Romans 15:14-16

I myself am also persuaded about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish others. But I write the more boldly to you in part, as reminding you, because of the grace that was given to me by God, that I should be a servant of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest the Good News of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Paul admits, here, that he was pretty strong in his talk to the Romans, but he also says that he was aware that they were already doing what was right. I think that Paul wanted to explain why he preached so strongly about these things even though they were being good. He explains that he told them these things because that was the job that God had given him to do.

I am very grateful that Paul did this particular job because now we benefit from what he wrote.

Notice that Paul calls this message in Romans the Good News or “Gospel.” This letter holds the parts of Christianity that are non-negotiable. You can’t say you are a Christian and choose not to accept these things. These are the things that all of us, as Christians, are supposed to agree on. These are the things that form the foundation of Christianity and that can never be changed.

It is important for us to recognize Christian fundamentals because there are those who attempt to change Christianity. Some even think that they are updating it somehow, but that is not necessary. Romans tells us that it is Christianity that must stay the same and, instead, people should be changed by it. There is only one way to be made acceptable to God and that is by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul wanted to do his job well and present Gentiles to God in an acceptable way.