Romans 15:1 Christian Conduct (8) Accepting One Another#
Romans 15:1 Christian Conduct (8)
- Accepting One Another
(JP Text Group - Organized by Life of the Eagle)
Let us begin with a prayer.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you, for it is the love in Jesus Christ that draws us to your presence. You accept us because of Jesus, seeing us as precious as Him. We desire to know your goodness more and to live with such love. Please help us and give us the strength to live differently. We dedicate this time completely to you, may the Holy Spirit lead each person so that we can understand and know how to act in our lives. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
Continuing our series on the Book of Romans, the topic we will share is: Christian Conduct Part Eight, Accepting One Another
Romans 15:7-13
7 Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, for the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”
10 And again it says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples extol Him!” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Last time, we briefly shared that we should bear with those whose faith is weak, understanding them from their perspective and viewing things from their faith standpoint. Moreover, do not take to heart the insults and slanders from others; what you give for the Lord, God will remember and reward you.
Paul immediately says, “Therefore, accept one another.” This is because God has placed His patience and comfort within us, so that we may be of one mind and glorify our God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that we need to accept one another.
Where does the power of accepting one another come from?
Every church talks about accepting others, forgiving others, and not judging others casually. When faced with grievances, we should pray to God and speak words that build others up. The question is, where does the strength to act this way come from? If it comes from within people, when there is no return after giving, people will complain and become resentful. Some serve for profit or power, and once they do not gain it, they will abandon their service. Only the strength that comes from God is enduring and beneficial to others.
Accepting one another is very important. The Greek meaning of acceptance is to welcome someone as a friend. Treat this person as a friend and care for them. Acceptance starts from love. In daily life, when we cannot accept others, we will complain. There may be mutual attacks and suspicions. But Jesus hopes that we love one another.
John 13:34-35,
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The heart of loving one another brings forth actions of loving one another. Do not learn from the current society, which is two-faced. Many people misunderstand this, thinking that it is the same in the church. Many do not dare to openly express themselves in church because they fear that what they say will be laughed at by others. But in the true family of Jesus Christ, such things do not happen. When others know your difficulties and weaknesses, they will pray for you.
The first point shared is: Christ accepted us, so we need to accept one another.
What were we like when Jesus accepted us? In the past, we lived in sin and were enemies of God. Before believing in Jesus, how did we view Christians? At that time, we thought Christians were people with nothing to do, lacking spiritual support. We may have looked down on Christians, thinking they were just a group of the old, weak, sick, and disabled.
Christ accepted the world and died for the sins of the world while people were still living in sin. The most fatal thing is that people do not believe in Jesus and think they are living well, while in reality, they are gradually walking towards death.
Romans 5:9-10 says,
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Our salvation is through the blood of Jesus Christ, and our justification is because of His resurrection. Because of the work Jesus accomplished on the cross, God accepted us, for the price of sin has been paid. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ; just as the Father loves Jesus, He accepts us in the same way.
Today, when the Father looks at you, He sees you through Jesus Christ. Even if your behavior is not yet good enough, God still accepts you because He does not look at your actions but at the blood of Jesus Christ that has justified you; you are a beloved child of God. This relationship has been established. This relationship is like that with your son; your son may make mistakes, but he is still your son, and the blood relationship will not change.
Ephesians 2:13-16,
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
The cross represents two aspects: the vertical, representing our relationship with God, and the horizontal, representing our relationship with others, with the connecting point being Jesus Christ. We were once far from God, but Jesus Christ has built a bridge between us and God. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled to God.
You are completely accepted by the Father. It is not because of your actions that the Father accepts you, but because of the blood of Jesus Christ, God has fully accepted you. For He has made us at peace (the original text says “for He is our peace”).
Jesus Christ is our peace offering between us and the Father! Through Jesus Christ, we have been reconciled to God. The barrier of sin has been resolved by Jesus on the cross. We have been accepted by the Father.
Although our behavior may not be good, God is good. Even though we may still be weak and sin at times, the Father’s love for us has not changed; He still accepts us. He desires that we call upon Him when we encounter problems, and He is willing to help us. Only when we recognize the Father’s complete acceptance of us can we accept others.
Many people always focus on their bad behavior, thinking that God will not accept them. When people think this way, they do not fully understand God’s grace. Grace is something unearned and undeserved, yet God freely gives it to us. We do not please God by our actions but through what Jesus has done; the Father delights in us. Think about it: when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we were still sinning, and at that time, our behavior was not good, yet Jesus was still willing to bear our sins. How much more now that you have accepted the Lord Jesus, would the Father not delight in you? Your current behavior is certainly better than when you first believed.
The Father accepts us because He loves us. God’s love is unconditional and does not seek a return. It is not that we repay God, and then He continues to love us. The Father’s love for us is without expectation of return. It does not matter how you treat Him; He still loves you and accepts you.
When Jesus came into this world, the behavior of the Israelites was not good; they even looked down on Jesus, always trying to find fault with Him. But even with such a group of people, Jesus still accepted them.
Luke 7:34, The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
These Israelites, with their poor behavior, were unwilling to accept those who were less than them. Jesus accepted these people, yet they judged Him behind His back. Brothers and sisters, if Jesus could accept the Israelites, He can accept you too. He knows everything about you, yet still loves you.
Romans 15:8-9,
8 For I say that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy; as it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”
Christ is the servant of truth. He does not look at who you are but bears witness to the truth. Anyone willing to seek the truth, Jesus accepts them. The Israelites at that time rejected Jesus and the gospel. The gospel then turned to the Gentiles. God’s mercy and glory were revealed among the Gentiles.
If you go out to evangelize and someone does not accept, do not be discouraged. Just find others. God sends us to evangelize not to force people to believe in Jesus. We just need to share; we plant the seeds of the gospel, and the Holy Spirit will guide them to recognize the truth. As long as people are willing to accept the gospel, our Heavenly Father will accept them.
Verse 10 says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people.”
God accepts the Gentiles not because they behave better than the Israelites, but because His mercy has reached the Gentiles. Therefore, we do not please God by our actions to obtain salvation. This salvation is God’s grace. Those who accept it should rejoice with the people of the Lord. God hopes we accept one another and love one another.
Verse 11 says, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples extol Him!”
God’s gospel has beautiful testimonies everywhere. When we receive the Lord’s grace, we will naturally praise the Lord from our hearts. Praise Him. In the future kingdom, there will be no distinction between Israelites and Gentiles; we will all be God’s people, and we are all beloved children of God. Therefore, while we are on earth, if we understand these truths, we can accept one another and taste the joy of heaven on earth.
Many people say, “I will believe in Jesus when I am better.” They think God will not accept them. In fact, this should be thought of the other way around: because you are not good now, you need Jesus Christ even more. Rely on Christ’s grace to change your situation for the better.
God accepts us not based on our actions. When you understand that God has accepted you, faith and strength will arise from within you because the Holy Spirit is in you. This strength comes from the Holy Spirit, helping you, guiding you, and changing you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ has changed many people.
In just three and a half years on earth, Jesus changed many people and many families! Especially when people understand the work Jesus accomplished on the cross, many are changed because of Jesus. They no longer live for themselves but for Christ.
When you understand that the Father has accepted you because of Jesus, you will have the strength to accept others. The scripture we just read says, “Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ accepted you.” You need to think about how Jesus Christ accepted you. Once you understand this, you will have the strength to accept those who are unlovable. Thank the Lord.
The second point shared is: Accepting One Another.
Jesus accepted us, and when we emulate Christ, we must follow the example of Jesus Christ. When you want to forgive others, accept others, and love others, you must first know how Jesus loved you. Do not use human love or human acceptance, which are conditional; instead, use the way Jesus Christ accepted you to accept others.
If we have problems with others, we need to accept one another and forgive one another. This is very important. Many people confuse this, thinking that since God has already accepted me, it does not matter how I live. In fact, your words and actions no longer represent just yourself but represent Jesus Christ.
If people cannot accept one another, there will inevitably be strife. The Pharisees did not accept Jesus, so they always judged Him behind His back. Let us look at a passage of scripture.
Matthew 12:22-28,
Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? If I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
It was clearly a good thing, but the Pharisees did not accept Jesus and tried every means to slander and attack Him. The reason the Pharisees did this was out of selfishness. They did not want Jesus’ reputation to surpass theirs, so they always found trouble with Jesus. The root cause is still their inability to accept Jesus and their disbelief in God’s grace. If even believers cannot accept one another, where is the hope for the world?
God desires that we accept one another and love one another, not attack one another. If someone indeed has shortcomings or problems, point out their issues privately, but do not deny the person. Just because someone has done something wrong does not mean we judge them as unsaved. If believers cannot accept one another, how can we accept those unlovable people in the world?
The devil hopes for strife between people, for churches to fight against each other and attack each other, because this leads to division. When we attack one another and judge one another, the church becomes divided, which is exactly the devil’s scheme.
Jesus used this situation to clarify to them that if Satan drives out Satan, that kingdom cannot stand. Jesus said, “If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God…” Jesus was speaking from the Pharisees’ perspective; in reality, Jesus was indeed driving out demons by the Spirit of God, and this was the coming of the kingdom of God to them.
Whether under the law or under grace, as long as one believes in Jesus Christ, they are all one family. Some may live in bitterness like the Pharisees, while others live under the freedom of Jesus Christ. When we see those who are bound under the law, our first response should be to have compassion for them, not to attack them. We must first accept them because they do not yet understand God’s grace.
Brothers and sisters must accept one another. If the brothers and sisters in the church are in conflict, the church will inevitably split.
From the 1970s to the 1990s, the evangelistic situation across the country was very good, and many people came to faith. At that time, everyone’s faith was relatively simple, believing in Jesus to enter the kingdom of heaven. But from 1990 to 1997, church divisions were at their worst.
On the surface, it seemed prosperous, but people could not accept one another. Due to personal desires, many factions were established. “I belong to Paul,” “I belong to Apollos,” and even within one church, there were divisions and mutual attacks. Some felt that this pastor preached correctly, while others thought that pastor was right, leading to disputes. During that time, many churches split. Brothers and sisters, this is already falling into the devil’s trap.
The devil hopes for strife among believers, which hinders the ministry. I do not know what role you play in the church; perhaps you are a deacon or an encourager. Regardless of the problems you see among brothers and sisters, you must minimize the issues and not intentionally create disputes. When you hear someone judging another person, you must stop them to avoid aiding the devil.
If you hear someone judging another pastor or someone else, belittling them and saying they are worthless, you must stop that person because they have already fallen into the devil’s path. The devil wants us to spread disputes and lies, which delays and halts the work of the gospel.
You must understand this: we must first accept one another. Even those under the law should be accepted because God loves the Israelites and the Gentiles. God desires for us to rejoice together.
When believers cannot accept one another, it is easy to condemn one another. But we must look at the person through Christ. They may have some behaviors we do not like, but first, you must accept that person. Perhaps it is unintentional, or perhaps it is a personal habit formed by their experiences. We must discern and understand such matters, addressing the issue, not the person. We can point out others’ problems but still accept the person.
Judgment belongs to God. What we need to do is accept one another. Jesus teaches us to forgive one another, but forgiveness under the Old Testament law is different from forgiveness under the New Testament:
Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
It seems that under the law, if a person does not forgive others, the Father will not forgive that person. This is something people must strive to do. People should make every effort to forgive others. When you are about to offer a sacrifice, if you remember that your brother has something against you, do not offer your sacrifice. Because if you offer it, God will not accept it. First, go and be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your sacrifice. What is God’s intention? Do not bring resentment when offering sacrifices.
Under the New Testament, it also teaches forgiveness, which is acceptance.
Colossians 3:8-14,
But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
The beginning of the New Testament is after Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross for our sins. When Jesus paid the price for our sins, God no longer remembers our sins. The Father accepted us because of Jesus. At this moment, God does not look at our actions. But the Father still hopes we live out good behavior and still hopes we accept one another and forgive one another.
Under the New Testament, God says we must rid ourselves of all these things: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. God hopes we stay away from these unhelpful things. When you hate someone, that is when filthy words come out of your heart. How can people forgive one another? Everyone should think about how Jesus forgave us, and then it can be done.
Under the New Testament, God also has requirements for us. If we do this, we will experience His goodness and victory in our lives.
Under the New Testament, we do not rely on ourselves but on the power of Christ. Now that you have put on the new self, this new self is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
Every day, by listening to the Word and reading the scriptures, we renew our thoughts and intentions. Thus, we will know more about Jesus, and unknowingly, we will live out the likeness of Christ, allowing us to forgive and accept others.
If you do not have God’s Word supplying you every day, how can you live differently? If a person is not renewed by Christ’s words, they will be renewed by worldly habits. Therefore, I suggest to brothers and sisters that every day you should have time for personal communication with God. This is the best way to continually receive strength from God, enabling you to do what you could not do before, and you can live victoriously like Jesus.
You are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved.
To live differently, you must first know that our lives are different now. When you accept the Lord Jesus, your life becomes different. You belong to Christ. You are God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved. It is clearly stated here that you are holy and dearly loved; you are not striving to enter holiness. You already are. You just need to live out your true self.
When people continually realize they are holy and loved, they will produce different behaviors. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience will flow from within you. These are not ours but Christ’s. When you continually receive Christ’s love and listen to the truth, these beautiful qualities will emerge.
What you receive from Jesus, you will possess. Under the New Testament, we must focus on Christ. Continuously receive. Believe that we are loved by God and are holy. The Holy Spirit will guide us to do the right thing. When conflicts arise between us and others, we will naturally live out the likeness of Christ.
Just as the Lord Jesus forgave us and accepted us, we will accept others. Some may say, “I cannot do these things.” Do not worry; please continue to receive His words from Christ. By continually listening to the Word and reading the scriptures, over time, you will find that you can do it. Under the New Testament, all this power is received.
In Matthew 22, there is a story about a king who prepared a wedding banquet and invited people to attend. However, these people did not come and even beat and killed the servants he sent. The king was very angry and said, “Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.” In the end, the banquet was filled with guests.
When the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, “Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?” The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, “Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Many people may not understand this passage, thinking that the man was thrown out because of his bad behavior. The answer is certainly not that. Our salvation is not related to behavior. So what does this passage mean?
The Father has prepared everything. If a person is willing to attend His banquet, they become a precious guest. No matter how you were in the past, it does not matter; even if you have no money to prepare a wedding garment, it is okay because the Father has already prepared it. We do not enter the kingdom of heaven based on our clothes; it is not that you wear a white garment to enter the kingdom of heaven, but the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We all wear the righteousness of Christ to participate in the banquet of the kingdom of heaven. Perhaps that man thought his clothes were better than what God had prepared and was unwilling to accept the Father’s righteousness, resulting in him being thrown out.
Of course, for those who have accepted Jesus Christ, we need to live a victorious life. This means living out good behavior before people, thereby glorifying our Lord. How can we achieve this? Whatever you lack, receive from the Lord; God can give us what we need.
Every day, by listening to the Word, reading the scriptures, and gathering, you will gradually come to know Jesus Christ more and more, and you will have the strength to accept others. When you forgive others and accept others, you are actually releasing yourself.
When you harbor resentment and do not forgive, you are bound by these things. The devil especially wants you to live in hatred, which may cause you to lose sleep at night or even lead to physical illness. But when you let go of all these things and fully accept that person, all those bindings lose their power. So brothers and sisters, remember that God wants us to accept one another and forgive one another for our own benefit.
Romans 15:13, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
I do not know why many places in the Chinese Bible translate “may” as “愿，” as many of Paul’s letters contain “愿…,” but the original text does not have the word “愿.” Verse 13 can be directly translated as: The God of hope fills you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
It is not “may.” If it were “may,” it would be like a future tense, suggesting that God’s desire is this, but it does not necessarily fill your heart. God can fill your heart with joy and peace. In this case, we are in a receiving process.
Remove the “may” and believe that God has accepted you, that Jesus has died on the cross for your sins, and that God gives you hope. Regardless of the circumstances, God can fill your heart with joy and peace. Therefore, change the “you” in the scripture to “I,” “I believe that you can fill my heart with your joy. Because I am loved by you, I am holy and dearly loved!” Recognizing yourself in this way will allow you to live a different life.
Finally, let us look at a passage of scripture together to see what those who love one another and dwell in harmony are like.
Psalm 133, (A Song of Ascents. Of David.) Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
In our Lord Jesus Christ, we can accept one another. To the world, it is seen as, “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” This becomes a model for the world. What the world lacks is this goodness and beauty because only Christ is good, and only Christ is beautiful. However, we can express the beauty of Christ, and the world will see the glory of Christ because of us.
It is like the precious oil poured on the head, which flows down to the beard and onto the collar of his robes, signifying that he is completely filled with the oil and the fragrance. The fragrance of Christ emanates from you, and when a group of people comes together, they can emit a great fragrance that attracts people to come before Jesus Christ. Because the dew of Hermon has already been supplied.
Mount Zion represents God’s grace, where the Lord has commanded the blessing for us. Therefore, we are all in the blessings of the Lord. May brothers and sisters truly be able to accept one another through God’s words and reflect on how Jesus accepted us. To be a peace offering between people, to be a bridge between people, bringing them to Christ.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for your grace. Thank you for accepting us because of Jesus. We are willing to receive this strength to live out a different style in our lives. Please grant us wisdom and strength, so that we may continually live out the glory of Christ. I am willing to be a channel of blessing, to share the blessings of Christ. All glory belongs to you. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!