ROMANS 15:14. “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” A CARING MAN. Paul, as a brother to brothers and sisters he has not seen, speaks to them as equals. He is not claiming a higher status as a man because he is a well-educated Jew. He gives something like a benediction or a hymn as he speaks of the greatest joy and peace in the world that comes through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a man who interested in the well-being of his brothers and sisters, he took his role as a preacher and teacher of the Gentiles. He looks upon the Gentiles as a priest would look upon a special burnt offering and he presents them to God as a result of his Gospel work.
Following that, he takes his place as a preacher who has responsibility to make the Gospel message clear and plain wherever he goes – and God gave proof of his preaching.
Then as a pioneer, he points to places he opened up to the Gospel and preached the salvation message – as new fields and new building. He wasn’t following up on someone else’s work but had his work to do for God.
I see him therefore as:
- A brother who cares
- A priest who offers up fruit of his labor
- A preacher who is responsible to make the Gospel plain
- A pioneer who is reaching out to new places and unreached people
I think the Roman believers would have appreciated his interest in them more than ever. He had opened himself up to them so that even though they had not met him, they would feel like they knew him.
“I read about this dear brother, O God, and would like to follow his example, as a man, assembly believers can trust and have good fellowship with. I pray of Thee to give me a heart of compassion and interest like his for the people of my generation and place. May I never take God’s people for granted or in any way think I am superior to any of them. I pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”