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 and sisters, 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.
*Commentary* In verses 11 and 12, Paul tells the Romans how anxious he is to see them. When he does, he would like to give them a spiritual gift to make them strong. He doesn’t mention what this gift is. He does say that they can be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. In verse 13, Paul stresses to them how much he has wanted to come and see them before now. Until now, he has always been prevented from making the trip. Remember, there are things that have delayed Paul, such as the multiple trips to the Corinthians to deal with issues there, and his long stay at the church in Ephesus.
- In the last part of verse 13, Paul mentions that he might have a “harvest among you.” What does he mean by this?
- How do Christians “encourage each other in faith?”
I think the harvest is to win others to the faith, After Saul’s conversion I believe the most important thing in his life was to proclaim the Good News and win souls.
I think that to ” encourage each other in the faith” is something that we do not consciously do. But be done through our life, our testimonies, our praising the Lord in our victories as we go through
the struggles, and rough circumstances in life still praising God no matter what. For “The God On The Mountain Is Still God In The Valleys”
I think you nailed it, Brad. When Jesus first recruited Simon, he told him he would become a “fisher of men.”
Bringing people to Jesus is a harvest. Be a good role model in faith and helping to show others how the love of Jesus can save them, is encouraging their faith.
This sums up some of the problem with organized religion, they forget the most important thing is to win souls for the Lord. Not to be judgemental or try to change a person, so many times I’ve sat in a church and felt the judgemental stares, heard the preaching on how to be and what to give up. People aren’t stepping into churches to hear that, they are searching for Gods love and grace. That gift is the gift of the holy spirit, the holy spirit will change a person’s behavior without man trying to do it for them. We should be showing people Gods love and grace.