Final Encouragement

Romans 16: 17-27 

Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and turn away from them. 

Paul is telling them to keep an eye out for those who would come in and cause trouble. He's had to deal with these people in his travels, and he knows they are also headed toward Rome, too. 

For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 

He says they're addicted to their own fleshly gratification, and with "good words" and "fair speeches" they are able to influence those who are "simple."

For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. 

Paul is commending them for their growth so far through their obedience, and he is wanting to strengthen them to continue to increase their spiritual growth to maturity; but to not waste any time on investigating or listening to anyone who would come in spouting any other gospel or diversion, to recognize it and avoid falling into it. 

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. 

If they keep on growing in the Truth, then God will use them to demolish Satan's doctrines and eliminate them from the Roman church. Did this happen? 

They may have for a while. But History since that time has shown that the Roman church has given in to some of these "doctrines of demons" and left the pure Gospel, bringing in the "Dark Ages" and the resulting Reformation. 

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. 

This is Paul's usual final blessing in his letters. But he always had other workers around him, and some of them wanted to say. "Hello!" to those in Rome, also, so he added these. 

Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 

These are with Paul, sending greetings to Rome: Timothy we know pretty well, who is Paul's son in the faith, and the other three are Jewish believers. 

I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord. 

Paul often used a secretary to take his dictation, and he wanted to say, "Hello!," too.

Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. 

Paul spent the winter at Gaius' house (see Acts 20: 3) when he spent three months there then changed his travel plan because of a plot against his life when he went to Cenchrea to board ship. 

Gaius may have had a large house in Corinth, because the church also met there for their meetings.   

Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, 

Erastus is mentioned on a stone that was used as a paving block as the aedile, or "Commissioner of Public Works" in Corinth. 

So he was one of the exceptions to the, "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called" (I Corinthians 1: 26).  

and Quartus, the brother. 

One of the Gentile believers at Corinth who knew some of the Roman believers.

[The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]

This looks like another ending, and it doesn't appear in "the earliest manuscripts." Paul does like to bless his readers, doesn't he! 

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, 

He calls it, "my Gospel," to maybe distinguish it from any other "gospel" they may hear. The preaching of Jesus Christ includes the Gospel Paul preaches, along with urging obedience to His commandment. 

according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, 

This mystery is the Truth that wasn't known before, that the Gentiles and the Jews will be united into the same Body of Christ.

but now is manifested, 

Now it is revealed so that we can know it, and live by it. 

and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, 

Also, now reading the Prophets, we can understand what they were talking about by the revealing of the New Testament Truths and the Holy Spirit living in us to teach us. This is God's desire, His will, His commandment, that we obey Christ. 

has been made known to all the Nations, leading to obedience of faith; 

This has now been made known in the Holy Scriptures, available to everyone in the World, in all the Nations, to read and understand how much God loves us all, and has sent His Son for every person to believe and put their faith in Him. 

So it's up to us, fellow believers, to see that the Scriptures will be translated into every language spoken, so that every person alive can hear and understand. This is our job, people. Let's do it!

to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen. 

Now, finally, we have Paul's blessing! 

Yes, Father, we agree with Paul that You are the Wise One, our only God, and through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Way to You, the Truth we are to put our faith in, and the Life in the Holy Spirit for us to live forever with You! And You will receive all the glory forever. 

Every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus of Nazareth is our Lord God Almighty, King of the Universe, through whom the Almighty God the Father will receive all the credit, all the praise, all the glory for everything that has been done, past, present, and future, throughout all eternity, forever and ever. Amen and Amen. 

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!