1. Romans 15 – 16
GOSPEL LIVING

2. Introductory Remark: A Brief Summary of Romans 14
2 distinct groups:
2 distinct tendencies:
The Strong
Despise the Weak
The Weak
Judge the Strong
The state of one’s conscience determines who is strong and who is weak

3. A. Unity in Spite of Different Personal Convictions (15:1-6)
2 questions to discuss here:
What are these convictions?
Conviction about food issues (14:1-4; 14-23)
b) Conviction about special days (14:5-22)

4. A. Unity in Spite of Different Personal Convictions (15:1-6)
2 questions to discuss here:
How do we remain united?
By bearing the infirmities of the weak (15:1)
By pleasing our neighbours rather than ourselves (15:2)
We should emulate the example of our Lord Jesus (15:3).

5. B. Unity In Spite of Different Racial Backgrounds (15:7-13)
How do we maintain unity in the Body of Christ?
By accepting one another without any prior conditions (15:7)
By being filled with all joy and peace from the Holy Spirit (15:13)
God has already reconciled Jews and Gentiles in one body through the Cross (Ephesians 2:14-16)

6. C. The Special Commission of Paul to the Gentiles (15:14-33)
Paul was appointed by Jesus to be a servant to the Gentiles (15:16)
Paul relied on the power of the Holy Spirit to evangelise the Gentiles (15:18-19)
Paul wanted to proclaim the gospel to Gentiles who never heard of Jesus (15:20)
Paul had a real compassion for the lost people. What about us today?

7. Romans 16: Personal Greetings and Doxology
One striking aspect of the doxology (vv.25-27) is the phrase: ‘the obedience of faith’.
It is exactly the same phrase as in Romans 1:5.
Why did Paul begin and conclude his epistle to the Romans with the same phrase?