seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Romans 15:14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written:
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”
and those who have not heard will understand.”
22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
Good morning! Hope all are happy.Check out the end of verse 16.
I never understood what it meant to be an "offering acceptable to God". Did that mean that I had to have my throat slit and I had to be hung upside down until my blood drained and then I would be slung on the altar? Nope! I hoped not... but now I think not.
I think it's like being introduced. "Father, I want to introduce you to 'Becky'. She wants to join our family". That's how I think we'll be the "offering acceptable to God". I think God will say.... "Oh Becky, I remember when you were molded... Welcome home sweetie".
Paul had been under house arrest for years by the time he dictated or wrote these words. He says he enjoyed being a preacher. He says so in verse 20. He loves preaching to the newbies. Rabbis had been teaching the Old Testament since before he was a twinkle in his mother's eye. Christianity was new. It was new ground. Teaching the Gentiles, Paul didn't have to explain or undo some old prophetic Jewish rite.... He had new beings, fresh ground to plant the seeds of "Love thy neighbor" in. He would see his work thrive. It had to be very satisfying for him.
Paul promised the readers that he would be able to preach to them in person, as soon as he got through preaching to Ceasar. He had a plan. As soon as he was released, he would travel to Spain and then on to Rome where he would preach to the Gentiles who didn't hear what he said to Ceasar. Paul was planning the Christian Church while under house arrest.
Paul would teach people how to live as Christians. Paul would teach them to be "acceptable".
Acceptable!
It's been a rough month for me and mine. My uncle Randolph died. Then my brother-in-law Al died. [He'll be buried today.] Then my internet died. [Things come in threes.] People all over the world are hurting, though, so I should be happy my woes are short lived. I have learned to get over the death of an extended family member. After all they are "in a better place", but going without internet, and these daily postings was a real problem the first day or two. I'm so happy to be home!