Read Romans 15:7-22
Picture this scene in a local church. It could be your church. As people greet each other and welcome one another, you notice that a rich man hugs and welcomes a poor man. When no one’s watching he pulls out his wallet and slips him a few $50 bills. It’s not a drug deal but a love deal. Over in the far corner a well dressed woman stands arm in arm praying with a woman and her daughter who are both draped in shabby old clothes. Sitting in the morning tea area an obviously well educated man appears to be teaching a baseball capped, fashion challenged youth from the Scriptures. Both are laughing and joking as they read the Bible together. In the church worship centre a teenager plays handball with a preppie child and allows her to win several rounds.
When Paul encourages the church to ‘accept one another just as Christ accepted you’ this is what he is picturing. Even pagans and tax collectors (Read Matthew 5) love each other. It’s very easy to love those who are like us. It’s easy to accept those who dress like us, act like us and value what we value and dislike what we dislike. It’s easy to love those who make us feel good and stroke our egos. What God is calling us to do is not so much to love those who are like
This kind of love is a love that brings glory and honour to God. It’s this kind of love that reflects the love that Christ has shown to each of us individually and corporately. None of us were like Christ at the point of our salvation (Read Romans 5:1-11 again to verify this). None of us were righteous enough or good enough to persuade Christ to love us. But He chose to love us. At no point did Christ tell us to dress better before he could love us, or to speak differently or to get a degree first or even to act in a different way. We read of our plight when Christ loved us in Romans 5:8.
While we were still sinners Christ died for us!
This is the way in which we are to love and accept each other. Christ’s way is the way of acceptance, not of conditions. We should never think that it is our job to squeeze people into a certain mould before they are accepted into our churches. Christ’s way is the way of acceptance and not of favouritism. Christ’s way is the way of other centred love and selflessness.
Verse 7 of Romans 15 show the outcome of our accepting one another. It brings praise to God. Those who are accepted will bring praise to God and as non Christians are drawn to Christ by the acceptance and love of Christ, they too will bring praise to God.
But again, we have to be extremely careful that we don’t trample out the Gospel in accepting each other. Throughout the New Testament, sin is never accepted. False teaching is never accepted. Loving and accepting people is never an excuse to allow or indulge in transgression.
Prayer:
Use today’s Bible reading and notes to pray along the following lines.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
¨ Pray that your church would be wise and loving in accepting people but not accepting sin. Pray that God would grant repentance to those who are steeped in sin and unwilling to change.
¨ Pray that your church would willingly seek to share Christ with the world and to model His love and grace in all things.
The way you act at church and the way that you greet and treat people communicates the Gospel.
Make sure that you are communicating the true and faithful Gospel.
1. Someone comes into your church and reveals to you that they are involved in some sin. They refuse to repent of it and argue that in line with Romans 15:7 you should accept them just as Christ has accepted you. How do you counsel this person?
2. How can we love and accept people without condoning their sin?
3. Is there any point at which a church should cease accepting a particular person? Use biblical references in your answer.
Intro: Certain things make us feel loved and accepted. Certain things make us feel welcome and involved.
The church should be a haven of acceptance and welcoming people.
Discuss the things that make you feel loved and accepted.
Are there things the church should not welcome and accept?
Read 1 Peter 1:22
What boundaries are put on accepting one another and loving one another?
What does it mean to love deeply from the heart?
Pray together that God would create a loving heart in you and your church.
Intro: Certain things make us feel loved and accepted. Certain things make us feel welcome and involved.
The church should be a haven of acceptance and welcoming people.
Discuss the things that make you feel loved and accepted.
Are there things the church should not welcome and accept?
Read 1 Peter 1:22
What boundaries are put on accepting one another and loving one another?
What does it mean to love deeply from the heart?
Pray together that God would create a loving heart in you and your church
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