ROMANS 34


     We will begin this lesson in Romans 15:14 "And I myself also am
persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another."

     The root word used for admonish here means to caution or put in
mind.  Colossians 1:9 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard
[it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be
filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding;"  Colossians 1:10 "That ye might walk worthy of the
Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and
increasing in the knowledge of God;" All Christians should pray for
each other and share the knowledge that God has revealed to each of
them.

     Romans 15:15 "Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more
boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the
grace that is given to me of God,"

     I Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and
his grace which [was bestowed] upon me was not in vain; but I laboured
more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which
was with me."  Paul is saying, here, that his call to the Gentiles was
by the grace of God, not because of any special thing he did. Paul was
really not called to the physical house of Israel, but to the heathen.
Galatians 2:9 "And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be
pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me
and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto
the heathen, and they unto the circumcision."  We are to assume from
this that Paul and Barnabas were called to bring the gospel message to
the heathen and Peter, James, and John were to minister to the natural
house of Israel.

     Romans 15:16 "That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to
the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of
the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost."

     We know at first the Jews would not believe that God had sent the
message to the Gentile. Acts 10:45 "And they of the circumcision which
believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on
the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost."  Acts
10:47 "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized,
which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"  After the Holy
Ghost came upon the Gentile, as well as those of the circumcision,
then they could not deny that God had accepted them, as well. The word
sanctified means set aside for God's purpose. We can see the call of
Paul in the 26th chapter of Acts. He was specifically called to the
Gentiles, as you can plainly see in the next few verses. We will pick
up right after Jesus has encountered Paul on the road to Damascus.
Acts 26:15 "And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus
whom thou persecutest." Acts 26:16 "But rise, and stand upon thy feet:
for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a
minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and
of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;" Acts 26:17
"Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom
now I send thee," Acts 26:18 "To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them]
from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that
they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which
are sanctified by faith that is in me." We can see without a doubt
that Paul was called to the Gentiles.

     Romans 15:17 "I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus
Christ in those things which pertain to God."

     Paul is saying in this Scripture that his glory is in Jesus.
In the 11th chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul goes to great extremes to
show the suffering he has gone through for Christ. He is quick to say
that the only glory he has, or we have, is in Christ.

     Romans 15:18 "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
word and deed,"

     I Corinthians 3:6 "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave
the increase." I Corinthians 3:7 "So then neither is he that planteth
any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the
increase."  I Corinthians 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that
watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according
to his own labour." I Corinthians 3:9 "For we are labourers together
with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building."  Paul is
saying above and these verses here, also, that all who labor for God
are doing it in the power and might that God has provided us with. We
may preach and minister to someone for years and never see that person
come to Christ. Someone else whom God has sent may put the final piece
of the message together for that person and they may accept Christ. It
is not always the one who plants the seed that brings in the crop. The
rewards will all be given out in heaven anyway.

     Romans 15:19 "Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of
the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto
Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ."

     When Jesus sent the disciples out two by two, He said these signs
shall follow them. Mark 16:17 "And these signs shall follow them that
believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with
new tongues;" Mark 16:18 "They shall take up serpents; and if they
drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands
on the sick, and they shall recover." We know that these miracles are
not done in the flesh, but are gifts of the Spirit of God.
I Corinthians 12:8 "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of
wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;"
I Corinthians 12:9 "To another faith by the same Spirit; to another
the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;"  I Corinthians 12:10 "To
another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another
discerning of spirits; to another [divers] kinds of tongues; to
another the interpretation of tongues:" I Corinthians 12:11 "But all
these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will."  Paul explains that his ministry was
accompanied with these very signs and wonders. He quickly explains
that they are not by his great ability, but through the power of the
Spirit of God. Notice, in Paul's ministry that it was not just one of
these gifts that manifested itself, but many. The Scripture above says
that, believers can receive several gifts. We must pray and ask God to
give us the gifts that will help in our ministering.

     Romans 15:20 "Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not
where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's
foundation:"

     Paul is saying in this that he went out as a missionary to areas
where Christ had not yet been preached. He planted the first seed of
Christianity in many of these places. He is saying that he is not
building upon the work that Jesus has already started, but went about
starting new churches where there were no churches. I Corinthians 3:9
"For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye
are] God's building." I Corinthians 3:10 "According to the grace of
God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the
foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed
how he buildeth thereupon." I Corinthians 3:11 "For other foundation
can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

     Romans 15:21 "But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of,
they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand."

     Again, here, Paul is saying that the people he went to had had no
other disciples bringing them the salvation message. These you might
say had been heathen people. Paul tried his best to bring this message
to his Jewish brothers, but they as a whole rejected his message. Of
course, there were exceptions to that, but as a whole they did not
receive him. The Gentiles were the ones who really received Paul and
his message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many churches like the
church at Philippi owe their beginning to Paul's teaching.

                                 Notes
















                             Questions 34

1.  In Romans ch.15 v.14, Paul said they were filled with what?
2.  What does admonish mean?
3.  In Colossians ch.1 v.9, Paul says he has what desire for them?
4.  How were they to be pleasing unto God?
5.  When we receive some morsel of truth from God, what are we to do
    with it?
6.  Paul says [I am what I am] by what?
7.  Paul's call to the Gentiles was by what?
8.  Who was Paul called to minister to?
9.  What 3 men did Paul say seemed to be pillars?
10. Who was called to the circumcision?
11. How were the Gentiles to be sanctified?
12. What were those of the circumcision so surprised at that happened
    to the Gentiles?
13. What does sanctified mean?
14. In what chapter of Acts do we see the call of Paul to the
    ministry?
15. The message of Paul to the Gentiles was to _____ their eyes.
16. In Romans ch.15 v.17, how did Paul glory?
17. What chapter of 1 Corinthians tells of the hardships that Paul
    went through?
18. Paul says he planted, Apollos watered, and who gave the increase?
19. How do all the laborers of God do the work that God has called
    them to do?
20. Where will the rewards be given out?
21. Through mighty _____ and ________, by the power of the Spirit of
    God, Paul preached.
22. What signs followed those who Jesus sent out to minister?
23. What are some of the gifts we receive through the Spirit of God?
24. Is it possible to receive more than one gift of the Spirit?
25. Where did Paul preach?
26. What does Paul call himself in 1 Corinthians ch.3 v.10?
27. What is the only foundation acceptable to build upon?
28. Who were the people who received Paul's message that he started
    churches for?

                                 Notes