- Really, Paul just wants all the Romans to live in harmony together and glorify God together without worrying about their differences.
- Remember, Christ is with the Jewish-Christians and the Gentile-Christians, too. So let's all play nice.
- Paul actually has a good feeling about the Romans. He knows they're upstanding people who are knowledgeable and can help each other do what's right by God.
- He's only written to them to tell them all this and to give them advice because of his special relationship with God. What can we say?
- The Big Guy loves helping Paul write all his correspondence. Not that's he's bragging or anything.
- Paul would only ever brag about all the good things that God has done through him. So modest.
- For example, Paul has won tons of converts through the entire Roman Empire, but that's all God's doing. He made that happen.
- Paul's not usually in the business of preaching about Jesus where people already know him. He also doesn't usually come into a church community he didn't found, like the one in Rome, and start handing out advice. No, never…
- That's why he hasn't been to see the Roman Christians in person yet. He's been meaning to, but there are just so many non-believers who need to hear the good news first hand. Paul's got a busy schedule.
- But now he's fresh out of non-believers to convert in the area, so he's going to head over to Rome soon and stay a while on his way to preach the gospel in Spain. Oh, bull fighting? Not, quite.
- Before that, Paul has got to make a quick pit stop in Jerusalem. The folks in Macedonia and Achaia have taken up a nice collection for the poor there and he's gonna drop off the money.
- Mission possible!
- Paul tells us that these Gentile-Christians are more than happy to share their material blessings with the Jewish-Christians in Jerusalem because they're getting a pretty big share of the spiritual blessings from Christ. Fair is fair.
- Paul's also hoping that the Romans might pray for him so that he doesn't get taken down by the non-believers in Judea (like Jesus before him) and that he does a good job for all the Christians there. Amen, brother.