What does Romans 15:18 teach about relying on God's power for ministry? The Verse in Focus “For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by word and deed.” – Romans 15:18 Christ-Centered Ministry Model • Paul refuses to highlight personal skill, strategy, or effort. • Only Christ’s accomplishments through Paul are worth mentioning. • Ministry success is measured by Christ-produced obedience in others, not by human metrics. Power Source Clarified • “Through me” underscores human instrumentality—God works, people cooperate. • Paul’s silence about self keeps glory where it belongs (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:10 “yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me”). • 2 Corinthians 3:5 affirms the same truth: “Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our competence comes from God.” Evidences of Divine Enablement 1. Word: Spirit-empowered proclamation (Acts 14:27 “all that God had done through them”). 2. Deed: Spirit-empowered actions validating the message (Colossians 1:29 “I labor, striving with all His energy working powerfully within me”). 3. Result: Genuine obedience among the Gentiles, demonstrating God’s power to transform lives (Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you to will and to act”). Practical Takeaways • Speak and serve only by Christ’s enabling, never as self-promotion. • Evaluate ministry fruit by Spirit-led obedience, not popularity or recognition. • Maintain humility—crediting God safeguards the heart and magnifies the gospel. • Dependence on divine power is not optional; it is the very pattern Scripture sets for effective ministry. |
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