“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established–that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” (Romans 1:11-12).
This brief portion of Scripture offers some insight into the heart of Paul the Apostle and his relationship with the church at Rome. The word impart means “to give over” or “share.” Thus, it refers to the act of conveying or granting something. (1) This tells us that Paul focused his attention on what he could do for the church at Rome, and not solely on what they could do for him. The following source draws our attention to this aspect of Paul’s ministry with an astute observation…
“Paul was the greatest thinker the Early Church ever produced, and yet, when he thought of the people to whom he longed to preach, he thought of himself not only as giving to them but also as receiving from them. It takes humility to teach as it takes humility to learn.” (2)
This reference to a spiritual gift likely refers to an insight or blessing that Paul sought to share with the Roman fellowship. While “some” spiritual gift suggests that Paul may have been unaware of the gift he sought to impart, his desire to share it for the benefit of the church at Rome was certainly there. Since Paul understood the spiritual investment God makes in His people, he saw an obligation to share God’s investment in him with others.
Paul also saw a reciprocal benefit in that exchange: “…that we may be mutually strengthened and encouraged and comforted by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (AMPC). That benefit underscores the importance of regular attendance at a local church fellowship. There, each member of the Christian community can minister to others, and others can minister to them for the mutual benefit of all. The New Testament book of Hebrews touches on this idea when it tells us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25 NIV).
While today’s age of online access may encourage us to view church services remotely from home, we should note that this passage references “…the assembling of ourselves together” (KJV). In the original context of this verse, that directive refers to a physical assembly. Therefore, we should make a concerted effort to attend church in person whenever possible.
Image Attribution: Investment by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images
(1) G3330 – metadidomi – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3330/kjv/tr/0-1/
(2) Barclay, William. Romans 1 – Barclay’s Daily Study Bible – Bible Commentaries – StudyLight.org. (n.d.). StudyLight.org. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dsb/romans-1.html