Romans

Romans is somewhat different from other letters, or epistles which Paul wrote. Unlike his other letters, this letter is written more like a theme paper or essay on God’s plan of salvation and how we should live than a friendly letter from an apostle to a church. It appears more structured and formal than a typical letter. He may have written this in Corinth in anticipation of visiting Rome. He hoped to use Rome as his new headquarters as he reached out to evangelize the western Mediterranean, much as he used Antioch as his headquarters while traveling throughout the eastern Mediterranean area.

The purpose was to help smooth over relationships between the Gentile and Jewish members of the church; those who wanted to continue observing their Jewish traditions and those who didn’t want to adopt them for themselves. Do you recall a church that had a serious problem with this issue? The Galatian church had this issue. Paul didn't want Rome to become another Galatia.

In this more formal letter, you will read words that we usually associate with theology, such as salvation, justification, sanctification, etc. Before we get into the text perhaps we should discuss some of these ideas.

It seems that every field of study has its own unique terms. For instance, in the field of psychology here are some terms used:

Change blindness: Have you ever been at the service counter of a department store talking with a clerk? Imagine that she excuses herself to go into the back room and instead of returning, someone else takes her place and continues the conversation. Most of us would not notice the change, we are blind to it. This is change blindness.

The Curse of Knowledge: This sounds like the title of a science fiction movie made in the 1950's in black and white. Here is an illustration of this concept. Do you remember when you were trying to hook up a television set with a recorder, speakers and perhaps a satellite receiver? You are trying to make sense of the instructions and can't figure it out. Well, the person who wrote the instruction has "the curse of knowledge." He knows the subject so well, he assumes that anyone can follow his directions.

Theology, like psychology, has its own terms that we should be familiar with. Let's look at a few.

Sanctification: When something is sanctified, it means that it has been set apart for a special use. In church buildings you go into the sanctuary for a worship service. The sanctuary has been set aside for a special purpose. You don't play basketball or eat in the sanctuary. Don't we have sanctuaries in our homes? My wood shop is a sanctuary. There isn't much that you can do but work on project in there. The bathroom is another sanctuary.

Grace is a term that refers to a favor that is given to someone, a favor that can't be earned. We might visit with someone who is described as a "gracious hostess" who treats her guests better than they deserve. Perhaps your boss at work is gracious in giving you time off that you need.

Incarnation refers to God, who is spirit, becoming flesh. The term carnal refers to flesh. We might order a bowl of chile con carne, which means beans with meat (carne).

Glorification means to become Jesus after his resurrection, immortal and incorruptible. Christians have been saved and are awaiting their glorification.

Justification is a legal term. We might hear a legal official declare an act as "justifiable homicide." In such a case, the person is declared to be NOT GUILTY of a crime. Justification in Scripture is being given a right standing before God, pronouncing a sinner righteous because of Christ's merit.

Reconciliation is a term we find in Romans. You may have heard of a couple who separated for a time but then they reconciled. Reconciliation means that God isn't angry with us anymore. We are at peace with God.

Salvation is to be saved from something bad. For instance, I saved money in my 401K in the hope that I will be saved from poverty in my old age. I wear a helmet when riding my motorcycle in the hope that I will be saved from serious head injury in an accident. In Christianity we are saved from the "wages of sin" or condemnation.

Redemption is exchanging something for something else. Are you old enough to remember merchants giving customers S & H Green Stamps with each purchase? When you have collected enough books of stamps you could redeem them for merchandise from their catalog.

In Christianity, Christ is the redeemer who paid for our sins with his blood. 

Vicarious is taking the place of another as a substitution. Jesus took our place on the cross, paying the price for our sins. Sometimes parents live their lives vicariously through their children, getting them involved in all of the activities they wish they could have succeeded in as a child.

So, when you see any of these theological terms, keep in mind that they are sometimes used in everyday speech and are not so frightening.

Now let's get into the text. Read along in your study Bible, read the notes and then read any comments that I make.

Rom 1: 3-4 “. . . regarding his Son . . . who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead . . .”

The ultimate proof that Jesus was who he claimed to be was his resurrection. Disprove the resurrection and our faith is in vain and the entire religion of Christianity is exposed as one of the greatest frauds ever (I Cor 15).

Rom 1:7 “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.”

Rom 1:8 Paul opens with an expression of appreciation where he says, "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you."

Isn't that a nice thing to say? Paul opened his letters with this customary expression, except for ONE letter. He did not use any such expression of affection in his letter to the Galatian church. Why? He was very angry with them. Read the first chapter of Galatians and imagine how it would sound if he was reading the letter.

What does your pastor say about you when he sees you coming down the hall? Does he think, "Thank God for people like him." Or does he say, "This church will be so much better after his funeral."

You will notice that many passages in the New Testament refer to believers as saints. The word means “”them that believe” (II Thess 1:10) or “holy ones” (Jude 14). So you don’t have to die and be recognized by a church organization as someone special to be considered a saint.

Rom 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation of everyone who believes; first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

Did you notice that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to both Jews and Gentiles? Now there are some who believe that we don’t have to present the gospel to the Jews because they are saved through a different covenant, the Old Covenant. This is what is called the Dual or Two-Covenant theory. This passage says that it is by the gospel for both Jews and Gentiles. There is only one way to be saved, through faith. This is a common theme throughout this book.

Rom 1:17 “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

There is much in Romans and in Galatians to support the idea that it is by faith, not the keeping of the Law, that we are reconciled to God or saved. Good works demonstrates our salvation, it doesn’t provide for it.

Rom 1:19-21, 24-25 “. . . since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them . . . God’s invisible qualities . . . have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile . . Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts . . . They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator.”

This is quite a long passage but it makes the point that by looking at the creation, sometimes referred to as “general revelation,” everyone knows that there is a creator. But, they would rather not acknowledge Him because they want to be the “master of my fate, the captain of my soul.” In other words, they don’t want God to interfere with their lives. When it says that their thinking became "futile," it suggests that once they rejected the true God, their estrangement from God goes even further. The verb "to become futile" yields a noun form that was used for the term "idols" in Acts 14:15. It appears that once we reject the true God there is a tendency to go further from Him towards idols. Man forsakes the true God and starts to worship nature or even himself as was seen in the case of Nebuchadnezzar in the Book of Daniel. In Paul's day they worshipped Caesar. Today we worship ourselves (humanism) which says that man is the highest form of life.

This passage fits well with the next:

Romans 2:14 “(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness).”

This sounds like a confusing statement, but the point is this: Even though the Gentiles (non-Jews) did not have the Old Testament and the Laws of Moses, they know what is right and wrong (don’t murder, steal, lie, etc). God will not judge them for disobeying the Laws of Moses. But everyone knows right from wrong, it is written in our hearts. This is why even the most secular societies have laws against murder, theft, etc. This is also why if you look at the ethical teachings of the major religions, you will find many similarities. For instance, the “Golden Rule,” which says that we should treat others the way we would want to be treated, is not unique to Christianity. Nor are prohibitions against murder, lying, stealing, etc.

The question oftentimes comes up, “What about those who never heard about Jesus? What about those who died in infancy? What about those who are developmentally disabled? What about those who died before the Gospel went beyond Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria? What about those who died before birth? Are they condemned to eternal punishment? 

First, we have to acknowledge that if Jesus had not come to die for our sins, no one would be saved. That is why Ephesians 2:8 says that it is by GRACE that we have been saved. The next phrase is “through faith.” It is my view, though I can’t say that it is explicitly states as such in the Bible, that if non-Jews live up to the light they have, obeying whatever God has placed in their hearts, if they admit their sin, ask forgiveness from God, will not the Judge of all the earth do right? (Gen 18:25)? They will be saved through their faith, in spite of a lack of knowledge about the Gospel. This is one passage that indicates that those who have never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel, but who respond to the light they have been given, and act by faith; they also will be saved because of what Jesus did for them. This is what is called an inclusive view of salvation. We are saved by grace (what Jesus did for us) through faith (based on what we know). Those who have never heard of Jesus and who are saved by faith, demonstrated by their actions based on the light they have been given; will come to learn how Jesus “anonymously” saved them by his sacrifice. If this is true, then the only people who will be condemned are those who commit the unpardonable sin, that of knowingly and willfully rejecting the light they have been given. 

Rom 2:23 "You, who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: 'God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.'"

Do we sometimes give God a bad name by the way we live? 

Rom 3:22-23 “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

This is one of the clearest statements of the predicament that man is in and the cure for his situation. All have sinned, both Jews and Gentiles and all are justified freely through faith, not the keeping of the Law. The Law was in place to show that we are sinners in need of a Savior.

Many Jews thought that since they were the “chosen people” and that they “kept the law,” that they did not need outside help in being saved, it was a “do it yourself project.” The Bad News, like the Good News, is universal.

Rom 2:28 "As a man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical."

This remids me of Matt 7:22 where those who have been involved in ministry and who appear to be godly, Jesus says, "I never knew you." There are those who appear to be saved by some outward sign (church membership, circumcision, etc) but whose hearts are still uncircumcised.

It has been said that there will be several surprises in heaven. One is who is there, the second is who is not.

Rom 3:20 "Therefore, no one is declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of sin."

I've ridden my motorcycle along a long and straight country road and wondered to myself, "I wonder what the speed limit is out here." Then I notice a speed limit sign that says 35 mph. So I slow down (perhaps to 45 mph). This is how the law works, it makes us aware of our sins.

Rom 3:22 "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Rom 4:3, 10 “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. . . Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before.”

Here Paul is saying, “Look, remember Abraham? Was he declared righteous because he was circumcised? No, he was circumcised fourteen years before he was circumcised.” He goes on to say in verse 13, “It was NOT through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”

Think about it! Did Abraham keep the dietary laws of Lev 11? Did he keep the Holy Days of Lev 23? No, he lived many years before Moses. Neither he nor the Jews were saved by keeping the Laws of Moses. If you read and understand these passages and the book of Galatians, you will never feel compelled to observe laws in order to be saved. 

Rom 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We have been justified through faith, not the keeping of the law. This results in a sense of peace with God. If you have to keep the law to be saved, you can never have the peace of mind that comes from knowing for sure that you have been saved. Notice also that the passage says, “have been” not “hope to be.”

Rom 5:7 "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die."

That is the difference between a righteous man and a good man? A righteous man may lack feelings for others. He might be so severely righteous as to be unattractive to others. On the other hand, a good man, while not lacking righteousness, goes beyond the other by being kind and benevolent. The uptight, self-righteous religious leaders may have been "righteous" but they had little concern for others. The avoided outward sin, but had few redeeming qualities such as kindness and affection towards others.

Rom 5:9 "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

If you notice, he doesn't say, "When you finally overcame all of your sins, Christ died for you." 

Rom 5:12, 19 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man. . . For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” 

Notice that Jesus recognizes the fact that Adam was a real person. For those who think that the opening chapters of Genesis are myths, used to make a point, imagine this situation:

Jesus returns to heaven after his crucifixion and sits down at the right hand of God. God turns to him and asks, “Hey son, where have you been these past thirty or so years?” “Well dad,” he replies, “I had to go to earth to die for the sins of man because of what Adam did.” “You moron!” God shouts, rolling his eyes, “Adam was not a real person, it was a mythical story used to make a point.” 

What is the relationship between us and Adam? One view is that he represented all of us. When we send a politician to Washington and the federal debt is run up, we are all responsible for the debt that he incurred on our behalf. It is unfair that we have to pay off this debt, but on the other hand, it is unfair that Jesus had to pay the debt for us. So, in a way, it goes both ways. And do you think you would have acted any differently than Adam?

Rom 6:5-7 “If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.”

Jews believed that our sins are not atoned for until we die, in other words, our own deaths save us from the penalty of sin. Paul is saying that our union with Jesus and with his death means that we have effectively died, and that this (the death of Jesus) atones for our sin.

Before we were saved we were “slaves” to sin. Slaves must do what they are told to do. Free people, those saved, have the choice whether or not to sin. Now that we are no longer slaves, though we still sin, we are not forced to do so. We have options.

Being saved is only the beginning for us. God's plan for us doesn't end with our salvation, but continues with our sanctification, becoming less like we were and more like Jesus. 

Do some ministries and churches emphasize salvation over sanctification? If the focus is on "saving souls" at the expense of sanctification, what type of believers would the church have? I think the congregation would be filled with shallow, immature Christians. This is one reason why the Great Commission that Jesus gave in Matt 28 includes preaching the Gospel, but also making disciples (students) and teaching. It is the teaching that leads to more mature Christians. 

What percentage of church goers in your congregation involve themselves in Bible studies? It it is small, then perhaps there is a problem in your church.

Rom 6:12 “Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.”

Rom 6:22,23 “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Later Paul wrote in I Cor 6:11, "You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God." This refers to the initial or positional sanctification, a setting apart if the sinner to God. This process continues until the death of the believer or the return of Jesus which leads to our glorification (Heb 12:23 I John 3:2).

Rom 7:18 “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”

Paul says that our basic nature is sinful. Some people, oftentimes politicians, will speak of the basic goodness of man. Some say that if we can eliminate poverty and other social problems, the goodness of man will shine through. Well, it didn’t work very well in the Garden of Eden, where the environment was perfect. Man is not basically good, but sinful. Poverty and injustices are not the cause of crime and the corruption of man. It is sinful man who is the cause of poverty and crime, etc. Another way of putting this is: Man sins because he is a sinner; he isn’t a sinner because he sins. 

I teach Psychology at a local university. One school of thought is the Humanist view that man is basicly "good." One proponent of this view said, "We jujst don't have any intrinsic instince for evil. Sick people are made by a sick culture; healthy people are made by a healthy culture." Humanist psychology also teaches that "since this inner nature is good or neutral rather than bad, it is best to bring it out and to encourage it rather than suppress it. If it is permitted to guide our life, we grow healthy, fruitful, and happy." 

This is not the Biblical view of human nature. Gal 5:19-21 lists some of the traits of human nature. The picture that Paul paints of mankind is not very flattering.

Paul also struggled with the tendency to sin. He didn’t always do what is right.

Rom 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Isn’t this comforting? We are no longer on “death row,” under a death penalty. 

Rom 8:9 “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.”

If you read this, plus Gal 5:19-22, you can see the clues as to whether or not someone is really a Christian. A Christian should be exhibiting more fruit of the Holy Spirit and works of the flesh. 

Rom 8:14 “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”

Notice it does not say, “Those who are church members; those who attend church regularly; those who minister in a church, etc. Take a quick look back at Matt 7:21-23 and you will see that some who profess to be Christians and who minister in his name, may not be true believers. 

Rom 8:19-21 “The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.”

This passage suggests that in the Garden of Eden, when man rebelled against God, this impacted the creation itself, explaining why there are tornadoes, cancers, and off of these other problems. But, just as man is in the process of being redeemed, so will the earth be redeemed. You can read more about this in the Frequently Asked Question article entitled: Why do bad things happen to us?

Rom 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

This passage has brought much comfort to those who suffer losses. It does say that God can bring good out of a bad situation, but it does not say that He will always reveal to us what that good is, nor does He say that the good will occur within our lifetimes.

Rom 10:2 “For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge.”

This passage makes me think of cult members I’ve known who were very dedicated, very sincere, and very committed to the organization, but their dedication is not based on knowledge. 

Rom 10:9, 12 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved . . . . For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-this same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who calls on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”

Here again, just coming forward and making an empty profession is not going to lead to salvation; nor is keeping certain laws going to save you. Also, notice that the same rules apply to both Jews and Gentiles.

Rom 11:1, 11, 23, 25 “I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! . . . v. 11 Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious . . . v 23 “And if they (the Jews) do not persist in their unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” V. 25 “Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved . . . .”

This passage disproves what is called Replacement Theology, which states that God is through with Israel and the prophecies which deal with Israel now apply to the church. Many of the Jews, in fact, most of the Jews rejected Jesus when he came the first time. So, the gospel went out to the Gentiles, to make Jews envious. But this hardening of their hearts is temporary, until the “full number of Gentiles has come in.” When the last Gentile is saved, then the rapture will take place. The church is “caught up” to heaven and then the tribulation begins. It is during the tribulation period that many Jews will come to faith in Jesus. So, God is not through with the Jews; nor have they been replaced by the church.

Rev 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

In several of Paul’s epistles, the first chapters deal with “theology,” then he says, “therefore,” and moves into the practical application of the theology. So in the first eleven chapters he speaks of salvation, sanctification, etc. but now he going to talk about how we live this out in our everyday life. He also admonishes us that we should not live like those in the world, but be transformed, or changed. This transformation in thinking begins by reprogramming our minds. The way I see it, you can be a non-believer one day, become a Christian the next, but still hold onto views much as you did. Your values and priorities don’t change automatically, like turning on a light switch. Over time, as you study the Bible, you will begin more and more to think like Jesus thinks. Your views on certain issues will change. 

I read in the paper of two Oxford scholars who claim that it is ethical to kill newborn babies, just as it is ethical to kill the unborn. Now, if they became Christians, they would have to undergo a renewing of their minds on this subject. And how do we do this renewing of the mind? By studying the Word of God. Have you ever heard a long-term church member express an opinion that is contrary to Scripture? Why is that? Perhaps because although he may be a Christian, he hasn't grown much in the knowledge of the Word of God and still thinks like a non-believer.

Rom 12:4 “Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function . . .”

If you notice, each member of a church has a special gift and function. I Peter 4:10 says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” Ministry is not supposed to be done only by the pastoral staff. In fact, the elders of the church are supposed to get all members involved in ministry. Eph. 4:11 says, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” Now notice why we have pastors/teachers, “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature . . .”

So, the pastor/elders of churches should not be ministering to us, but with us. He should be getting everyone involved in some form of ministry. When you go to church next time, rather than asking others, “How are you?” ask them, “What is your ministry?” and see what kind of looks you get.

Rom 12:6-8 “We have different gifts. . . If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it . . . If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach . . . if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern; . . if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

Now, not only must the members of the church be willing to step up and get involved in ministry, the leadership of the church must allow them to do so. Some pastors may be so insecure that they don’t want anyone else to have any ministry in the church; all of the ministry must be focused on him. So, pastors need to get out of the way of others and the members must be willing to get out of the bleachers and into the game.

Rom 12:11 “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”

I think that one of the reasons why some pastors suffer from burn out, or lose their fervor, is because they are working in areas that are out of their range of gifts or talents. They are also trying to “do it all” rather than getting the members involved in ministry. 

Rom 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”

How can we do this if we are not involved in the lives of others? How can you do this if you attend a one-hour church service and sit among strangers? 

Rom 12:16 “Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.”

Are you at a church where some members are made to feel unwelcomed?

Rom 12:8 “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

This sounds like Paul is a realist. Notice the phrase, “if it is possible,” It is not always possible to live at peace with everyone, but if there is not peace, make sure you are not the cause.

Rom 13:1 “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities.” 

In Acts 5:29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men.”

When there is a conflict between what God says we should do and what the civil authorities say, we have to obey the higher authority of God rather than man.

Romans 14:1-2 “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.”

This chapter deals with deals with those faith makes it difficult to accept the freedoms that they have to eat or drink whatever they want. Disputable matters are those matters which the Bible is indifferent. If you want to be a vegetarian, be one. But don’t push it onto others. If someone wants to drink alcohol, let them. 

Rom 14:5 “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike.”

In seminary I had a classmate who pastored a church that met at 2 a.m. Is that OK? Sure. We are told in Heb 10:25 that we should meet together, but it doesn’t say when. The 2 a.m. church is in Las Vegas. They’re on a different schedule than the rest of us. If 2 a.m. works, let them do it. If they want to meet on Tuesday, fine.

Rom 14:15 “If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.”

The freedom that we enjoy is only limited by our love for others. If you are going to invite a vegetarian or non-drinker to your home for dinner, serve a vegetarian meal and keep the booze out of sight.

Rom 15:15 “I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if you remind you of them again.”

The next time you hear a sermon that you’ve heard before, don’t be impatient with the poor pastor. We don’t always need to hear something new as we need to be reminded of what we already know. II Peter 1:12 and

Phil 3:1 make the same point, that we need to be reminded occasionally.

Rom 16:5 “Greet also the church that meets at their house.” 

As you read through the New Testament you will find that the church met in homes. They didn’t have huge mortgage payments. Imagine what your congregation could do to reach out to minister to others if all the money spent to build and maintain buildings was redirected elsewhere? The Great Commission of the church (Matt 28:19) says that we are to GO and minister, not STAY and build.