Encourage and Strengthen

 DEVOTION

THE LETTER TO THE ROMANS

ENCOURAGE AND STRENGTHEN

Rom 1:11-13

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

NIV

Well, we made it pass verses 8-10 and now we see that Paul longs to see them so that he may impart some spiritual gift that will make them strong. Before we get into this encouraging one another, we think it best to focus on this spiritual gift Paul wants to impart to them so they will be strong. We are confident Paul is not referring to any spiritual gifts that he outlined in his letter to the Galatians that we accept as the gifts of the Spirit. Here within this context the fact that the Greek word is used as gift is Charisma, which is defined mostly as a gift of grace, a favor one receives without any merit of their own. However, it can also mean a spiritual endowment. Yet it would seem that within the context of the “that is” which looks to be the type of spiritual gift that will strengthen them, is mutual encouragement by each other’s faith. We know that later in this letter Paul enumerates several of the gifts of the Spirit, one of them being the gift of encouragement. We think this is what spiritual gift he is referring to here in the sense that both encouraging and being encouraged strengthen both believers. We are told to build each other up until we reach unity in the faith and encouraging is certainly one of the methods of building each other up. However, there is another aspect of this being encouraged and that is by each other’s faith. When we become aware of another’s faith, which we would think would happen each and every time we gather together for worship or some form of bible study. Anytime two or more are gathered in his name we should be encouraged and thus we should be strengthened in our faith. The problem that could exist, which might be a distraction or a hindrance from being encouraged and strengthened, is through developing some negative attitude toward one or more of our fellow believers. These might appear in the form of envy, jealousy, bitterness, or pride, that is thinking more highly of ourselves than we should. We have witnessed some who think either their education or position gives them some sense of superiority or a feeling of being more spiritual than others. We have witnessed how destructive gossip is and how it produces the opposite of encouragement and strengthening. This type of attitude and behavior tears down instead of building up or creates any sense of unity whatsoever. We must take our cue from Paul, as he has taken his cue from the Lord Jesus Christ, who tells us to love one another as he has loved us. Love will always encourage and strengthen.