Reading: Romans 15-16, Psalm 140

Today we reach the end of the letter to the Romans. I’m not sure the exact reasons that this letter immediately follows the narrative books of the New Testament, but it is certainly helpful to read it right after the gospel stories. Romans spells out clearly what Paul and the other early apostles believed was going on with this new Kingdom of God. It tells us what matters and what doesn’t in the life of the Christian. It matters that we accept Jesus as nothing less than both judge and redeemer. It matters that we behave like we accept it. It matters that we submit our will to the will of God. It matters that we care enough for each other to stop doing things that cause division just because we can. It matters that we trust God’s authority over the world enough to live obediently under all kinds of governments and all kinds of people.

But you know what does not matter? The priorities of those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; Avoid Them! Avoid people who make the things that don’t matter into the things that do. Avoid the people who would rather attack the mi or flaws of others or of the church than work at presenting the gospel to the world. Avoid those who make their priorities from their own heart instead of the new heart God has given in Jesus. Avoid Them. Don’t pay attention to them. Don’t watch their YouTube videos and get angry at them. Don’t read their Twitters and get into arguments with them. Don’t spend you time of them. Most of all, don’t listen to and be taken in by them.

Paul knew the Hebrew Scriptures, and he saw this playing out in them and in his own people during his life. He was anxious to tell the Roman church to not be taken in by this mistake. Don’t get stuck on conflicts that destroy the unity of the church over carpet colors. He is not saying don’t fight over anything- we will see in some other letters that Paul has hills with dying on- but to fight over the things that matter. When we fight over the things that don’t, the things that do get lost. Don’t be like that.

The book of Romans also has some story to it. We read here that Paul intended to visit Rome following his trip to Jerusalem. Of course, the end of the book of Acts is Paul arriving in Rome following his trip to Jerusalem. I have a feeling it is not the mode in which Paul intended to arrive. There is no hint that he expected to arrival as a prisoner awaiting trial before Casear. But there it is. Paul won’t get hung up on that, though. The mode of his arrival is not what matters. Proclaiming the gospel of repentance for forgiveness and life in the name of Jesus is what is it looking to do. He’s got his eyes on the things that matter, and he’s no overly concerned with what does not.