Village Schools of the Bible

ROMANS: Heart & Soul of the Gospel
A Devotional Study of Romans
by Max Frazier, Jr.

ROMANS 16

This last chapter, the 16th, I title, "A Warm Conclusion." The key phrase in this chapter is "in Christ" or "in the Lord" (see verses 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 22).

Notes on verses 1-2: Commendations

Phoebe carried the Roman Epistle up to Rome. She had the following three credentials: 1) Our sister; 2) a servant of the church; and 3) a helper of many and of Paul.

Word "servant" - deacon. What lessons can we learn from these verses? We should always give our brothers all the assistance we can.

Notes on verses 3-16: Greetings

1. Priscilla and Aquila - see Acts 18:2, 18, 26

2. The Church in their home

3. Epenetus - one of Paul's early Asian converts

4. Mary

5. Adronicus and Junias - fellow Benjaminites who were saved before Paul was

6. Ampliatus and Urbanus - slaves by name

7. Stachys

8. Apelles - tested in Christ

9. Household of Aristobulus - grandson of Herod the Great; these were his slaves

10. Household of Narcissus - tradition tells us he was a notoriously wicked man who had been put to death three years previously

11. Herodian

12. Tryphena and Tryphosa - sisters

13. Persis - an elderly woman

14. Rufus - son of Simon - see Mark 15:21

Notes on verses 17-20: A Warning

The Christian is never to surrender even for the sake of unity to anyone who brings some teaching contrary to the doctrines of this book.
Verse 18 - these people are selfish
Verse 20 - this has reference to Genesis 3:15; "will soon" means "done quickly"

Notes on verses 21-24: Salutations

Verse 22 - Paul's secretary Tertius sends his own greetings
Verse 23 - Gaius - baptized by Paul at Corinth - see First Corinthians 1:14. Erastus - treasurer of the city of Corinth

Notes on verses 25-27: A Doxology

"Mystery" - God was going to receive Jews and Gentiles into the same body, the Church of Jesus Christ.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS:

As he prepares to close this important letter to the Romans, Paul had one more warning to share with them. It is found in verses 17-19. Its message is one that must be heard today, for the very integrity of the Church is at stake.

Paul admonished the Roman believers to have nothing to do with anyone who came into their midst proclaiming a gospel that was different from what they had heard and now read in this letter. A watered-down gospel is dangerous because it does not proclaim the whole truth. A watered-down gospel does not proclaim a message from God, but one from man to man. It is not "Thus says the Lord" but "This is my opinion."

Friends, opinions cannot deliver a man from the entanglements of sin. Opinions cannot set a person free from addiction to sin. Opinions cannot lead one into eternal life. We are not saved by someone's opinions, but by what God has proclaimed.

Yet, there is a movement afoot today to water-down the gospel message so that we might get a better hearing from those who are lost. The reasoning goes something like this: If they don't come, how can they hear? Yet, when they do come, what do we tell them? Jesus never painted an easy pathway to heaven. He defined it as a narrow gate opening up to a narrow road. He stated that in order to follow Him, one had to deny himself and take up a cross daily. Hardly a message that appeals to the masses. Yet it is the only message that will bring life to someone who is dead in their trespasses and sins. Methodologies must change...but the message must never change.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER AS ONE READS THESE VERSES:

1. What three phrases describe Phoebe? What do these tell us about the kind of person she was?

2. The Christian is never to surrender, even for the sake of unity, to anyone who brings some teaching contrary to the doctrines of this book. What is the danger these people bring with them? What is our main line of defense against them?

3. Share with your group some of the things you have learned from your study of Romans. How has this study helped you grow in your faith?

Romans 15 Return to the Table of Contents