Paul’s Purpose

You are full of goodness (Romans 15:14)

Paul has never seen the brethren in Rome (Romans 1:10-13), but he is confident about their abilities (Romans 1:8; 16:19). He has emphasized their need to live and work as one – both Jews and Gentiles. Paul knows they are full of goodness or kindness (John 13:35). They had a good knowledge of God’s Word (James 1:25; Colossians 1:8-10). They are able also to warn each other to stay faithful to God (Colossians 3:16; I Thessalonians 5:14).

Written to remind you (Romans 15:15)

Because they were well prepared to receive them, Paul boldly wrote to remind them of points (II Peter 1:12-15; 3:1-2). Paul saw his duty as an undeserved gift from God (Ephesians 3:7-8; I Timothy 1:11-14).

Paul’s work as an apostle (Romans 15:16-21)

Paul saw it as his privilege to be a servant of Jesus to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Galatians 2:7-8). He parallels the conversion of the Gentiles to the sacrifices given to God in the Old Testament (Isaiah 66:20). They were prepared by the teaching of the Gospel and thus found acceptable (Malachi 1:11; Acts 20:32; Ephesians 2:22).

Therefore Paul sees that he has reason to boast in the things of God (I Corinthians 15:10). It isn’t a boast in human accomplishments (II Corinthians 1:12; I Thessalonians 2:19). He limits himself to what Christ has accomplished through him (I Corinthians 3:5; II Corinthians 10:12-18). God has used Paul to do mighty miracles (evidence that Paul is an apostle) (Acts 19:11-12; II Corinthians 12:12). Scribing a circle, Paul has preached in an arc from Jerusalem to Illyricum, which is the province northwest of Macedonia. It includes Syria, Asia Minor, Greece, and Macedonia. Acts doesn’t mention Paul going into Illyricum, but it doesn’t preclude it either. The distance is an arc of over 1,000 miles. Throughout all these regions Paul has preached the full gospel (II Timothy 4:17) and it was his joy to do so (Acts 20:24).

Paul particularly preferred to work in areas where the gospel had not yet arrived (II Corinthians 10:13-16). In doing so, he fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah 52:15.