The Credit Roll
If you've ever watched a television program or a movie, there's a credit roll at the end giving a list of all the important people who were instrumental in getting the movie or show to a form where you could watch it. This chapter feels like that.
In it, Paul lists many individuals who were important in his ministry. This occupies Romans 16:1-16, or more than half of the chapter. Most of these names have little mention in the rest of the Bible. Some are mentioned in a few places. But even those have been largely swept up in the dust bunnies of time. The vast majority of the great Christian religious minds likewise have been swept up and forgotten, having done their part to propagate the gospel.
One day, I hope to thank many of those people lost to history. Think of all the scribes who carefully created copies of the Bible books by hand. Where would the church be without their work? So many have come and gone.
It is important, though, just like Paul, to list those who have shaped our lives. Paul wouldn't have been as successful as he was without those he listed.
My list would include my mother. She wasn't perfect and admits to a part of her life when she had turned away from God. But in her 94 years, she at least raised me to be the man I am, for better or worse. You and God will have to be the judge of that.
I'd like to mention Finis Jennings Dake, who created an annotated Bible that formed and sharpened many of my opinions about scripture. Sunday school teachers and pastors have also had their hand in forming me. Bart Wilder, Mark Harkins, Sister Crowe, and many others were particularly good examples when I needed them. I'm sure when I get to heaven they'll all take me to task letting me know I should have listened better.
The point is, no minister stands alone. Each has people in their past who have helped to shape them, for better and for worse, and sometimes both. Acknowledging these people keeps us grounded. Acknowledging God's work is even better, but Paul has done that throughout the book. Think of your own credit roll and if the people are alive, take a moment to thank them for the work they did in polishing you to your present state.
The Bonus Feature
Then, in Romans 16:17-27, there's what would be styled as a Bonus Feature. Paul's warnings are just as important today as they were then. He reiterates that there are those who are seeking to cause divisions and offences to God who want to destroy the church. You need to mark who these people are and avoid them. You also need to study the Bible to learn sound doctrine so you will know when people are going against the doctrine the Bible presents. Groups of Christians have not taken this to heed and have followed false teachers who claimed to have a special revelation from God. Don't believe them and don't fall into those pits of darkness.
Paul wanted his readers to be wise about all good things, learning more about the ways of God. But for that which was evil, he wanted them to simply acknowledge that evil and ignore it. By staying true to God, Paul promised that the attacks of Satan would ultimately fail and come to nothing at least regarding their own individual salvation.
The credit roll the continues for just a bit as Tertius who evidently wrote the words for Paul salutes the fellow Christians and prays that the knowledge of Christ will spread forth to the world so that all would come to know God and to be saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. He then acknowledges God to be the only true source of wisdom and gives glory to God through the Lord Jesus Christ forever.