THE KING’S BUSINESS
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part o f Christian service. The appeal to -God is mentioned because it may have seemed surprising to the Roman Christians that thé apostle, who had not founded the church there, should be so interested in them. He would have them know that he was not indifferent to their spiritual wel fare. In return he asks them to pray for him (1S:30). Here is a lesson in reciprocal prayer. (c) He longs to visit them and impart some spiritual gifts ( 1 : 10 , il). So great a Gentile city as Rome is envi able ground for the great apostle to the Gentiles. Note his purpose: First. This thing o f “mutual faith,” the desire to share the blessings o f the gospel. Oh, the humility o f it! The.great preacher expressing his need o f them for the per fecting o f his faith. The strong needing the weak. Note the words, “that I may be comforted in you, and each o f us by the other’s faith.” What a lesson in the neces sity' o f mutual helpfulness, and also in the nature o f the gifts o f the spirit! . (cf. Ephesians 4; Romans 12). Second. To impart some spiritual gift (1:11). This gift is probably the establish ing o f the saints .in the faith (cf. 16:25). Establishing grace is needed in our day also and can be found in Paul’s gospel. Here, too, is a hint as to the greater value o f the human voice as compared with the preached sermon. The work o f the pastor is to establish his people in the faith (Ephesians 4:11-16). Third. He longs for fruit among them. Here is the apostle’? gracious avarice for fruit. He was always looking for results. Barrenness is unscriptural and disappoint ing. W e are commanded to “ bring forth fruit” (John 15). The only reason for the Christian’s existence on the earth is fruit bearing (Luke 13:6-9). Fourth. Paul’s intended visit had, for some reason or other, been hindered ( 1 :13). Just why, we may not exactly tell. It may Have been the call o f other fields (Acts 15:19-22) ; or Satan may have hin dered him (1 Thessalonians 2:17-19); or,
again, he may have met with opposition o f another kind (Acts 19:22 ff.). That the hindrance was not in Paul himself is clear (Romans 1:15). The doors had been shut, but the apostle stands ready to enter when they are open (1 :15). The time o f the visit rests with God and—.shall we say it?— the people’s prayers. Here is the problem o f making plans. It is right to make plans providing we submit them to God (Romans 1:10; 15:32; Acts 18:21; James 4:13-17). Sometimes plans are -broken up and come to nothing, at least this is what Paul states without apology or misgiving. How strangely God fulfills our plans! Paul expected to visit Rome, but not as a prisoner. Fifth. The apostle considers himself a debtor to the Romans (1:14 ). Paul is a debtor to all men, irrespective o f class, rank, or position, to the cultivated classes and the ignorant masses. He has a gift that makes him a debtor and not a credi- t°r; This is the spirit o f which mission aries are .made. No other religion lays the burden o f the world on the shoulders o f its adherents. Paul claims the whole world for his parish. Do we thus regard our selves as debtors? I f so, what should we be doing in the way o f evangelizing the world? This debt, Paul was neither afraid nor ashamed to pay. The enemies o f Paul had doubtless intimated that he was afraid or ashamed to visit Rome (cf. “ for” v. 16 with v. 15'). It was not this that had held him back from visiting them. He did not dread the issues from the preaching o f such a gospel. Why might the apostle be tempted to be ashamed? Various reasons are sug gested : First: Put yourself back in the first century and under Pauline conditions, and consider the moral and religious condition o f the Greek and Roman world. Second. Think o f what Paul had to offer such a world from the Greek and Roman viewpoint: a gospel originating in Palestine, a despised province o f the Roman Empire ; a religion which called for faith in a dead
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