AM July 16th Rom 16

July 16th

17: Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18: For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 19: For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. 20: And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

21: Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you.

22: I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. 23: Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. 24: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

25: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26: But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

We now come to the closing lines of Pauls letter to the Romans. First he says mark those who cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and then avoid them. He is not saying have an all out battle with them or confront then – just avoid them. Even with those who teach error we are to be peaceable. He warns the Roman Christians that their error is not alone but they are not servants of Christ but they serve their own fleshly appetites. And he says that by their good works and cleaver speeches they deceive those whose hearts are simple. Paul says that the obedience of the Roman Christians has come to a wide circulation and that he is glad about it and that we would have them to be wise to what is good and simple to what is evil. And he says soon enough God will cause you to trample on Satan. Then Paul completes his letter with the greeting The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you – Amen. As a Postscript he inserts a few comments regarding fellow workers. He sends greeting from Timothy, Luke, Jason and Sosipater who he describes as fellow Jews. Then Tertius the scribe of the letter sends his greetings. Gaius the host of Tertius and the whole church sends greetings. Erastus - a person who manages the domestic affairs of a family, in general, a manager, a steward, (Vine) sends his greetings also and a brother called Quartus. Then again the final greeting. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen. Then it appears that Paul having seen and read Tertius’s postscript he dictates a few more lines. This comes like a priestly blessing. Paul commends them to God who is he says able to establish them in the gospel that he has written and in the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the special revelation that he has received of the mystery of God. Which was kept secret from the beginning of the world but now only recently God has revealed to Paul, which is revealed by the NT prophets at the command of the everlasting God and has been revealed to all nations so that they might live in obedience to the faith. Paul finishes with a hymn of praise to the wise God, may to him be glory through Jesus Christ for ever and ever Amen.