Romans 1:8-17

⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. ⁹ For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, ¹⁰ making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. ¹¹ For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—¹² that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. ¹³ Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. ¹⁴ I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. ¹⁵ So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
 

Commentary

Vs.8 Having giving his opening address to the Christians at Rome (vs. 1-7). The Apostle Paul now begins to address our beloved brethren on a personal level. Telling them that he himself thanks God through Jesus Christ for them all; not just because they believed and received the truth for themselves, but because their faith was being spoken of throughout the whole world. That is their obedience to the Gospel of Jesus Christ was something that went well beyond the confines of the assembly. And so it was wherever Paul went on his missionary endeavours, their faith was well spoken of too him. Quite an endorsement when others speak well of you, because of your faith in and obedience towards the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (consider Rom. 16:19; also Prov. 27:2).

Vs. 9-10 And so Paul in declaring his thankfulness for them all, now says that God as his witness, whom he serves with his spirit in the Gospel of His Son, knows that without ceasing he always makes mention of them in his prayers. No doubt for their continued Spiritual growth and maturity, but more specifically so that he could in some way, find a way in the will of God to come to them (vs. 10). For having heard of their genuine faith and the life giving fruit God was producing through their new lives, Paul also wanted to be their amongst them, to be with growing and dynamic Christians. Yet the Apostle Paul does presume upon this, just as we should not presume upon anything in our lives. And so Paul says here that if it is in the will of the Lord that he should come to them, then he gladly would.
Now we know that Paul eventually would come to Rome, but only after his being falsely accused and arrested in Jerusalem by the Jews. And so when Paul having answered their false charges before their Sanhedrin counsel, then Felix the Roman governor of Judea, and finally King Agrippa (Acts 23:23-26:32). Paul, a Jew, yet also being a Roman citizen, appealed to Caesar for a decisive verdict, since it seemed his release from custody would not come through them by just means. And with that King Agrippa sent Paul onto Rome to stand before Caesar, just as the Lord declared to him that he would be His witness there (Acts 23:11; read 21:15-28:30 for entire history of events). And so what we are reading here came by Holy Spirit inspiration through the Apostle Paul, before Paul had made his way back to Jerusalem, while on his third missionary journey. The most reliable authorities place it's date around 56-57 A.D. After 1-2 Corinthians was written, when Paul being on his third Missionary journey, and staying at Corinth, desired to visit Rome (Acts 19:21). It was during this brief three month interval, that Paul, before being forced to leave the Corinthian region because of the intense persecution there, "penned" this magna-carte epistle to the Romans, before heading on to Jerusalem in hopes of being there for the day of Pentecost (Acts 20:16). Visiting and strengthening
the disciples and churches in their faith across Asia Minor as He traveled onto Jerusalem. And so neither threat of arrest, persecution, or even death would dampen Paul's love and zeal for Jesus Christ and all His people as he ministered the gospel wherever he went (Acts 21:12-13).

Vs. 11-12 Therefore Paul with his words of encouragement here to the believers in Rome had not yet left Corinth. And in dictating this epistle to Tertius (see Rom. 16:22) Paul had yet to realize what awaited him in Jerusalem, and how God's plans for him would unfold for him there (see Acts 21:7-14). And so Paul here, as he did with all the churches, had a heartfelt longing to see them, wishing to see the believers at Rome so "...that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—¹² that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now the Apostle Paul in saying that he wanted to impart some spiritual gift to them to encourage them and strengthen them in their faith, and thus he himself would also be encouraged by them, was not saying that he would lay hands on them to do this. No Paul's wanting to impart to them a spiritual gift, was more like wanting to share with them some of his Spirit given knowledge and understanding from the Word of God, that they might grow in faith and their own knowledge of God (consider 1 Peter 2:2); and so both they and he would be encouraged together.

Vs. 13-17 What hindered Paul from coming to them we are not told. It may have been that in ministering to the brethren in Corinth, Paul felt compelled to stay there to first personally address the many issues facing the brethren there? Or it may have been that as Paul says elsewhere, Satan or other opposition hindered him from coming to them (i.e. 1 Thess. 2:18). Whatever the reasons that kept the Apostle Paul from traveling to them, we are exceedingly grateful to God who permitted such things to take place, because with God allowing Paul's "itinerary" to be delayed/altered, God created the time and gave Paul, by the Holy Spirit, the mind too think out and write this glorious epistle to the Romans that we now have! An epistle that has both edified and instructed brethren down through the centuries; thwarting every works based notion of man for salvation, and or all who would seek to put either the individual believer, or the church collectively back under law, or bind them too the legalistic bondages of man. And thus through it many a believer has grown not only in their faith and knowledge of the grace of God, but have also themselves become advocates and Godly defenders of it, being equipped for the spiritual battle for souls by it. Therefore though Paul's desire was to be in person with them, and thus have some "spiritual fruit" amongst them (vs. 13). But God knew what has far more needful both for them and us all, and by default the Gospel's furtherance, and that was that Paul first pen this letter to them so both they and we would have a magna carta for the defense of the Gospel, and thus the grace and righteousness of God.
Now the Apostle Paul would eventually come to Rome (though not as he had planned or envisioned himself doing so), to be the Lord Jesus Christ's witness there, even to the highest echelons of power in Rome. Before having bestowed on him the greatest honor of all, to suffer martyrdom death there for his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And thus the Apostle Paul rightly says here as Christ's bondservant that he is a debtor both to Greeks (i.e. "civilized" Gentiles) and to barbarians, (i.e. various tribal peoples scattered throughout the Roman Empire and beyond), a debtor both to the wise and the unwise (vs. 14). For just as the Apostle Paul was writing to Jewish and Gentile Christians at Rome, so the Apostle Paul also preached the Gospel to one and to all wherever he went. Declaring God's salvation for everyone and anyone who would believe and thus receive it for themselves. And so Paul as a debtor to all mankind preached the Gospel everywhere and by every means possible, and so he says here: "So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. " vs. 15 
For the faithful preacher of the Gospel doesn't pick and choose the people that he will share God's Gospel with. For the Gospel of God says to one and to all, Look to My Son the Lord Jesus Christ crucified for your everlasting redemption from sin and death, and He will save you from your sins and the judgment to come. For He willingly suffered crucifixion death for you, so that He could redeem you and restore you to Myself the moment you believe (i.e. put your trust) in Him (John 3:16). That is what the Gospel of God says to every person, in every generation:
"Look to Me, and be saved
All you ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other." Isaiah 45:22
And that is why the Apostle Paul says: ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” For the Gospel is not just the Word of God it is the Power of God to redeem, restore, and to Spiritually transform everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ from their lost and hopeless state, into being new creations in Christ with life everlasting with God Himself (2 Cor. 5:17). That is God's eternal and unfailing promise for every sinner who repents and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, God's grace and righteousness imputed to us all who believe in Him (John 5:24). For as the Apostle Paul says here it's God Righteousness that saves us who believe in Jesus Christ, not our own (Rom. 3:19-28; Eph 2:8-9). And so God, through the Gospel both reveals and imputes His Righteousness through His glorious work for mankind's redemption Through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ's crucifixion death and resurrection from the dead by which He has paid the purchased price for our souls and persons redemption from eternal damnation. Therefore because of Jesus Christ's Crucifixion for us, God can be the just and justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom 3:24-26). The question then is have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? Not Jesus plus your own righteousness, or good deeds, or prayers, or whatever else you do, or have done, but faith exclusively in the Son of God. For it is only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that we have remission for all of our sins and new and everlasting life with Himself. For there is no other name under heaven given amongst men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Therefore put all of your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, calling on the Name of Lord who will save you from your sins (Matt. 1:21) and restore you to a right relationship with God through what He has done for you, and not what you try to do for yourself.


Scripture Citations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982

Romans 1:1–7

1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Commentary
Vs. 1 The Apostle Paul beings his letter to the Romans by declaring to us three different things about himself. The first is that he is a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Not just a "follower", (that is someone who thinks "following" Jesus would be a nice thing to do; which one may indeed start of doing; for everyone has to start their faith journey somewhere. But if that is all Jesus is to them, and remains to them, a nice teacher etc. one will not remain with Him. For unless ones need for the Lord Jesus Christ becomes real and paramount to them, one cannot remain with Him, consider John 6:53-66; Rev 3:16). And so instead of that Paul says that he is a bondservant of Jesus Christ. In other words Paul lays no claims to himself or his life. All that he does begins and ends with Jesus Christ. In other words Paul has surrendered himself completely to Jesus Christ and His Will for his life. That is what it means to be a bondservant of Jesus Christ, having absolutely no rights or claims to one's own life. It is then to be completely surrounded to the Lordship of Christ.

Next Paul say's of himself that he is called to be an apostle. Now everyone who believes in Jesus Christ, and thus is born-again by His Holy Spirit, is also called by God to be something for Jesus Christ (vs. 7). That is why we are given Spirit gifts, to both define our roles within the Body of Christ, as well as Spirit equipped us to fulfill those duties and serve Jesus Christ and the body of Christ in that capacity. Though Paul had multiple Spirit gifts, and did various kinds of work for Jesus Christ, (i.e. preaching, teaching, evangelism etc.) and had various kinds of Spirit outworking's take place through his life (miracles, healings, tongues speaking and most important prophecy; Acts 14:3; 2 Cor. 2:12 etc.). Paul's calling was to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. That is first and foremost to be a minister to, and a witness of, the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 22:15; 26:12-18), which then brought about all of his other Spirit directed activities in His service of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which also meant serving the Body of Christ through his Spirit gifts. And that is why Paul says of himself that he is separated to the gospel of God, because it was God who separated Paul to His Son Jesus Christ, even from the womb, for His purposes (consider Gal 1:15). And so when God's call on Paul's life became absolutely clear to him, with his conversion on the Damascus road, he became separated to the work of the Gospel, just as the Holy Spirit also directed others about him (consider Acts 9:13-16; 13:1-3, vs. 2; 22:12-21). Thus Paul's declaration of himself as an Apostle of Jesus Christ is not something he appointed himself too. As if he choose this for himself, as is the manner of the false apostles who love to have the preeminence and or the "prestige", while avoiding any of the hardships, tribulations, and or persecutions, that every true apostle of Christ faces and embraces as His bondservant, set apart for His service and His peoples well being. No Paul knew from the beginning the many things that he would suffer for Jesus Christ's Name's sake (Acts 9:16). And yet knowing these things did not deter him from diligently obeying the Lord who called him. Because he knew the Lord Jesus Christ was far greater than the overwhelming opposition that he would daily face, and it would be the Lord Jesus Christ who would sustain Him, regardless of the people or circumstances, both inside and out, which opposed him, or would seek to harm him. And so Paul gladly says of himself that he is separated to the gospel of God. Not a church denomination and it's founders name, decrees, traditions, or "theology"; not a spiritual office, gift, or exercise; not even a social cause or movement. But only separated to the gospel of God as declared to us in the Holy Scriptures. Separated to its declaration to the ends of the earth, for the obedience of all nations, to the faith In Christ Jesus.

 

Vs. 2-4 Now Paul says of the gospel of God that it was God who promised it to us before through His prophets, in the Holy Scriptures (vs. 2). A Promise that concerns His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh (vs. 3). Which means from the descendants of David, God who promised that David would not lack to have a Man sit on His throne forever (Acts 2:29-36), brought forth His Son into the world, to fulfill His Word about His Son and the salvation that He would bring to one and to all who believe in Him. And so God in the fullness of time fulfilled His promise concerning the seed of David and brought forth the Incarnated Son of God, through the virgin Marry, who according to the Word of God gave birth to Him. Thus with the Lord Jesus Christ having become flesh, God began to fulfill His Messianic promises concerning our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who according to the Scriptures had to first live faultless before Him as a Man, then to make the required atonement for all our sins redemption, Jesus suffered crucifixion death on the cross, before He was buried in the stone tomb. Then three days later He rose from the dead to take back from the devil his power over death, and thus release people from their fear of it (Heb 2:14-15). Finally in the fulfillment of God's plans and purposes Jesus ascended back to God the Father in heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of God, waiting till all of His enemies are made His footstool. And so because of the self-evident proof of this, both of Jesus Christ's Supernatural birth, sinless life, crucifixion death, and resurrection from the dead, and ascension back to the God the Father in heaven. We now eagerly await on His return to redeem His Bride the church and reign over us all. And so the Lord Jesus Christ is here declared "to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." vs. 4 For only the Son of God has power over sin, Satan, and death, and this He does by the Spirit of holiness, that is by His Holy Spirit which the Lord Jesus Christ raised Himself from the dead (John 10:17-18). And through which He will likewise raise up us all who believe in Him to everlasting life with Himself at the last Day (John 6:39-40, 44, 54, 11:25-26). Thus the Gospel is not just the Word of God to us. It is the Power of God in us, through us, and for us, for our eternal redemption and salvation from sin and death, declared and manifested through the Son of God the Lord Jesus Christ, via the Spirit of Holiness, for everyone who believes in Him.

Vs. 5-7 Having declared the power and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of Holiness, the Apostle Paul now turns his focus towards the grace given to us all who believe in Him, a grace from God which comes only through Him (Acts 4:12); as well as our responsibility towards Him. First up is God's grace, something the Apostle Paul received for himself by faith his in the Lord Jesus Christ's Person. And thus having received God's eternal pardon for all his sins and transgressions, via Christ's crucifixion death on the cross. Paul likewise received God's calling for his new life; that is, "apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His Name." _{vs. 5}

Therefore first one must enter the Lord Jesus Christ's rest (Matt 11:28-30), before they enter His service (Heb 4). That is first they have to receive His salvation by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's Person. Which in the Apostle Paul's case meant not only repenting of his own sins, but also ceasing from all his own attempts to save himself through his own works and efforts (Eph. 2:8-9). For as the Apostle Paul reveals about himself in the New Testament, he once lived as the strictest of Pharisees, thinking to attain too a right standing with God through his own zealous religious observances and self efforts, going so far in his misguided zeal for God to even persecuting the church of God. And so not until the Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to then Saul, did Saul see the incredible error of his ways (Acts 8:1-3; 9:1-31 also consider Phil 3:1-11, vs. 7-9). And so with Saul's repentance and faith, Jesus immediately began to unfold His plans for him, which began with Saul's baptism by the devout Ananias, before Saul entered Christ's service as His disciple. But not just as a disciple, but now His apostle, whom Christ chose to be His witness of His resurrection, and preacher of His Person, to both Jews and Gentiles. So that all peoples, everywhere, whether Jews or Gentiles can be made obedient to the faith, and thus be given a chance to receive life everlasting through faith in The Lord Jesus Christ's Person. As the Apostle himself declared to King Agrippa, when recalling his own salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ to him (see Acts 26:1-23). Now Paul in making his opening address here to the Christians in Rome, not only says of himself that he was called by Christ, but they also were called by Jesus Christ to be His saints (vs. 6-7). Thus God's saints are not people that become "canonized" after their death. God's saints are His living people here and now, who live because Christ has brought us all who believe in Him to life and thus united us with Himself by His Holy Spirit. And so we are called saints, not just as some sort of title bestowed on us, rather we are called saints because that is what God who loved us, and called us in Christ Jesus to be, His holy people. Thus the Apostle Paul says to not only the Christians at Rome to whom he wrote this epistle, but to all Christians everywhere, for we are all beloved of God, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." vs. 7

And so the Apostle Paul in his genuine love and concern for God's people, bestows God's blessing on all God's people, both God's grace and God's peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Scripture Citations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982

 

 

James 5:13–20

 ¹³ Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. ¹⁹ Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

Commentary
Vs. 13 To conclude his epistle the Apostle James will now close with some practical exhortations meant too restore believers back to a right standing with God and each other. And so at the heart of them all is prayer, confession, and thanksgiving. And so the Apostle James begins by mentioning suffering. "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." Now the word James uses here for suffering is the same word he used in 5:10 of the prophets who suffered for their faith in God. The Apostle Paul also uses it in the same way of his own sufferings for the Gospel (2 Tim 2:9), to which he exhorts Timothy to join with him in the same (2 Tim 4:5). Those are the only occurrences of this word in the N.T. And so for us James maybe using it in that restrictive way here, or more likely, he is probably using it in a very encompassing way so as too leave all possibilities open. And so whether one is suffering for their faith in Jesus, or because of some sort of illness, or affliction, or even suffering God's chastisement in their lives because of some sin that has not been confessed and forsaken etc. Our first response too suffering in our lives should be to pray. To seek God, not only for comfort and consolation, but also for wisdom and understanding, as to why these things are. Though answers may not always be speedily coming as was the case with Job, where his prolonged sufferings not only changed him, but also exposed some really bad theology that his three friends wrongly held, and sadly used against him. Therefore if anyone is suffering, whether for their faith In Jesus Christ, or for other reasons, the Apostle James says let him first pray. For it is in prayer to God that one gains fortitude, perseverance, and understanding as too how to carry on, as well as potential insight into what God is doing, or accomplishing through our sufferings Thus during times of suffering, prayer is the place where the Godly person finds their refuge in the Lord
(consider Psalm 46; 57:1-11; 59; 61:1-4; 62:5-8; 71:1-24; 102; 124; 141:8; 142; 143 etc.).
Next James says, "If anyone is cheerful, let him sing Psalms." The word here indicates being encouraged, which maybe because of deliverance from some sort of affliction or trial, or maybe because of someone just being there for you in your time of need. Whatever the reasons, when God  makes you joyful, it is most fitting and joyful to sing His praises, as the Psalms say, "Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful." Psalm 147:1

Vs. 14-18 ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. ¹⁷ Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. ¹⁸ And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

In this section the Apostle James again begins by addressing suffering. Here though he is making a connection between being sick and one having sinned. We know this by the context of the passage which is linking ones being healed with ones prayer of faith (vs. 14-15). And so what is stated here is not some generalized formula promising healing to one and to all simply because one goes to the church elders and they pray over them and anoint them with oil. Instead what is being given to us here is instructions on how we are to deal with sin, and a sickness directly related to it, in our own lives. And so in vs. 16 the Apostle James clearly links ones being ill with having sinned and not confessed it. Thus the sickness here is something brought on by the will of God to bring about a persons repentance, confession, and ultimately restoration. Therefore as the Apostle James exhorts here we are too, "Confess our trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." vs 16
Thus both confessing our sins to one another, when we sin against each other, and praying for one another is a pathway to not only ones healing when one is being chastened by the Lord. It is critical too maintaining healthy Christian relationships in any church, or anywhere else. For brotherly love, unity, and peace cannot flourish where known offenses are knowingly left unresolved. Indeed all that does is grieve the Holy Spirit and leave the individual, or church collectively, ineffective and Spiritually powerless. Therefore instead of by-passing this critical step to Christian maturity, we all must learn to embrace it, and practice it, in a spirit of brotherly kindness, love, and reconciliation.
For as James says here "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much". Much in every way then does the righteous person's prayer effect healing for one who is afflicted as one seeks to get right with God and their fellow brethren. And so to make his point on this point, the Apostle James sights Elijah, the righteous prophet of God who prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain for three years, then he prayed again to God for the rains, and they came (see 1 Kings 17:1, 18:1). And so to reiterate, what the Apostle James is promising here is not carte-blanche healing for every disease, sickness, and malady that people incur. Rather he is promising that those who have sinned and make earnest confession and supplication to the Lord about there sin, renouncing it, and when it is appropriate to do so confessing it to the offended party, will find for themselves the healing of the Lord.

Vs. 19-20 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.

To conclude his epistle the Apostle James gives us one finial exhortation, that in many ways encompasses just what Jesus came to do, to seek and save all who have strayed from God the Father (Luke 15:1-32). And so James says to us all as a matter of encouragement, "Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, ²⁰ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins."

And so if any believer turns back one who has wandered the truth, they will as James says here, not only save a sinner from the error of his ways, but will also save his soul from death, and in so doing cover a multitude of sins. Not their own sins, but the sins of the repentant sinner will be covered under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that brethren is a fundamental ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ that He wills to work through our own lives, to turn people away from their sins and back to Himself. Indeed that is what God's shepherds, and Godly people likewise want to do. Seek out and restore to a right relationship with God, and others, who have gone astray. And that is why the Gospel preacher preaches. Or Bible teacher teaches. Or the missionary goes to those far-off and hard places. To turn people back to the truth, as Jesus said to the Apostle Paul when He commissioned him as His witness and Apostle; "to turn people from the powers of darkness to the powers of light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." (See Acts 26:15-18).
I don't where your at today, near to God or far away. But I know this that the Lord Jesus Christ suffered crucifixion death to bring you (and me) near to God through Himself. For He has fulfilled God's required blood atonement of all of our sins by the death of Himself on the cross. And having paid our sins penalty on the cross through His death and shed blood the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead to take back the power of death from him who held it, that is the devil. So that anyone who believes in Him will be set apart from sin, death, and judgment, so as to be sanctified by God's Spirit, and thus be set apart for God's holy and eternal purposes In Christ, all by faith in His Person. For that is the marvelous gift and work of God that Jesus has accomplished for us all who believe, everlasting life! Which requires, no demands, our unconditional trust in the Lord Jesus Christ's Person. Everything else then being an outworking of our faith in Him. If you have not yet received remission of all your sins and everlasting life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ's Person. Then please do so, for there is nothing more freeing, satisfying and truly soul gratifying then receiving life through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore open your heart to Him for His heart is always open to you, and He is seeking you to bring you safely back to God in peace (Rev 3:20). All you have to do is say Yes Lord Jesus I believe in You and want You to come into my heart and life to be my Lord and Savior, amen.

Scripture Citations
The New King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982


Word Studies
Suffering: Louw Nida 24.89

24.89 κακοπαθέω; κακοπάθεια, ας f: to suffer physical pain, hardship and distress—‘to suffer distress, to suffer pain, suffering hardship.’

Additional Resources Consulted
MacDonald, William. Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Edited by Arthur Farstad. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995.