Romans 15:5

My Notes

What Does Romans 15:5 Mean?

Paul prays that the God of patience and consolation would grant the Roman believers to be likeminded toward one another — according to Christ Jesus. The likemindedness isn't uniformity of opinion. It's unity of disposition: thinking toward each other the way Christ thinks toward you.

The title "God of patience and consolation" (ho theos tēs hypomonēs kai tēs paraklēseōs) names God as the source of both: patience (the capacity to endure) and consolation (the capacity to be encouraged). The same God provides what you need to endure AND what you need to be encouraged. Both are His gifts.

"According to Christ Jesus" is the standard for the likemindedness: not according to your preferences, your theology on secondary matters, or your cultural background. According to Christ. The way He treats His people is the way they should treat each other. The Christ-standard replaces the self-standard.

Reflection Questions

• 1.Is your 'likemindedness' toward others modeled on Christ (how He treats you) or on your own preferences?
• 2.Does 'God of patience AND consolation' describe the dual supply you need for genuine unity?
• 3.Where is your standard for treating others 'according to Christ Jesus' rather than 'according to your faction'?
• 4.Does Paul's prayer (God GRANTING unity, not humans manufacturing it) change your approach to community conflict?

Devotional

The God of patience and comfort — give them unity. According to Christ Jesus. Not according to each other. According to Him.

Paul prays a specific prayer: that the God who provides patience (endurance) and consolation (encouragement) would give the Roman believers one mind toward each other. Not one opinion. One disposition. The kind of disposition that treats others the way Christ treated you.

The title matters: God of patience AND consolation. Not one without the other. The endurance and the encouragement come from the same source. The God who helps you endure (when the other person is difficult) is the same God who encourages you (when the difficulty feels overwhelming). Both are His supply. Both are needed for unity.

"Likeminded" — to auto phronein — to think the same thing toward one another. Not to agree on every doctrine. To orient your thinking toward others the way Christ orients His thinking toward you. The likemindedness isn't intellectual uniformity. It's dispositional alignment: I'll treat you the way Christ treats me. Patient when you're wrong. Consoling when you're hurt. Generous when you're weak.

"According to Christ Jesus" — the standard. Not according to your church tradition (which varies). Not according to your personality (which is idiosyncratic). Not according to the group you agree with (which creates factions). According to Christ. He is the template. His treatment of you is the blueprint for your treatment of each other.

The prayer is both request and model: Paul asks God to grant it (the unity is God's gift, not human achievement). And he specifies the standard (Christ Jesus, not human consensus). The unity that God grants is the unity that Christ models. Both are necessary: the gift from God AND the pattern from Christ.

Unity isn't agreeing with each other. It's treating each other according to Christ.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture