Romans 15:29 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

NIV: I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

NASB: I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

CSB: I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

NLT: And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.

KJV: And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

NKJV: But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Paul makes a declaration about his plans to visit the Christians in Rome. He is convinced that when he finally gets to them, he will arrive in the fullness of Christ's blessing. In other words, Paul knows that he will come with Christ's blessing or approval and that his presence with the Roman Christians will be Christ's blessing to them, as well.

Paul is confident that his comings and goings are dependent on Christ's blessing. He also recognizes how such travels serve the purpose of Christ blessing others through him. All believers can live with this confidence, as well, if we are willing to be used by God in this way.

However, that confidence does not mean we can ever claim perfect knowledge. We don't know the circumstances under which God will use us to bless others. Paul, for instance, did not likely anticipate the path that would finally bring him to Rome. Acts chapters 27–28 contain that surprising and powerful story. Because of the events described there, it is unknown if Paul ever reached Spain.

Romans 15:22–33 describes Paul's plan to visit the Christians in Rome on his way to preaching the gospel in Spain. He has longed to see them for years. Before he comes, he must deliver a gift of financial aid from Gentile Christians to the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem. He asks his readers to wrestle with him in prayer about this trip. Paul especially hopes to be delivered from the unbelieving Jewish religious leaders who want to kill him, and that the Christian Jews will receive the gift he is bringing.

Romans 15 begins with Paul's encouragement to those strong in faith: to please other Christians before themselves so the church can be unified. Christ came to fulfill God's promises to Israel and about the Gentiles. Paul is satisfied with the faith and practice of the Roman Christians. His work of taking the gospel to unreached regions of Gentiles in his part of the world is completed, and he longs to come see them. First, he must deliver financial aid to Jerusalem, a trip about which he asks them to pray along with him.

Romans 15 concludes Paul's teaching that those strong in faith ought to sacrifice their own desires to live in harmony with other believers. Paul shows that God always planned to welcome the Gentile nations, and his mission is to introduce Gentiles to the message of salvation by faith in Christ. He longs to visit the Christians in Rome and plans to do so as soon as he delivers financial aid to poor Christian Jews in Jerusalem. He begins Romans 16 by greeting many friends and acquaintances in Rome by name, as part of a drawn-out ending to this letter.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.

Accessed 4/28/2024 5:54:08 PM