Romans: Set Apart

Romans 15:14-33

Paul wrote his letter to Christians in Rome around AD 57/58 during his third missionary journey. He was staying in Corinth at that time. Nero was the emperor of the Roman Empire and would launch a major persecution against Christians in AD 64. Paul and Peter were among those Nero sentenced to death.  

Nevertheless, Christianity was thriving in Rome. As Paul states in the beginning of his letter, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world” (Rom. 1:8).  

Paul was a no-nonsense leader and pulled no punches when believers were out of line. And… as he wraps up his letter, a personal and pastoral side of Paul emerges. Paul said, “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder….” (Rom. 15:14-15a). 

I heard somewhere that we need to be reminded more often than we need to be taught. I find that to be true in my own life. When Paul wrote that the Roman believers were “filled with all knowledge,” he did not mean they had nothing left to learn. He emphasized that they had grasped the basics; however, Paul knew that no believer is ever beyond learning and putting into practice what has been taught. He was clear that we all need constant reminders, which is why he wrote the letter — a textbook for Christianity 101. 

Paul’s Philosophy of Ministry
By God’s grace, Paul was a “minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles” (Rom. 15:16a).[1] He was set apart “by the Holy Spirit” for the “priestly service of the gospel of God” (Rom. 15:16a).

Paul’s “ambition” was to preach the gospel in places where no church existed, rather than where “Christ has already been named.” He did not want to “build on someone else’s foundation” (Rom. 15:20). He personally used Isaiah 52:15 to support his mission by quoting, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”  

Paul said that “in Christ Jesus” he was proud of his “work for God” (Rom. 15:17). However, Paul was clear that he was only an instrument for God’s work. He said, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience” (Rom. 15:18). God gave Paul the words to say and God’s power was demonstrated through him “by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God” (Rom. 15:19). 

Signs, wonders, and miracles validated the apostles' authority (2 Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:3-4). For a list of the signs and wonders God performed through Paul, see the footnote below.[2] Bible scholar John Witmer explains it well: “Anything Paul achieved that was worthy of praise had God’s grace as its source, Jesus Christ as its motivation and goal, and the Holy Spirit as its energy.”[3]

It is estimated that Paul traveled over 10,000 miles during his three missionary journeys. To fulfill his mission, Paul preached the “gospel of Christ” from “Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum” (Rom. 15:19). Illyricum was northwest of Greece and includes present-day Albania in the south, along with Bosnia and Croatia in the north. It is not known how far north into Illyricum Paul traveled. 

Paul’s Future Plans
Although Paul had “longed for many years” (Rom. 15:23) to visit the Christians in Rome, he had “often been hindered” from doing so (Rom. 15:22). He gives no further details. But now, with plans to go to Spain, Paul intended to pass through Rome and stay a while (Rom. 15:24). He said, “I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ” (Rom. 15:29).

However, before traveling to Rome and then Spain, Paul needed to return to Jerusalem with the funds he had collected “for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem” (Rom. 15:26). He had gathered the money from the mostly-Gentile churches. He states, “For if the Gentiles have come to share in [the Jewish believers’] spiritual blessings, [the Gentile believers] ought also to be of service to [the Jewish believers] in material blessings” (Rom. 15:27).  

Before ending his letter with personal greetings, Paul makes this request: 

Romans 15:30-33
I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. 

After writing this letter and leaving Corinth, Paul headed north through Greece, then began his journey back to Jerusalem. Upon reaching Jerusalem, some “Jews from Asia” stirred up the crowd against Paul and had him arrested (Acts 21:27-36). After his trial, “the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome’” (Acts 23:11). 

To protect Paul’s life, he was transferred to Caesarea Maritime, where he was kept under arrest for around two years. It was in Caesarea that Paul, a Roman citizen, appealed to stand trial before Caesar in Rome (Acts 25:11-12). 

Acts 27-28 reports Paul’s eventful journey to Rome. Luke tells us that Paul lived under house arrest and “welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:30-31). 

We don’t know whether Paul was imprisoned in Rome until his death or if he was released and traveled, possibly to Spain, before being imprisoned again in Rome. Many believe he was released and then rearrested after persecutions started following the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64. 

Both Paul and Peter died in Rome under Nero in AD 67/68. As a Roman citizen, Paul was beheaded. Peter was reportedly crucified upside down near Vatican Hill. 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD 
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Romans 15:14-33. What’s your philosophy of ministry?

Talking to God: How are you living out your “set apart” purpose in God’s story right now?

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