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Romans 1:12

— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

For context, vv.11-12 reads:

Romans 1:11-12

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

V.12, which reads as a sort self-made of ‘correction’ to what Paul wrote in v.11, is making a expansion. Although in v.11 Paul is talking about his visit being about giving to them, as if they need something from him, his expansion is that he too needs something from them; to be encouraged by their faith. Although this can be seen as pandering from Paul, we have no reason not to judge his heart as genuine. Why would Paul need encouragement from the Roman’s faith? Christians are a group of people who have a uniting cause; bringing glory to God and furthering the gospel to the ends of the earth. Christians are meant to do that work together (Romans 15:5). And working together involves mutual encouragement. Although our ultimate encouragement comes from the love of God, I believe God uses us to show his love to one another.

Another important note in this verse is that Paul isn’t seeing himself as higher than those he is writing to. He acknowledges that he has a special assignment from God (Romans 1:1), but that doesn’t make him any less of a human than his fellow believers. This humble attitude is an important lesson that we can take away. No Christian is ‘better’ than any other Christian. We all fall very short of God’s level of perfection. It is our faith in Jesus Christ that allows us to be a Christian, and it is this faith that helps us realize how helpless we all are under our own strength.

ASK YOURSELF: Who can you call or message and encourage today? What method of encouragement is going to mean the most to that person?

Dear God, I pray that you will give me the courage and wisdom to not only share the gospel myself, but also support the Christians around me. I thank you for the opportunities I have to provide encouragement, and I pray as a church we continue to make choices that put your name forward above our own. Amen.