Romans 15:1-7

                                                                 Romans 15:1-7

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

 

Our relationships with one another are not only important for our own well-being, but they are a vital part of our worship.  God is glorified when we love one another well.  The body of Christ is supposed to edify each other through the instruction of God’s Word so that we can worship the Lord together.  Our love for one another is the most effective way we can demonstrate our love for God.

 

BE HELPFUL TO ONE ANOTHER IN PATIENCE: Those who are strong in the faith are obligated to live in deference to those who are weak.  We all mature at a different rate and we all are part of the same body.  It takes patience and kindness to work together and not just live for our own pleasure and according to our own desires.  This is not how Christ lived and is not how He has called us to live.  God wants us to build each other up and help each other grow in faith.  If there is a person in your life that is weak in the faith, don’t avoid them or seek to change them by flaunting your maturity.  Love them and help the grown in their personal walk with Jesus.

 

BE HOPEFUL FOR ONE ANOTHER BY SCRIPTURE: The motives and teachings of Christ are revealed to us in Scripture.  We learn about Jesus and how He calls us to live through the study of God’s Word.  The things that the Spirit inspired in God’s Word were written for our instruction so we can grow in Him and become more like Him.  The promise of the Gospel is that we will be made to be like Jesus.  This is the hope that we all have in Christ.  We are all at different stages of this walk in Christ, but we are all on the same path.  No matter how immature someone may seem to us, we can have hope and inspire them to have hope because of what the Word of God teaches us.

 

BE HARMONIOUS WITH ONE ANOTHER FOR WORSHIP: The difference between the most mature believer and the most immature believer is very small in comparison to the difference between us and Christ.  This should help us be united together in our worship and admiration of God and all His glory.  We are all looking up to Him in admiration and wonder.  His grace and goodness are magnificent.  The harmonious relationships we experience with each other should inspire us to worship the Lord together.  We should be constantly pointing out the things about Jesus we admire instead of looking at the things we don’t admire about one another.

 

APPLICATION: Find someone who may be weak in the faith today and begin investing in their lives.  Study the Scriptures to learn more about Jesus and to be assured of the promises of the Gospel to transform us into the image of Jesus.  No matter how distant we might be from the standard of Jesus today, we can have eternal hope in Christ.  The gap between us and Christ should inspire us to corporate worship.

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