Romans 16: 1 – 27
Home Fellowships
1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you. 17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore, I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 21 Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you. 22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
Today’s important verse for us is verse 5 which says, “5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.”
Are home fellowships, where believers gather at the place where someone lives to learn about God and worship him, found in the New Testament? How many of them existed? Does God approve of fellowships in the home?
Our modern society is accustomed to believers of any faith gathering in unique buildings. Churches, Synagogues and other buildings constructed for the express purpose of worship exist throughout the world. For early Christians, however, such dedicated structures servicing believers simply did not exist. Fellowships based in a home were, in many cases, the ONLY way believers could come together as a group.
At least twenty-one home fellowships are found scattered throughout the New Testament. After the death of Jesus, the early church met mostly in small groups where someone lived. These gatherings show us it is perfectly acceptable to meet in this fashion for the express purpose of learning what the Bible teaches and for worshipping God.
There is direct evidence that many early believers gathered in a home to worship God and encourage each other. When Paul wrote his first epistle to the Corinthians in 56 A.D. he mentioned a group of believers coming together each Sabbath at the place where fellow laborers Priscilla and Aquila lived (1Corinthians 16:19). His greeting to Philemon makes it clear that there were Christians meeting in his home (Philemon 1 - 2).
In the area around Laodicea there appears to be have been two groups of Christians meeting in a home. Paul's epistle to believers in Colossae makes a direct reference to a church meeting at someone's residence (Colossians 4:15). He then mentions "the church of the Laodiceans" (verse 16), which might have been another of several groups meeting in the area.
Members in the Jerusalem church seem to have initially used their homes for food and to commune with one another (Acts 2:46). Later, church leaders would visit where people lived, near the Temple, to help spread the gospel and encourage Christians in the way of God (Acts 5:42).
Before his conversion, Saul (before he became Paul) persecuted believers. Luke tells us that Saul was so zealous that he would enter a person's home looking for those to arrest and throw in jail (Acts 8:3). Why did he do this? He did this because such dwellings were places where fellowships met and where he was likely to find several people he could send to prison.
When another wave of persecution hit more than ten years later people were still meeting in someone's home for services. We know this because Acts tells us that one of them in Jerusalem got together, when Peter was arrested, to pray for him (Acts 12:1 - 5).
Paul, toward the end of his third missionary journey, meets in Miletus with elders from the Ephesus church (Acts 20:17). Reminding them of his integrity as a preacher, he states he never withheld anything helpful when he taught in their fellowships which were conducted in a person's home (verse 20). The apostle preached in these places because that is where Christians met.
Many false teachers and prophets, by the time Paul wrote his letter to Titus in 63 A.D., had begun visiting fellowships held in a home to spread their deceitful doctrines.
Paul warns Titus, "For there are many . . . who rebel and deceive others with their nonsense. It is necessary to stop their talk, because they are upsetting whole families ('houses' in the Greek) . . . " (Titus 1:10 - 11). Timothy also received a similar warning from him (2Timothy 3:5 - 6).
Despite its risks, home fellowships for the purpose of worshipping God and studying the Bible was an acceptable practice in the first century. It is still acceptable today.
I will go even further in recommending Home Fellowships. For in case you have not followed the disintegration of our country from within like the old Roman Empire, there will come a time which I believe will be soon where believers will again have to meet in homes or in secret places.
We now come to the close of the letter. This final chapter divides up into three subsections:
1). Final greetings and exhortations (16.1-16).
2). Exhortation to beware of those who divide the church and of the need to be wise to what is good, with the assurance that God will cause them to triumph against Satan’s deceitfulness (16.17-20).
3). Greetings from fellow-laborer’s in the Gospel (16.21-23).
It is unusual to find such a detailed list of people to be greeted in Paul’s letters. In most of his letters no specific person is individually greeted. The exceptions are Colossians and 2 Timothy. But here in Romans we have a long list. We may thus enquire as to why this is so. The obvious answer is that he was writing to a church which was not known to him personally, and where he wanted to establish his credentials, the situation being that he therefore greeted all those whom he knew by name, knowing that no one who was not mentioned could be offended, for any others who knew him would consider that any omission was due to Paul’s lack of knowledge of their presence in Rome.
He starts the list by commending Phoebe to the church, and he closes it with a salutation from the servants of Christ. In between he gives the names of those to be ‘saluted’. In this chapter we need to take note the references to ‘house churches’. There were no church buildings, and Christian gatherings would therefore regularly take place in large houses owned by wealthy Christians. While even the largest houses would not accommodate more than around eighty, a much larger number could gather in the courtyards of the house. There were clearly several such house churches in Rome (many other sites would be unknown to Paul). The first names in the list are of those well known to Paul (verses 2-8), followed by some who are seemingly less well known.
It should be noted how many of the names listed are of women. Paul clearly recognized the contribution that women made in the activities of the church, but their activities appear mainly to be those of expressing compassion and doing good towards all.
1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
Phoebe may well have been the one who bore Paul’s letter to Rome. Letters of commendation were a regular feature of the times and enabled travelers to find a welcome in places where they themselves were unknown. She is described as ‘a servant of the church which is in Cenchreae’ (8 miles from Corinth), a service being fulfilled by being ‘a helper of many’.
She was to be ‘received in the LORD’, that is, accepted as a genuine fellow-Christian, and ‘worthily of the saints (fellow-Christians)’, that is as befits those who love their brothers and sisters. It was clear that she had some purpose in coming to Rome, a purpose that might need assistance from ‘locals’ and he urges the church to supply that need, since she has regularly been a supplier of assistance to the needy, and even to himself.
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia to Christ.
Priscilla and Aquila were a wife and husband (Acts 18.2) who had ministered alongside Paul and were fellow-tentmakers (Acts 18.3). They were residents of Rome who had been expelled by the Emperor Claudius when he had issued an Edict expelling all Jews from Rome (Acts 18.2). On his death many Jews would have returned there, as seemingly had Prisca and Aquila. Paul had met them in Corinth, in Greece (Acts 18.1-2), and they had later moved with Paul to Ephesus in Asia Minor (Acts 18.18), where they had assisted Apollos by guiding him into fuller truth (Acts 18.26). They were clearly widely travelled, possibly for business reasons. They were also seemingly wealthy as is indicated by the fact that their house was large enough for a house church.
Paul commends them as those who had risked their lives for his sake, although he does not tell us how. This may have been why ‘all the churches of the Gentiles’ gave thanks to them, although he may also have in mind the fruitful ministry that they had had among some of them. It is probable that he kept in close touch with them.
Epaenetus is mentioned nowhere else. This salutation may indicate that he was the first known convert who resulted from Paul’s ministry in Asia Minor. If so we can understand why he calls him ‘my beloved’. A first convert is always a great joy. The fact that he is mentioned separately, with his own ‘salute’, is against any direct connection with Prisca and Aquila.
6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us.
Mary was a common name both among Jews and Gentiles. He clearly knew her as being someone who gave herself in the service of others. That he knew what she was doing in Rome suggests some correspondence, either with her or with those who knew her (such as Prisca and Aquila).
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
Andronicus was a common Greek name. Junia may have been his wife. They were possibly Paul’s relatives, (while ‘my kinsmen’ could simply indicate that they were Jews (9.3) Paul here separates some Jews out from others as ‘my kinsmen’ and would thus seem to be indicating a closer relationship. Perhaps they were Benjamites) and interestingly they had become Christians before he did. They were seemingly converted during the first wave of Apostolic ministry, or even possibly through the teaching of The Lord Jesus Himself. They may have been Galileans, and among the 120 mentioned in Acts 1.15.
‘Outstanding, of note’ among the Apostles’ may simply signify that they were well known by the Apostles and held in high esteem by the Apostles as a whole.
‘The Apostles’, when used by Paul without qualification, usually refers to the twelve, plus James, the Lord’s brother, and himself. While Paul occasionally speaks of messengers to the churches as being ‘apostles’ (those sent) in a general way (2 Corinthians 8), he nowhere speaks of Apostles as a group except when he is signifying the twelve plus James, and he, of course, included himself as an Apostle.
8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.
Amplias was a well attested name in Rome, commonly found in Roman inscriptions. It is attested among the imperial household. ‘My beloved in the Lord’ simply indicates a dear fellow-Christian usually when he has nothing further to say about them.
9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.
Urbanus was a popular Roman name indicating ‘belonging to the urbs (the city)’. Note that he is not called ‘my fellow-worker’. Thus, it probably signifies someone prominent in Christ’s service rather than someone who has worked with Paul.
The name Stachys is attested in Rome, although it is not common. ‘My beloved’ may suggest he was known to Paul, possibly as one of his converts.
10 Greet Apelles approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.
The name Apelles is again found in Roman inscriptions. Horace uses it as a typical Jewish name. ‘The approved in Christ’ (one who has endured testing) may indicate that in some way he had suffered for Christ’s sake. He is the only one described in this way.
It is possible, although not certain, that the Aristobulus mentioned is the one who was the brother of Herod Agrippa I who lived in Rome as a private citizen and was known to Claudius as a friend.
11 Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
The name Herodion would appear to connect him in some way with one of the Herods, quite probably as a servant or slave. While ‘my kinsman’ may simply indicate a fellow-Jew, it is noticeable that only some Jews are selected out to receive the title. It may thus signify that he was related to Paul in some way e.g. as a Benjamite. It may be through him that Paul knew of the household of Aristobulus.
The household of Narcissus was another prominent one in Rome if this refers to the powerful freedman of that name. These are slaves and freedmen from among his household who have become Christians. We do not know how Paul specifically knew of them.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord.
The similar names may suggest that these ladies were twins. Both names occur in Roman inscriptions. Paul clearly knew of their activities as Christians, probably though their work among the poor and needy.
The name Persis means ‘Persian woman’ and was found in Roman inscriptions. Please notice that it is ‘the beloved’ not ‘my beloved’. Paul may well have been wary of calling a woman ‘my beloved’. The contrast with verse 12a suggests that in some way she was outstanding. She ‘labored much’ and was ‘beloved’.
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
The name Rufus was common in Rome, but the mention of his mother as one who had at some stage ‘mothered’ Paul immediately singles him out. Paul clearly had fond memories of Rufus’ mother. It may well be that this Rufus was the Rufus mentioned by Mark as one of the sons of the one who bore Jesus’ crosspiece, Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15.21). Mark, who wrote in Rome, would have mentioned him precisely because he was well known. That he was ‘chosen in the LORD’ may simply be the equivalent of ‘beloved’. But it may indicate that he had an especially successful ministry.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them.
Hermes was very common name as a slave name. Hermes was the god of good luck. Patrobas may well have related to the ‘household’ of Patrobius, a wealthy freedman of Nero. Hermas was also a very common name. Paul salutes these Christians along with their church group.
15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
Philologus and Julia were probably husband and wife. Julia’s name suggests a connection with Caesar’s household, as a slave or freedwoman. The name Philologus is also found connected with Caesar’s household. Nereus and his sister may have been their children. The name Nereus is also connected with Caesar’s household. He may never have received information about the sister’s name, but only have known that they had had a baby girl. They too had a church meeting in their house, which suggests some level of wealth, and Paul greets its members. Olympas was seemingly the only one of the members known to him. He was possibly a Christian household servant.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.
The kiss, probably usually on the cheek, was a well-known form of Christian greeting. Paul was seemingly encouraging this and perhaps intended it to be carried out at this point during the reading aloud of his letter by one of the leaderships.
If the church members had at this point given the kiss of love to one another this salutation would come over with great effectiveness. It was the kiss of love from ‘all the churches of Christ’, that is from all the churches with whom Paul had relations. ‘Salute’ simply indicates ‘greet’. In addition, it indicates the warmth of Christian fellowship and a desire to bring the church at Rome within the sphere of all the other churches for which he can speak, as Paul is preparing to visit them.
Paul will now give a warning that false teachers were infiltrating the churches and that they therefore needed to be on their guard against them. The comment about Satan being shortly bruised under their feet especially suggests that there were some there who were causing trouble.
The false teachers in question may well have been Judaist ‘Christians’ who were overemphasizing the salvation aspect of circumcision, obedience to the Law and the necessity of observing the Sabbath, and holy days and abstaining from ‘meats’ (Colossians 2.16; 2 Corinthians 11.3-22). Wherever there were many Jewish Christians such would always arise, for at this time large numbers of Jewish Christians still religiously followed the practices of circumcision on the eighth day, abstaining from unclean foods, and observance of Jewish festivals and the Sabbath (as indeed many do today). It was only a short (but crucial) step from this to making them necessary for salvation. And it might even be that as he was concluding his letter he had received the news that certain Judaist ‘Christian’ teachers who had continually plagued him, had now arrived in Rome, intending to cause similar problems to those which had occurred in Galatia, Philippi (3.2-3) and elsewhere.
17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
The false teachers against whom he is warning were teaching ‘contrary to the doctrine which you learned’. They were those who rejected the idea of salvation through faith alone. They demanded circumcision for all who would be Messianists (Galatians 6.12-13; Philippians 3.2-3), abstinence from unclean meats, and the observance of holy days and sabbaths (Colossians 2.16), all as necessary for salvation. As a consequence, they caused division in the churches where they were found and put stumbling blocks in the way of weak Christians. The church should therefore turn away from them. They were to be ostracized.
18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.
Characteristic of such teachers was that they sought financial gain from their teaching enabling them to live richly (Titus 1.10-11) and were smooth and smooth talking. They were not really serving ‘our LORD Jesus’, but their own bellies.
19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore, I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.
In contrast to the teachers who ‘serve not our Lord Jesus Christ’ are the Roman Christians whose ‘obedience’ is spoken of everywhere. This obedience is ‘the obedience to faith among all nations’ (1.5). It indicates that he does not see the church in Rome as having yet been much affected by such teaching but is warning them of possible dangers. They are to be wise with regard to what is good, including of course his own letter, but with regard to evil teaching they are to be ‘simple’ or ‘innocent’. That is, they are to let it pass over them without it affecting them.
20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Paul is confident that ‘the God of peace’, Who hates division among His people and seeks peace, will in this regard shortly bruise Satan under their feet. In other words, he is confident that with God’s help they will reject the teaching of these false teachers who are seemingly coming among them, as God through them bruises Satan’s head. The reference to ‘bruising Satan under their feet’ probably has in mind Genesis 3.15 where God said of the Snake, ‘he will bruise your head, but you will bruise his heel’. That Paul thought in these terms about false teachers comes out in 2 Corinthians 11.3, 13-14, where he spoke of the Snake beguiling Eve through his subtlety. He is confident that the menace will be fully dealt with in a short period of time. No doubt he sees his own letter as assisting in this, as he has dealt with such matters in the body of the letter.
This benediction seeks the unmerited favor of our LORD Jesus Christ might be with them as He acts on their behalf. This indeed is why Satan will be bruised under their feet. It is because ‘the LORD’ Is with them, the One Who bound Satan and defeated his minions at the cross and will finally bruise his head (Matthew 12.28-29).
Paul now sends greeting from his fellow-workers. He may well have had in mind the need to establish the authority of those referred to in the service of the Gospel. They were, as it were, his fellow assistant ministers.
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you.
Timothy is described as Paul’s fellow-worker. For a time, he had been Paul’s constant companion, and his name was regularly included in Paul’s opening address in his letters.
He had close contact with Paul in his early days as a Christian, and when Paul wanted a replacement for Mark it is probable that he chose Timothy for that purpose (Acts 15.36).
He accompanied Paul continually and was used by Paul as an emissary to various churches, although clearly, at least initially, somewhat timid, being with Paul during part of his imprisonment and acting again as his emissary (2 Corinthians 1.19).
When Paul was released from prison and continued his ministry in the East, he left Timothy at Ephesus to supervise the churches (1 Timothy 1.3), commissioning him to deal with false teachers, to supervise public worship and to appoint church officials. When Paul was unable to rejoin him, Paul sent him the pastoral epistles to direct him in these tasks, and possibly to strengthen his authority.
Lucius has been identified by some with Lucius of Cyrene, mentioned in Acts 13.1; others have identified him with Luke the evangelist who wrote the Gospel. The latter identification might be supported by the fact that the author of the ‘we’ sections was with Paul at the time (Acts 20.5
Jason may well be the Jason who was host to Paul on his first visit to Thessalonica (Acts 17.6, 7, 9), Sosipater may well be the ‘Sopater of Berea’ who was one of the delegates who would take ‘the collection’ to Jerusalem (Acts 20.4).
22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord.
Tertius was here seen as acting as Paul’s writer, and adds his own greeting to the letter. It is probable, in view of the Pauline style of the letter, that in this case his duties were restricted to writing word by word in accord with Paul’s dictation.
23 Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
This Gaius is probably the Gaius of Corinth (1 Corinthians 1.14). He was clearly giving hospitality to Paul, and his description as ‘host of the whole church’ may suggest that he had prime responsibility among Christians in Corinth for acting as host to visitors.
Erastus is probably cited as the most influential Christian in Corinth at the time. He was the city treasurer at Corinth. That Paul was associated with the city treasurer would add greatly to his standing in some Roman eyes.
25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith—
The letter concludes with this final doxology which ties in closely with the opening chapter of Romans. There appears to be a deliberate connection with the opening themes.
The point that Paul is emphasizing is that God Is able to establish us ‘in accordance with my Gospel’ and ‘the teaching of Jesus Christ’. By ‘my Gospel’ he of course means the Gospel that he holds to and has presented, which he elsewhere describes as ‘the Gospel of God’ (1.1), ‘the Gospel of His Son’ (1.9), ‘the Gospel’ (1.16). He is not claiming that it is unique to himself. And he immediately equates it with ‘the teaching of Jesus Christ’, for it was to Him that he looked as the source for what he taught. ‘The teaching of Jesus Christ’ could signify that his Gospel is in accordance with what Jesus Christ taught, and he makes clear in his letters that that was so.
He then explains the even earlier source of the Gospel. It is, ‘according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept in silence through times eternal, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known to all the nations unto obedience of faith.’
A ‘mystery is something hidden which is now revealed’. The fact that it has been ‘kept in silence through times eternal’ does not mean that there had been no indication of it previously, only that it had not been openly spoken of and clearly made known. It had rather been presented in veiled form until the time came for it to be fully manifested. The Old Testament Scriptures gave many indications of it, but these indications were expressed in veiled terms the meaning of which only became apparent when their fulfilment was revealed. But now in the Gospel those indications have been turned into clear revelation. The truth that they expressed has now been clearly revealed.
That is why the ‘Scriptures of the Prophets’ can now be called on as witnesses to and explanations of that ‘mystery’ (1.2; 3.21), in order through them to make known to all nations the truth now revealed, so that they might respond in the obedience which springs from faith. It will be noted in this regard that Paul constantly calls on the Scriptures to back his arguments. And this time of manifestation was not of man’s devising but was the consequence of the command of the eternal God, Who had existed throughout the times eternal when the Gospel had remained hidden. It was the eternal God Himself Who chose the time of revelation.
The Gospel is the mystery now revealed, it is based on the Scriptures of the Prophets, and its present manifestation is the consequence of God’s command Who had now determined that that truth should be made known to all nations.
27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
Paul finishes with praise to the One Who Is the only God, the One Who Is Supremely Wise as he considers the wonder of His way of salvation. And this wisdom of God has especially been revealed in His way of salvation offered through Jesus Christ. As he says in 1 Corinthians 1.30, ‘Christ is made to us wisdom from God, even righteousness, and sanctification and redemption’. For ‘the only God’ we learn in 1 Timothy 1.17 where we read, ‘and now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ And that that praise is offered ‘through Jesus Christ’, through Whom alone we can approach God, is emphasized here and is significant. For it is a reminder that central to God’s way of salvation Is Jesus Christ, and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection, and that there is no other through whom we can approach God. Amen!
