Good News! Digesting the Book of Romans

Introduction:  Happy Sabbath.  This week we finish up Romans.  What a journey it has been to digest this letter written so long ago.  As we conclude this study,  can't help but be reflective.

Question of the day:  What has been your favorite take away from the book of Romans?


Chapter 16 is almost the P.S. of the letter.  At the end of chapter 15 he gives a beautiful plea and then ends with a blessing.

"I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.31 Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there, 32 so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will,and in your company be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen."

Then he continues on. 

READ: Chapter 16

Personal Greetings

16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon[a][b] of the church in Cenchreae. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

3 Greet Priscilla[c] and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.

5 Greet also the church that meets at their house.

Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.

6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you.

7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among[d] the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

8 Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord.

9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys.

10 Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test.

Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.

11 Greet Herodion, my fellow Jew.

Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.

12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord.

Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord.

13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.

14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the other brothers and sisters with them.

15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the Lord’s people who are with them.

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss.

All the churches of Christ send greetings.

17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

21 Timothy, my co-worker, sends his greetings to you, as do Lucius,Jason and Sosipater, my fellow Jews.

22 I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.

23 Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.

Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings. 

25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel,the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from[f] faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.

So the first part of this chapter is Paul writing... "Oh yea, please tell so in so, and welcome so in so..."

At first glace, it is easy to pass over these verses as not having anything important for us.  But is there something for us to take away from these verses?  

In these verses we see Paul bringing the "family of God" together.  He is building bridges and connecting people with a common goal, a common cause.  He is taking the opportunity to expand the "family of God."  

What does it mean to be part of this family of God? 

What brings us together?

What is our common interest or common goal or mission?

What keeps us or gets in the way of us being "family?"


After asking the Romans to say hello to the family, he then breaks for a moment.  It is as if he realizes how important this coming together is!

Let's read this section starting in verse 17.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

Here is a list of takeaways. 

1. Coming together is good.  Divisions is bad.

So what can we do to come together and to keep division from creeping in? 

2. Serving our own appetites instead of our Lord Christ is very bad!

So many times when disagreements or division happens it is because we have lost our focus.  We become more concerned about ourselves and our desires, or our feelings that we forget we are here with a common focus, a common mission, and a common love, Jesus Christ.  

When we are offended by something, or hurt by someone, or are fighting with someone, most likely if we take a moment, sit back and turn our eyes and hearts toward Jesus we will see how self got in the way of peace.  

3. Be wise about what is good!

What does this mean? 
Don't be gullible, but learn and study what is good.  

"Whatsoever things are...."  Know what is good!  Digest what is good!  Study what is good!  Develop what is good!  

How? 
Study God's word! There is no better way to stay the right course than to saturate your mind with the word of God! 

Spend time with Jesus!
Spend time in His word but also spend time in prayer. Listen to the Holy Spirit. 

Learn how to turn your thoughts and energy toward what is good.
Be careful about what types of conversations you engage in.  Have you ever been around people who are constantly complaining and or gossiping or pointing out everyone's faults or defects? Be careful to not join in.  Sometimes it is necessary to remove yourself from the situation or conversation.  

Don't let negativity take over your life.
Several years ago I found myself in a downward spiral of negativity.  I found myself being critical of everyone, living in a constant state of dissatisfaction with most situations, and generally negative.  I had the most difficult time finding anything positive in the world around me.  Satan wants us there!  He tries hard to get us there.  That is a place where he can wreak havoc with our lives.  Just as light makes darkness disappear. Keeping our minds on what is good, makes that which is not good flee.  

Paul goes on to say, "...innocent about what is evil."

Some translations say to be simple about what is evil.  The word for innocent or simple is, akeraious, which means unmixed, or pure. 

Have you ever been around someone who was  always sharing with you and everyone they know all the "evil" they see in the world.  Some people do extensive studies on how pagan traditions have infiltrated into our culture, or all the secret symbols that are in our society. 

Our mind are a beautiful filing cabinet, or an organism that is filled with all kinds of information, emotion, and memories.  How much more powerful and transformative would it be if we kept our focus on filling our minds with all things that lead to wisdom about what is good, rather than trying to be wise and all knowing about what is evil.  

One bible commentary writes, "and simple with regard to that which is evil — As little as possible acquainted with it, or perfectly free from all improper views and designs of every kind."

Another states, "pure in reference to evil, so that you keep yourselves unmixed with it, free from it."

And yet another, "......uncontaminated by it; who has resisted all the plots and schemes that have been laid for him; and whose love for what is good and hatred of evil, has only been strengthened and disciplined. The word for “simple” here means “unmixed,” “uncontaminated,” “pure and clear.”

Paul goes on to say, " The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet."

Is it possible that our focus on the evil around us, the need to warn everyone about everything we see is based in a lack of faith in the power of God?

If we really believe that Jesus saves, Jesus transforms, Jesus guards, then doesn't it stand to reason that if our focus is on Him, if we are seeking His word, time with Him, and developing our wisdom about all that is good, Satan will be dealt with! Do you believe that evil flees at just the mention of His name?  Jesus.  

Then Paul ends this beautiful book with the focus right where it should be!

"Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel,the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen."

This paragraph perfectly sums up this entire book.  It is the Good News about what Jesus has done for us.  It is about developing our faith and from that faith comes obedience.

Our church has recently adopted a new mission statement.  It states:  University City Seventh-day Adventist Church. Know Love. Live Love. Share Love. God is Love 1 John 4:8.  If we know Love (God) it leads to living Love (God).  If we are living Love (God) we will Share Love (God)!

This whole book perfectly outlines that.  We have to KNOW what God has done for us through Jesus Christ!  We have to know and believe that it is Him and only Him who saves us!  It is that "knowing" or faith that leads to obedience and that obedience that leads to sharing with the world!

"To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen."