Introduction

This chapter's theme is not easy to grasp, but it is still much simpler than Paul's evangelism, which came at a heavy cost. Today, we brothers and sisters must have a determined heart to study the Bible; if we don't understand it after reading it once, we read it twice; if we don't understand it after reading it twice, we read it three times. Even if we have to read it a hundred times, we must understand the Bible clearly. Don't just listen to my recordings, that won't solve the problem. Our God is a God of revelation. God has given me a character like Paul, once I identify a path, I will follow it to the end.

Romans 15 is an elevation of the theme in the previous chapter. Romans 14 discussed the impact of food on the Roman church. Many Christians had many confusions about what food could be eaten and what food could not be eaten, creating many problems and judging one another. This fell into the devil's high-end schemes, and as a result, the church lost its power.

The church's loss of power began with the church in Rome. As long as the devil can make the church lose its power, it is successful. Today, the devil is still doing corrupting work in the church, creating disputes over many unimportant things in the church, focusing all their energy on unimportant things all day long. How can the church not be corrupted? Some pastors say, Our church is not good at expelling demons, but expelling pastors is very powerful. This is true.

Romans 14 talks a lot about the issue of eating and drinking, which causes a lot of judgment and arguments, and doing many meaningless things. In Romans 15, the devil's scheme is upgraded again, which is to corrupt unity. The theme of this chapter is Corrupting unity and holiness, causing the church to lose the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the devil's high-end scheme.

If the theme of this chapter is set as bearing the weaknesses of many, it is impossible to tie it to the theme. But if the theme of this chapter is set as having great hope because of the power of the Holy Spirit, many scriptures cannot be connected. Only the theme of Corrupting unity and holiness, causing the church to lose the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the devil's high-end scheme can string this chapter together, and it becomes smooth.

Today, we all come to practice one thing: every time we read a chapter of the Bible, we desperately try to find the theme. If a certain passage in it cannot connect to the theme, then it should not be the theme. The correct theme must be able to string the entire chapter together. All the chapters in Romans are actually discussing one thing, which is the devil's scheme.

Paul cared very much about unity. The most important unity in the church refers to the unity between Gentiles and Jews. The issue of unity between these two has been a long-standing one. Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles, and there were also apostles to the Jews in Jerusalem. Paul's relationship with these Jewish apostles was not very good.

Paul wrote Galatians before Romans. For the sake of the purity of the gospel, Paul wrote Galatians from God's perspective, and his words were very sharp, clearly challenging many people. In Romans, which Paul wrote later, the lines reveal that Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians should also be of one heart and mind.

Therefore, today brothers and sisters must know that our gospel comes from the Jews, and Jesus Christ is a Jew. Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, some of us then look down on the Jews, Look, they can't eat this, they can't eat that, and they have to keep all kinds of festivals, what are they keeping? The Jews think, Look, these people are so unclean, they eat unclean food. Thus, conflicts and contradictions arose between the two groups, unity was corrupted, and holiness was lost.

Therefore, Paul's letters say very clearly:

The first paragraph talks about being of one heart and mind; the second paragraph talks about Gentiles rejoicing together with the Lord's people, and all nations should praise Him, which is unity; the third paragraph, starting from verse 14, talks about being a priest of God's gospel, so that the Gentiles who are offered may be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Holiness and unity have a close relationship. In verse 22, Paul went to Jerusalem to give the donation to the saints in Jerusalem. This is to say that Paul, as an apostle to the Gentiles, was also striving to seek unity with the saints in Jerusalem because Paul knew that this was God's great grace. Later, Paul went to Spain, surely bringing God's great and abundant grace, which is the pure gospel.

Maintaining unity is crucial. Holiness and unity are closely related, and holy unity is closely related to the power of the Holy Spirit. If the church is not united and not holy, it will definitely lose the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the devil's high-end scheme.

The previous chapter talked about how food can corrupt people because it can corrupt unity. Therefore, the issue of unity between Jews and Gentiles is a problem that Paul cares about very much. The key to solving this problem lies in everyone receiving the pure gospel at the same time and being united in the Holy Spirit. Superficial unity is not unity at all. Only under the pure gospel can there be true unity. Unity is definitely not a compromise of unity.

Are we willing to pay the price for seeking unity? The most important thing is not to seek our own pleasure, not to prove who is right and who is wrong, but to prove that everyone is in Jesus Christ. In Jesus Christ, we do not seek our own benefit, but only seek the pleasure of Jesus Christ. If we follow the teachings in the Bible, we will surely obtain the mysteries of the gospel written in the Bible. If we obtain these mysteries and everyone implements them according to the teachings in the Bible, even if there are some hardships and difficulties, we will still endure with the promised hope and comfort.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

Know that these tribulations and obstacles you encounter today can bring hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Imitating Jesus Christ, glorifying God with one heart and one voice, this is the issue of unity. Unity is a big problem. Therefore, today, unity in the Holy Spirit, or unity in the gospel of Jesus Christ, will bring the manifestation of the power of the Holy Spirit. If the church is not united, how can there be God's glory?

I have seen many churches where preachers play church politics within the church. They play it very well. You must know that only unity in the word of God is true unity. If there is any problem with our relationship, it is because the extent to which we implement God's word is different.

Therefore, accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. We accept one another, not as a compromise of God's word, but for the sake of unity in the truth of Jesus Christ, then many problems will be solved.

It is mentioned many times here to glorify God with one heart and one voice, to bring glory to God, and to glorify God because of His mercy. But if God is not in the church, how can God be glorified? Therefore, the church must be built on the truth of Jesus Christ. If the church is built on the truth of Jesus Christ, there will surely be God's presence.

If the church does not have God's presence, there must be a problem with the people below. For example, if two people are not united, they are biting and fighting each other, corrupting each other, and everyone is seeking their own pleasure, that is not the word of God. The inability to unite is because the two are not holy.

Holiness refers to obeying the Holy Spirit and not obeying one's own flesh. Once a person obeys his own flesh, the issue of unity arises. Eating can corrupt many people because everyone has their own views on eating, that is not the word of God, so the church loses its power.

The church throughout the ages has a main axis, which is that the devil is constantly doing corrupting work in the church, causing the church to lose its power. Therefore, Paul said that Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians should unite.

Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people. And again,

Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him. And again, Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him will the Gentiles hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:10-13)

If the church loses the power of the Holy Spirit, how can there be hope? Today, we must restore the power of the Holy Spirit in the church. This requires solving one thing, which is to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit and be acceptable, because we all obey the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we all obey the teachings of Jesus Christ, and we all obey the truth. If everyone deals with their own problems, the problem can be solved.

In fact, disunity has a great relationship with people's disobedience. Therefore, Paul said: Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. (Romans 15:17-19)

Shaping a Character of Unity

What we see today is that the gospel preached by Paul is a powerful gospel because Paul has entered the level of unity. Entering the level of unity is not about you and me being united. Unity is a person's character.

Unity is a person's character. In the shaping of this character, if you do not have this character inside, and you are always pursuing your own benefit, how can you be united? If everyone has a character of unity, and people of unity have a character of unity, everyone will be united. If everyone has this character, you see, you and I are not united, so everyone often has wrong ideas. Everyone does not have a character of unity, and they play some superficial tricks, thinking that they are united. Everyone obeys the Holy Spirit.

Why has the church become powerless? It is because it has lost the most basic unity of the church. In the Gospel of John, it is mentioned that before Jesus was nailed to the cross, He prayed for them again and again, that they might be one. If everyone does not seek their own benefit, how is it possible not to be united? Today, if everyone seeks their own benefit, how is it possible to be united? Two people are in love, and both are selfish. Can becoming a family be good? It can't be good. Don't say that both are selfish, even if one is selfish and the other is not selfish, it can't be good.

In the process of building the church, we are actually dealing with the problems of many brothers and sisters. We use the power of the Holy Spirit to make these people obey, and after they obey, we fix their carnal nature. Our church has a characteristic, which is a rare church that deals with the flesh. The bestiality in people is the carnal nature. If a person is a carnal person, he lives the way the beast lives, and he dies the way the beast dies.

But a person who has the character of Jesus Christ and puts to death the evil habits of his flesh by the Holy Spirit will surely enter into unity. A prophet saw a mountain of the Lord, and this mountain was composed of different levels of truth. Constantly climbing into the level of unity, the devil's sword cannot shoot him. Climbing up from that level, although it is very difficult, basically the devil's sword cannot shoot. Why?

For example, if someone gossips, if you have a character of unity, and you have dealt with your own carnal nature, you should not care about these things when you see someone eating this and someone eating that. Where is the problem?

Today, every brother and sister must strive to shape their own character of unity. Climbing up is to completely return to Jesus. Now it is no longer I who live, but Jesus Christ who lives in me. If you live like this, unity is even less of a problem.

The problem now is that everyone's problem of identifying good and evil is very serious, and they think they have no problem. In the process of management, I will find that people like to prove that they are right. The level of brotherly unity is actually not seeking their own benefit. If you always want to prove that you are right and others are wrong, what is that if not identifying good and evil? Identifying good and evil, who will the spirit of death come to if not you?

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. (Romans 15:1-3)

Not Seeking Personal Gain

We have taken the loss, constantly pursuing. Even if you have many flaws, it doesn't matter. Can you manage if you find this pleasing but that displeasing? Even if you eventually become a full-time co-worker, you still can't solve the problem!

What problem did Paul solve? It goes back to the issue of ability. For this gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Why do many churches today lack power? Because they have lost the foundation of unity. Don't think that being in our church makes you part of the church. We have drawn a circle, and those inside are the foundation, while those outside need constant molding to enter. If anyone could come in, could there be holiness and unity?

Many who come among us find that we don't quite trust them. On what basis should we trust you? Acting according to the flesh, immediately discerning good and evil, being hypocritical—how can that be resolved? Diligently deal with your fleshly habits, and through the Holy Spirit, become holy and pleasing.

How do you know you are holy? You will find that dealing with yourself means completely trampling the flesh underfoot. That is, the nature of the flesh within you must be suppressed. I am qualified to say this because we have worked hard to deal with our fleshly nature! According to my fleshly nature, I really don't want to serve because serving is tiring and often hurtful, encountering many ungrateful people.

I really feel like Moses, saying, God, these people are not my children. Why should I be responsible for them? But then I think, Forget it, don't argue with God. Suppress my fleshly nature, take a deep breath, suppress my temper, and continue to serve, not seeking my own pleasure but seeking the benefit of others.

With an Attitude of Obedience, Build God's Glorious Church

In the power of the Holy Spirit, we must have great hope. What is impossible with man is possible with God. I am filled with emotion, saying, God, I thank you for calling me to serve, not because you greatly need my service in this generation, but because you allow me to grow in service. God is the God who benefits me. I often feel indebted, even when others take advantage of me. I am not foolish at all. Because I dare not serve according to the flesh – I fear the consequences, and you should too. If I follow my own desires, will it work? If I follow my desires and am disciplined by God, who can I blame?

Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit. (Romans 15:17-18)

In the process of shepherding people, making them obedient is difficult, but God has performed countless signs and wonders through my hands. Through signs and wonders and the power of the Holy Spirit, these people become obedient and can build a glorious church together. Why is it called obedience? It is not obedience to me but obedience to God's word and God's power, and then they receive grace.

How then do we build a glorious church? By constantly climbing Mount Zion, entering the temple of the God of Jacob, and becoming holy. Building God's church according to God's word must result in a united church, and the church will surely receive the power of the Holy Spirit. I am determined to uphold unity, holiness, and the power in the Holy Spirit at all costs.

When Paul wrote this book, the church in Jerusalem was gradually losing its power. It included all kinds of Christians—Christian Pharisees and Pharisaical Christians—full of strife and chaos, and the church became poor. Paul longed for the Jerusalem church to understand what God was doing through his hands and to understand that the gospel he preached was powerful.

Paul's heart was so urgent. He was the apostle to the Gentiles, and the Roman church was also under his jurisdiction. He could not forget the Jerusalem church and his relatives. He longed to contribute to the saints there as a debt owed. Paul went to Jerusalem hoping to restore unity and hoping that the people there could see what Paul was doing in Jerusalem and see the pure gospel.

The pure gospel is powerful, as Paul said, For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. Paul wrote Romans hoping that the Roman church would also be included in the system of unity, upholding unity in the Holy Spirit and not falling for the schemes of the devil. Do not let conflicts arise because Jewish Christians have certain preferences and Gentile Christians have others. Everyone should deal with fleshly habits because it is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. Wouldn't it be foolish if we stumbled over food?

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” (Romans 15:7-9)

Glory and power are inseparable. Don't make glory mysterious. God's power, glory, and honor are all inseparable. Jesus Christ making the lame walk glorifies God. Making the blind see glorifies God and manifests God's power. Returning to the pure gospel means constantly seeking to deal with our fleshly habits, upholding unity and holiness, and having great hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

We must begin to know for certain that the gospel that Paul preached is a gospel of great power. Churches that lack unity lose power. What power can disunity have? We must once again recognize the devil's high-level schemes.

Imitate Paul, Spread the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth

Paul went to Spain, thinking that Spain was the end of the earth. Paul writes about how he built God's church, hoping to go to Spain via Rome. He wanted to preach the gospel to all places where the name of Jesus Christ had not been heard. He believed this was his destiny, his mission in life. Do we often feel indebted? Paul going to Rome must have brought abundant grace. Do we also share it and spread it to the ends of the earth? If we have received God's abundant grace, God has truly favored me because I have laid down my life to serve God.

As I lay down my life to serve this God, I also have a longing. Paul's longing was to go to Spain, but what is my longing? My longing is that today's Chinese Mingding Destiny, that we live out the image of Jesus Christ within that Mingding Destiny. That is our Mingding Destiny, for there is no blessing outside of that Mingding Destiny.

Since we have received great grace and blessings in Jesus Christ, do we have a determination today and constantly feel indebted. We owe this generation a debt. I often tell myself that we owe Europeans a gospel debt, we owe Americans a gospel debt, we owe North America, Canada a gospel debt, we owe Australians a gospel debt, and we even owe Koreans a gospel debt. Why?

Because it was these people who once shed blood and sacrificed for the blessing and grace of the Chinese people. Today, shouldn't we, not only for the Jews but also for people all over the world, pass on this Mingding Destiny, restore the power of Jesus Christ in the church, let everyone see God's grace, and let everyone have great hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Looking around today, how many desperate people do you see? Someone just sent a message saying that his neighbor had two children, one two years old. In just five minutes, the two-year-old child was drowned in a puddle. Later, another child was born, and at two years old, he drowned in the same puddle.

They say that this family is cursed, and how much does this world's curse need Jesus Christ's powerful gospel? How much does today's church need a movement like Jesus Christ? How much does today's church need to restore the power of the Holy Spirit? How much does today's church need to move from disunity to unity, truly understand how to put to death the deeds of the body through the Holy Spirit, truly know how to restore God's glory in the church, truly understand that the meaning of this glory is closely related to the power of Jesus Christ, and truly know that imitating Jesus Christ is the path to victory?

Today, brothers and sisters, think carefully, shouldn't each of us constantly deal with our fleshly habits, move to the level of brotherly unity, move to the height of brotherly unity, and then begin to take up spiritual weapons to strike the devil and the enemy?

I really long to tell everyone that I have a hope, which is to take abundant grace with us wherever we go, wherever we cast our nets, and pass on blessings. This world needs the gospel of Jesus Christ too much. The people living in darkness in this world need to see the light of Jesus Christ too much. They need a group of people to pass on the power of Jesus Christ and the pure gospel of Jesus Christ. If we are to boast, let us boast in what God has accomplished through our words and deeds, by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, to make the Gentiles obedient.

Today, in such a good environment, we have a good hand [of cards]. Let us play our hand well by the Spirit of God until we see the gospel of Jesus Christ fill the whole earth, until we see the people in darkness receive abundant grace because of the glory of Jesus Christ manifested in us. So today I encourage everyone, there is no great meaning in life. If you think life is very meaningful, then live well for your meaning.

But as for me and these co-workers, we are people who are tired of living in this world. We have no other hobbies, only one hobby: to serve God, to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth, to be a blessing to all nations and peoples on this earth, to let the gospel of Jesus Christ illuminate this dark world, and to let everyone have great hope through the power of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let people in despair also see the hope in what Jesus Christ has done among us. So wherever I go, I share the hope of Jesus Christ. Some people say, Is he worthy? I don't care at all. How Jesus Christ served, how we serve. How Jesus Christ freely shared grace so that the glory of God would be manifested, we also freely share the grace of Jesus Christ in the same way. Do you also have such a heart? May God bless everyone!