Epistles of Paul 87

Well, good evening, brethren. After Paul discussed God's plan of salvation and various Christian living principles in Romans chapter 12, he then discussed our proper conduct with the world, respecting authorities on on the 13th chapter of Romans. And then on the 14th chapter of Romans in verse 1, then he moved on to explaining what that we should not judge those weak in the faith or new in the faith on matters of opinions, in other words, over doubtful things. So that's not really about doctrinal issues. It's doubtful things, matters of opinion. And then a little later in verse 15, and let's just read there, verse 15, yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you're no longer walking in love. And so he explained that if we are causing the stress to our brothers or sisters or because of what we eat or don't eat, because for religious religions, some people felt that they should not eat certain meats as we covered before. If we are causing people to to be grieved, as we read there in verse 15, then we're not walking in love.

And then he basically says in verse 17 that God's kingdom is about the big issues of life, righteousness, peace, and joy. In other words, the outcomes that we desire from our conduct. Now, as I mentioned, he's not yet talking about doctrinal issues, but he's talking about matters of opinion. And we have to be careful that because of these opinions, we don't offend other people. And then towards the end of the chapter in verse 23, he says that the one that is stronger, a stronger believer, may cause the one that is weaker to violate his conscience. In other words, the weaker brother, because of maybe pressure or the way the one that is supposedly stronger, may put pressure on the other one to do something that in his mind he doubts whether he should do.

And so he says if the weaker brother, for instance, eats or does not eat according to his conscience, in other words, if he eats or does not eat according to what he believes from faith, then he is sinning. And that basically in this verse gives us an additional definition of sin, which means going against one's conscience. If it is something you believe you should do and you do it, then it is sinning. And we know the basic definition of what is sin is found in 1 John 3 verse 4, a very clear definition that says whoever commits sin transgresses the law, for sin is a transgression of the law. But Yah is explaining another principle, important principle, that is if we're doing something against our conscience, that is also sin.

All right, let's now move on to chapter 15. That's where we're starting today. And we hope to cover up to verse 21, in a words, before Paul starts describing his plans, future travel plans. So in verse 1, let's just read, we then were strong, ought to bear with the scruples of the weak and not to please ourselves. And so he's basically saying we were strong, or sound doctrinally, or mature in Christian living, we should, he says, yeah, bear. In other words, we should help those that are weak. In other words, bear means pick up or carry a weight. So we are to help them. We are to help them carry a load, or help them until they're able to carry it by themselves. As an example, he's helped them while they, for instance, are not able to understand certain things.

And the word scruples is translated in other versions as infirmities. In other words, its weaknesses are in or infirmities of the certain person that is weak. And so he's saying, yeah, we that are strong in the five ought to help those with weaknesses and not to please ourselves. In other words, we should not be concerned just about ourselves to the neglect of the concern of others. For instance, a person could say, I believe I can eat meat, for instance, offered two ills, or I believe I can drink wine, and I don't care what the other person believes. I'll do it anyway. They can do whatever they want to, that mature person could say. But that is not what Paul is emphasizing here, that we are that are strong with what to bear. They help those people that are weak. And then in verse two, let each of us please his neighbor, for his good, leading to edification. And so we should not be there to please people for their support, like politicians. Politicians want to please people to get their support. That's not the intent. But we are pleasing people for their benefit. That's what it says, for edifying, for their edification. And so, and that's the whole principle about love your neighbor as yourself. That you are trying to do things to care for the others, to please the others for their benefit. In other words, treat others how you would want, or how I would want to be treated. And then, for instance, that as people come into the church, and they don't yet understand a particular doctrine, ought to help them. We ought to show them the way, or do what we can to build one another up. And in other words, a statement that has often been said, and sometimes, unfortunately, we don't do it. We have to treat each other in a godly manner. And now continuing in verse three, For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. And in other words, Christ could have just stayed in heaven, not come down and suffer for us, and become a human being. But Jesus Christ was willing to go through shame and humility, for us, for our benefit. And so that's what he's saying here, that for even Christ did not please himself. But as he's written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. So he was willing to suffer and to be humble. And we know, and we'll go through that a little later, if I remember correctly, but let's go now. We have a scripture that at this moment crosses my mind, which is Philippians 2, verse 5, 6, and 7, which basically says, you know, he emptied himself, and he became a human being, and he died for us. That is the same attitude that we need to have. All right, let's go on now to verse 4. For whatever things were written before, were written for our learning, that we, through the patience and comfort of the scriptures, might have hope. And so the Old Testament was written for us to learn from. And so they said for whatever things were written before, were written for our learning. So the Old Testament was written for us to learn. This is a very similar or parallel scripture to 1 Corinthians 10, verse 6. Let's just turn a few pages ahead. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 6, where we read, now these things became our examples to the intent that we should not last of the other evil things as they also lasted. So these are our examples. So the Old Testament is there, so we learn and don't commit the same mistakes. That's very important. We need to make sure we don't commit the same mistakes. Or on the other side, we need to learn from good examples that we follow those good examples. So the Old Testament, in a sense, is like an instruction book.

The law is given and shows us the right and wrong examples. Or, in other words, shows the consequences of doing right and doing wrong. Another example is like a teacher is teaching you how to speak English properly and then and in a grammar. And for instance, you have a word, the pitch is good or the pitch are good, and then he's going to show you the correct use of those nouns and verbs to be correct. And he's going to show you now if you use it the other way, it's a wrong use. So it's like a teaching or an instruction book. So that's what, in a sense, the Old Testament is. So God shows us his law in the Old Testament, and then he also shows what happens with people if they disobey and what happens if they obey. And in fact, you remember there are chapters in the Bible that talk about blessings and cursings for obedience or disobedience, respectively. Let's just look at some of that as a matter of interest. And the first section that I want to look at is in Deuteronomy 27. In Deuteronomy 27.

Because in Deuteronomy 27, it actually is a little bit of an introduction to Deuteronomy 28, because in the end, I want to look at blessings and cursings for obedience and disobedience in Deuteronomy 28. And I also want to look at Leviticus as there is a particularly difference there that is significant that I want to show in Leviticus 26. But building up to this section in Deuteronomy 28, there are some very interesting points here for us to take note. In Deuteronomy 27, starting with verse 2, he says, it shall be on the day when you cross over the Jordan to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves large stones and whitewash them with lime, and you shall write on them on these large stones. It's like huge boulders, right? You shall write on them all the words of the slow.

And you read that verse 8. Look at verse 8, and you shall write every abbey part, you shall write very plainly on the stones all the words of the slow.

And so what we have here is an example that we have two mountains. You can see that in verses 12 and 13. And he says on verse 12, on Mount Gerizim, you shall write where the people will stand. And then the people, whilst they've crossed the Jordan, the specific tribes go towards Mount Gerizim, and he says to bless the people.

And then there is another mountain, Mount Ebal, to curse, and then also specific tribes go towards that mountain. And so we can see here there was a whole activity, once they cross the Jordan, in which they would have to rehearse certain laws. You can see certain blessings and curses, as we can see at the end of chapter 27, and also in chapter 28, blessings and curses. Now, it is interesting to understand, and I just want to tie up another important point, because some people sometimes get confused with what we read in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 7. And keep your fingers in the area of run about the astronomy and Leviticus and Joshua, because you're going to come back there. But let's just look at 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 7, because yeah, in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 7, it talks about, but if the ministry of death was written and engraved on stones, was glorious, this engraving on stones is not the two tablets of stone in which the Ten Commandments were written.

These were these rocks, these boulders, that we have described reading there in the eternity 28, I mean part of the eternity 27. And these were whole stones, they were boulders, not the two tablets of stone where the Ten Commandments were written. And so God told Moses to write these laws on stones once they crossed in or over the Jordan into Palestine. And so the stones then were plastered, and basic civil laws were written on these whole stones. You also see that in Joshua chapter 8. Joshua chapter 8 verse 32-35. Joshua chapter 8 verse 32-35. Yeah, we read in verse 30, now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ibal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel, as it's written in the book of the Lord Moses. And so that's what we read in that book, which is in the astronomy 27.

And then a little bit later you can see in verse 33 towards the second half, then it says, half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Ibal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterwards, verse 34, he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings. And that is referring to the astronomy 28. They read the blessings and the cursings. And so, but there isn't an additional chapter that lists the blessings and the cursings, and that is in Leviticus 26. And so let's just briefly turn there to Leviticus 26. I know this is not really part of the book of Romans, but it is just a little bit of interesting information which is particularly pertinent to, I believe, this time when we're living. And so it is important that we see some important points, because in Leviticus 26 at the beginning says, you shall not make idols, you shall keep the sabbaths in verse 2, and then in verse 3 says, if you walk in my statutes, verse 4, then I will bless you with all these things if you're buying me. So from verse 3 to verse 13 of Leviticus 26 basically lists a whole lot of blessings if you're buying. Then from verse 14, till basically the end of the chapter, it says, but if you do not obey, then I'll have these curses, which goes from verse 14 to basically nearly the end of the chapter till verse 39. And then in verse 40, it basically there talks about repentance and then God forgiving. But yeah, from verse 14 till verse 39, when you look at it carefully, there are what I call five waves. You could give it a different term. It doesn't have to be waves, but five cycles, let's say it that way, five cycles. Because in verse 14 and 15 says, if you disobey, if you despise my laws, blah, blah, blah, okay, then in verse 16, we got the first wave, 16 and 17, or the first cycle. It says, then I'll do this to you. I'll appoint terror over you. And so this was points that were fulfilled with old-time Israel, but the principles in general principles are applicable to us because he says, you don't know by me. I'm gonna give you a situation where there'll be terrorism or that sort of fear. And then you need to repent. Now, in verse 18 brings a second wave, and quite often I equate that to something like 9-11 or something like that as that first wave. It does not have to be, I'm not saying it is, but I kind of equate that as an analogy. And then in verse 18 through 20, then it talks about a time in which I'll then, if you don't obey me, I'll punish you seven times more, and the pride of your power will be broken. And I equate that into, in a modern day, to the market crash that happened about seven years, exactly in fact seven years after 9-11 in 2008. Again, I'm not saying that is it, but let's say as a possibility. And if we look at it, the market crash was a lot more intense than 9-11 and affected much more people.

And then there seems to have been a bit of a time gap. And then in verse 21 and 22, and it says, and I'll bring you, if you still don't obey, seven times more plagues, plagues, and wild beasts. And that could have been things like illnesses, like COVID and others, that impacted even more people, even more people than the market crash. And so there could be a parallel. I'm not saying there is for sure, but it could be a parallel to today's society with these, let's say, escalations of punishment or waves of punishment. Then in verse 23 through verse 26, then it gives another series of increased punishment by seven times, in which there is a sword against you, like some type of war. Is that an indicative that there would be some sort of war that would affect us terribly? Again, what if there is some degree of parallelism? And then the fifth and final wave, or fifth level of increased punishment, starting from verse 27 through to 39, it says in verse 28, and if you still don't obey me, I'll chastise you even seven times more, which will be worse. And then when you look at, you look at verses like verse 30, I'll destroy your high places, I'll lay your city's waste, verse 33, I'll scatter you amongst the nations. It seems to have a parallel to the Great Tribulation. And so it could mean that if we already had those first three waves by parallel, we could be very near the fourth level of punishment, and the one to follow would be the Great Tribulation. So it's just, it's a little bit, I'll admit, a bit speculative. I'm not saying it is, but it is a warning that punishments will be more and more intense over time as the nation does not obey God. That is the most important part. The degree of punishment will get worse over time as we as a nation or as nations don't obey God. So we can learn by these lessons of the Old Testament and say, even though they don't apply literally exactly step by step to today's age, there is a degree of analogy that we could transfer to modern times and say punishments, if the nations do not obey God, punishments will get bigger. And we do know that soon, I don't know the time, no man knows the day or the hour, but we could be very near approaching the Great Tribulation. But let's continue, therefore, now reading in in Romans chapter 15. We were reading in verse 4, and we read the first part of verse 4, and it says, for whatever things were written before, we're written for our learning. And so we went through a few scriptures in the Old Testament, particularly about blessings and cursings, and our nation is is not obeying God. And yeah, maybe there is some degree of attempt to get things right, but I get the feeling that it's just going to be so much opposition, so much hatred, that things could collapse very quickly in opposite direction, and then would even be worse. And I hope and pray that it would not be, but you and I know there are prophecies, and you and I know that people do not obey God, and those punishments will happen, unfortunately. And so we can learn from these lessons here in the Old Testament, or these degrees of punishment from Leviticus 26 in the Old Testament. And then continue reading verse 4. It says, written for our learning, that we through the patience, it was that enduring, that hupamānī, enduring, patiently enduring, and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Brethren, it is so important as we look through these lessons from the Old Testament that we need to have hope. There are lessons, but we also see God showing mercy and intervening. And so whatever is going to happen, we must have hope. We've seen servants of God in the past. They've been tried and tested, in other words, but they have patiently endured. And we need to be comforted and have hope.

Because, you know, what has happened to them, to the past, you know, one thing is, the unfortunate thing about history is history continues to repeat itself. Because we don't learn the lessons from history, and that is sad. But anyway, continuing, yeah, we need to have hope. Verse 5. Let's read verse 5 and 6 together. Now, may the God of patience and comfort. Yeah, so in verse 4, just talked about that we threw patience and comfort. Now, in verse 5 says, now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another according to Christ Jesus. And verse 6, that you may be with one mind and one mouth, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I'll make a part of it. This is what I mentioned early on, that I wanted to refer to Philippians chapter 2. Early on, I went to verses 5, 6, and beyond. I just measured it, but I didn't read. But now, I want to turn to Philippians chapter 2, and I want to go from verse 1.

Philippians chapter 2, starting from verse 1. It says, therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, you see the connection about the God of comfort, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, outgoing concern, agape love, being of one accord, of one mind. Are we going to be united of one accord and one mind? And then it says, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in loneliness of mind. That is in humility. Let each esteem or submit to others or esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out, not only for some interest, but also for the interests of others. That's where we finished reading just a moment ago in Romans chapter 15 verse 2. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, for edification. And then that's why it says here in verses 3, 4, 5 of Romans 15 that we, whatever we do with patience and comfort, we need to have hope and we need to be like Christ. And yeah, in Philippians chapter 2 is saying exactly the same thing. And therefore it says in verse 5, let this mind be new, which was also in Christ Jesus. In other words, Christ had a humble attitude. He esteemed others greater than himself, and he gave up his position in heaven. He came and became a human being for us, for you and I, to die for us, to prove that we could obey with the power of God's help with God's only Spirit. And he overcame. He overcame. And therefore we can overcome like he did.

And therefore the great hope is not just his death, but it's his resurrection that shows that it is possible, is not just that he died, but he resurrected. In other words, he overcame and he was victorious. That's what is important for us to remember. So let's continue now, as we read at the end of verse 6 in Romans 15. Now let's go to verse 7. Therefore, receive one another just as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Granted, we're not perfect yet, as far as it comes to dealing with others, but let's strive to keep improving. Like it says, receive one another, show kindness for one another. And then let it continue in verse 8. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made to the fathers. Jesus Christ confirmed the promises. What promises? And who are the fathers? Well, the fathers are is mentioned in Acts 3 verse 13. In Acts 3 verse 13, so let's look at that. Acts 3 verse 13, we can see there who are the fathers, which are the fathers of the faithful. Acts 3 verse 13.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers. The Lord of our fathers, glorified his servant, Jesus. You see, our fathers are the fathers of the faithful, which is Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Now, what promises were given to them? Because Yahweh says in verse 8, he says, now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made to the fathers.

What are the promises made to the fathers? Well, in first place, it's right at the beginning in Genesis chapter 12, when Abraham was told to leave his father's home. So let's go there to Genesis chapter 12. And in Genesis chapter 12, it says, you know, get out of your country from your family and from your father's house to a land that I'll show you, and I'll make you a great nation. I'll bless you. I'll make your name great, and you shall be a blessing, and I'll bless those who bless you, and I'll curse him who curses you. In other words, Yahweh sees enormous, enormous physical blessings to physical Israel. In other words, to his children, to his descendants. But then at the end of verse three, he says, and in you, in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. And so that is a prophecy about Christ coming from him, and through Christ, all the families of the earth will be blessed. And so the promises we've given to the fathers of the faithful, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all the way to bless Israel, the promises we've given to the circumcision, but through the seed, they will be passed to Gentiles. Look at Genesis chapter 17. Genesis chapter 17 verse 7. Genesis chapter 17 verse 7.

It says, and I will establish my covenant between you, between me and you, and your descendant.

Now I know in the King James Version and the New King James Version, it's got descendants after you in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be God to you and your descendants after you. But if you read at more literal translations, like Dobby, it says, and I will establish my covenant between me and you and thy seed or your seed after you in the generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God to you and to your seed after you. And so the word there, instead of descendants in plural, is the word in the singular. And so in verse 7, it's talking about the sanded, the seed, and this is confirmed by Galatians chapter 3 verse 16. In Galatians chapter 3 verse 16, it is referring to the same scripture, and we read here in verse 16, not to Abraham, and his seed, singular, where the promise is made. He does not say to seeds, does not say to descendants. The original is not in the plural, it's in the singular, as of many, but as of one, and to your seed, who is Christ. The seed of Abraham that is referring here is Christ. And so the promises were made to Abram and the fathers of the faithful, Abram, Asach, and Jacob, and to the seed. The promises were made to Jesus Christ, the seed. And Jesus Christ made sure that these promises were confirmed, were carried out. Let's go back and read Romans chapter 15 verse 8. It says, yeah, and to confirm the promises made to the fathers. And so what were the promises made to the fathers? The promises were made to physical Israel. We're having a lot of blessings, but also in you, all families, you know, was through the seed, all families will be blessed. In other words, all nations. So Jesus Christ came to confirm that these promises made to the fathers. Verse 9. Now I'm going to read verse 9 on Romans 15. And it says, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. And so we can see that part of the promise was that all nations would also come to be blessed and believe and would have an opportunity. And then he quotes you, for this reason I will confess to you among the Gentiles and sing your name. You look at 2 Samuel chapter 22, 2 Samuel chapter 22 verse 15. 2 Samuel chapter 22 verse 50.

And now we see in verse 50, Therefore I'll give thanks to your Lord among the Gentiles, and I'll sing praises to your name. So we see here in verse 9, for this reason I'll confess to you among the Gentiles and sing to your name. That is also quoted from Psalm 18 verse 49. And so we can see in the next three verses, verse 10, verse 11, verse 12, that Paul is quoting scriptures from the Old Testament.

And so it is indeed a fact that there is a very great portion of New Testament content that is a direct quote from the Old Testament. And this is one example.

And we can see that he said Jesus came to confirm those promises.

And that brings to mind what we read in Matthew 5 verse 17. Matthew 5 verse 17, where it says, let's just get to it, Matthew 5 verse 17.

He says, Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

And he had points, an area of fulfillment, what Christ fulfilled from the Old Testament. And this is one example here in verse 9. Look at verse 10. And the guy in it says, Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.

This verse 10 is a quote from Deuteronomy 32 verse 43.

You can double check that in your own studies. And then we go to verse 11. And it says, Praise the Lord, all your Gentiles, lauding all your peoples. You know, it was praising all your peoples. That's a quote from Psalm 117 verse 1. And then verse 12.

It's a direct quote from Isaiah 11 verse 10, which says, There shall be a rod of Jesse, that is Jesus Christ, and he shall rise to reign over the Gentiles. Christ will rise to reign over the Gentiles. He, him the Gentiles, shall hope. And so Christ came to fulfill, not to abolish the law and the old prophets. And yes, he came to obey the law, but also came to fulfill these parts of the law. Like, for instance, in verse 10, it's actually a quote from the law, Deuteronomy 32 verse 43 and the prophets. So Christ came to fulfill to make those things firm or confirmed, like it said in verse 8. All right, let's move on now to verse 13. Now, this section from verse 13 to verse 21 and 22, Paul explains how he can be so forthright to the Romans, because the Romans is a church that he never visited. He didn't found it, but yet he was bald in telling them what they should be doing. So let's look at verse 13 through 22. And then, so let's read first 13 and 14.

Now, may the God of hope, so again we've got this hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. In other words, he is saying, we've got this hope, and you, brethren, in the Romans, you that are strong, as he said at the beginning of this chapter, you are able to help one another. And so he says, you Romans are able to help one another. Now, the extension is to you and I that we should be able to help one another and encourage other brethren and do the same. That's the instruction, in a sense, to us. And then in verse 15, he says, he's basically admitting that he was bold, and this was his responsibility. Look at, let's read verse 15. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points. So he's learned that we have been covering over the last few weeks. He says it's been written very boldly to you on some points as reminding you because of the grace given to me by God. It was he admits that God gave him this responsibility, this job, to do this phase of God's work. And then in verse 16, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. And so he's saying in verse 16 that he had this burning responsibility. He has this commission to go to the Gentiles, to kings, and to Israel.

And that's what we read in Acts 9 verse 15 when he talks about his commission. Let's just quickly look at Acts 9 verse 15. Acts 9 verse 15. And he says, but the Lord, that's verse 15, said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. And so now we can see that an Annaias was instructed. Go, because Saul, which became Paul, was chosen by God to actually be a servant of God, to take Christ's name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

And so he did fulfill that duty. Before Paul died, these commissions were fulfilled. Gronton, not the way he thought they would be fulfilled, but they were fulfilled. Now continue in verse 17. Therefore, I have reason to glory and crush Jesus in the things which pertain to God. In other words, he's saying, because I'm sent by God on this most honorable and important work of God, Paul was saying, I have reason to have great joy, not only in the honor of what responsibility was given to him, but in the success that is had with it with which Jesus Christ has or had blessed Paul's ministry.

So he says, in which Jesus Christ has blessed me, my, that's Paul, my ministry. So he says, that's in verse 17. And we continue now in verse 18. And he says, for I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, it would indeed to make the Gentiles obedient.

In other words, if this was not the case, Paul would have not said so. He would not dare be lying. Now kind of between lines is basically saying that false teachers were claiming things that they didn't do. But anyway, what he's saying is that God made him to be the apostle to the Gentiles. And he was doing that job with God's help. And he says, yeah, in word and deed. Then it was the doctors that Paul was teaching the understanding about Christ. He did it. And that was with God's help, with the help of God's power.

And in other words, that's why he says in word and deeds, the works that he did, the hardships he endured, or even miracles that he did, he did do, as we'll see referring to that in the next verse. And so they, the Gentiles, through that, became obedient to the teaching because of these deeds. In other words, of the effort they were putting in, of the hardships he endured, and in some cases of the miracles that God did through him.

And so that made Gentiles convinced. And that's to make the Gentiles obedient. Verse 19, in mighty signs and wonders. Yes, some of those deeds would have been mighty signs and wonders, by the power of God's Spirit, by the power of the Spirit of God. So he went and preached the gospel not by his own power, but by the Spirit, by might and power of God.

So we can see he had the signs, the evidence, the proof that he was an apostle of God, and he was sent by God, and God backed him up with that. And then he says, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Eilurikum. Now where is Eilurikum? Well, Eilurikum is an area, let me just share with you a screen here, that you can see in the screen. And you can just barely see there, that is Eilurikum. So Eilurikum was a Roman province located in the western Balkans along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea.

All right, and it covered areas which today would call it Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Erzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia. So he either traveled there or reached its borders, because in his third trip that he left from Antioch, that it was like his own base, then he went through this area of Galatia, and then he went into Ephesus, and we can see he stayed there in Ephesus for quite a while, for at least two years and more. Then he went up and he went in this third trip. He came across to Macedonia, and then when he got in to Berea, as we can see in this picture, then he went very probably to this area of Eilirchim, and then he came back and then he continued with his trip all the way down to Corinth in the area of Achaia, where he wrote the book of Romans.

And so, as we therefore continue, yeah, with this verse 19, he says, he did these works by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Ailirchim, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ, because that's what he did. And then now he was in Corinth, and from Corinth, he was writing to the Romans. So let's now continue reading verse 20. And then he says, and so, I have made it my aim, so that was like his policy, or his approach, or his procedure, or his manner of work, I made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named. So he made sure that he would go to areas that other apostles had not gone before, lest I should build on another man's foundation. So that's what he says. I made that my policy. Let's continue with verse 21, and then we'll talk a little bit more about that. But as it's written, to whom he has not announced, they shall see, and those who have not heard shall understand. So this is a direct quote, direct quote from Isaiah 52 verse 15. So based on these two verses, verse 20 and 21, it is obvious that Paul was writing this letter, which we call Romans, to the church in Rome. So it is a lengthy letter, and it, based on this, let's call it a policy or approach, that he says, I made it my aim. It shows that there was not another apostle there. So these two verses prove that Peter was never in Rome. An elderly Catholic church says that Peter went to Rome, but these two verses prove that Peter was not in Rome. That he, Paul, because of his work to the Gentiles, and this lengthy letter to the book, to the Romans, the book of Romans, it shows that he was the one that was bullying that congregation and not somebody else. This is also supported by 2 Corinthians chapter 10, 2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 13 through 16.

And it says, we will, however, I will not boast beyond measure that within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us, a sphere which specially includes you, for we are not overextending ourselves as though our authority did not extend to you, for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ, not boasting our things beyond measure, that is, in other men's labors.

But having hope that your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you and not to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment. So that was Paul's policy or procedure or manner of working that he was by this verse in Romans 15 verse 20 and 21, that Peter hadn't been there. And so now from verse 22, that he starts now describing his desire to go and visit the brethren in Rome. So he's going to discuss his visiting plans to go to Rome, and then he concludes the letter. And so that will leave it for next week.