1. Conflict and Reconciliation Within the Church, and the Path to Unity in Christ
One of the most crucial themes emerging from the entirety of Romans chapter 15 is: “How should conflicts within the church community be resolved and lead to reconciliation?” The Apostle Paul addresses brothers and sisters who are divided, who clash because of different opinions, by urging them powerfully: “Accept one another and be one, so that you may fulfill the Lord’s hope.” Even today, numerous examples of conflicts arise within the church, such as differences in theological views, disputes over church governance, tensions between conservative and progressive mindsets, and many other possible reasons. Paul stresses that these conflicts must not take on a worse appearance than those of the world. This is directly related to the church’s identity as “a community formed by calling out the chosen among the people of this world.”
Pastor David Jang frequently highlights this idea of the church’s “holy identity.” While the church is called to be separate from the world within the context of God’s plan for saving the world, it is also charged with loving and serving the very world from which it has been set apart. If the church fails to be an example to society, it becomes an obstacle to the gospel and ends up veiling God’s glory. In particular, Pastor David Jang has often preached on how crucial it is to possess the mind of Christ at the point where conflicts arise. If believers pursue “the joy of loving one’s brother or sister,” rather than a self-centered happiness, then the church community can reveal itself to be more transparent, more loving, and purer in spirit than any other organization in the world.
In Romans chapters 14 and 15, Paul provides various admonitions to the Roman church on the subject of “those who are strong in faith” and “those who are weak in faith.” These chapters contain specific guidelines on how believers at different spiritual stages should care for one another and show mutual consideration. Paul says that the “strong in faith” must never scorn or disregard the “weak in faith” (Rom. 15:1). On the contrary, he strongly commands the strong to bear the weaknesses of the weak. This is more than a simple moral recommendation; it is grounded in a spiritual rationale that they must imitate Christ’s example. Jesus always received sinners, approached them directly, and served them in the form of a servant. And He taught that there is joy in that service. This joy is not a self-satisfying happiness that the world gives, but a “heavenly joy” experienced in the place where one saves and builds up others.
Pastor David Jang frequently cites John chapter 15, explaining that “we can only truly walk the path of genuine love—the path of joy in receiving one another—once we realize what manner of love the Lord has shown us.” This teaching directly corresponds to the words of Jesus in John 15:11: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” In other words, the joy gained by loving others is the true power of the church.
If such joy of love is not realized within the church, then the church immediately faces a serious risk of internal division. This is why Paul instructs the Roman believers, “Return to the Word. Remember Christ. Remember that He endured all reproach.” If Christ confirmed His love by bearing all sorts of insults, accusations, and the guilt that properly belonged to sinners, then believers also must reflect on “the redemptive love of Christ” rather than reverting to self-centered judgment whenever conflict arises. This posture becomes the power that heals discord in the church and enables believers to embrace one another.
Pastor David Jang often emphasizes that the church must always cling to “the endurance and encouragement given by the Spirit through the Word” (Rom. 15:5), so that through that endurance and encouragement, the congregation may ultimately “with one mind and one voice glorify God.” He points out that when Bible meditation and corporate worship become mere formalities, conflict resolution is difficult. Only when we truly meditate on the person of the Lord and apply His “cross-shaped love” in our lives can we overcome divisions and achieve unity. This is an essential step toward reconciling conflicts within the church. Once every member recognizes, “We have received grace because of Christ, and we are indebted to Him,” they finally begin to lay down their disputes and accept one another.
Yet for this ideal vision of the church to be realized in practice, each believer’s “repentance” and ‘self-emptying” must occur together. Just as Scripture says that where sin abounds, grace abounds much more, so in cases of great conflict, even greater repentance and forgiveness are required. At that moment, if the church collectively confesses, “We are sinners,” and seeks God’s grace, the barriers that had hardened people’s hearts are torn down, and the miracle of genuine unity is experienced.
Paul thus declares, “With one heart and mouth you will praise and bear witness to the Lord.” Here we find an image of a single community looking in the same direction and pursuing only the glory of God. People who differ in background, culture, personality, and ability are united in Jesus Christ, and that mystery is the essence of what it means for the church to be the church. Pastor David Jang preaches that “only when the church holds on to the hope brought by Jesus do we experience the peace and joy that the world cannot give.” This conviction directly aligns with the blessing pronounced in Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him…”
To overcome conflicts within the church, mutual consideration and patience are essential above all else. “Are there conflicts among you? Are there points of contention? If so, then examine your attitude and heart before the Lord’s Word first.” In summary, this is Paul’s exhortation. Likewise, Pastor David Jang teaches that in moments of conflict, we must begin by examining ourselves, asking whether we are truly approaching the issue with the mind of Christ. Ultimately, the resolution of conflict lies in “the path of being one in the Lord.” When those on opposing sides humbly lower themselves in the light of the Word, looking to the Lord rather than at each other as enemies, the way of genuine reconciliation opens. We must remember that although this path is not easy, it is an indispensable one if we wish to become a holy community.
In the end, Paul repeatedly urges church communities with differing views and traditions to “embrace the weak, let the strong serve the weak, and sacrifice oneself for the joy of others,” following the example of Christ. This is no trivial ethical plea merely to get along, but a fundamental ethic aimed at fully revealing the kingdom of God on this earth. The church must differ from the world because Christ is the head of the church, and it is Christ working in our midst that forms the cornerstone of the church as a “holy community.”
2. Bearing One Another’s Burdens and Becoming a Loving Community That Embraces the Gentiles
At the beginning of Romans 15, Paul strongly proclaims, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1). This brief statement serves as a practical directive for the church, showing that an attitude of mutual care is the most fundamental characteristic of the church. During times of conflict, a typical reaction is for the strong to oppress the weak or for each side to raise its own voice and ignore the other. However, the image of the church presented by Paul is entirely different. We are to bear one another’s burdens—truly “weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice.”
Referring to this verse, Pastor David Jang explains that “when the heart of Jesus settles within us, we naturally respond with comfort rather than condemnation when we see the weakness of our brothers.” He also highlights the paradoxical truth that “when we strive to please others rather than ourselves, an even deeper spiritual joy abounds.” This point is crucial because human beings, by nature, are inclined toward selfishness and readily turn inward at the slightest sign of hardship. Yet, within a faith community, the key lies in experiencing “heavenly joy” through sacrificial love and concern for one another.
Paul further provides the example of Jesus. Jesus did not seek to please Himself but bore all manner of reproach and accusation (Rom. 15:3). This shows us that the way of the cross is fundamentally a path of “loving sacrifice.” Just as Jesus demonstrated the truth of John 15:12–13, “Love one another; greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends,” so Paul indicates that this same principle should operate within the church community. Giving up one’s share of comfort for a brother or sister is a true act of love. Through such love, Paul asserts, believers taste “a joy the world cannot offer.”
Another key point emerges here: the matter of “embracing the Gentiles” (Rom. 15:7–13). In Paul’s era, deep-seated conflict existed between Jews and Gentiles, stemming from issues such as circumcision, observance of the Law, and differing traditions and customs. Yet Paul commands, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Rom. 15:7). He is convinced that his own apostolic calling is focused on “proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles” (Rom. 15:16). Paul holds a vision of the gospel spreading from Jerusalem all the way to the ends of the earth—to all the nations.
In various sermons, Pastor David Jang has emphasized that “the kingdom of God transcends borders and ethnic distinctions,” noting that the demolition of the barrier between Jews and Gentiles was a monumental turning point in church history. Even today, the church may experience conflicts rooted in differences of race, culture, language, or economic background; yet that barrier has already been torn down in Christ. We must therefore “accept others with a broad heart.” The principle of receiving Gentiles is not limited to the era of Paul. It remains an ongoing challenge for every church community: we must embrace the cultural and social “other” in our midst with openness and worship together, thus embodying the universal spirit of the gospel.
To substantiate this point, Paul quotes several Old Testament prophecies, from Psalms and Isaiah, to insist that “God intended from the beginning for the nations to praise Him” (Rom. 15:9–12). In other words, the scope of God’s redemptive plan extends far beyond a single ethnic group, encompassing all people and all nations. In Ephesians 2, too, we read that He “has destroyed the dividing wall of hostility, making the two one” (Eph. 2:14), proclaiming that in Jesus Christ, both Jews and Gentiles are brought together in unity. The church must be the place where this “gospel that makes us one” is lived out in practice.
Therefore, those who are strong in faith must not exalt themselves but instead embrace the weak and those from different backgrounds. Differences may lead to conflict, but they should never become grounds for hostility or exclusion. Rather, such differences can serve as opportunities for greater richness and diversity, encouraging mutual learning and growth. Paul teaches that this is the path a “loving community” must follow, and that only then does the church experience the genuine joy and peace the world cannot provide (Rom. 15:13).
Pastor David Jang notes that when today’s church truly embodies the “redemptive love of Christ,” and fulfills its missionary calling to all the “Gentiles” in the world—meaning not only those who have never heard the gospel but also those who are culturally marginalized—it must begin with “mutual service and intentional efforts to break down walls of hatred within our own ranks.” Those who are the object of our love are not just “Gentiles” in the external sense, but also those within the church who are marginalized, weak, wounded, or ostracized due to differing perspectives. Through the process of receiving all these people as “one body,” conflict is naturally overcome, ushering in a deeper joy of unity.
Paul further emphasizes that this loving community is bound together by the language of “thanksgiving and praise.” Romans 15:9–12, quoting Psalms and Isaiah, depicts the future in which the nations lift their voices in thanksgiving and praise to God. Ultimately, the church’s essence is one of overflowing thanksgiving and praise. Where there is genuine gratitude, there is little room for hatred or strife to flourish. Hearts that glorify God through praise prefer to pray for one another’s faults and seek ways to help each other. In doing so, the church becomes filled with “grace and peace.”
Finally, Paul concludes this section with a blessing: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13). As Pastor David Jang says, “The church’s true hope depends solely on God’s grace, and that grace works most powerfully within the vision of unity.” Whether strong or weak, Jew or Gentile, or believers within the modern church from varied backgrounds, when they unite as one community to glorify God, they embody the future Paul envisioned for the church—a future that remains the church’s mission today.
3. Paul’s Testimony, His Trip to Jerusalem, and Intercessory Prayer for the Unity of Believers
In the latter half of Romans 15 (verses 14–33), Paul wraps up his letter to the Roman Christians by sharing details of the ministry he has carried out, the plans he has for the future, and the prayer requests he wants them to remember. This section is essentially the lengthy conclusion of the entire Book of Romans, revealing Paul’s pastoral and missionary fervor.
Paul begins by declaring that he has become “a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles,” taking on the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel (Rom. 15:16). He proudly affirms that he has spread the gospel from Jerusalem throughout all of Asia Minor and as far as Illyricum, near Rome’s borders (in the region of today’s Balkan Peninsula). Yet his boasting is not about his own achievements; rather, he repeatedly emphasizes that it all happened only by the grace of Christ (Rom. 15:17–18). As he also writes in 2 Corinthians 4:5, “We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord,” he maintains the same posture here. His missionary passion springs from the resolve to take the gospel to those who have never heard it (Rom. 15:20–21).
Regarding this passage, Pastor David Jang explains that “the essence of mission work is found not in settling down where others have already preached the gospel, but in going to new areas, new people, and souls who have yet to know Jesus.” If the church is truly alive and dynamic, it must carry a pioneer spirit and venture into “new Gentile territories.” Of course, in modern times, such “territories” need not be purely geographical. The vast reach of the internet, new communication channels opened by advanced technology, multicultural contexts, the realms of the socially and mentally marginalized—these are all areas that still have not been fully touched by the gospel. The church must dare to “sow the seed of the gospel” in all these places through a holy initiative.
Readers of Romans will notice how greatly Paul values “the Jerusalem mother church.” Although writing from Corinth, he plans to return to Jerusalem to complete his “service to the saints” (Rom. 15:25–26), and only then does he hope to visit Rome. This is because the believers in Jerusalem were enduring severe famine, and Paul wanted to deliver the donations collected by the Gentile churches he had established in Macedonia and Achaia. His determination to return and serve the Jerusalem church in this way symbolically demonstrates how deeply he cared for “the unity and oneness of the church.” The church must indeed possess a centrifugal missionary force that extends around the world, yet Paul also believed it must not lose the centripetal force provided by the mother church in Jerusalem.
Pastor David Jang refers to this dynamic as “unity and order.” While local churches operate in scattered, independent forms, at the same time, the “one body of Christ” must remain connected in both a spiritual and structural sense. Paul’s act of mediating between the Gentile churches and the Jerusalem church, bringing them financial aid, is more than a simple exchange of resources; it is a significant symbol of “one body serving and encouraging each other.” Paul says it is only right to “share material blessings” (Rom. 15:27) in return for the “spiritual blessings” the Gentiles have received from the Jewish church. This practice affirms that church members are all indebted to one another spiritually.
Paul goes on to say, “When I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way” (Rom. 15:28–29). Embedded here is Paul’s global missionary vision and his yearning for a “cosmic worship” that embraces the entire world. He longs to bring the gospel not merely to a few regional churches, but to the ends of the earth, so that all nations may hear. Ultimately, Paul holds a prophetic vision of a grandiose worship in which “all peoples praise God.”
Before closing his letter, Paul asks the Roman believers to remember three specific prayer requests (Rom. 15:30–32). First, “Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea.” At the time, Paul faced significant threats from zealots and Jewish nationalists in Judea. His message, emphasizing the universal nature of the gospel and the fulfillment of the Law, might have sounded heretical or apostate to them. So Paul needed protection through prayer. Second, “Pray that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there.” In other words, the gifts and fruit gathered by the Gentile churches needed to be confirmed and approved by the Jerusalem mother church so that the entire church body could stand firm as one without divisions. Third, “Pray that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.” This request reveals Paul’s personal longing to enjoy peaceful fellowship with the Roman believers after his intense missionary labors.
Pastor David Jang summarizes the significance of Paul’s prayer requests as a model for “church unity and intercessory prayer.” The church must participate through prayer in the external and internal hardships Paul is enduring, seeking God’s protection and guidance. Additionally, when believers across different regions provide the necessary financial and spiritual support, they encourage and comfort one another within the one body of Christ, thereby increasing momentum for “the Great Commission” to proclaim the gospel to every nation. Finally, Paul concludes Romans 15 with a blessing: “The God of peace be with you all. Amen” (Rom. 15:33). By referring to the “God of hope” and the “God of peace,” he declares that the path toward the church’s unity depends entirely upon this God.
The same truth applies today. Even though the church now faces trends of individualism and secularism that could easily fragment it, our hope still rests in the “God of hope.” Our peace also depends on the “God of peace.” Pastor David Jang stresses that “we are utterly dependent on God, and that God Himself is the One who unites us,” calling believers to trust this truth. The more our conflicts intensify, and the more obstacles stand in the way of gospel proclamation, the more we must persist in intercessory prayer, supporting and serving one another.
In conclusion, the message Paul conveys in Romans chapter 15 remains profoundly relevant to the realities of today’s church. First, when conflicts arise within the church, we must follow Christ’s example of love, showing patience and mutual acceptance. Second, those strong in faith must bear the burdens of the weak and open their hearts to “other” groups, just as the Gentiles were embraced. Third, as demonstrated by Paul, the church must engage in intercessory prayer and sacrificial service, striving toward “one church” united in Christ. Pastor David Jang refers to these three principles as “the three pillars that the church must uphold to truly be the church.” These pillars uphold the church so that it may serve as salt and light in the world.
“The Lord who called us will Himself be our mediator who resolves conflicts, and through the Holy Spirit, He will enable us to praise God with one heart and one voice.” Paul’s conviction and the declarations of faithful preachers transcend time and apply to every church community. When we seek to apply these teachings in our everyday lives, the church will become a true conduit of the gospel’s power to the world. There, we will accept one another, unite as one, and fulfill the Lord’s hope in all holiness.