Romans 1:10-15 had always puzzled me a little bit. I looked at Paul's words as being a bit arrogant. Why did he feel he has to get his hands into Rome's business? He didn't really know anyone there. He just hadn't ministered there, and therefore, his name wasn't really on the "credits" for the faith displayed by the Roman church. Is that what Paul was all about? Who gets the credit for establishing and affirming each church? How many "souls" do we get credit for? Are they just notches in the belt to Paul?
Then I started thinking about Paul's character. It wasn't really his nature to be proud...boasting only in his weaknesses. There must be something else there.
In digging deeper, I find that Paul must have simply been concerned about the condition of Christ's church! His desire was that the GLOBAL church reflect the cause of Christ clearly, and without blemish. He desired to affirm churches so that they represented God to the fullest, and he affirmed believers so that they would correctly embolden the Church!
Paul, an apostle, called by God, delivering grace and peace to God's global Church, so that ALL may present the gospel clearly, as they should. That is a great goal, and one that I think the Church has forgotten, as we seek only to edify our local body.
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