Title text and borders
Contents
2006. 7. 9 Sunday Morning Worship Sermon
Bible: Romans 16:16-20
Title: Text and Boundaries
Although Paul had not yet been to the Roman church when he wrote this epistle (Romans 15:23-25), he wanted to go to Rome while writing this epistle while Paul was staying in Corinth for a while during his third missionary journey.
33 names are mentioned in this chapter, of which 24 were in Rome and 9 were in Corinth.
Before going to Rome, Paul gave detailed information about the gospel of Christ through this epistle, and in the last part of his greetings, he concluded with a lesson of caution, worrying about blessings and the church.
1. The saints should greet each other
The fellowship of brotherly love, in which the saints greet and greet one another, is very important in the life of the saints.
Paul introduces several people in this chapter, starting with Phoebe, the sister who has an important mission to deliver the letter, and godly wives such as Prisca, Mary, Junia, Percy, and Julia. A young man was recorded, but there are also fathers, brothers and children.
'Co-worker, dear', by adding such modifiers, it describes the beautiful appearance of those who labored for Christ.
The word 'greeting' in number 23, ajspavzoma, is a warm greeting that welcomes and embraces them, treating them like brothers.
A believer should be a hospitable person, and this is a beautiful reflection of God's saving grace for us.
Romans 12:13 “Supply the needs of the saints and do your best to provide hospitality”
The life of looking around and greeting the saints should be done with a happy heart. Christians are told to treat each other and treat each other with respect as if they were receiving Christ.
Philippians 2:29 “Therefore, receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men.”
Greeting each other in this way is a sense of community and the realization of brotherhood in spiritual communication. Even our brothers and sisters in the flesh will lose their friendship if they don't look after each other often.
That's why the phrase 'neighbors' rather than distant brothers arose. Therefore, it is the most beautiful expression of brotherly love for the saints to look back and greet each other, and it is an essential fellowship of saints.
Romans 12:5 “In the same way we who are many are one body in Christ, and members of one another.”
2. Be on the lookout for conflict and selfish guidance
In any society in which people live, even if they have good intentions, there is always a group of people who are opposed to each other or cause confusion due to the fundamental sinful nature of humans.
It is the same everywhere in the world, but especially in the church, thoughts that interfere with the truth arise at any time. This is Satan's powerful sabotage. If you realize this and are not always vigilant, the church will be in turmoil due to division, division, and heresy.
At that time, there were Judaism believers who had trouble maintaining the integrity of the church because of the Jewish mindset, and there were such people among the leaders, so the church was always careful.
The word strife, dicostasiva, means discord, agitation.
Among the many difficulties experienced by the Church, it is a spiritual conflict in which humanistic ideas are intervened due to human ignorance of accepting the absolute truth.
Even in the early church, there were some who confused the church. In particular, those who converted from Judaism tried to understand the gospel with a Judaism mindset, which caused considerable difficulties in the development of the church.
Galatians 5:20 “Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, envy, anger, strife, division, heresy,”
In case of being tested for ideological misunderstanding, there is a process of correction to some extent and it can be corrected, but as religious people full of selfishness, so-called heretical people are a big problem.
18“They do not serve Christ our Lord, but serve only their own belly, and with deceitful and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the innocent.”
There are those in the church who are for Christ, and there are those who want to use Christ to fill their stomachs.
The word koiliva, which means belly, also means uterus. It means a person who has an inner heart to satisfy his own interests.
Such was the spirit of Iscariot and Judas. The Pharisees did. This was the case with Roman Catholic priests who bought and sold priests in the Middle Ages. Such are the so-called Protestant political ministers.
Conflict arises from each other trying to fill their stomachs for their own benefit.
Romans 12:18 says, “As far as possible, be at peace with all men.”
Philippians 2:2 “Be of one mind, of the same love, of one accord, of one mind”.
Numerous denominations and general assemblies of the Korean church must repent. Because of this, the Korean church is falling apart.
Basically, this sin of not having God's spirit of reconciliation and seeking self-interest to form a denomination is neglected. If we continue like this, the essential ideas of the church will collapse just like those in Europe or the West.
3. Be good and wise
19 "Your obedience is heard by all, therefore I rejoice over you, I want you to be wise in what is good and foolish in what is evil."
Human nature is sensitive to things that are sinful because of original sin. However, the saints who have now acquired a new spirit in Christ are told to be wise in what is good and foolishness in what is evil.
Good things are biblically God's will, evangelical, and things that have eternal values and ideologies. Such will be met with wisdom, sofov, and wise and clean thinking.
However, it was said to be foolish in evil things, that is, the lusts of secularism, selfishness and death It means that you should not mix with such things with a clear mind.
Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
1 Corinthians 14:20 “Brothers, do not be children in wisdom, but children in evil, become mature in wisdom.”
2 Timothy 2:19 “But the firm foundation of God stands, which is sealed, saying, The Lord knows his people, and let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.”
They live unaware of their existence and their spiritual condition, but under the power of Satan, the world is running at any time with evil and death. The world the saints live in is always tempted by evil.
The lesson he has given us since becoming saints is a warning to be vigilant and turn away from the evil things of this world, the boring, lifeless, and sinful things.
These last words of Paul's admonition are for the devout believers as they are passive but very important because these sins are easily stained with the spirit of the church that exists in the world.
Colossians 1:22 “Now has he reconciled through the death of his flesh, that he might present you holy and blameless and blameless before him.”
Before the coming of the Lord on the last day, the last evangelism of the angels also commands us to come out of the sinful world.
The Greek word of the church, ekklhsiva, means to call out just because the saints were originally rescued from the world and called as God's children.
Rev 18:4 “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, and do not share in her sins, and do not receive from her plagues.”
In closing the letter to the saints in Rome, the valuable advice I gave is to greet and bless each other, but at the same time, be alert and beware of strife, selfishness, and the evils of the world.
As the children of God in the world, as members of one body, we must have love that can greet each other often and comfort each other, and also demonstrate the sensitive nature of saints who are foolish in evil and wise in dealing with good. It is a church that is praised on the day of the Lord's coming, and I bless you and me.