Nathan Neighbors
Follower of Christ, Husband, Father, & Youth Pastor
If I were not reading this letter all the way through, it might be easy to skip over this chapter. In fact, the majority of this chapter is “just” Paul sending greetings to friends in the churches at Rome. Over half the chapter is dedicated to these greetings. It’s tempting to jump over it…but don’t. It’s in the way Paul sends greetings to these followers of Christ that we see his heart for the Church. He calls people by name and talks a bit about his relationship with them. Nearly thirty people are named as well as others in those house churches. Those churches, just like every church is filled with people. These people are all unique creations of God. They all are in deep need of Jesus and in need of relationship. Paul is taking time in this chapter to build them up and encourage them by sending these greetings. It’s just another beautiful reminder to me of how every person matters to God. The church isn’t the building – it’s the people of God.
As I read Romans today it’s clear that Paul is addressing some quarrels among the believers in Rome. They must have had disagreements as a church about what was proper to eat and drink. Not much has changed in 2000 years. The church today has some of those same arguments. Paul spends all of chapter 14 and part of 15 teaching the people to put less emphasis on the created thing (food/drink) and more emphasis on the Creator and unity in His church.
“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.”
Paul isn’t trying to answer every specific question or give a yes or no food list. His heart is to see the people be unified for the cause of Christ. He wants them to realize there is a bigger picture – the spread of the gospel and growth of The Kingdom of God.
Do you ever find yourself struggling in this area? I know I do. I catch myself noticing the failures of others and overlooking my own sin. Though we are to hold our fellow believers accountable to following Christ together – I think too often we let that slip into judgement rather than love and accountability. May we live today more like Paul urges us to live in Romans 15:
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” – Romans 15:5-7
In these two chapters Paul talks about sacrificial living, loving others well and submission to authority out of reverence to God. My very favorite passage in these two chapters has always been Romans 12:1-2.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Personally I love these verses, but as a youth pastor these are some of my favorite words to share with teenagers. We are to be in – not of – this world. We ought not to conform to the world’s standard, but live and love like Christ.
As I read this morning, one verse that I don’t think I’ve ever seen before is Romans 13:8. As a fan of debt free living – this passage made me smile. So often scripture points to the freedom that comes from being without debt. But here in verse 8 Paul says there is one form of debt that’s ok (the debt to love).
“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.”
Nathan Neighbors 