“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well.” -Romans 16:1–2 The […]
An Affectionate Appeal
“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 […]
Oratio – Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany & Septuagesima
O God whose blessed Son was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil, and make us the sons of God, and heirs of eternal life: grant us, we beseech thee, that having this hope, we may purify ourselves, even as he is pure: that when he shall appear again with power, and […]
Unity and Generosity
“At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in […]
About the Time H. Lee Barnes Introduced me to John Gardner
More than a decade ago, I completed a creative writing program at the College of Southern Nevada. I took up the program because I foresaw a shift in my vocation. I knew my future included writing so I wanted to learn to write well. While I’m unsure if I do, in fact, “write well,” I […]
Hope and Expectations
“This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to […]
Paul’s Ambition
“and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”” -Romans 15:20–21 Here we get a glimpse […]
Christian Children Do Not Belong in Public Schools
I realize for some that might be a jolting statement but I believe it’s absolutely true in 99% of cases. And, frankly, I can’t even think of a scenario where the 1% case would be absolutely necessary. First, the modern public school system is secular. But that doesn’t mean it’s neutral. Education by definition presupposes […]
Fulfilled the Ministry
“In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so […]
Boasting in Christ
“In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed,” -Romans 15:17–18 Having just commended his office as “a minister of Christ Jesus to the […]
Able to Instruct One Another
“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, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus […]
The Difficult Task of Defining Christian Humanism
Defining Christian humanism is a potentially arduous task for at least three reasons. First, there is the misgivings of Christians and conservatives who, when first encountering the word humanist, tend to meet it with consternation and disapproval because it is associated with atheistic and materialistic views of the world and, just as often, a strong […]
The God of Hope
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” -Romans 15:13 Before turning his attention to speaking of his own ministry, Paul offers a final prayer on their behalf to the end that they will achieve […]
The Inclusion of the Gentiles
“And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”” -Romans 15:10–12 Adding to his […]
Christ, A Servant of Jew and Gentile
“For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”” […]
Live in Harmony
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” -Romans 15:5–7 […]
The Scriptures Give Us Hope
“For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” -Romans 15:3–4 As we have seen previously, Christ […]
Make Art and Win Cash
Heads up if you are an artist! I am hosting a contest for the best drawing, painting, or illustration for my newsletter Rumbling Toward Heaven. The entry requirements are simple: read the short story, Revelation, and create an image of the vast horde on the swinging bridge worthy of the spirit of Flannery O’Connor’s story […]
Pleasing Others For Their Good
“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”” -Romans 15:2–3 The role each of us play in the community of saints is that of edifier. Though we are […]
Oratio – Fourth Sunday After Epiphany
DEUS Qui nos in tantis periculis constitutos, pro humana scis fragilitate non posse subsistere: da nobis salutem mentis et corporis, ut ea quæ pro peccatis nostris patimur, Te adjuvante vincamus. Per Dominum nostrum. O GOD, Who knowest us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the […]
The Responsibility of the Stronger
“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” -Romans 15:1 Those who have advanced further in the gospel have no place to be proud or puffed up; rather, the grace of growth comes with responsibility. In the same way the master must take […]
Eating in Doubt
“The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” -Romans 14:22–23 By […]
It is Good
“Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.” -Romans 14:20–21 In true Pauline fashion, […]
Pursue Peace and Mutual Edification
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” -Romans 14:17–19 Whoever thus serves Christ […]
Not a Matter of Eating and Drinking
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” -Romans 14:17 What a profound observation Paul makes about the priorities of the Kingdom in light of his exhortations to both weak and strong believers in their approach to diets and […]
The Stronger Ought to be the Wiser
“So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.” -Romans 14:16 The exhortation here is simple. Paul admonishes the strong to not allow what is a blessing to be turned into its opposite i.e., spoken of as evil. It was Christ who has obtained this liberty for us and it […]
Walk in Love
“For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.” -Romans 14:15 The strength of Paul’s admonition—“do not destroy the one for whom Christ died”—indicates that he is speaking of matters here more profound than […]
Nothing Is Unclean In Itself
“I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.” -Romans 14:14 At this point, Paul finds it helpful to lay out the truth of the matter concerning meats in light of the new creation in Christ. But prior to […]
Clear the Way
“Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” -Romans 14:13 Early in my studies, I was introduced to a saying that whenever you see a “wherefore” or a “therefore” you must go back and see […]
The Judgment Seat of Christ
“for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” -Romans 14:11–12 Citing Isaiah 45:23, Paul now demonstrates that attitude which ought to possess the hearts of every believer, […]
The Judgment Seat Belongs to God
“Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;” -Romans 14:10 Paul exhorts both parties to cease their unseemly criticisms toward one another. His use of brother here implies that there exists, by virtue of a shared […]
The Problem with Confessing Our Sins
There are ultimately two ways we can handle our sins. The first is the way the Bible instructs us to do it: confess and forsake our sins as soon as we recognize them as such. Consider the various admonitions in the Bible relating to this way of handling sin: “I acknowledged my sin to you, […]
Lord of All
“For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.” -Romans 14:9 It is to “this end,” the end that we all belong to the Lord and seek to honor the Lord, that Christ “died and lived again.” Why then should we wrongfully […]
We Are the Lord’s
“For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” -Romans 14:7–8 The broadest possible meanings of these verses are […]
In All Things Honor and Thanks to God
“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while […]
Fully Convinced
“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” -Romans 14:5 The fact that Paul moves from using dietary laws as his example in matters of personal persuasion to now using holy days as his examples implies that he […]
When to Reserve Judgment
“Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” -Romans 14:4 What Paul is saying is that each is responsible to his own master, the Lord Jesus Christ. […]
For God Has Welcomed Him
“Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.” -Romans 14:3 Paul now lays out an example of the potential kinds of conflict between believers in matters of personal persuasion regarding dietary laws (14:5). […]
Patience Over Legitimate Differences
“One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.” -Romans 14:2 As Paul exhorts the body of Christ to unity, he highlights one of the areas most prone to cause division among believers, laws concerning eating and drinking. In his letter to the Colossian Christians, Paul encouraged them not to […]
Welcome Those Who Are Weak in the Faith
“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.” -Romans 14:1 At this point, Paul narrows his focus from general exhortations to community life, or church-oriented exhortations. Recall the chiastic structure that guides us through Paul’s thoughts as he is writing to the Romans. 1:1-17 Introduction 1:18-3:30 […]
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” -Romans 13:14 As Paul, in verse 13, first exhorted from the via negativa (i.e., not in not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy), he now, in verse 14, […]
Let Us Walk Properly
“Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.” -Romans 13:13 Given their place in history as the new humanity, the new Israel, the new people of God, Paul urges them to join him in walking properly: ““Let us walk […]
The Day is at Hand
“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of […]
Social Media for the Long Game
I hear about a lot of people who consistently use social media for a lengthy period of time and come to discover that it can be a pernicious distraction from more important things like researching and writing a dissertation. Consider Cal Newport’s research on this in his book, Deep Work. Personally, I have noticed that […]
The Hour Has Come
“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” -Romans 13:11 Not only does Paul want the believers at Rome be motivated by love for one another, but he also appeals to their knowledge of […]
Love Fulfills the Law
“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” -Romans 13:10 This verse is merely a summary of Paul’s exhortation to not withhold from any that which is due them, be it money, honor, or obedience, but especially love. When we truly love our neighbors, we are doing the […]
The Summation of the Law is Love
“For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”” -Romans 13:9 What Paul is emphasizing here is not an orderly treatment of the Mosaic Law, but the […]
Owe No One Anything
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” -Romans 13:8 Paul makes a brilliant turn of phrase here to demonstrate how the law is fulfilled in our exciting love toward one another. Beginning in verse 7, he says to the believers, pay what you […]
Pay What is Owed
“Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” -Romans 13:7 Having worked through the logic of this last exhortation to obey the rulers and pay the taxes, Paul concludes with a […]
You Also Pay Taxes
“For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.” -Romans 13:6 The demonstrative pronoun this is neuter and likely refers to the whole of what Paul is saying, namely that rulers are ministers of God executing judgment on evildoers so you should obey them […]