Romans 15.17-Paul Possessed A Feeling Of Pride Because He Was A Servant Of Christ With Respect To The Things Which Concern The Father
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday June 9, 2010
Romans: Romans 15:17-Paul Possessed A Feeling Of Pride Because He Was A Servant Of Christ With Respect To The Things Which Concern The Father
Lesson # 516
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 15:14.
This evening, we will note Romans 15:17 and in this passage Paul presents an inference from his teaching in Romans 15:16 that he possessed a feeling of pride because he was a servant of Christ with respect to the things which concern the Father.
Romans 15:14, “And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.”
Romans 15:15, “But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God.”
Romans 15:16, “To be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:17, “Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God.”
Paul’s statement in Romans 15:17 is the result of an inference from his statement in Romans 15:16.
Thus, he is saying “therefore, based upon this fact” that he is a servant of Christ Jesus for the benefit of the Gentiles and serves the gospel like a priest in order that the Gentiles would cause themselves to be acceptable to the Father by being sanctified by the Spirit, he possesses a feeling of pride in things pertaining to God.
“In Christ Jesus” indicates that Paul found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God “because of” or “on the basis of” or “based upon the fact” that he is a servant of Christ Jesus.
“I have found” is the first person singular present active indicative form of the verb echo (ἒχω) (eh-ho), which means “to possess a particular attitude or feeling” that is identified by the noun kauchesis, “reason for boasting.”
“Reason for boasting in” is the accusative feminine singular form of the noun kauchesis (καύχησις) (kawf-hee-cease), which refers to that which Paul takes pride in and not the act of Paul taking pride.
If he wanted to emphasize the action of taking pride in something he would have employed the verb kauchaomai but instead he uses echo, “I have” since he wants to emphasize a particular attitude he possesses.
The word in Romans 15:17 is used in a good sense of the legitimate and justifiable pride of the apostle Paul that he was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is legitimate and justifiable since it is an acknowledgement of a fact and magnifies the Lord Jesus Christ and not himself emphasizing that Paul is subordinate to the Lord Jesus Christ as His servant.
The word speaks of the pleasure and satisfaction that Paul derived from the fact that he was a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, which he regarded as honorable since it gave credit to the Lord and not himself.
“Things” is the accusative neuter plural form of the definite article ho (ὁ) (owe), which refers to Paul’s statements in Romans 15:16 since his statement in verse 17 is an inference from his statement in verse 16 and verses 18-19 elaborate on his statement in verse 17.
Thus, the word refers to the following: (1) Paul receiving from the Father the spiritual gift of apostleship for the express purpose of serving Christ for the benefit of the Gentiles (2) Paul serving the Father’s gospel as a priest in order to bring about the sanctification of the Gentiles.
“Pertaining to God” indicates the connection between Paul’s gospel ministry to the Gentiles and the Father’s plan of salvation marking this plan as a point of reference for this service.
Thus, it refers to Paul being a servant of Christ for the benefit of the Gentiles, serving the Father’s gospel as a priest in order that his offering, namely the Gentiles would cause themselves to be acceptable to the Father by being sanctified by means of the power of the Holy Spirit (verse 16).
Paul’s pride is virtuous, justifiable and legitimate in that it is based upon the function of the spiritual gift of apostleship that the Father bestowed on Him through His Son and the Spirit at the moment of his conversion for the express purpose of his being a servant of Christ for the benefit of the Gentiles.
This pride of Paul’s is virtuous, justifiable and legitimate since it is also based upon the communication of the gospel to the Gentiles, and which gospel originated from the Father and if obeyed would bring about their sanctification by means of the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thus, his pride was based upon a gift from the Father, his being made a servant of Christ His Son, and the communication of the gospel that originated from the Father and the sanctification of the Gentiles that was based upon the power of the Holy Spirit.
So everything that Paul was proud of was based upon what God had done for him and through him and was not based upon who he was in himself or what he had done.
He was serving Christ, the Father’s gospel, using a gift from the Father and the power of the Spirit to bring about the sanctification of the Gentiles.
There was nothing Paul could take credit for but only that which God had done for him and through him.
This passage emphasizes that Paul did not communicate the gospel to make a name for himself or to gain the approbation of men or his contemporaries but rather to bring glory to Christ and the Father.
The message of the gospel did not originate with him but with the Father.
The spiritual gift he used to communicate the gospel did not originate with him but again with the Father.
He did not serve himself but Christ and the Gentiles.
He did not serve himself but rather the gospel that originated with Father.
Romans 15:17 reveals the great humility of the apostle Paul, which is demonstrated by the fact that he did not put his own personal selfish interests ahead of others but rather put the interests of the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gentiles first ahead of himself (See Romans 12:10; Philippians 2:3-8).
Humility is subordinating ones’ self interest to the best interests of others.
Paul’s statement in Romans 15:17 reveals that he possesses a humble servant’s mentality as his Savior did (See Matthew 20:20-28; John 13:1-17).
The humility of Paul as expressed in Romans 15:14-19 was demonstrated by the fact that he recognized that he depended upon who and what God is and what He had provided for him to execute His will.
True humility recognizes that we are nothing in ourselves but we are significant based upon who and what God is and our union with Christ.
Our service as Christians is significant and important not because of who we are but rather it is significant and important because it is the Father’s will that we serve Him and others.
True humility recognizes that success in ministry is dependent upon God’s message and His power to effect the conversion of sinners and the transformation of their character to Christ-likeness.
True humility as demonstrated in the life of the apostle Paul recognizes that we are nothing but instruments in the hands of Almighty God.