Romans – A Treatise
Chapter One
PAUL’S DEBT
Scripture Reading: verses 13-15
NOW I WOULD NOT HAVE YOU IGNORANT, BRETHREN, THAT OFTENTIMES I PURPOSED TO COME UNTO YOU, (BUT WAS LET [OR HINDERED] HITHERTO,) THAT I MIGHT HAVE SOME FRUIT AMONG YOU ALSO, EVEN AS AMONG OTHER GENTILES. I AM DEBTOR BOTH TO THE GREEKS, AND TO THE BARBARIANS; BOTH TO THE WISE, AND TO THE UNWISE. SO, AS MUCH AS IN ME IS, I AM READY TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO YOU THAT ARE AT ROME ALSO.
Though we believe every Word of Scripture to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, still, we can not fail to sense the personal attitude of the Apostle Paul in these verses. Thus, we are shown a beautiful feature of Christianity. Unlike the teachings of philosophy or religions of men, Christianity has a transforming power on the human personality that makes a Christian more real and transparent, more candid and honest. This is because of the attraction of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It is a reminder of what John says, “He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (3:21)
To these brethren at Rome, Paul is intimating that he had made plans again and again to come see them, but he had been hindered. He does not make much of this because Paul had confidence in the overruling power of his Lord. He was neither agitated nor unduly disappointed that his plans had been frustrated, and here we touch one of the elemental truths of Christian conduct. We are living in a nervous age, when Christian people are caught in the tide of agitation overspreading the world. In fact, as this is being written there are riots taking place in Egypt that are causing great concern. One of the foundational truths of Christianity is that our times are in God’s hands and in a practical way He is our Lord and Master. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” A Christian who is agitated, excited and frustration about his plans, has failed to grasp this elemental truth of Christian faith. Nothing ever happens to the Christian except by permission of our Lord and He always has our ultimate blessing in view.
Perhaps we find ourselves deeply perplexed about plans that seem to go awry, and we wonder why the Lord allows such frustrations. The One who perfectly loves us looks down from heaven’s high eminence and sees the end from the beginning. From our viewpoint the outlook seems limited, and if the Lord did not allow hindrances to our pathway, we could easily wander on toward disaster. Do not be impatient with the Almighty, but seek to understand that “He works all things after the counsel of His own will.” The underlying cause of those counsels is His deep, eternal love.
Paul understands that even the hindrance that had kept him from coming to see his brethren at Rome was so he might have some fruit among them, even as among the other nations. As previously mentioned, Christianity is not a one-way affair. Paul was willing to impart to these brethren spiritual benefits but he was hoping God would work in their hearts so they might be impelled to impart that which they had toward others. Paul was not seeking a gift for himself, but rather that he might see fruit in the lives of these brethren; that such would make itself evident in their generosity toward the support of the Gospel of Christ or toward support of his fellow laborers. It is a reminder to us that one of the basic features of Christianity is generosity. “God loveth a cheerful giver.” If through His mercy the Lord has endowed us with this world's goods, He holds us responsible to use that material wealth for the furtherance of His kingdom, the support of His servants and for carrying on His work. One of the first privileges of the true Christian is to be generous with his funds. Paul looked for that from the Romans, not necessarily on his own behalf, but as an evidence from them that the grace of God was bearing fruit in their lives.
Then, as if this thought reminded Paul of his own debt, he says, “For I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.”
The Lord’s grace in rescuing this man Saul of Tarsus from a mad career of rebellion against God was so magnificent that from the moment of his conversion onward, he was a debtor to that grace. His debt was not something ethereal, calling only for flowery words of thanksgiving. On the contrary, it always spurred him on to action. The discharge of that debt could never be paid back directly to God. Paul realized that in his unconverted days he had spewed out enmity against the Name of Christ. He had persecuted and caused the death of those who followed the Lord Jesus, and thus had accumulated a mighty debt. Even though God had forgiven him that debt and he would never have to pay it back. Even though all his indebtedness had been paid in full – borne by Christ on the Cross. Still, in his heart it had incurred an indebtedness in his heart and life toward those around him – an indebtedness that a whole lifetime could never pay back. Those who have been rescued from sin and shame by the grace of God owe a debt to others – to display in life and tell of the grace of God in Christ.
Paul says: “I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians” – he was under obligation to both the civilized and uncivilized, both to the wise and unintelligent. National and intellectual barriers were laid low; Paul was in debt to announce the glad tidings to all. Do any of us think that we are being virtuous or making a sacrifice by spreading the fame of the Lord Jesus? In this self-serving age, one can not help but wonder how many Christians actually realize that by proclaiming the Name of Christ in life and speech, we are simply discharging a debt, as we would pay a bank installment. Do any of us think we are doing God a favor by witnessing for Christ? Paul had no such thought. To him it was a debt he was seeking to pay back, with all the urgency of a past-due payment because of the infinite grace that had been shown to him when he was a sinner bound for a lost eternity.
