He, who reads chapters 9 to 15 of the Epistle to the Romans, can recognize that the common life shared together between the Christians of Jewish origin, and those of the Gentiles, created an unjustifiable difference. The core of this difference was circumcision and foods according to the Law of Moses, and the Jewish and Christian verses. The goal of Paul’s good words written to the Romans was to unite the believers of the Jews together with those of the Gentiles, and to build a bridge over the gap between them, for Christ himself had united them. Therefore, he wrote in the end of his epistle: “Accept one another, in spite of your different origins and traditions, as Jesus Christ accepted you and saved you. And whoever recognizes the secret of this salvation glorifies the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with others, without any difference, partiality, or hatred.”
Love requires the unity of different believers, and the love of Christ is stronger than any imaginary differences. Paul clarified this principle to the believers of Jewish origin, and declared to them that the expected Messiah became a servant to the Jews to reveal the righteousness and truth of God, and fulfill his promises by word and deed. Therefore Christ fulfilled the many promises revealed about him to the fathers of faith that they might recognize that the truth cannot be twisted.
The apostle explained to the believers of the unclean Gentiles that they deserved to glorify God, because he had had mercy on them, and had reconciled them to himself, and had adopted and renewed them. The praise of the Father and the Son by those who are not of the Jews is a proof of their choice in Christ. It is also a fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament, for Christ is also the light of the Gentiles, and the Christians of the Gentiles are also entitled to participate in the joy of God, for Christ clarified that he wanted his joy to be fulfilled in them (John 15:11; 17:13). However, the believers of the Gentiles must not forget the believers of the Jews, but they ought to glorify the Father and the Son in one voice with all their hearts (Deuteronomy 32:43).
These promises in the Old Testament are not restricted to a small choice of all continents, but they belong to all the promised nations that they may glorify the Father in the Lord Jesus (Psalm 117:1). In these valuable promises, we find the spiritual authority and great salvation for men. He who believes in Christ participates in the riches of his mercy.
Isaiah had foretold: “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse… In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and pin hopes on him”. This prophecy had its accomplishment in Jesus, because he sits at the right hand of the Father, and all authority has been given to him in heaven and on earth. Jesus has also commanded his apostles to go and make disciples of all the nations that they might be guided and filled with his Spirit, and that the kingdom of God might grow up in them.
The prayer of the apostle of the Gentiles aims at spreading out the hope from which the unity of the believers comes. The apostle sought the fullness of both bodies with the joy of heaven, and the peace of the Prince of Peace to establish a right faith in the unity of the Holy Trinity that they might all become rich in the hope and power of the Holy Spirit.