I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Paul stands bound and obligated to preach and share the gospel with all people without distinction. Greeks and barbarians, wise and unwise mean every kind of person, Jew and Gentile, learned and unlearned, cultured and uncultured, high and lowly, of every nation and level of learning. That debt came from accepting Christ and with Him the commission to teach all nations, when the vision of the Crucified One turned the persecutor into a devoted worker ruled by love for Christ and self-sacrificing ministry to lead all to see Jesus as the Son of God who transforms and saves. The same commission rests on every disciple, so everyone blessed above others and whose heart is opened to Jesus is placed under obligation to God and to every human being he might benefit, for receiving grace, knowledge, truth and light makes a person a debtor both to God and to fellow men in darkness, since light is given to be set where all can be benefited. The debt is paid by a faith that continually grows in earnestness into works wrought by love, fulfilled according to ability and opportunity by preaching, by supporting the work with means, sympathy and prayers, by beautifying truth with holiness of character, and by laying aside pride to seek and save the lost of every class as Jesus mingled with ordinary people to lift them up.
Paul's Debt Explained
Paul was bound and obligated to preach and share the gospel with all people without distinction. The ruling principle of his life after the vision of the Crucified One at Damascus turned the persecutor into a disciple and devoted worker was self-sacrifice for the ministry of love. That spirit of love and self-sacrifice impelled him to serve and to preach Christ's unsearchable riches to the Gentiles, devoting his whole life to the service of the Master. His work of carrying the gospel to the Gentiles reflected this debt.
Greeks and barbarians, wise and unwise mean every kind of person: Jew and Gentile, learned and unlearned, cultured and uncultured, those in high positions and those in the most lowly walks of life, of every nation and level of learning. The debt is the obligation to labor for all classes of men to whom access can be found, for learned and unlearned Jews and Gentiles, including those who love God and keep His commandments. It includes the Jews as well as the Greeks and the barbarians, the cultured and the uncultured among the Gentiles.
The debt came from accepting Christ, which was accepting the commission to teach all nations. After encountering the Savior he was transformed from a persecutor into a servant of Christ, and his after-life was ruled by love for Christ, self-sacrifice, and the ministry of love. That love moved him without selfishness or exclusion to help all people see Jesus as God's Son, whose love and power transform and save. He devoted his varied work to serving Christ and winning souls in fulfillment of that commission.
The universal obligation stands alongside the decided advantage of the Jews, chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God. God by His Holy Spirit calls after Jew as well as Gentile and is no respecter of persons. The gospel is equally efficacious for both, bringing salvation to both, though offered first to the Jew. The sense of debt made Paul long to preach in Rome and hope to win many to the truth there. His chains, treatment as a criminal, and imprisonment made him fear that this expected work and journey meant to serve that purpose would be hindered and frustrated.
The verse belongs to the whole first chapter of Romans, which must be read entire, weighed, grasped in its particular meaning, and given in its full force. The chapter is to be given as a true experience and solemn warning to ministers, churches, and every family claiming to be sons and daughters of God. It exposes holding the truth in unrighteousness and reveals the wrath of God from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and women. Mere knowledge of the truth while denying it in works does not cleanse from every species of iniquity, and the sanctifying grace of God is needed to cleanse and to meet accountability as faithful exemplary believers and laborers together with God.
Believers Share the Obligation
Paul's sense of indebtedness to every class of people rests on every follower of Christ, so that anyone favored above others and anyone whose heart has been opened to Jesus is placed under obligation both to God and to every human being he might benefit. In accepting Christ, Paul accepted the commission to teach all nations, to labor for Jew and Gentile, learned and unlearned, those in high positions and those in the most lowly walks of life, and that same commission rests on every disciple. All whose hearts are opened to Jesus lay aside pride and feel bound to be missionaries as Jesus was, seeking to save the lost.
Receiving grace, knowledge, truth and light makes a person a debtor both to God and to fellow men who lack light and are in darkness and error. The great promises to dwell and walk in His people as temples of the living God, to be their God and to make them His people, to receive them and be a Father to them, lay this debt to every kind of person regardless of nationality or wisdom upon all who receive such goodness. Light is not given to be hidden but to be set where all can be benefited, to enlighten souls for whom Christ died. Those who have received God's grace and knowledge owe it to those who lack them to share these gifts, as they would wish others to do for them, and those converted to the gospel are under solemn obligation to teach others the way of salvation. Those handling the mighty truths of God's word have been made depositaries of sacred truth to be given to the world in all its beauty and glory, creating large responsibilities corresponding to the great light given and many duties to perform.
The debt is paid by a continual faith that continually grows in earnestness and in corresponding works, a faith that works by love and purifies the soul and proves itself by works through continual cooperation with God in the great work of salvation. Each Christian is to fulfill the Saviour's commission according to ability and opportunity, those unable to go personally supporting the work with means, sympathy and prayers. It is paid by using every entrusted advantage to beautify truth by holiness of character and to send messages of warning and of comfort, hope and love to those in the darkness of error and sin.
Those who acknowledge the debt lay aside pride and refuse in Pharisaical pride and haughtiness to withdraw from any class of humanity. A religious experience that opens the heart to Jesus removes pride and creates this sense of debt to every class without distinction, requiring seeking to save that which was lost. This follows Jesus' example of mingling with ordinary people to lift them up, and of valuing people by moral worth rather than status or possessions.
The same price was paid for the salvation of colored and white people, so no person is to be slighted because of color. Slighting a brother misrepresents Jesus and shows that selfishness, tradition and prejudice still pollute the soul, for those who slight a brother are slighting Jesus, and those who acknowledge themselves debtors must not withhold the gospel or Christian regard from anyone.
The obligation holds in business in the counting-room as much as in private devotion, because goods handled are not one's own but a stewardship. Discharging this obligation to God and man determines both the welfare of fellow beings and one's own destiny for this life and for the life to come. Saving souls should be the life-work of everyone who professes Christ, for earthly wealth cannot be carried into eternity, while neglecting spiritual life for worldly honor and riches diminishes moral worth before God's judgment.
Every minister holds this commission from Jesus Christ to bring the truth to all, so the outdoor work in camp-meetings must be well managed. Truly converted ministers are to copy the pattern of Christ, live daily under the Holy Spirit, pray humbly, reveal Christ's character in words and manners, and preach the Word from the heart without rough, pugilistic presentations, in order to teach all nations. Everyone partaking of pardoning love, enlightened by the Spirit and converted to the truth, owes this debt to every soul contacted, and pays it at camp-meeting by going not merely to receive but to impart. Those humble in heart pay it by speaking words revealing saving grace that reach souls ordained ministers cannot approach, and in blessing others they are blessed, for God gives opportunity to impart grace that He may refill with increased grace, and hope and faith strengthen as talents and facilities are used with divine agency working with the worker.
The first chapter of Romans must be read entire, weighed, grasped in its particular meaning and given in its full force as a true experience and solemn warning to ministers, churches and every family claiming to be sons and daughters of God. It exposes holding the truth in unrighteousness and reveals the wrath of God from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and women, calling every family to conversion and calling those who preach the Word to be sanctified through belief of the truth. It charges fathers and mothers especially to awaken to their strangely neglected work in the home, to meet accountability as faithful exemplary believers and laborers together with God, and to seek the Lord and be cleansed from every species of iniquity through sanctifying grace rather than holding truth as mere belief while denying it in works, a work that cannot be neglected without guilt. Mere knowledge of the truth will not cleanse, because the work to be done through sanctifying grace in the home is not understood by those who fail to obey the truth in righteousness, and claiming to believe while denying it in works denies the practical truth that would sanctify the heart. Those who have received greater light are debtors to impart truth to those in error and to warn that the day of the Lord is near, including people who may seem distant or unfamiliar. Grace ruling the heart and bringing mind and thoughts into subjection to Jesus makes a person powerful on the side of Christ and the truth, qualifies him to place truth before others and become a successful laborer for God, with the reward of seeing many souls saved as stars in the crown of rejoicing.
Paul stands bound and obligated to preach and share the gospel with all people without distinction. Greeks and barbarians, wise and unwise mean every kind of person, Jew and Gentile, learned and unlearned, cultured and uncultured, high and lowly, of every nation and level of learning. That debt came from accepting Christ and with Him the commission to teach all nations, when the vision of the Crucified One turned the persecutor into a devoted worker ruled by love for Christ and self-sacrificing ministry to lead all to see Jesus as the Son of God who transforms and saves. The same commission rests on every disciple, so everyone blessed above others and whose heart is opened to Jesus is placed under obligation to God and to every human being he might benefit, for receiving grace, knowledge, truth and light makes a person a debtor both to God and to fellow men in darkness, since light is given to be set where all can be benefited. The debt is paid by a faith that continually grows in earnestness into works wrought by love, fulfilled according to ability and opportunity by preaching, by supporting the work with means, sympathy and prayers, by beautifying truth with holiness of character, and by laying aside pride to seek and save the lost of every class as Jesus mingled with ordinary people to lift them up.
Paul's Debt Explained
Paul was bound and obligated to preach and share the gospel with all people without distinction. The ruling principle of his life after the vision of the Crucified One at Damascus turned the persecutor into a disciple and devoted worker was self-sacrifice for the ministry of love. That spirit of love and self-sacrifice impelled him to serve and to preach Christ's unsearchable riches to the Gentiles, devoting his whole life to the service of the Master. His work of carrying the gospel to the Gentiles reflected this debt.
Greeks and barbarians, wise and unwise mean every kind of person: Jew and Gentile, learned and unlearned, cultured and uncultured, those in high positions and those in the most lowly walks of life, of every nation and level of learning. The debt is the obligation to labor for all classes of men to whom access can be found, for learned and unlearned Jews and Gentiles, including those who love God and keep His commandments. It includes the Jews as well as the Greeks and the barbarians, the cultured and the uncultured among the Gentiles.
The debt came from accepting Christ, which was accepting the commission to teach all nations. After encountering the Savior he was transformed from a persecutor into a servant of Christ, and his after-life was ruled by love for Christ, self-sacrifice, and the ministry of love. That love moved him without selfishness or exclusion to help all people see Jesus as God's Son, whose love and power transform and save. He devoted his varied work to serving Christ and winning souls in fulfillment of that commission.
The universal obligation stands alongside the decided advantage of the Jews, chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God. God by His Holy Spirit calls after Jew as well as Gentile and is no respecter of persons. The gospel is equally efficacious for both, bringing salvation to both, though offered first to the Jew. The sense of debt made Paul long to preach in Rome and hope to win many to the truth there. His chains, treatment as a criminal, and imprisonment made him fear that this expected work and journey meant to serve that purpose would be hindered and frustrated.
The verse belongs to the whole first chapter of Romans, which must be read entire, weighed, grasped in its particular meaning, and given in its full force. The chapter is to be given as a true experience and solemn warning to ministers, churches, and every family claiming to be sons and daughters of God. It exposes holding the truth in unrighteousness and reveals the wrath of God from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and women. Mere knowledge of the truth while denying it in works does not cleanse from every species of iniquity, and the sanctifying grace of God is needed to cleanse and to meet accountability as faithful exemplary believers and laborers together with God.
Believers Share the Obligation
Paul's sense of indebtedness to every class of people rests on every follower of Christ, so that anyone favored above others and anyone whose heart has been opened to Jesus is placed under obligation both to God and to every human being he might benefit. In accepting Christ, Paul accepted the commission to teach all nations, to labor for Jew and Gentile, learned and unlearned, those in high positions and those in the most lowly walks of life, and that same commission rests on every disciple. All whose hearts are opened to Jesus lay aside pride and feel bound to be missionaries as Jesus was, seeking to save the lost.
Receiving grace, knowledge, truth and light makes a person a debtor both to God and to fellow men who lack light and are in darkness and error. The great promises to dwell and walk in His people as temples of the living God, to be their God and to make them His people, to receive them and be a Father to them, lay this debt to every kind of person regardless of nationality or wisdom upon all who receive such goodness. Light is not given to be hidden but to be set where all can be benefited, to enlighten souls for whom Christ died. Those who have received God's grace and knowledge owe it to those who lack them to share these gifts, as they would wish others to do for them, and those converted to the gospel are under solemn obligation to teach others the way of salvation. Those handling the mighty truths of God's word have been made depositaries of sacred truth to be given to the world in all its beauty and glory, creating large responsibilities corresponding to the great light given and many duties to perform.
The debt is paid by a continual faith that continually grows in earnestness and in corresponding works, a faith that works by love and purifies the soul and proves itself by works through continual cooperation with God in the great work of salvation. Each Christian is to fulfill the Saviour's commission according to ability and opportunity, those unable to go personally supporting the work with means, sympathy and prayers. It is paid by using every entrusted advantage to beautify truth by holiness of character and to send messages of warning and of comfort, hope and love to those in the darkness of error and sin.
Those who acknowledge the debt lay aside pride and refuse in Pharisaical pride and haughtiness to withdraw from any class of humanity. A religious experience that opens the heart to Jesus removes pride and creates this sense of debt to every class without distinction, requiring seeking to save that which was lost. This follows Jesus' example of mingling with ordinary people to lift them up, and of valuing people by moral worth rather than status or possessions.
The same price was paid for the salvation of colored and white people, so no person is to be slighted because of color. Slighting a brother misrepresents Jesus and shows that selfishness, tradition and prejudice still pollute the soul, for those who slight a brother are slighting Jesus, and those who acknowledge themselves debtors must not withhold the gospel or Christian regard from anyone.
The obligation holds in business in the counting-room as much as in private devotion, because goods handled are not one's own but a stewardship. Discharging this obligation to God and man determines both the welfare of fellow beings and one's own destiny for this life and for the life to come. Saving souls should be the life-work of everyone who professes Christ, for earthly wealth cannot be carried into eternity, while neglecting spiritual life for worldly honor and riches diminishes moral worth before God's judgment.
Every minister holds this commission from Jesus Christ to bring the truth to all, so the outdoor work in camp-meetings must be well managed. Truly converted ministers are to copy the pattern of Christ, live daily under the Holy Spirit, pray humbly, reveal Christ's character in words and manners, and preach the Word from the heart without rough, pugilistic presentations, in order to teach all nations. Everyone partaking of pardoning love, enlightened by the Spirit and converted to the truth, owes this debt to every soul contacted, and pays it at camp-meeting by going not merely to receive but to impart. Those humble in heart pay it by speaking words revealing saving grace that reach souls ordained ministers cannot approach, and in blessing others they are blessed, for God gives opportunity to impart grace that He may refill with increased grace, and hope and faith strengthen as talents and facilities are used with divine agency working with the worker.
The first chapter of Romans must be read entire, weighed, grasped in its particular meaning and given in its full force as a true experience and solemn warning to ministers, churches and every family claiming to be sons and daughters of God. It exposes holding the truth in unrighteousness and reveals the wrath of God from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and women, calling every family to conversion and calling those who preach the Word to be sanctified through belief of the truth. It charges fathers and mothers especially to awaken to their strangely neglected work in the home, to meet accountability as faithful exemplary believers and laborers together with God, and to seek the Lord and be cleansed from every species of iniquity through sanctifying grace rather than holding truth as mere belief while denying it in works, a work that cannot be neglected without guilt. Mere knowledge of the truth will not cleanse, because the work to be done through sanctifying grace in the home is not understood by those who fail to obey the truth in righteousness, and claiming to believe while denying it in works denies the practical truth that would sanctify the heart. Those who have received greater light are debtors to impart truth to those in error and to warn that the day of the Lord is near, including people who may seem distant or unfamiliar. Grace ruling the heart and bringing mind and thoughts into subjection to Jesus makes a person powerful on the side of Christ and the truth, qualifies him to place truth before others and become a successful laborer for God, with the reward of seeing many souls saved as stars in the crown of rejoicing.