Christians enjoy a bond stronger than brothers. Blood runs thicker than water. The blood of Christ is thicker still. If you lose everything tomorrow (your job, your house, your health) and find yourself in a complete freefall – you’ll find a strong safety net between you and the ground. Your brothers and sisters in Christ will not let you go hungry or homeless.
But, this unity can be disrupted. A local church is a gathering of sinners, each with their own perspectives, expectations, and sin proclivities. It’s a miracle any church stays together at all with such tension.
In Romans, Paul is addressing a particular tension in the Roman church: the tension between Jewish and Gentile Christians.
Tension in the Roman Church
Jews were historically God’s chosen people. They received God’s covenants and laws. They received the promised land. Jesus was Jewish. The disciples were Jewish. Gentiles were everyone else. When Christ died for the sins of all who would believe in him; a new covenant was established and Gentile believers were included.
The Jews carried with them into their Christian faith generations of traditions, laws, and practices that the Gentiles knew nothing about. This created tension. The Jews must have felt like an only son whose father adopts a new child. The Gentiles must have felt like the Jews were a bunch of religious hall monitors.
The Roman church likely started as a Jewish Christian church with some Gentiles filtering in as they were saved. But when Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome; the Gentiles established the majority in the church. As the Jews began coming back; the tension increased. This is the situation Paul is addressing.
Heritage for the Jews
In the opening verses of this epistle, Paul reaches out to the Jews:
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh…
He is speaking their language here: heritage. He’s saying, ‘remember that Jesus is the one promised through your prophets in your Scriptures born of a descendant of your king.’
Power for the Gentiles
Next, he reaches out to the Gentiles:
…who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness…
Here he’s speaking the Gentile’s language: power. They didn’t care about Jewish heritage and Scripture; but they recognized divine power in the resurrection.
How this Unifies God’s People
Once you believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that He arose from the dead, you recognize that he is whom he claims to be: the Lord. And following one Lord unites people. It makes us soldiers of the same general, citizens of the same king, employees of the same CEO, sheep of the same shepherd.
Paul is saying, take your eyes off your Jewishness and your Gentileness and put them on your Christianness. They weren’t Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians; they were Christians. Similarly, you and I are not Advent Christians and Baptist Christians and Methodist Christians and Presbyterian Christians and Catholic Christians and Pentecostal Christians and non-denominational Christians and reformed Christians and emergent Christians and Dulins Grove Christians and First Baptist Christians – we’re Christians.
All these things are helpful for organization but dangerous for identity, because they tempt us to forget that we are servants of the same Lord.
Conclusion
Here’s the bottom-line principle: disunity among Christians is often caused by disregard for the Lordship of Jesus. Disregard for the Lordship of Jesus is often caused by disbelief in the person of Jesus.
1. Are there Christians from whom you are cut-off? Are their Christians you can’t talk to or work with? If so, the problem may be that you aren’t obeying Jesus as your Lord.
Lord means master, authority, and the person exercising absolute ownership rights. When you have a lord, his agenda is your agenda. His plan is your plan. His goals are your goals.
Disregard for the Lordship of Jesus creates disunity as we elevate our agenda’s above Jesus’ agenda. Soon we stop serving and start demanding. We stop forgiving and start condemning. We stop being gracious and become bitter. We hold grudges, cut off communication, draw lines, and pick sides.
2. Are there areas of your life in which you aren’t obeying Jesus as Lord? If so, the problem may be that you don’t believe he is who he claims to be. If I hear a smoke detector and don’t respond, I obviously don’t believe in that smoke detector. If we hear Jesus’ commands and don’t respond, we obviously don’t believe he is the son of God, the resurrected one, the rightful Lord of our lives.
Disbelief in the person of Jesus leads to disregard for the Lordship of Jesus as we begin so think:
“I know Jesus says ‘repent’; but I don’t think I have any sin.”
“I know Jesus says die to self; but Dr. Phil says strengthen self.”
“I know Jesus says to go to him when we’re weak and weary; but I’m REALLY weary, so I’ll turn to _____.”
“I know Jesus says not to worry about daily necessities; but that’s too naive for the real world.”
“I know Jesus says forgive; but I’ve really been wronged.”
“I know Jesus says love my enemies; but MY enemies are really bad.”
“I know Jesus says give sacrificially; but I need to retire one day.”
“I know Jesus says make disciples; but I’m not gonna do that. I’ll let the professionals to it.”
In other words, we can’t say we believe Jesus is who he says he is and refuse to listen and submit to him. And we can’t refuse to listen and submit to him and remain united.
Discussion Starters
1. Share with the group a time when your faith in Jesus was tested.
2. Are you sure that Jesus is who he says he is? If not, what doubts do you have? If so, what makes you so sure?
3. Read verses 1-4. Which is more compelling evidence for Jesus’ divinity: fulfilled prophecy or the resurrection? Why?
4. Do you more often think of Christianity as a system of living or devotion to a man (Jesus)? Why? Which is more accurate?
5. Privately write down those with whom you are not united. What steps do you need to take in obedience to Jesus to seek reconciliation?
6. Privately write down the areas of life in which you’re not obeying Jesus as your Lord. What steps do you need to take toward repentance? (If any are comfortable sharing, they are invited to do so for prayer support and encouragement.)
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