Romans 15:18-19

A Study of The Book of Romans

Lesson 110 Chapter 15:18 – 19

By Pastor Randy Johnson

1. Verse 18 “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed…”
1. Humility means – The elimination of ones own self from importance. – Paul was a great man after God saved him, did more for the Christian faith and the Lords churches than any man since Jesus Christ himself; however great he became he never thought of himself as important. Paul always gave God the glory, beloved this is the definition of humility.
2. Two gracious scriptures we need to see that describes Paul’s humility;

a. 1 Corinthians 15:9 -10 "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (10.) But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."

b. Ephesians 3:7 - 8 "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. (8.) Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”

c. For any man to believe to have accomplished anything of God is wrong. God accomplishes everything; we are blessed to be used of God just as Paul was but also like Paul we have accomplished nothing, it is all to Gods glory!

d. We do not build churches, we do not saved souls, we do not build treasuries, we do not make peoples lives better, and etc., etc., etc, GOD DOES!

3. I can just see the Apostle in tears of joy as he penned this; “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me…”

a. Paul has just declared that he has done nothing outside of Jesus Christ; he has just given all glory and honor of his work to Christ, what a glorious thought.

b. I must wonder how many men today will make this confession not just in words but from their heart.

c. Acts 21:19 "And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry."

d. 2 Corinthians 3:5 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”

e. Beloved Sovereign Grace Men speaks this way, other may say these things but sovereign grace men and deliver it from the heart. No Arminian will ever admit this from their heart.

4. “…to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed…”

a. Paul has declared that the Gentiles believed Christ not because of him but because of Gods power. His word and deeds were all the works of God, they were not of him.

b. Some men today act as if they are great, as though their brilliance contributed, beloved anything accomplished is accomplished because of God, He simply uses man.

c. Love those workers of the Lord; give them accolades, but only because of the way that God has blessed them. Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

2. Verse 19 “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum (ih-leer-i-kuhm or better E-leer-i-kuhm), I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
1. “Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God…”
2. These signs and wonders were by the Holy Spirit even though Paul and a limited others had these powers they were not of them or by them. Acts 19:11-12 "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: (12.) So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them."

a. Paul credited everything to God; even his preaching. 1 Corinthians 2:4 - 5 "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (5.) That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

b. The gospel has power; power to save because that is the power God gave it. Romans 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

c. It is not how man preaches it, it is not how man dresses it up of even changes it, it is God message of salvation and it works best just the way God wrote it. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost…”