Mutually encouraged by each other’s faith
Romans 1:11-12 - Paul’s desire to be among the believers in Rome should be encouragement to us to also seek Christian fellowship.
“I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.”
Romans 1:11-12 NIV
Paul’s epistle to the Romans begins with a long greeting to the people in Rome who “are loved by God and chosen to be His holy people”, followed by an introduction to the Gospel, after which he expresses his desire to travel to Rome and meet with the church there in person. Paul would, of course, make it to Rome. He’d reach Rome in 60 AD, and he stayed there under both house arrest and in prison until his execution sometime between 64 - 68 AD.
Paul explains to his readers why he wants to be among them. He first thanks God through Jesus Christ for them, as he has heard that their faith is strong. He declares that “for God is my witness” he makes mention of them constantly in his prayers, and that he prays “that by God’s will the way may be made open to me to come to you.” And then we come to today’s verses.
The apostle wants to visit in order to accomplish two things. First, he had received the gift of his ministry from God. To quote Matthew Henry, “He received, that he might communicate”. He seriously wanted to preach to the Romans, imparting “some spiritual gift” to them through his teaching. Paul had commended them earlier for flourishing; now he wants their faith and their spiritual grounding to grow roots. Once again from Henry: “The best saints, while they are in such a shaking world as this, have need to be more and more established; and spiritual gifts are of special use for our establishment.”
The second accomplishment desired in Paul’s visit is to receive comfort from the church in Rome. He had been joyful in just hearing about how the Romans were taking to the Gospel, and it would be even more thrilling to him to witness their faith directly. He would also be able to take comfort in the work being done by other ministers, and they would be “mutually encouraged by each other’s faith”.
Matthew Henry wrote a bit about this mutual encouragement, saying:
“It is very comfortable when there is a mutual confidence between minister and people, they confiding in him as a faithful minister, and he in them as a faithful people. Or, the mutual work of faith, which is love; they rejoiced in the expressions of one another's love, or communicating their faith one to another. It is very refreshing to Christians to compare notes about their spiritual concerns; thus are they sharpened, as iron sharpens iron.”
Paul’s desire to be among the believers in Rome should be encouragement to us to also seek Christian fellowship.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father, I thank You for making all of us members of Your body, and for the gifts and graces you have provided to each of us to use in appropriate ways. Help me to live according to Your Word, and to use those gifts to provide encouragement to my brothers and sisters in Christ. Likewise, may their gifts be encouraging to me on my faith journey. May all of Your sons and daughters grow in grace and in knowledge of the Lord Jesus, as we await the day of His return. AMEN