Romans 15:15: Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God.
Paul is saying that it is because he knew they were mature that he had been so bold. Obviously, when a teacher is in the company of mature Christians who are deeply grounded in the faith and knowledgeable about the Word of God, it is much easier to speak candidly without fear of being misunderstood and without fear of offending a weaker brother. But there is a second reason for his boldness: because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. Paul is saying, I have been bold because of my authority as an apostle. The servanthood of the apostle Paul was one that carried weighty, enormous authority, which allowed for a certain boldness. 1
Application
- Your maturity is revealed by how well you receive the leadership of the leaders that God has put into your life. So how mature are you?
- A leader must honor God by doing the hard things with grace and loving boldness, trusting that the outcome will advance the work of God. So how strong is the grace of God in your life?
Prayer
Lord, teach me more about Your grace through all of life’s situations.
1. Sproul, R. C. (1994). The Gospel of God: An Exposition of Romans. Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.