And so we come to the final last words of Paul’s letter to the early Christians living in Rome.
Last words are hugely important!
What were Paul’s last words as he concluded his letter?
“I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people.
“Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” – Romans 16:17-19
It has been a huge blessing to me to pour over the book of Romans and ponder who these people were who received this letter from Paul.
They were just normal ordinary people like you and me. They worked normal ordinary jobs like you and me. They faced daily challenges and struggles like you and me. They lived in simple homes down streets just like this.
My main takeaway, here at the end of Paul’s letter is that these people’s lives were “marked” by obedience to God.
It is good to study doctrine. It is good to be knowledgeable about deep matters of the faith. Paul spent the first half of his letter instructing these people in doctrine and deep matters of the faith.
But all that academic scholarly knowledge about doctrine means nothing if there is no obedience to what God tells us to do. Paul spent the second half of his letter instructing these people in how to live out their faith. Practically how to live in obedience to God.
A life which is “marked” by Jesus Christ is a life of obedience.
“Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” – Romans 16:17-19
Paul’s last words are for us today too. As we go about our daily lives, trying to be obedient to God, we also need to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
There are many voices coming at us from all different directions … inviting us to step through the doorway to anxiety. The doorway to fear. The doorway to judgmentalism. The doorway to pride. The doorway to bitterness. The doorway to retaliation. Etc. …
These doorways lead to division in our life and put obstacles in our way of serving God. Paul instructs: Don’t be naïve.
Obedience is a doorway.
God invites us to step through the doorway of obedience to live a life of humility.
God invites us to step through the doorway of obedience to love with sincerity … while at the same time hating what is evil and clinging to what is good. This requires wisdom. We cannot be naïve.
God invites us to step through the doorway of obedience to serve him with zeal!
God invites us to step through the doorway of obedience to be joyful in hope. Choosing, intentionally to be joyful. Choosing, intentionally to have hope.
God invites us to step through the doorway of obedience to be patient in affliction. Choosing, intentionally to be patient in affliction. This is an intentional act of obedience.
God invites us to step through the doorway of obedience to be faithful in prayer.
God invites us to step through the doorway of obedience to share with God’s people who are in need. Choosing intentionally to show hospitality towards others. This is an intentional act of obedience.
God invites us to step through the doorway of obedience to live in peace and harmony with each other.
Obedience is a doorway.
A life “marked” by Jesus Christ is a life of obedience.
