The Epistle of Paul The Book of Romans series: Learning to be rooted and established in The Cross of Christ
Learning to be rooted and established
Romans 1:12 That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
1. Faith in the Cross admits the sacrifice as God's solution and that man has no solution what so ever in himself.
2. Faith in the Cross creates humility faith in ourselves or in other things creates self-righteousness.
3. Let all understand that God has made no other way, no other path, and no other solution--ONLY THE CROSS!
As we have read in verse 11 Paul is telling the Church at Rome "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;"
In the Strong's Greek Dictionary the word "established" is "στηρίζω sterizo (stērízō)" and it means to set fast, i.e. (literally) to turn resolutely in a certain direction, or (figuratively) to confirm:—fix, (e-)stablish, stedfastly set, strengthen.
Verse 12 is continued from verse 11 and carries the idea of a mutual strengthening brought about by his ministry among them and their love shown to them.
Paul was not talking down to these people in these verses, in other words, he did not want them to think by his statement that he was implying spiritual weakness or that they were unstable on their part this is another sign of the humility of the apostle Paul.
Paul in effect was the Moses of the New Testament.
As Moses was given the Old Covenant (Exodus through Deuteronomy), Paul had been given the meaning of the New Covenant (Romans Through Hebrews).
Yet Paul considered the feelings of these people and even more so he did not even remotely consider himself to be anything great at all irrespective of the great revelation given to him by the Lord (2 Corinthians 12:1-12).
Comments