The early church, like every other church, was made up of young as well as mature believers. Learning how to live out their faith sometimes put them into conflict with each other. A big issue at the time was whether or not to eat food offered to idols.

People who had recently left idolatry to follow Christ were sensitive to anything associated with idols. But older believers thought eating food offered to idols actually proved the idols had no power. They were only objects made of wood, stone and metal and the food was simply nourishment for a diner’s body. It had no effect upon a person’s relationship with Jesus.

Paul referred to believers with extra-sensitive consciences as the ‘weak,’ and those who had grown beyond those sensitivities he called the “strong.”

“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbor for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please himself.” Romans 15:1-3

Paul nurtured weaker believers, but he didn’t put them in charge of the church. People with weak consciences who insisted upon everyone conforming to their point of view could divide the church.

“I urge you, brother and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.” Romans 16:17-18

The churches cared for their weaker members, but they also encouraged them to become strong and grow in maturity.

Paul’s Unique Calling

Paul was probably the most hardworking missionary who went to the Gentiles. While many other missionaries joined him, he was always out in front, breaking new ground.

“So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ is not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” Romans 15:19-20

Paul’s method was to arrive in a town, go to the synagogue if there was one, and begin discussing the Scriptures. He would preach Christ to everyone who would listen and stay as long as people were responding to the gospel. He established a church and left a spiritually mature colleague there to disciple the new Christians, then he moved on to the next region and started again.

The Lord used Paul and his co-workers to create a chain of churches throughout Judea, Syria, Asia, Macedonia and Greece. They strengthened and instructed each other and continued to evangelize unbelievers.

But Paul was restless, so he wrote to his friends in Rome that it was time for him to get on the road again.

“Now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.” Romans 15:23-24

Spain was at the western end of the Roman road system and it was far as Paul knew he could go.

Paul Asks for Prayer

By now Paul had been away from Jerusalem on his third missionary journey for about five years. During that time he heard about the poverty of the churches in Judea and he encouraged the young Gentile churches to collect money to send to Jerusalem.

“I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.” Romans 15:25-27

Paul’s prayer request hinted at the danger this trip to Jerusalem held for him.

“Join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there.” Romans 15:30-31

Jews in Judea regarded Paul as a traitor and they were willing to kill him to stop his preaching. Paul was also a very controversial figure to the Christians in Jerusalem and they wanted to distance themselves from him. As a result, Paul wasn’t even sure they would accept the offering he was bringing from the Gentile churches.

Paul needed prayer for the arduous journey, uncertainty about his safety when he arrived in Judea, and the fact that he and the gift he was carrying might not even be welcome in Jerusalem.

Paul Greets His Friends

Ten years after Paul went on his first missionary journey with Barnabas he was able to send greetings to dozens of dear friends and co-workers from the Gentile churches. It’s hard to say how many churches there were by this time. Some of them are named in Acts, but Paul also mentioned numerous churches that met in homes.

Paul had great affection for the twenty-seven people he named in Romans 16:1-16, plus a multitude of anonymous brothers and sisters. Ten of the friends listed here were women and Paul commended them for their spiritual gifts and hard work along with the men.

The letter to the Romans closes with praise to God who is able to establish the believers and keep them faithful.

“To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.” Romans 16:27

The Second Letter to the Corinthians

The second letter to the Corinthians came soon after Paul finished two years of ministry in Ephesus and went back to Macedonia. We read Luke’s account of the time in Ephesus in Acts 19, but we don’t get the full story until we read what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1. Paul suffered terribly in Ephesus.

“We don’t want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-9

But Paul saw the plan of God in all of his suffering. The Lord comforted and helped him so that he could comfort others.

“For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.” 2 Corinthians 1:5-6

Many prayers went up for Paul, and when he was delivered from danger, many thanks rose to God. In the end Paul’s suffering glorified God and blessed many people.

Paul’s Change of Plans

Paul planted the church in Corinth and left Timothy and Silas there when he went back to his home church in Antioch after his second missionary journey. While he was in Ephesus during his third journey, he heard about the immorality that threatened the Corinthian church, so he wrote his first letter to them. He said he would come and see them in person after he finished his work in Ephesus.

But he didn’t go to Corinth. He went to Macedonia from Ephesus and wrote his second letter to Corinth from there.

“I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. Was I fickle when I intended to do this?. . . I call God to witness – and I stake my life on it – that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth . . . I made up my mind that I would not make another painful visit to you.” 2 Corinthians 1:16-17, 23, 2:1

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians contained some strong rebukes and caused them pain. He didn’t want to come and make them unhappy again.

“For if I grieve you, who is left to make me glad but you whom I have grieved?” 2 Corinthians 2:2

“Yes” in Christ

Paul did not go back on his word to the Corinthians when he went to Macedonia instead of coming to see them. He changed his mind in order to spare them. His integrity was very important to him – he wanted to be faithful, as God is faithful.

“For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:20

The gospel message was based on the promises of God and Paul was its messenger. Whatever he did reflected on that message, so he worked with all his might to tell the truth and be faithful.