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30 Romans 16:17-27

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For the Audio Version on YouTube,  click here -  Romans 16:17-27 For the Audio Version on SoundCloud, click here -  Romans 16:17-27 Romans 16:17-20 17  Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.  18  For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.  19  For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.  20  And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ  be  with you. Amen. After greeting various people in Rome, Paul then goes on to caution them against people who cause two very serious issues – division and offenses contrary to the doctrine or teaching which they had learned. Paul went into great detail to explain the Gospel in a way that a
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29 - Romans 16:1-16

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For the Audio Version on YouTube, click here -  Romans 16:1-16 For the Audio Version on SoundCloud, click here -  Romans 16:1-16 Romans 16:1-2 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,  2  that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. This chapter is an amazing testimony of the relational person Paul was – his relationship with God was coupled with strong relationships with people, and can teach all of us some lessons in our present day, when often one’s relationship with God, can be seen to have no connection with people whatsoever. He begins with introducing a lady called Phoebe, who was perhaps bringing the letter from him to the Roman believers. He refers to her as ‘sister,’ indicating that she was a Christian believer. He also refers to her as a servant of the church in Cenchrea. The word used he
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28 Romans 15:14-33

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For the Audio Version on YouTube, click here -  Romans 15:14-33 For the Audio Version on SoundCloud, click here -  Romans 15:14-33 Romans 15:14-16  14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.  15  Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on  some  points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God,  16  that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. After pronouncing a blessing of peace, joy and hope on his readers in the previous verse, Paul goes on to tell them that he is confident about a few things concerning them. Perhaps he has heard about their faith, and is therefore so confident about these things pertaining to them. He’s confident that they are full of goodness – there’s nothing bad about the way they l
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27 Romans 15:1-13

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  For the Audio Version on YouTube, click here -  Romans 15:1-13 For the Audio Version on SoundCloud, click here -  Romans 15:1-13 Romans 15:1-3 1 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  2  Let each of us please  his  neighbour for  his  good, leading to edification.  3  For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”  After having explained the importance of considering the feelings of those weak in their faith, Paul then goes on to add, that we need to also bear with the weaknesses of those who are weak in the faith, and not seek to please ourselves alone. A strong person is not supposed to look down on those who are weak, but to rather help them wherever possible – that’s real love. We need to make a resolve in our hearts that we will please our neighbour for his good, and thereby give rise to him being edified or strengthened in his faith. If every
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26 Romans 14:14-23

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  For the Audio Version on YouTube, click here -  Romans 14:14-23 For the Audio Version on SoundCloud, click here -  Romans 14:14-23 Romans 14:14-17 14  I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that  there is  nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him  it is  unclean.  15  Yet if your brother is grieved because of  your  food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16  Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;  17  for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  After telling the believers to not put a stumbling block in the way of their brothers, Paul goes on to say that he is convinced by the Lord Jesus Himself, that there is no food that is unclean by itself, but then adds that if someone considers any food unclean, then to that person it is unclean. That should settle the matter about clean and unclean foods – a
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25 Romans 14:1-13

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  For the Audio Version on YouTube, click here -  Romans 14:1-13 For the Audio Version on SoundCloud, click here -  Romans 14:1-13 Romans 14:1-4 Receive one who is weak in the faith,  but  not to disputes over doubtful things.  2  For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats  only  vegetables.  3  Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.  4  Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. After talking about the way we need to live as believers in the Lord Jesus, Paul then goes on to talk about another important aspect of our relationship with one another. It’s regarding our preferences for foods. Since we all come from varying backgrounds, there will be differences in the way we look at certain things, including foods, and he begins to address this issue now. The first thing
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