Christian Conduct in a Modern World

by Walter A. Boyd (South Africa)

Paper 19

No.5 - THE CONSECRATED SERVANT (Continued)

(B) Paul and the Poor Saints (Romans 15.25 - 29).

In our last paper we noticed that the paragraph comprising ch.15.25-29 divides as follows:

1. The Special Commission (v25).

2. The Saints’ Contribution (v26).

3. The Gentiles’ Indebtedness (v27).

4. The Servant’s Commitment (v28,29).

We dealt with the first two and now we come to sections 3 and 4.

3. The Gentiles’ Indebtedness, (v27). The Apostle demonstrates that all the Gentiles are indebted to the Jewish believers and that the Gentiles in Macedonia and Achaia responded willingly to that obligation.

(A) Their Moral Obligation. Paul uses three terms to add emphasis, and points to the fact that the gift was the discharge of an obligation upon the Gentile saints.

i) "Yea, it hath been their good pleasure," (R.V.). He not only re-states the pleasure of the Gentiles to send help (see v26, "For it hath pleased them..."), but he goes on to explain why they were pleased so to do. This was more than philanthropy; it was motivated by a deep spiritual debt.

ii) "And their debtors they are." In ch.11 Paul speaks at length of the nature and extent of the debt owed by the Gentiles to the Jewish nation. The Gentiles have been brought into the rich blessings of salvation, having been grafted in as a wild Olive shoot. They must, therefore, be careful to avoid boasting or pride. They need to remember that they are in the position of a debtor, 11.18-20. While that is true nationally, Paul is speaking here more particularly of the debt of the Gentiles in Macedonia and Achaia, who heard the gospel through the sacrifice of Jewish believers. As the Jewish saints travelled away from their city in fulfilment of the commission by the Lord, they eventually reached the Gentiles in "the uttermost parts of the earth," Acts 1.8. Many were scattered among the Gentiles by persecution, and took the gospel of the risen Christ with them. The Gentiles were continually under an obligation - they were debtors.

iii) "Their duty is also to minister to them." Their moral obligation must be discharged - it is a duty. The Gentiles have been made partakers of their "spiritual things." The word "partakers" is from the same root as "contribution" in v26. The contribution is an exchange in mutual fellowship: one is spiritual, the other is material. The practical implications of this section are clear. Those who receive spiritual help are debtors, with a duty towards their helpers. This supports Paul’s stance in v22-25, when he mentions his intention to visit Rome, and receive their practical help to move on towards Spain. That visit was planned so that he might impart some spiritual gift to the saints in Rome, and have fruit in the gospel in their city. The fellowship that Paul expected the saints in Rome to extend to him, 15.24, would help him on towards Spain. Thus, the diversion to Jerusalem, en-route to Rome, would provide a practical example of what he is teaching in respect of the duty and debt in spiritual things.

(B) Their Willing Response. "To minister to them in carnal things" is to provide a service to the needy saints at Jerusalem in relation to bodily things. Obviously their poverty was extreme, and affected them physically. James addresses the same subject in his letter where he asks, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, ‘depart in peace. Be ye warmed and filled’; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" Jms.2.15,16. The saints in Macedonia and Achaia were not heartless like that, they responded willingly and with pleasure in a way that met the need in Jerusalem.

4. The Servant’s Commitment, (v28,29).

In these verses we see the Apostle’s commitment to the service he has to perform, and to the saints for whom he will perform it. The gift being sent by his hand was motivated by spiritual love and was given in acknowledgement of a spiritual debt by the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Paul recognises this in his use of the words, "perform," "seal" and "fruit." To him this was not a perfunctory task, he felt the responsibility of his service in a three-fold way. His Service in delivering the gift to the saints in Jerusalem is shown in the phrase, "Performed this," v28, which links to his "ministry" to the saints, v15. His Stewardship in the safe delivery of the gift for the saints in Macedonia and Achaia is seen in the expression, "and have sealed to them this fruit," v28. His Service towards the saints in Rome in declaring the truth of God, is seen in the words, "When I come, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ," v29 R.V.

i) His Service to the saints in Jerusalem (v28). The word "perform" indicates a task fully accomplished, or finished in detail. Such was the significance of this ministry, v25, that Paul could not leave it undone or half done. Whatever his hand found to do, he did it with all his might! Amidst a busy life in the service of Christ, with all its appointments and pressures, he is not tardy in any task he undertakes. Nor should we be. Whatever we have to do, we should ensure that it is completed. If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.

ii) His Stewardship for the saints in Macedonia and Achaia (v28). For Paul, the task will not be completed until he has ‘sealed to them this fruit’ What exactly is meant by the word "sealed" is not certain. In those days seals were prominent in Jewish life. Offerings brought to the Temple were inspected, and when the temple officer was satisfied as to its suitability it was sealed. When a farmer brought his grain to a merchant for purchase, and upon inspection of it the merchant was satisfied with the quality and quantity, he sealed it. This may well be what Paul had in mind for the gift. When he offered it to the needy saints at Jerusalem, and they checked it for quantity with an accompanying letter from the saints in Macedonia and Achaia, it would be accepted and receipted from Paul’s hand. Paul’s practice when handling money was always transparent as he sought to "provide things honest in the sight of all men," 12.17. We ought to ensure the completion of any task in the same manner, so that our honesty will stand the closest scrutiny.

iii) His Service to the saints in Rome by declaring the gospel (v29). Paul intended that when he arrived in Rome he would make full use of the opportunity the visit afforded. He would not while away his time in sightseeing or leisure activities. There was serious business to be done. Notice his confidence in the will of God. He has intended for some time to visit them, preach the gospel among them, and see fruit for his labours, ch.1.11,13. He speaks now in ch.15 with the calm assurance and confidence of a servant who has seen God bless his earlier labours in many regions. His intended journey is subject to the will of God; and while he could not have looked forward and seen in detail how and when he would arrive in Rome, yet he was confident he would reach there.

He was equally confident that when he did reach Rome, it would be in the full complement of the blessing of Christ. The word Paul uses in 15.28, "I will come to you" is the same word used by the Lord when He said "I will come again," Jn.14.3. It means not only his arrival, but all the blessings and benefits that would attend his arrival. Paul is sure that as he travels and when he reaches the destination, he will have with him the fullness of the blessing of Christ. This is the full complement of spiritual blessings that we are afforded by Christ. Every blessing they needed would be supplied in fullest measure. This full blessing was to be experienced through the labours of a truly consecrated servant of God, in touch with the resources of his Master in heaven, and the needs of saints on earth.

—to be continued, (D.V.)