Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  2024  Day 77

March 17;        Romans 15:27;          132/260;        ‘Spiritual & Material’

Romans 15:27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.

The simple logic of the Lord is genius in this verse.  Paul was called to minister to the Gentiles.  However, he never was not thinking about his people, the Jews.  There were poor Jews in Jerusalem that Paul wanted to help financially.  The Gentile believers in Macedonia and Achaia gave financial offerings to bless the Jews in Jerusalem.  It is our privilege and responsibility to help other Christians who may be challenged financially.  What Paul is teaching in this verse is that the Gentile believers were blessed abundantly spiritually by the ministry of Paul.  You cannot put a ‘price tag’ on the eternal truths deposited into the spirits of those Christians by the teaching of Paul.  Verse 26 tells us that those Gentile believers in Macedonia and Achaia were desirous to help out the materially less fortunate Christians in Jerusalem.  Gratitude and a desire to help others should be an ‘outflow’ of believers as they mature and become increasingly aware of how much they have been blessed.  The unsaved world usually will not help the Church financially, so it is up to the Church to help out other believers financially.  There are few things in life that give greater joy than to know you have been a blessing on other believers.  The reason we help others financially is love, but the Bible also teaches in scriptures like Proverbs 22:9 that the Lord will bless those who help out the poor.  As we grow in faith, we clearly see that our life is always blessed when we purpose in our heart to give.  The Lord is a Giver and we are made in His image.