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Community Reveals Human Weakness • Mar 18th 2000
Problems in the Church of Rome #5 – Why Christian Community Is Hard but Necessary
In this powerful teaching from the Book of Romans, Gene Edwards explores one of the most practical and often overlooked aspects of Christian life: the challenges of living in genuine Christian community.
Many believers admire the beauty of the early church, but few understand the struggles that existed among the first Christians. Drawing from Paul’s letter to the Romans, Gene reveals that the church in Rome faced many of the same problems churches face today—pride, division, jealousy, judgment, disunity, spiritual arrogance, lack of hospitality, unresolved conflicts, and strained relationships.
This message highlights an important truth: Romans is not merely a theological book about salvation. It is also a deeply practical letter written by Paul near the end of his ministry. After presenting the glory of Christ and the believer’s position in Him, Paul turns his attention to the realities of church life and the weaknesses of human nature.
We walk through the practical exhortations found in Romans and demonstrates how Paul’s warnings apply to every generation of believers. Whether the church is in first-century Rome or the modern world, Christians continue to wrestle with many of the same issues.
The message is both humorous and deeply convicting. Believers are reminded that authentic church life exposes human weakness in ways that casual church attendance often does not. Yet he also emphasizes that the gathering of God’s people remains one of the greatest places for spiritual growth, transformation, and dependence upon Jesus Christ.
If you have ever been discouraged by conflict within the church, struggled with difficult relationships among believers, or wondered why Christian community can be so challenging, this teaching offers both perspective and encouragement. Paul’s words remind us that the problems we face are not new—and neither is God’s grace.
This study is part of Gene Edwards’ Romans series and provides valuable insight into Christian fellowship, spiritual maturity, and the ongoing work of Christ within His people.
And if you feel—and please hear me very carefully—if you feel sometimes that this church, this gathering of God’s people, is the worst place on earth to be because there’s so much trouble and so many problems, it’s only because you’re seeing humanity in the plural rather than the singular. You are not unusually messed up. You do not have more homosexuals here than we have in Portland, Maine, Beverly Hills, or Dallas, Texas. You do not have more drunks and thieves here. All you’ve got is a look at a slice of humanity, which most people never get. Now, you know where you work? You know how much intrigue and politics are going on there, and how many people get hurt, and how many vicious folks there are? That’s as close as most people ever get to looking at, getting a microscopic—no, a microcosm view. A microcosm slice of civilization.
In the church, in the gathering of God’s people, you’re thrown up against it. It’s hard. It is also salvation, because here, more than any place else on earth, you can discover how dependent you need to be on Jesus Christ. And how tough life really is, because you’re seeing humanity as it really is, everywhere. This is a record of mankind, and we Christians are only slightly better than the world, for only a few minutes longer. I’m going to run that sentence by again, because you might not have gotten it: we’re only slightly better, and at that, only for a few minutes longer. I don’t mean that we maintain being slightly better. I mean that we are slightly better for a few moments longer than they are, and that’s nothing to boast about.
Alright, after this terribly depressing message, which we will entitle The Problems in the church in Rome. Problems in the church in Rome. Problems in the church in Chicago. Problems in the church anywhere on earth, in any century, in any city, and in any village. This is it. Now then, we have two choices. We’ll see what brother Paul had to say about it. He didn’t have a lot to say. He had little to say. We can either choose this, or we’d better go hire about a half dozen of the best psychiatrists in America, or bail out completely of the church. Brothers and sisters, you’re in the safest place on earth. You know where you are? You’re in the place that God loves most on all the earth, and that is where His bride gathers. Praise the Lord
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