Faith Lesson 15

Your Faith is Important!

Romans 16:1-24

This passage in Romans is often just glanced over. You may never see a sermon or Bible study on it, because it is seen as just a list of names. But, is that all it is? Many people, especially we pastors, often forget those who contribute to the ministry, not necessarily out of callous disregard, but out of our hurriedness of the moment, or our focusing on ourselves and our needs over those of others. Paul cuts across cultural barriers and arrogance, and commends publicly, acknowledging many. We should be careful to always be people who honor and acknowledge others!

· No one, in the Lord, is unimportant! There are 27 names listed who were Paul’s friends and who helped him. Many of them—nine, in fact—were women. This is a testimony to the importance of personal relationships, of cooperation (working together for a unified vision and purpose), and the value of encouragement!

· It has been said that the service we give to others is the rent we give to live on this earth!

· Paul wholeheartedly and passionately warns that divisions will destroy the church! Paul admonishes us to discern between standing for truth and causing unrighteous divisions, confusing people’s faith, and their relationship to God.

· Nothing will destroy a church or ministry quicker than strife, competition, dissension, and gossip, all of which eventually lead to divisions in a church. True faith will not allow this (Rom.13: 13; Gal. 5:19-20)! Such dissension causes "offenses,” that is, it becomes a snare or stumbling block to others (v.14: 13).

· Many people call Christ, "Master and Lord," but they are far from serving Him. They serve only their carnal, sensual, worldly interests. That is, a “what is in it for me” attitude and mindset! They corrupt the church by deceiving its heart and the people with misdirected and corrupted passion.

· Those who seed strife and make divisions in the Church are not doing Christ’s work, but are attempting to gratify their own selves. They cause people to follow a person and not the Person of Christ! Contentious, divisive people will cause others to stumble, so they must be avoided, and disciplined, which means removing them from fellowship if they persist (1 Cor. 5:9–13; 2 Thess. 3:6; 2 Tim. 3:5; Titus 3:10)!

· This is a stern warning against false teachers, including those in and out of the church. Paul says to "turn away from them!" They must not be tolerated in the church, or on TV, or anywhere else! False teaching promotes false faith!

· Divisive people destroy the peace and unity of the church, but God, who is the source of peace, will crush this work of Satan through the wisdom and obedience of believers. (v. 8:28).

· If truth is abandoned, unity and peace will not last long. We must keep our hearts open to the Spirit with passion, and guard against that which is contrary to God's Word and plan with all diligence.

· This is so we will not be deceived. Pledge yourself, defiantly, not to be a deceiver.

· Faith will grow and prosper in times of affliction and sorrow only when we face Him and not the situation! God allows tough stuff to happen to us to grow us better, and for us to be of better use to others around us. It is to increase our trust and dependence upon Christ; this will fuel our need for Him and move us away from our selves.