Victorious Peace - June 2 Readings: Romans 16

Today’s Readings

Context

Romans has more content than perhaps any other book. The closing chapter, Paul's personal remarks toward the people of Rome, follows suit. It has remarkable content like the book it caps off. Here are a few of the notable moments in the chapter.

• Verse 1 has been the subject of more than a little discussion, referencing Phoebe as a "servant." The Greek is the femal form of "deacon" and this verse has been used by advocates of egalitarianism as indication that "the church had female deacons." No such conclusion is warranted. The word simply means "one who serves" and is used to describe many people, those who were part of the official deacon ministry and those who were not. 
• Verse 3 mentions Prisca (Priscilla) and Aquilla, friends of Paul from Corinth who evidently went as some sort of missionaries to Rome to help with with founding of the church there. 
• Tertius identifies himself, in verse 22, as the scribe who wrote the letter for Paul. 
• The closing doxology, in verses 25-27 is a powerful encapsulation of the message of the book, ending with an expression of praise and glory to God. 

Devotional - Victorious Peace 

I've often found myself trying to play the peacemaker. "This is no big deal." "Let's not fight." And so often, the things we fight about are not worth it. We tend to make mountains out of the molehills of the flesh, divide over personal issues instead of the things of God, fight when we should reconcile and hate when we should love.

But there is a nugget of truth in Romans 16 that says something ironic, powerful, and contrary to the attitude we sometimes adopt, the peace-at-all-costs, nothing-is-worth-fighting-about attitude we often adopt. Look at verse 20.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. 

Both the OT and the NT identify the God we worship as the Lord of peace. The Prince of peace. The one who gives us a peace that passes understanding. One day, Jesus will rule this world at the right hand of God and there will be peace, perfect peace, eternal peace.

But this passage tells us the nature of the peace that God establishes. It is not the peace of compromise or capitulation. Too often we secure peace by giving in to the world or by refusing to stand up for what we believe. That is not God's peace. He achieves peace like America did at the end of World War II. We defeated all our enemies and established peace through conquering our foes. It was not the peace of the compromised but the peace of the conqueror. The God of peace does not put up with Satan, but he crushes him and destroys him.

But it gets even better. Because we are recipients of God's grace, because we've been redeemed, glorified, renewed in Christ, it is under our feet that Satan will be crushed. Not only will the enemy be destroyed but sinners like you and me will share in his defeat. We will win, not by our might but by the work of the Savior in whom we trust.

Things are tough today, my friend, but never forget that we have a glorious future awaiting in which Satan is crushed beneath our feet and the God we worship establishes perfect peace!

Not bad!

Father, thank you for the victory that is ours through uyuou work for us, in us and through us. 

Think and Pray

Do you seek peace with people through compromise?
Remember and rejoice in the victory we have in Christ! Remember to live confidently in Christ.