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The Last Words in Romans_ How Satan Uses Religion to Divide Believers · truthunedited

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Speaker 1: Are you someone who feels unseen in your service? Like
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your quiet faithfulness, your prayers in secret, or your unnoticed
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labor in the kingdom? Doesn't matter? What if God's eternal
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ledger includes names that never appeared on a platform but
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were engraved in Paul's final greetings? What if your obedience,
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though invisible to men, echoes in the records of heaven.
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In this first section, we begin with two verses that
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crack open a window into the structure, leadership, and sacred
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trust of the early Church. I commend to you our
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sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at centree, that
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you may welcome her in the Lord in a way
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worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she
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may need from you, For she has been a patron
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of many, and of myself as well. Romans sixteen one
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to two. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, is writing
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from Corinth around a d. Fifty seven, preparing to send
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one of them most theologically weighty letters in the entire Bible.
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And to whom does he intrust this sacred manuscript? Not
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a soldier, not a scholar, not a public speaker. But Phoebe,
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a woman, a deacon, a faithful servant of the church
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in Centree ap ports Ity near Corinth. Her name leads
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this list of greetings, not by accident, but by inspiration
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of the spirit. Phoebe is described as a diaconos, the
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same word Paul uses to describe himself first Corinthians three five,
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Ephesians three seven. This is no mere helper. This is
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an office, a spiritual role. She is a servant, yes,
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but more a trusted leader, an agent of mercy, a
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channel of support. And Paul calls her not my associate,
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but our sister family in the household of God. He
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doesn't simply mention her. He commends her, giving her appas
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stolic backing and urging the Roman believers to receive her
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in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints.
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That phrase is loaded with dignity. To receive someone in
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the Lord means not merely hospitality, but spiritual honor. And
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Paul adds a practical command help her in whatever she
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may need from you. Why because she has helped others,
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She has been a patron of many, and of myself
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as well. The word prostatus implies financial support, advocacy, protection
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In a male dominated society. Phoebe defies categories. She's a
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spiritual matriarch, a benefactor, and the courier of Romans. Can
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you imagine the weight of this task In an age
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with no printing press, no digital back up, no postal service.
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Phoebe carries the only existing copy of the Epistle to
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the Romans. If it is lost, it's gone. If she's delayed,
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so is the word. If she's disregarded, the church will
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miss its most essential letter on justification, salvation, and sanctification.
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But Paul trusts her. God anoints her, and through her faithfulness,
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the most enduring letter of the New Testament travels from
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Corinth to Rome. This is a gospel woman, not one
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seeking a stage, but carrying the word. Not self promoting
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but commissioned. Not preaching sermons, but delivering the doctrine that
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would fuel them for generations. What does this mean for you?
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It means the Kingdom runs not on stars, but on servants.
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It means carrying the word faithfully matters more than being seen.
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It means God uses the willing, not always the prominent.
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Perhaps you've never stood behind a pulpit, but you have
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carried truth to a friend. Perhaps you've never preached a sermon,
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but your hands have upheld a weary saint. Perhaps your
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name will never be written in books, but is it
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written in heaven? And maybe you've been asked to deliver
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something and encouragement a burden, a prophetic word, a responsibility
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that feels too heavy. Let Phoebe's courage strengthen you. The
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word entrusted to her change the world, not because she
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authored it, but because she carried it. So here we
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begin Romans sixteen one to two, not with theology, but
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with a person, not with an idea, but with a name,
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And in doing so, the Holy Spirit teaches us the
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ones who carry the word may not always speak it aloud,
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but without them it will never be heard. Then we
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turn to Romans sixteen three to five a, where Paul
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continues his final greetings, not with institutional titles, but with
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names loved, names marked by sacrifice and soaked in loyalty.
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Among them, two rise to the surface like twin pillars
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of gospel faithfulness. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers
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in Christ Jesus, who risk their necks for my life,
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to whom not only I give thanks, but all the
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churches of the Gentiles as well, greet also the church
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in their house. Prisca also called Priscilla and Aquila were
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not simply acquaintances of Paul. They were his comrades in
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the trenches of ministry, bound together by shared trials and
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mutual devotion to Christ. Their story is scattered throughout Acts
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in the Epistles, and their legacy is one of both
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theological sharpness and raw courage. They are first introduced in
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Acts eighteen two as Jewish tent makers who had been
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expelled from Rome by the decree of Claudius. They had
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every reason to hide, to mourn, to ret treat, But
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when Paul arrived in Corinth, they opened their hearts and
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home to him. They became co laborers, literally working with
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their hands by day and building the church by night.
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Later in Ephesus, they took aside a gifted preacher named Apollos,
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eloquent mighty in the scriptures, but lacking the full understanding
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of the Gospel. Acts eighteen twenty six says they explained
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to him the way of God more accurately. This married couple,
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in unity and humility, sharpened a powerful teacher, and shaped
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a generation of believers through him. They did not seek
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a pulpit, they became a platform. Now years later back
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in Rome, there once again opening their home, greet also
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the church in their house. Understand what that means. Their
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private space became public sanctuary. Their living room became a pulpit,
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their meals became sacraments, their hospitality became a fortress for
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the spirit's work. And their names are recorded not for
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their status, but for their sacrifice. Paul says they risked
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their necks for him. The Greek phrase suggests they put
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their lives on the line, possibly during the riots in
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Ephesus Acts nineteen or during Paul's numerous imprisonments. Whatever the
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specific moment, Paul remembers it. And more than that, not
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only I give thanks, but all the churches of the Gentiles.
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Their faithfulness wasn't private, It rippled through the entire network
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of early churches. Because of their courage, the Gospel advanced.
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Because of their loyalty, churches flourished. Their names are often
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read quickly, but they are theological monuments. They show us
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what ministry in marriage can be. Not divided callings but
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shared burden, Not rivalry but partnership. Priscilla is often mentioned first,
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perhaps because of her maturity or spiritual influence. Aquilla does
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not resist this, he rejoices in it. They operate not
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as competitors, but as co stewards of grace. And what
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does this mean for us? It means that Gospel legacy
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is built not just in pulpits, but in homes. It
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means that the most powerful churches may not have steeples,
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but kitchens, tables, couches, and open doors. It means that
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your obedience in hidden places, your willingness to open your home,
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your refusal to protect your life at the expense of
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the gospel, These are the things that Heaven applauds. Have
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you opened your life to the church? Have you invited
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others into your faith, not just your building? Have you
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taken the risk to stand with those under fire, even
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when it costs something? Would Pall write your name not
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just as a believer, but as a fellow worker. And
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for those in marriage? Does your union serve the kingdom
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or only the household? Are your strengths in Christ multiplied
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or muted by one another? Let Priscilla and Aquilla be
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of vision, not only of partnership, but of power. Two souls,
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one mission, two lives, one altar together, risking their necks together,
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hosting a church together, shaping eternity. Let this greet your soul.
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The next time you think your hospitality is small or
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your courage unnoticed, remember Priscilla and a Quilla. Their house
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was a church, their marriage was a mission, and their
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names are carved into the eternal record of Romans sixteen.
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Then we now enter Romans sixteen five be to six,
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where the apostle Paul begins a cascade of names, names
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that seem unfamiliar to modern ears, yet are immortalized in
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the Word of God. This is not philla, This is
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not mere sentiment. This is Heaven's role call. And it
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begins with one simple line. Greet my beloved Eponitus, who
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was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Think of
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that Epionetus, a man whose name we only hear once
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in all of Scripture, but whose spiritual legacy resounds with
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first fruit glory. Paul calls him beloved Agapetos in the Greek,
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not just a convert, a son in the Gospel, a
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pioneer of grace. Asia, what we now call modern day Turkey,
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was a vast pagan region and in that rocky soil.
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Eponitus was the first seed to sprout. He was not
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just a number. He was a sign, a sign that
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the Gospel had crossed into new territory and that Christ's
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kingdom would expand. Every believer in Asia owes something to
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the one who first believed. Imagine what it meant to
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be the first, the first to turn from idols, the
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first to be baptized in a hostile environment, the first
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to carry the scorn of family, the confusion of neighbors,
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the persecution of a pagan's system. Apaonitus didn't just believe,
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He blazed a trail, and Paul remembers him with warmth, love,
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and reverence. Next, Paul writes, greet Mary, who has worked
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hard for you. Another name we do not recognize from
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acts or the gospels. Not Mary Magdalen, not Mary the
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Mother of Jesus. Just Mary, no last name, no title,
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Just a laborer in the Lord. And what does Paul remember?
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She has worked hard? The Greek implies exhaustion. She toiled
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until weariness, until sweat and tears became her offering. She
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may not have stood in front, she may not have
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led a church, but she labored. She served, She carried
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weight for the body of Christ. These verses are rich
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in hidden glory. They show us that in the Kingdom
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of God, what is unseen by man is never forgotten
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by God. Epernitus the first convert. Without him, others may
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never have followed Mary the exhausted worker. Without her, the
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local church may have collapsed under its own burdens. Together,
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they teach us that legacy is not always loud, but
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it is lasting. Are you discouraged because your name is
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not widely known? Are you weary from working in the shadows, discipling, quietly, serving, consistently,
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giving sacrificially while others are celebrated. Roman sixteen is your chapter.
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God sees, God remembers. And if Paul could take parchment
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and ink to etch their names into the scrolls of eternity,
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then the spirit surely writes your labor on heavenly walls.
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These verses also challenge our obsession with notoriety. The first
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convert in a region may never have had a podcast,
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but he shifted the spiritual climate. The hardest worker in
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a church may never preach a sermon, but she bears
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the weight of gospel progress in God's kingdom. Faithfulness outweighs fame,
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and labor is not forgotten, even if only Paul, or
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perhaps no one on earth notices it. Take heart, unseen saint,
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the Spirit knows your name. Take courage, weary laborer, Heaven
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honors your strength. Take joy, lonely pioneer, you are paving
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roads others will one day walk. Let the legacy of
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Epinitus stir your passion. Let the toil of Mary affirm
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your calling, and let this truth settle deep within your bones.
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The hidden ones build the kingdom, the first converts break
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the ground, The unnamed workers hold up the walls, and
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the Spirit of God records every name. Then we proceed
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now to Romans sixteen seven, where Paul's voice sharpens in tone,
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not for rebuke, but for reverence. He writes, greet Andronicus
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and Junior, my kinsman, and my fellow prisoners. They are
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well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ
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before me. Just one verse. Yet, in this single sentence,
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a torrent of early Church history, theological depth, and human
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testimony breaks open. Andronicus and Junior names that echo across centuries.
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He a male Jew, she almost certainly a Jewish woman.
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Paul calls them kinsmen, fellow Israelites by birth, perhaps even
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relatives by blood, but that is not the honor he elevates.
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It is not their national origin, but their spiritual perseverance
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that makes them stand tall. In this final list, he says,
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they were in Christ before me. A breath taking phrase.
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Consider the context. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, the
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author of Romans, the church planter of cities, the sufferer
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of lashes and shipwrecks, pauses to say they believed before
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I did. This is humility wrapped in tribute, before the
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road to Damascus ever blazed with light, before the scales
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fell from Paul's eyes, before he even understood grace, Andronicus
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and Junior had already been captured by it. They were
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not converts of Paul. They were forerunners in Christ, brothers
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and sisters in the spirit before Paul's own eyes were opened.
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This statement positions them as some of the earliest Jewish Christians,
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lightly believing during the earliest wave of the Gospel. Spread
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after Pentecost acts too, but then comes a fray that
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has stirred generations of theologians and translators. They are well
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known to the apostles, or in the more accurate rendering
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of the Greek, they are outstanding among the apostles. This
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does not mean the apostles know them. It means they
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are counted among them. Junior a woman called an apostle,
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not one of the twelve, but among the broader circle
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of apostoloi, those sent out, commissioned, entrusted with the spread
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of the Gospel and the establishment of churches for centuries.
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Some tried to argue Junior was actually Juniors, a male name,
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but there is no historical evidence for this rendering. Junior
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was a common Latin female name, and Paul's grammar plural
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feminine and masculine together confirms her as a woman. This
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is no clerical error. It is the spirit's deliberate commendation. Junior,
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a woman, was in print for the gospel noted by Paul,
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known among the apostles, the implications of both theological and pastoral.
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Paul is not dismantling biblical order. He is illuminating spiritual partnership.
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Junior and Andronicus labored together, suffered together, were imprisoned together,
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and gained the respect of apostles together. And what does
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this mean for us? It means spiritual authority is not
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always public, but it is always weighty. It means women
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in the early Church did not only serve behind the scenes,
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they helped carry the Gospel across continents. It means the
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body of Christ advances through men and women who risk
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chains for the sake of Christ. It means apostleship is
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not about fame, but about faithfulness. These were not celebrity Christians.
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These were blood washed prisoners. They bore the scars of
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gosp labor, and Paul honors them. It also teaches us
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how to speak of others. Paul does not diminish them
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to elevate himself. He does not erase their gender, status
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or suffering. He amplifies it. He allows his own testimony
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to be humbled in the light of theirs. They were
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in Christ before me. How many to day would speak
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with such honor. This verse also rebukes a culture that
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forgets the imprisoned. Paul calls them fellow prisoners. He does
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not say they got arrested, but I stayed clean. No,
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he identifies with their chains. Hebrews thirteen three echoes this
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remember those who are in prison, as though in prison
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with them, to be Christian in the first century often
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meant to be criminalized, and to be criminalized for Christ
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was a badge of honor. Andronicus and Junior challenge us
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to day. Do we honor those who suffer quietly for
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the Gospel? Do we know their aimes? Do we remember
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their chains? Do we allow the Spirit to use both
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men and women for the advancement of the kingdom without
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rewriting scripture to fit our traditions. Let us hear what
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the Spirit says to the church through this verse, those
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whom the apostles honored. Let us not forget those who
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were in Christ before us. Let us learn from and
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those who carry chains for the Lord. Let us stand beside.
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Then we turn now to Romans sixteen eight to fifteen,
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where the scroll unrolls with names history has largely forgotten,
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but heaven never will. This is not a genealogical footnote.
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It is an inspired cascade of souls bound together by
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one name. Here Paul Greets, honors and blesses people whose
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lives were likely unknown to emperors but eternally known to Christ.
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The these verses are a hall of hidden heroes, a
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gallery of gospel workers, a song of quiet faithfulness, and
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each name teaches us something sacred. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved
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in the Lord. That simple phrase reveals deep affection. The
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word beloved is not a courtesy, It is a covenantal declaration. Ampliatus,
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a common name among Roman slaves and freedmen, may have
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had no earthly honor, but he is beloved in the Lord.
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That is his true identity. He is not beloved because
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of status, but because he is in Christ. Next comes
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urban As, called a fellow worker in Christ, and stacis
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another beloved the Church. Paul Greets is made of laborers,
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not luminaries, of co workers not consumers. Appeles is called
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approved in Christ. The Greek word means tested, proven endure.
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This man had gone through fire and emerged faithful. In
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the eyes of man, perhaps unnoticed, but in the eyes
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of God he is a proven vessel. Then comes a
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group greeting. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus.
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Not Aristobulus himself, but his household, likely his servants or
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extended family. Aristobulus was a name associated with the Herodian dynasty,
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possibly the grandson of Herod the Great. If this is
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the case, it means Paul is greeting believers within the
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elite households of Rome, saints embedded like light within political machinery.
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This shows the reach of the Gospel not only among
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the poor and oppressed, but even in imperial households. Herodian
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next on the list is called my Kinsman, likely another
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Jewish believer. Then Paul greets those in the Lord who
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belonged to the family of nas Arcissus. Again not Narcissus himself,
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but his people. Narcissus was a powerful freedman under Emperor Claudius.
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Whether he converted or not, his household held believers. This
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reinforces the truth the Gospel seeps into every corner, palaces, prisons,
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and personal homes alike. Then the list intensifies. Greet those
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workers in the Lord, Triphena and Triphosa. These two women,
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likely sisters or close companions, are known for working in
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the Lord, not merely believing, but laboring persis. Another woman
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is called the Beloved, and Paul emphasizes that she has
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worked hard in the Lord. These are not passive followers.
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These are tireless ministers, female warriors in the trenches of
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spiritual battle. Then Paul honors Rufus chosen in the Lord
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and greets his mother and mine. This is stunning. Paul
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is not saying they share a biological mother. He's honoring
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a woman who mothered him spiritually, perhaps cared for him
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in suffering, perhaps fed him him, encouraged him, prayed for him.
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She had become family through Christ. And if this Rufus
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is the same one mentioned in Mark fifteen twenty one
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as the son of Simon of Cyren who carried Jesus cross,
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then Paul is greeting someone raised in the shadow of Calvary.
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What a legacy. Finally, the flood of names continues, a
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syncretous Flegon, Hermes, Patrobas Hermas and the brothers who are
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with them, then Philologous Julia, Nereus and his sister, and
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Olympus and all the saints who are with them. This
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is not random. This is the early church house gatherings,
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small communities, clusters of saints in Rome under the nose
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of Caesar. They had no church buildings, they had no
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official clergy, but they had Christ each other and apostolic affirmation.
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And what does this mean for us? It means that
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in the Kingdom of God, the unknown are known, the
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unnamed are named, the unseen are honored. The Spirit does
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not forget the faithful, and Paul, under inspiration, chooses to
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close his most doctrinal letter with a list of human hearts,
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not theological terms, but people. It also teaches us how
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to love the church. Paul had never visited Rome, but
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he knew these people by name, prayed for them, remembered
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their service. He was not a distant theologian. He was
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a brother in Christ. Honoring the saints one by one.
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This is apostolic love, and for us it is a
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rebuke to the obsession with platform. God remembers the urbanesses
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and Triphoses. He esteems the mothers and the sisters, the
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household saints, the tired workers, the beloveds who never made
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headlines but carried crosses every day. Are you discouraged because
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your work seems invisible? Do you feel overlooked in your obedience?
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Take heart, If Paul could write these names into scripture,
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the Spirit will not forget yours in eternity. Do not
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live for applause. Live to be approved in Christ. Do
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not crave position, desire to be a fellow worker. Do
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not chase recognition, be beloved in the Lord. Then now
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we enter Romans sixteen sixteen, a single verse so often
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passed over in silence, yet carrying within it a thunderous
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rebuke to cold religion and a call to embody the
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warmth of the Gospel. Paul writes, greet one another with
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a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
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The simplicity of the command belies its spiritual gravity. This
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is not a cultural leftover or a quaint custom to
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be discarded. It is a summons to recover something most
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of our modern church life has lost, sanctified affection, divine
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dignity among the brethren, and the visible sign of spiritual kinship.
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In the ancient Roman world, kisses were a formal sign
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of greeting among family and close companions. There were kisses
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of subordination, friendship, peace, and even betrayal. But in the
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Body of Christ, Paul reclaims the kiss not as a
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ritual of formality, but as a holy act, set apart
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by the spirit, purified of lust or manipulation, and anointed
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with Gospel love. The Greek word hagion holy sanctifies the
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entire gesture. This kiss is not cultural. It's consecrated. It
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is not rooted in passion, but in peace, not in
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blood ties, but in the blood of the Lamb. When
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Paul commands this greeting, he is breaking social codes. He
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is cutting across divisions. In Rome. Social status, ethnicity, gender
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and power determined who was touched, who was greeted, who
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was honored. But in the church, Paul levels it all
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jew and gentile, slave and free, male and female, all
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are to greet one another with a holy kiss. This
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is a declaration of spiritual equality and intimate dignity. No
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caste system, no silent division, no cold nods from across
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the room, but warmth, touch, honor, unity. And he doesn't
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just limit this to Rome. He says, all the churches
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of Christ greet you. The global body is united in love.
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There is no isolated Christianity. The saints in Corinth, Ephesus,
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Thessalonica all send their love to the saints in Rome.
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This was not symbolic, it was actual. These greetings were
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carried by messenger like Phoebe, and the saints knew they
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were remembered by name and embraced in spirit. Imagine the
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power of this for a believer in Rome under persecution.
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You walk into a home gathering. You've been disowned by family,
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perhaps your business has suffered, you've been mocked in the street,
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spat on by neighbors. But as you enter, you are
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greeted not with suspicion, but with a holy kiss. You
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are embraced, not examined. You are valued, not scrutinized. This
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small act says everything. You belong, You are loved, you
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are seen, you are family. And yet to day, so
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many churches are cold. People walk in and out unnoticed,
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hands are not extended, hearts are not shared. Affection is
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seen as awkward, or inappropriate or unnecessary. But Paul would grieve,
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the Spirit would grieve. We are called to be a
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people of warmth, a visible love, of sanctified affection. This
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verse calls us to reclaim touch as a sacred gift,
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not eroticized by the world, not abused by power, but
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redeemed by Christ. The Holy kiss is not about kissing.
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It's about culture. A culture of honor, of embrace, of dignity,
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of belonging, where the lonely are welcomed, where the broken
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are not kept at arm's length, where reconciliation is visible
29:23
and unity is embodied. It also prepares us for what
29:27
comes next. Paul is about to warn the church of
29:31
those who divide, and before he does, he commands them
29:35
to embody unity, not just in doctrine, but in demonstration.
29:40
You cannot greet with a holy kiss and gossip behind
29:44
someone's back. You cannot embrace a brother and betray him
29:47
in spirit. This verse is the shield against division. It
29:53
reminds the Church of who they are. And for us
29:56
to day, what can we learn. We live in a
29:59
culture of distance. Screens separate us, offences pile up churches,
30:04
divide over politics, race, worship styles. But Paul says, greet
30:09
one another not coldly, not with indifference, but with holiness,
30:15
with love, with intentionality. Reclaim the sacredness of presence. When
30:21
was the last time you hugged someone in Christ and
30:24
meant it. When was the last time you made a
30:27
newcomer feel embraced, not evaluated. When was the last time
30:31
you showed affection That wasn't performance but purity. Paul reminds
30:37
us here the Gospel does not create spectators. It forms
30:41
a family, and in that family we greet each other
30:45
with the kind of love the father has for the
30:47
son and the Son now pours into our hearts through
30:51
the spirit. Now we come to Romans sixteen seventeen to eighteen,
30:55
where the tender tone of affectionate greetings turns sharply in
31:00
to apostolic urgency. Paul, the master Shepherd and theological watchman,
31:05
moves from naming beloved saints to sounding an alarm against
31:09
dangerous enemies, not those with swords, but with smooth words.
31:15
He writes, I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out
31:19
for those who cause divisions and create obstacles, contrary to
31:23
the doctrine that you have been taught avoid them. For
31:28
such persons do not serve our Lord Christ but their
31:31
own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive
31:36
the hearts of the naive. Here Paul does not mince words.
31:41
He's not passive nor sentimental. He pleads with urgency. I
31:46
appeal to you the Greek is paracalo, a heartfelt imploring,
31:51
not a cold directive. He addresses them as brothers, a
31:56
reminder of their spiritual bond. But that bond must now
32:00
become the basis for corporate vigilance. The danger is not
32:05
from outside the city gates, but from within the gathered saints.
32:09
The word divisions here is decostasiai intentional tearing apart, not
32:16
mere disagreement, but schism. These are not innocent questions or
32:20
honest doubts. These are calculated wedges driven into the unity
32:25
of Christ's body. They create obstacles, scandala, the word for stumbling, blocks, traps,
32:33
spiritual snares. These individuals are not simply misinformed. They are
32:38
false teachers, using the name of Christ to sow discord
32:42
and spiritual injury. Paul does not tell the church to
32:46
debate them endlessly. He does not say to appease or tolerate.
32:50
He says avoid them, turn away, do not platform them,
32:57
do not entertain their subtle doctrines. Why, because their aim
33:02
is not Christ, it is consumption. He says. They serve
33:07
not our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. The Greek
33:12
word is coilia, literally belly, used metaphorically for fleshly desire.
33:17
They are driven by craving, not calling. These people use
33:21
smooth talk and flatteries, a crestologgia and eulogia, polished rhetoric
33:26
and empty praise. They manipulate with charisma, They charm to disarm,
33:31
and the target the hearts of the naive, the immature,
33:35
the undiscerning those not yet rooted in sound doctrine. The
33:40
damage is spiritual, and the deception is deep. Paul knows
33:44
this danger firsthand. The early Church was constantly under threat,
33:49
not only from Roman persecution, but from internal heresies, gnosticism, legalism, antinomianism, judaizing, distortions,
33:58
mystical extremes. He had seen churches torn apart by teachers
34:03
who appeared sincere but trafficked in subtle poison. In Galatians
34:08
he says, even if an angel preaches another gospel, let
34:11
him be accursed Galatians one eight. In Acts twenty, he
34:15
warned the Ephesian elders with tears that savage wolves would
34:19
arise from among them, speaking twisted things to draw away
34:23
disciples after them. What does this mean for us? It
34:27
means spiritual discernment is not optional. It is not unloving
34:31
to mark and avoid false teachers. It is obedient. It
34:36
is not judgmental to guard doctrine, it is pastoral. The
34:41
greatest enemy of the Church to day is often not persecution,
34:44
but deception. Dressed in religious garb. False teachers do not
34:48
wear signs. They use scripture out of context. They redefine grace,
34:53
they minimize sin. They market themselves as liberators, but they
34:57
enslave souls to error. Paul's command is protective. He wants
35:02
the Roman Church to remain rooted in the doctrine you
35:05
have been taught. Doctrine matters. Sound teaching is not a luxury,
35:09
it is a life line. Without it, churches fracture, faith weakens,
35:15
and Christ's name is slandered. And let us be honest.
35:19
Many to day are naive. They follow voices that entertain,
35:23
not edify. They are drawn to platforms not to truth.
35:27
They assume kindness is clarity. They think peace is passivity.
35:32
But Paul calls for a different love, a discerning love,
35:36
one that watches, warns, and walks in the truth. So
35:40
we must ask who are you listening to. Do they
35:43
exalt Christ or themselves? Do they open scripture or twist it?
35:49
Do they convict the heart or flatter the flesh? Are
35:53
they leading you deeper into holiness or closer to compromise?
35:58
This verse also places responsibility on the entire church, not
36:03
just pastors, but the people. Paul says, watch out. Every
36:08
saint must develop spiritual vision, the ability to recognize when
36:13
a sweet voice hides a bitter root, and when recognized,
36:17
avoid let the gravity of this sink in. Not all
36:21
who speak for God are sent by him. Not all
36:24
who quote scripture serve Christ. And not all who gather
36:28
crowds are leading souls to heaven. False teachers don't announce themselves.
36:33
They smile, they flatter, and they devour. Paul's warning is
36:38
a mercy. To be told to avoid danger is not
36:41
harsh its grace. And to heed this call is to
36:44
walk in wisdom, protecting not only yourself but the unity
36:48
of the body. Then we enter now into Romans sixteen
36:52
nineteen to twenty, where Paul's tone shifts once again from
36:56
warning to reassurance, from discernment to dominion. These verses are
37:02
a powerful hinge between the vigilance of section seven and
37:06
the benediction that follows. Here, Paul affirms the faith of
37:11
the Roman believers and simultaneously calls them to walk in
37:15
purity and power. For your obedience is known to all,
37:21
so that I rejoice over you. But I want you
37:23
to be wise as to what is good, and innocent
37:26
as to what is evil. The God of Peace will
37:29
soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our
37:33
Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Paul begins by acknowledging
37:37
their reputation. Your obedience is known to all. This was
37:43
no small thing. In the capital of the Empire, surrounded
37:47
by idolatry, caesar worship, and societal corruption. The believers in
37:52
Rome had remained faithful to the Gospel. Their obedience wasn't hidden,
37:57
It had become testimony. Paul says, I rejoice over you.
38:03
This is personal. He takes joy, not merely in their orthodoxy,
38:07
but in their lived obedience. Right doctrine had produced right action.
38:11
But Paul does not stop with affirmation. He moves to instruction.
38:16
I want you to be wise as to what is good,
38:19
and innocent as to what is evil. This echoes Jesus
38:23
words in Matthew ten sixteen. Be wise as serpents and
38:28
innocent as doves. Paul urges spiritual maturity, a delicate balance
38:34
of discernment and purity. Wise as to what is good
38:38
means they must pursue depth in righteousness, not just surface morality.
38:44
Wisdom here is not intelligence. It is spiritual perception shaped
38:48
by the spirit, grounded in scripture. But then he adds
38:53
innocent as to what is evil. The Greek word acharios
38:59
means unmixed, pure, uncontaminated. He is not calling for naivete,
39:05
but for separation from the seductive lure of evil. To
39:08
be innocent in this way is to refuse partnership with darkness,
39:13
to guard the imagination, to shun the cynicism of worldly wisdom.
39:18
Evil wants access to your thoughts before it ever touches
39:22
your hands. Paul calls the believers to vigilance in both arenas,
39:28
pursue what is good, but refuse to be familiar with
39:31
what is evil. And then he explodes with a promise
39:35
that draws from Genesis three fifteen and reverberates through revelation.
39:40
The God of Peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Here,
39:46
Paul invokes the First Gospel, the Proto Evangelian, when God
39:50
declared that the seed of the woman would crush the
39:53
head of the serpent. That ancient serpent, Satan has been
39:58
defeated at the cross, but his final destruction is yet
40:02
to be completed. Paul says to these weary, faithful, persecuted
40:08
believers in Rome, the day is coming. The God of Peace,
40:13
the same one who reconciled you to himself through Christ,
40:16
will soon crush the enemy who seeks to divide, deceive,
40:20
and destroy. But note the paradox, the God of peace
40:24
will crush. Peace is not passive, it is not sentimental.
40:29
It is rooted in victory. This is not the peace
40:32
of appeasement. It is the peace that comes through decisive triumph.
40:36
Satan's head will not be bruised, it will be crushed.
40:40
The enemy who tempts, accuses, and manipulates will be trampled.
40:44
And under whose feet your feet, Not just Christ's, not
40:48
just the apostles, but the Church. The body of Christ
40:51
will share in the triumph of her head. This is
40:55
cosmic theology compressed into a sentence. The serpent that deceives
41:00
and eve in the garden will be crushed by those
41:02
who have been restored through the Gospel. The bride of
41:06
Christ will walk in victory over the one who tried
41:09
to seduce her. Evil may rage for a time, but
41:13
it will not reign forever. Paul then offers a swift benediction,
41:18
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
41:23
Grace is not a vague blessing here, it is power presence,
41:27
and perseverance. It is what enables obedience, what sustains purity,
41:32
and what assures victory. What does this mean for us
41:35
to day? It means obedience matters. Your faithfulness in unseen moments,
41:41
is known in heaven and honored by God. It means
41:44
wisdom is not about cleverness, but about clinging to what
41:48
is good. It means we are not to flirt with evil,
41:51
mock evil, or become callous to it, but to remain
41:55
innocent even if the world calls us foolish. It means
42:00
the God of peace is not distant. He is coming,
42:03
and he will crush the enemy, not beside us, not
42:06
around us, but under our feet. Are you discouraged by
42:11
spiritual warfare? Do you feel like evil is advancing hear
42:16
this word? He will crush him. Are you tired of
42:19
resisting temptation, of guarding your heart in a culture that
42:23
celebrates darkness? Be innocent, be wise, stand firm, for the
42:29
victory is assured. Then let us now walk into Romans
42:34
sixteen twenty one to twenty four, where the curtain draws
42:38
back on Paul's final team of co laborers. Here, the
42:42
voice of the letter expands others begin to speak. A
42:46
letter that began with Paul now ends in a chorus,
42:51
an apostolic harmony of names, greetings, and loyalty that spans cities, households,
42:57
and hearts. These verses are not filler. They are anointed footprints,
43:03
proof that the Gospel never travels alone, and no servant
43:07
of Christ walks the narrow road by himself. Timothy, my
43:11
fellow worker, greets you. Timothy, the spiritual son, the one
43:17
whom Paul called his beloved and faithful child in the
43:20
Lord First Corinthians four seventeen, the one who wept at
43:25
Paul's departure, who stayed faithful through persecution, who later received
43:30
the charge to preach the Word in season and out
43:34
tewod Timothy four two. Here in this final chapter, his
43:38
voice joins Paul's. Timothy is not a distant assistant. He's
43:43
a fellow laborer, carrying the weight of ministry, perhaps even
43:47
serving as Paul's scribe at times, caring for churches, suffering
43:51
for the Gospel. His greeting is more than courtesy. It
43:55
is covenantal loyalty. Then come three names, So do Lucius
44:00
and Jason and Souscipta, my kinsman These are likely Jewish believers,
44:06
fellow countrymen of Paul, and possibly part of the missionary
44:10
journey that brought the Gospel to Corinth, where this letter
44:14
was being written. Lucius may be the same as the
44:17
prophet from Syrene in Acts thirteen one. Jason is likely
44:21
the one who housed Paul and Silas in Thessalonica and
44:24
suffered mob violence for it. Acts seventeen. Sosipater is possibly
44:30
the longer form of Suppata of Berea Acts twenty four,
44:35
who accompanied Paul on his return from Greece. These men
44:38
are not theological ornaments. They are bruised, battle worn believers
44:43
who stayed the course. Their presence in this letter is
44:46
like incense, proof of perseverance. Paul does not labor with strangers.
44:53
He walks with witnesses. And now the voice changes. I Tertius,
44:58
who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord. Tertius,
45:02
the scribe, the pen in Paul's hand, the one who
45:06
heard every syllable of the Spirit's breath as Paul dictated.
45:10
Tertius was not just a secretary, He was a servant
45:13
of Christ, and Paul in humility and brotherhood allows him
45:18
a line a greeting a place in the word of God.
45:22
Tertius doesn't use his role to exalt himself. He simply
45:26
greets the church in the Lord, pure, simple, eternal. Next, Gius,
45:34
who is host to me and to the whole church,
45:36
greets you. This is likely the same Gius Paul baptized
45:40
in Corinth First Corinthians one fourteen. He had opened his
45:45
home to Paul, and not just to Paul, but to
45:48
the whole church. In a world without church buildings, the
45:52
home was the sanctuary. Gius turned his property into a
45:56
place of prayer, a sanctuary of scripture. This greeting is
46:00
drenched in hospitality and sacrifice. Then Erastus, the city treasurer,
46:06
and our brother Quartus greet you. Erastus is a man
46:10
of influence, a city official, a public servant, and yet
46:15
he's not above the saints. He stands with Paul. He
46:19
does not wield power over the church, he serves within it.
46:23
His name even appears in a Latin inscription discovered in Corinth,
46:27
possibly confirming his historical office. God places his people in
46:32
high places, not for prestige, but for kingdom purposes. Quartus
46:38
little is known of him, but he is called our brother.
46:41
That's enough. In the Kingdom of God. Titles fade, but
46:45
brotherhood remains. Whether city treasurer or humble disciple, both names
46:50
are side by side. And then verse twenty four in
46:53
many manuscripts, the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be
46:57
with you all amen. It's a closing seal, a spiritual benediction,
47:04
not from one man, but from the gathered voices. Grace
47:09
open this letter. Grace sustains its message, and Grace now
47:14
sends it forth. What do we see here? A mosaic
47:18
of believers, different backgrounds, different roles, but one gospel, one spirit,
47:23
one Lord. This is the beauty of the Church. From
47:27
scribes to hosts, from apostles to treasurers, from persecuted friends
47:32
to city officials, each life bears witness. The Church is
47:37
not a stage. It's a body, and each member matters.
47:41
Are you tempted to think your role is too small?
47:44
Remember Tertius, whose pen carried romans to the world. Are
47:49
you offering your home in secret? Remember Gius, whose hospitality
47:54
hosted heaven. Are you a public figure wrestling with faith?
47:58
Remember Erastus, who's in influence bowed before Christ? Do you
48:02
feel unknown? Remember Cortus, our brother forever remembered by God.
48:08
Let this section teach us the Gospel does not advance
48:11
through one person. It moves through many, through greetings, through partnerships,
48:17
through faithful presence. You are not alone in your labor.
48:22
Heaven sees, Paul remembers, and Christ reigns the now we
48:28
ascend to the final summit. Romans sixteen twenty five to
48:32
twenty seven, the doxology that seals Paul's greatest epistle, Like
48:37
the final movement of a symphony. It is not an afterthought,
48:41
but a divine crescendo. Every word is weight, every phrase
48:46
is fire. It's not a casual good bye, It's an exaltation.
48:51
Paul is not closing a letter, He's lifting a cathedral
48:54
of glory to God. These verses are the soul of
48:58
Romans in miniature, summarizing the whole Gospel and giving all
49:02
glory to the one who authored it. Now to him
49:06
who's able to strengthen you. Paul does not begin with Man.
49:11
He begins with God. Not with the church's effort, but
49:16
with God's ability. The Greek word here stereizi, means to establish,
49:22
to stabilize, to set you unmoving on a foundation, In
49:26
a world where everything trembles, God strengthens. He does not
49:31
merely forgive you, He makes you stand. The church in
49:35
Rome was surrounded by pressure, cultural, political, theological, but Paul says,
49:41
there's one who can make you unshakable, according to my
49:45
gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ. Paul's gospel is
49:49
not his invention. It is the revelation of Christ. The
49:54
gospel he preached is the gospel that saves. It is
49:58
not a message of self help on moralism. It is
50:01
the preaching of Jesus, the life, death, resurrection, and lordship
50:05
of the Son of God. The power to strengthen comes
50:09
not through inspiration, but through proclamation, through Jesus rightly preached.
50:15
I deign according to the revelation of the mystery that
50:20
was kept secret for long ages, but has now been disclosed.
50:26
Here Paul opens the treasury of redemptive history. The gospel
50:30
was always God's plan, but not always revealed. It was
50:35
hidden in types, in shadows, in prophetic promises. But now
50:39
in Christ, the veil is torn, the mystery is disclosed.
50:43
What was once a whisper is now a shout. What
50:46
was once sealed is now proclaimed Ephesians three echoes. This
50:51
the mystery was made known to me by revelation that
50:54
the Gentiles are fellow heirs, and through the prophetic writings,
50:59
has been made no to all nations, according to the
51:02
command of the Eternal God. The Gospel is not a
51:06
new religion. It is the fulfillment of the scriptures, the
51:10
prophetic writings. Moses, David, Isiah, Jeremiah all pointed to this.
51:18
The entire Old Testament is pregnant with Christ. And now,
51:23
by God's command, this message has been sent to the nations.
51:26
It is not a Jewish secret, it is a global
51:29
summons to bring about the obedience of faith. This phrase
51:34
is the book end of Romans. It appeared in chapter one,
51:38
verse five, and now again in sixteen, verse twenty six.
51:42
The Gospel does not end in hearing. It ends in obeying.
51:46
True faith produces obedience, not legalism, not rebellion, but submission
51:53
to the lordship of Christ. To believe is to bow
51:57
to trust, is to follow Paul's entire mission. His preaching,
52:02
his writing, his suffering was aimed at this to bring
52:06
about the obedience that comes from faith. And then he
52:12
closes with fire to the only wise God be glory
52:16
for evermore through Jesus Christ. Amen. Paul has spoken of wrath, grace, law, justification, Israel, election, sanctification,
52:28
the Church and love. He has written theology so high
52:31
that it breaks human logic. And how does he end
52:35
with worship? With ascribing glory to God, the only Wise God,
52:41
through Jesus Christ. This is the goal of the Gospel,
52:45
not just salvation, but glorification, not just your peace but
52:50
his praise. Paul began Romans with man in rebellion. He
52:54
ends it with God in exultation. He began with wrath revealed,
52:59
He ends with God glory given. The doxology is not
53:02
an appendix, It is the aim. What does this mean
53:06
for us? It means your strength comes from God, not self.
53:10
It means the Gospel you believe is ancient, tested and
53:13
now revealed. It means scripture is not obsolete, it is
53:17
prophetic and fulfilled. It means the mission of God spans
53:22
nations and centuries, and you are now part of it.
53:26
It means your faith must produce obedience. And it means
53:29
all of it, every line, every life, every nation, every
53:34
promise is to the glory of God. Let us be
53:38
a people who don't just read romans, but live it.
53:42
Let the doctrine form your thinking. Let the Spirit renew
53:45
your mind. Let grace empower your obedience. Let Christ be
53:51
your righteousness. Let love mark your fellowship. Let hope anchor
53:55
your soul. And let the only wise God receive glory
53:59
through your life. Now let us pray, O, Lord eternal
54:02
and wise, who strengthens the weak and reveals the mystery
54:06
of salvation. We lift our hearts in worship. Thank you
54:09
for the gospel, once hidden, now proclaimed. Thank you for Christ,
54:15
crucified for sinners, risen for victory. Thank You for the Church,
54:20
one body, many members called to the obedience of faith.
54:24
Strengthen us, establish us, make us holy. Let your word
54:28
dwell in us richly. Let our lives give glory to you.
54:33
From age to age, from nation to nation. May the
54:36
Gospel run and triumph. And may we be faithful stewards
54:40
of what you have revealed in Jesus name. Amen. Stay
54:45
in the Word, Stay in the spirit, stay in the truth,
54:49
Stay blessed