Moo calls 15:14-16:27 "The Letter Closing" that is comparable with "The Letter Opening" (1:1-15). In both, Paul speaks about the Roman Christians and about his ministry as it relates to them. Together these sections form an "epistolary frame" (Moo 884). The framing of the letter as to its beginning and its ending has a distinctively personal, "you and me" flavor though these sections are not devoid of theology (cf. especially 1:1-6 and 16:24-27).

Moo outlines the letter closing in three sections: 1) Paul's ministry and travel plans, 15:14-33, which completes chapter 15, 2) Greetings, 16:1-23, and 3) Concluding doxology, 16:25-27). It seems to me that 15:14-16 is a distinct unit that leads into a discussion of his ministry past and future. [The Gentile ministry is introduced (in the 14-16 unit), then versus. 17-19a transition the Gentile ministry to some looking back (9b-22), and verse 23 moves from the present, ("now"), to future plans and hopes (24ff)].

Two things are presented here that we will discuss: 1) Paul states his boldness in writing to the Romans, and 2) Paul grounds his boldness in writing to the Romans.

1A. Paul states his boldness in writing to the Romans (15:15)

Notice how this opens: "I have written." He says this in the letter he is writing but it is not "I am writing." This has the nature of being some writing about his writing. As he comes to the close of the letter he thinks back over the things that he has said. Now he wants to give perspective by saying some things about the things he has said. To be specific, it is self-reflection on the writing. He focuses on how he has addressed the Romans in this letter. How he has written can be summarized in the fact that he wrote with boldness and how that might be taken.

He says that he wrote "more boldly." This means that he expressed himself "rather boldly" (Murray). But he immediately qualifies himself by saying that his writing was not totally of this nature; rather, the boldness was apparent at various points along the way (from what is literally "in part").

Think of the boldness to which he refers in the book. Are we Jews better than the Gentiles? No, we are all alike under sin (3:9). That seems to be bold. Perhaps the section where Paul gives some rare commands is rather direct: Count yourselves dead to sin and alive to God; do not let sin reign in your life; present yourselves, your members (your body parts, all that you are in body and soul) as instruments of righteousness (6:11-14). There are bold words regarding suffering in Romans 8 and sovereignty in chapters 8-9 (this is a very direct and forthright humbling of man in the interest of exalting God). He speaks boldly to the Jews (You have no excuse, 2:1, you who brag about the law, 2:23). And he speaks boldly to the Gentiles ("I am talking to you Gentiles: do not boast but consider that you do not support the root but the root supports you as branches grafted in, 11:13, 18). In the section we just completed, Paul rebukes both the strong and the weak by saying: You are wrong in condemning one another; you are wrong in looking down your noses at one another (chapter 14, even the strong sin when they cause the weak to sin against their consciences!).

A good thought for review reading is to go back over the book (cf. the outline/handout) looking for the bold words of Paul. I have highlighted a few and perhaps I have not yet stated the boldest claims made by Paul. For example, Paul travels through a theological Scalla and Charibdis with his doctrine of justification by the obedience of faith. Picture a ship sailing through a channel with a blunt high wall of rock on one side (a Scalla) and treacherous rocks just below the water on the other side (a Charibdis). If you sail too far to the left or too far to the right you will find yourself on a sinking ship in extremely dangerous waters. To the left of justification by grace through faith alone is legalism and to the right of it is antinominianism.

Paul was bold to deny any ground in the law for justification even though the Jews and Scripture itself placed high value on the law. Paul says that if you go in the direction of law merit for right standing with God, then you are not justified. Legalism is directly and firmly opposed. But justification by faith alone also runs the risk of abuse and misunderstanding that swings in reaction against legalism and duty to law to the notion of license to sin (if not legalism then it is licentiousness; if it is not law that it is license). Nevertheless Paul sails ahead with the proclamation of justification by the obedience of faith.

On the other hand, Paul was bold to deny any ground for license and lawless living by firmly stressing the spirituality, necessity, and validity of the law in the Christian life. Those who are united to Christ have died to sin; that has already happened in our union with Him in His death on the cross, so how can one who has died to sin live any longer in sin? (Rom. 6). So do we void the law? No, we uphold it as good and spiritual. Paul forthrightly says that if you go in this lawless direction you sow to the flesh and store up wrath for yourself against the day of wrath (Rom. 6:16, 21; 2:7-10). And this justification-versus-antinomianism also runs the risk of abuse and misunderstanding, especially the tendency to swing in reaction to the opposite extreme of legalism and law works for justification. The thought is that if we are under the law that we must be justified by it; if we are under it, we are under it with no "and, ifs, or buts about it." Still, Paul sails ahead with justification by the obedience of faith alone.

Paul is bold, forthright, firm, cautionary, and direct in no uncertain terms. You must trust in Christ and Christ alone without any dependence on law works in order to be justified. And being justified by faith alone, you must take up the law giving it the highest regard as the oracle of God. Thus instead of being a slave to sin you are to be a slave to God in your obedience to the law, in your obedience of faith. Thus he boldly combines faith in Christ without the law with the obedience of faith in Christ by the law. Because these two seem to contradict each other on the surface some readers will inevitably go to one extreme and some readers will inevitably go to the other extreme.

He knows these pitfalls regarding his doctrine. One way to try to steer a straight path down the middle is to be as clear as possible. Clarity is served by repetition. Thus Paul says that in writing as he has he is reminding them (v. 15b, "as putting you again in remembrance"). The things of the book are things that they are generally acquainted with (and pitfalls abound). But he reminds them again. This is that basic "peat and repeat" principle. He was direct regarding their conduct and regarding their doctrine.

You would do well to read the book of Romans in light of this paragraph (15:14-16).

2A. Paul grounds his boldness in writing to the Romans

In writing about his writing, Paul grounds his boldness in two things.

1B. First, it is due to his confidence in them (inference from v. 14 relative to 15)

These words have to be seasoned by the letter as a whole. He speaks to the Romans in a self-conscious way; he speaks about his speaking to them. And who are they? They are all identified in relation to Paul as "my brethren" (my brothers and sisters). Note the family flavor here that has a very personal touch; they are not simply addressed as brothers and sisters but as my brothers and sisters. Brothers would be one level of intimacy with a family bond emphasis but adding "my" increases and personalizes the family love. Thus they are addressed as loved ones; the writer writes boldly to his loved ones, to his fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. This fact conditions how he writes to them.

He views them as the family of God, and his family in a mutual bond of love. Then to avoid misunderstanding and to carry the message home to them decisively, he expresses his confidence in them as a people (and to keep the path clear for them to receive his letter in total).

Paul's confidence regarding the Romans is that 1) first they have an inner fullness that combines goodness with knowledge (v. 14, what a great and typical combination, knowing is associated with being). What they know is tied to who they are as to their character and character is tied to the knowledge they have. They are not mean or bad but upright and kind as they act on what they know. 2) And second they have a practical skill. They are able to counsel, instruct, encourage, advise, and admonish (v. 14). But this is not in a one sided way but in a mutual give and take. It is not "I can teach, I am your teacher, so give me the platform to do so." Instead, it is such that we can teach each other: "sometimes I teach you and sometimes you teach me." We are thus both teachers and learners in the same ongoing process. This is the context that is mature and most appropriately adapted to receiving apostolic instruction via the letters of Paul! The book of Romans is directed to spiritually mature Christians on the whole. It assumes some good measure of attainment in the things of Christ as it calls for stretching and serious reflection.

"Also" (v. 14, not reflected in the NIV) indicates that others see the Romans in this way as well. Paul makes it clear that he agrees with their assessment. There is much ground for confidence in the Romans. His confidence in them grounds his boldness in writing to them as he has (with sometimes severity, warning, correction, or rebuke and all with authority).

2B. Second, Paul grounds his boldness in his calling to be a minister

This is why he is bold with them ("because" v. 15). It is because of His commission (cf. on his commission, 1 Cor. 9:16; Eph. 3:7-9; and on his office cited in the book of Romans, 1:1, 5; 11:13; 12:3). Being bold is fitting for Paul because of his ministry. To make his point with unmistakable clarity and forcefulness, he describes his ministry in a series of phrases. In each one is a reason for his boldness and in them all with cumulative effect is a cluster of reasons for his bold writing. It all centers in his ministry that has to be seen as something rich and complex.

So as we briefly pick a grape at a time from this cluster of grapes, let's keep in mind that they accumulate to present us with a powerful reason for the letter of Romans and an insightful look into the inner core theme of the book.

1) The origin of his ministry: Paul has the ministry he has by God's grace. This fact is further unpacked in Galatians 1:15. There Paul clarifies the purity of grace: he was "set apart from birth" and "called by grace." So, he must be bold in writing.

2) The center of his ministry is Christ: It is on Christ that all lines of service converge. He is the master served. He defines and focuses the ministry of Paul. Therefore, he must write with boldness.

3) The subjects of his ministry: To whom does Christ direct Paul in his serving? He is sent to the Gentiles. This is stated in his conversion and call. Ananias who ministered to Paul immediately upon his conversion was told, "This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and before their kings and before Israel" (Acts 8:15). In Galatians Paul said that Peter was given the task of preaching to the Jews and that he was given the task of preaching to the Gentiles (2:8f.). So to fulfill this task Paul writes boldly.

4) The nature of his ministry: It is priestly service of worship (his calling/ministry is priestly duty; doubly indicated in the word chosen for minister, 16a, and the word chosen for ministering the gospel of God which is translated in the NIV as "with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God").

5) The means of his ministry: He carries out his priestly ministry by the grace call of God and centered on Christ by proclaiming the gospel far and wide. The gospel is to be published, spread far and wide by oral witness and written testimony both in public and in private.

6) The goal of his ministry: He ministers the gospel as a priest but the gospel is not the offering presented by this priest. The gospel is the means by which this offering is made. He seeks to fulfill his work to present the Gentiles as a offering well pleasing to God. Thus Paul's apostolic priestly function contrast markedly with the Levitical priestly function. The OT priesthood was Jewish centered and Paul's is Gentile centered. The Gentiles as the offering is stated in Isaiah 66:18-20.

7) The power of his ministry: He is a human instrument used by the Spirit to set apart the Gentiles. Hence, there is an efficacy to his work (so Murray, p. 211). The nations are certainly brought into the kingdom of Christ and under His rule as the root of Jesse, the risen and exalted king.

Note the broad reference to the Gentiles as a whole here in Romans 15:16. The Gentiles are set apart in two ways: a) by the proclamation of the gospel fish net, and b) by the call of some to the obedience of faith. In this way, the sanctifying work of the Spirit applies to the work of Paul in fulfilling his historical-redemptive function as an apostle to the Gentiles bringing them into an altogether new and permanent relationship to the kingdom of God. They are a people now to whom it can be said that the covenant promises belong to them and are thus proclaimed to them as good news that is received by faith in Christ. Furthermore, the sanctifying work of the Spirit applies to the saving of the particular Gentiles who are called according to God's eternal purpose.

Summary: Due to his calling combined with who the Romans are in relation to his calling he writes boldly. Because he is a minister/apostle by God's grace, because that ministry centers on Christ, because it is directed to the Gentiles, because it is a worship oriented priestly duty, because it is gospel of God proclamation, and because his ministry has the goal of presenting the worship offering of the Gentiles to God, and because his ministry is made effectual by the blessing of the Holy Spirit, therefore, Paul writes rather boldly to them at various points in the letter.

This is a rich justification for his firm and direct manner of writing! In this way Paul vindicates his letter, especially the bold elements because the gospel theme of the book motivates his boldness. In this way he brings before us the theme of the book, which is the gospel of God concerning His son, Jesus Christ who has secured a righteousness of God for all who trust in Him.

Concluding Lessons

1) Learning and living go together in living under the authority of Christ (v. 14). And we are to help each other in learning and living the commands of Christ. Mature knowledge, goodness, and competency in mutual instruction open the door for receiving the book of Romans, the apostolic word, and the word of Christ (these being all one and the same).

2) Bold proclamation of the gospel is exemplified in Paul's writing. We should pray for boldness in ministry, my ministry and our ministry as individuals and as a church. The apostles labored and we enter into their labors. They brought about a massive change in the history of redemption. We live on this side of that change. Bold articulation of the gospel goes hand and hand with clarity in making Christ known among the nations. This includes doctrinal clarity (Paul petitions prayer for both bold and clear proclamation, Col. 4:4; Eph. 6:19-20). Consider the Scalla and Charibdis again. The danger of misunderstanding and abuse calls for even more precision and clarity. It calls for reminding by the "peat and repeat" principle. We should boldly proclaim the good news of a righteousness of God effectually given to sinners through Christ by the Spirit using human means.

3) On this side of the historical-redemptive change from Jewish particularism to national universalism, we should see gospel ministry as worship service, priestly service. Our witness is a matter of honoring the Lord. And this defines our gatherings: gathering for gospel ministry we gather for worship service.

4) Our goal in ministry/witness is the same as Paul's goal: to present the nations (Jew and Gentile) as an offering to God. This refers to conversion and much more than conversion. The mutual teaching that we are engaged in as a church is the process by which an offering is presented to the Lord, an offering of the nations (Gentiles) well pleasing to God.

5) In doing so, we trust in the sovereign working of the Holy Spirit who applies salvation with effectual power. The bottom line is that we have a job to do and we are to work hard at it to the glory of Christ and ultimate success in our endeavors is certain in God's time and according to His sovereign will.