at work in our lives, flowing through us to build up one another in Christ. This is what we call "fellowship." We are being strengthened by God through one another in love.
That is why Paul now wants to come to see the Roman Christians. Though he has been hindered in the past, he now prays to God through Jesus that the doorway will be opened and he will come to them and share with them the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ both he and they will be made strong through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is the center of Paul's ministry and it is the ultimate purpose of our lives that we might make the name of our Lord Jesus Christ known to all people that He might be glorified in all the earth.
For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake (2 Cor. 4:5).
But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal. 6:14).
Amen!
-SDG-
