Romans Part 4 – Romans 1:8-15
Verse 8-10: PAULS PRAYER FOR THE ROMANS
• “First, I thank my God for you all” - Gods will – 1Thess 5:18. We don’t just give thanks, but thanks directed to God.
• “That your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” – Paul is giving thanks to God for the believers in Rome.
i. Zealous Christians like the Thessalonians? (many commentators opinion) – 1Thess 1
ii. Or it was simply told there was believers in Rome? – Acts 18:2,
• “For God is my witness” – There is no better witness to have cause God knows the hearts motive – 1Kings 8:39, Psalms 44:21,
• “serve with my spirit” – We serve God with our spirit because our flesh is weak – Phil 3:3, Rom 8:1-4
• “in the gospel of His son” Paul preached one gospel – Gal 1:8-9
• “without ceasing (fail) I make mention of you always in my prayers” – Paul prays for those whom he had heard believed the gospel – Eph 1:16, Phil 1:4, Col 1:4, 1Thess 1:2. We should give thanks and pray for those who have believed that they may grow in the doctrine.
• “making request” – We should make our request known to God – Phil 4:6-7, Eph 3:20, Phil 2:25-27 - more excellent than a healing – Rom 8:18.
i. Make your request know with the understanding that we aren’t operating according to the doctrine of Israel’s kingdom teachings – Matt 21:18-22, John 14:12-14, 15:16, 16:23-24 vs 2Cor 12:7-9.
• “I might have a prosperous journey to come unto you” – This is Paul’s request, but God did not answer it – Acts 21-28 – Paul gets to Rome but in bonds, not a prosperous journey - Acts 23:10-12, 26:30-27:1, 28:14-16.
Verse 11-12: PAULS PURPOSE TO COME TO ROME
• “For I long to see you” – Pauls had a desire to minister as a servant of God – Rom 1:1
• “to impart unto you a spiritual gift, to establish, to comfort” – What is the spiritual gift? Doctrine – Rom16:25, Col 2:7.
i. Because you are not established with Spirit powers that fail – 1Cor 13:8-10
ii. Spirit powers are not a mutual faith but rather the doctrine you believe that works effectually in you – 1Thess 2:13, Eph 4:4, 12-14
iii. Not the Spirit gifts because they apparently already had them – Rom 12:4:8
Verse 13-15: PAULS READINESS TO PREACH THE GOSPEL IN ROME
• “I would not have you ignorant that oftentimes purposed to come to you” – Paul wanted them to not be ignorant that he had a desire to come see them and often times purposes to do so but was hindered from doing so. Possibly by Satan or the Spirit. (See below)
• “let hitherto” means hindered – Rom 15:22, 1Thess 2:17-18, Acts 16:6-7 Paul did preach in Asia eventually (Acts19:10) just like he did Rome. Whether by Satan or the Spirit he was hindered from going to Rome.
• “fruit among you” – Fruit comes from maturity, maturity come from growing in the doctrine – Rom 7:4, 1Cor 3:6-7.
• “debtor to both the wise and unwise” – You could say it was his duty – Acts 9:15. Greeks were not heathen Gentiles but studied, civilized.
i. The gospel is unto all, not just the wise – 1Cor 9:20-23, Col 3:11
• “I am ready to preach the gospel unto you that are at Rome also” – Paul is ready to preach in Rome just as he had in other places throughout his ministry. As application we should have this same zeal and be ready to preach the gospel to those we know.
If you have any questions: My email - Camzunc96@yahoo.com
