With One Voice

Reading:  Romans 15:8-21
    
    Paul wants the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome to welcome one another because God’s plan has always been to include the Gentiles as a part of his people.  “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”(Rom 15:5-6).  When we are in harmony as a local church, our praise to God goes up “with one voice” despite our physical differences.  While we struggle with diversity, God’s plan is that through Jesus he can build harmony from the differences, to his glory.  Paul then  summarizes this latter section of Romans:  “For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy”(Rom 15:8-9).  Jesus fulfills the promises God gave to Abraham and the patriarchs—but also expands them by including the Gentiles.  A series of OT passages confirms this (Rom 15:9, 10, 11, 12).  God has been signaling his desire to include Gentiles for a long time.

    Paul’s confidence in God’s purpose makes him unashamed to preach in distant lands where even Judaism has not reached.  “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.  For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience”(Rom 15:17-18).  He sees himself on the front lines of God’s plan to bring the Gentiles to faith.  If God wants this so badly, then Paul is happy to work hard and suffer in pursuit of God’s will, wherever it takes him (Rom 15:19-21).

    God wants his people to “with one voice glorify” him, united despite differences.  As hard as it may be to accept people who are not like us—in ethnicity, manners, background, or lifestyle—the cross makes it so that we all stand equal before God.  His purpose is that we show love and acceptance to one another.  This is most often worked out in the local church.  Whatever personal sacrifices we make to preserve unity and peace in a local church, we can be confident that we are fulfilling the dream of God.

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One Thing to Think About: Do I appreciate the unity of my local congregation—and how it glorifies God?

One Thing to Pray For:   God’s glory to expand through the lives of his people
 

It’s Not About Me

Reading:  Romans 15:1-7
    
    Our willingness to sacrifice our rights for the sake of our brother is part of a broader Christian worldview.  “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”(Rom 15:1-2).  If we believe that we are the stronger brother (see Rom 14:2), our strength should be shown in our patience and humility with those who are weaker.  Rather than insisting on our right to do what we like (“to please ourselves”), we carefully consider the impact of our actions on others (“please his neighbor for his good, to build him up”).  In this, we follow Jesus, who “did not please himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me’”(Rom 15:3).  Jesus’ entire life was consumed with the needs of those around him—not merely exercising his own rights, finding his own enjoyment, or expressing himself.  Living like Jesus means it’s not about me.

    Having cited from the Psalms, Paul reminds the Romans of the value of the Old Testament:  “For what was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope”(Rom 15:4).  The Old Testament Scriptures have value for us because they foreshadow and resonate with what is more fully revealed in Jesus, including Paul’s present emphasis on not living for ourselves.  “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God”(Rom 15:5-7).  In the same way that Jesus has received us with kindness and patience, so we receive others.  I seek eagerly to welcome the way I have been welcomed because it’s not about me.  

    It’s not about me.  Following Jesus means that God’s will comes first and others’ needs come before my own.  My rights, preferences, and opinions can be yielded if they cause harm or stumbling to others.  I no longer live for myself.  It’s not about me.

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One Thing to Think About: Why is selflessness and sacrifice so hard?

One Thing to Pray For:   A heart to prioritize others over myself
 

Sacrificing My Rights

Reading:  Romans 14:13-23
    
    Having acknowledged the differing opinions on matters of meats and feast days, Paul instructs the Roman Christians how to make peace going forward.  “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother”(Rom 14:13).  The idea of a “stumbling block” here is more than the modern idea of “offending” someone.  It means leading them to sin (rather than just making them upset).  He equates it with my brother being grieved (Rom 14:15), destroyed (Rom 14:15), speaking of my good as evil (Rom 14:16), and making him stumble (Rom 14:21).  Paul teaches us not to insist on our opinions to the point where we encourage our brother to violate his own conscience.

    But he goes a step farther.  If exercising my rights causes my brother to sin, I should sacrifice my rights.  “It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble”(Rom 14:21).  Yes, even if I have the right to do something, it would be better not to do it than to lead my brother to sin by doing it.  This teaching is particularly challenging because Americans believe so strongly in the idea of personal liberties and rights.  We fight for our rights and feel justified exercising them, regardless of the impact on others.  Christians think differently:  “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God”(Rom 14:20).  My rights are not worth my brother’s soul.

    Our actions involve more than just ourselves and God.  Even when I feel a behavior is morally acceptable, have I considered its effect on others?  Would I be willing to give it up for my brother’s sake?  Would I be resentful of my brother for his strong opinions when I believe a practice is OK?  These are probing questions.  It is easy to say we love one another, but “if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love”(Rom 14:15).  Love is tested when we sacrifice our rights to bless those around us—like Jesus.

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One Thing to Think About:  Would I give up my way, my fun, or my opinion for my brother’s sake?

One Thing to Pray For:   A heart to love my brother above myself
 

I Am Not the Lord

Reading:  Romans 14:5-12
    
    Paul is addressing issues in which either way is acceptable to God—such as diet and holidays—and how we treat those who disagree with us in such matters.  “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike.  Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.  The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord.  The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God”(Rom 14:4-6).  Paul is focused on how we appear before “the Lord,” Jesus.  If we are not “fully convinced” that he is pleased with our actions, then we should abandon them.  Whatever our convictions, we should arrive at them and uphold them out of respect for Jesus, our Lord and Master.

    But his role as Lord also means that he is the Lord of my brothers too.  “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?  It is before his own master that he stands or falls”(Rom 14:4).  “Why do you pass judgment on your brother?  Or you, why do you despise your brother?  For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God”(Rom 14:10).  We will all answer for our own choices, but we will answer to Jesus, not to one another.  So if my brother’s service looks different from mine in matters of opinion and freedom, what difference does that make to me?  He will answer to his Master.

    I am not the Lord.  Jesus has not appointed me the boss of the faith of others.  My duty is not to pass judgment on those who do things I would not.  My duty is not to despise those who refuse to do things I see as fine.  Instead, Jesus instructs me to be focused on whether my choices please him.  I must let Jesus be the Lord and do my best to serve him.

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One Thing to Think About:  Do I have a hard time respecting the opinions of others?

One Thing to Pray For:   Humility before my Lord
 

When Opinions Differ

Reading:  Romans 14:1-4
    
    Paul turns his attention in this section to the difficulty of Jews and Gentiles living together in the Christian community in Rome.  There seem to have been strong differences based on the diets and religious calendars the people observed before becoming Christians.  “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions”(Rom 14:1).  “Welcome him” means that our general posture is one of acceptance of our brothers despite the fact that we do not agree on every opinion.  “One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables”(Rom 14:2).  I believe Paul is referring particularly to Jewish Christians who still hold the kosher laws, struggling with the idea that Jesus frees them to eat all foods.

    Paul’s instruction is twofold.  “Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him”(Rom 14:3).  When opinions differ, the one who feels free to eat should not “despise” the one who abstains.  This would mean looking down on him simply because he believes eating is wrong.  Meanwhile, the one who abstains is not to “pass judgment” on the one who eats.  This would mean condemning him as if he has done evil simply because he does not hold my view.  When opinions differ, despising and judging are inappropriate and destructive.

    The entire Roman letter has been building to this point.  Paul has stressed throughout that both Jew and Gentile are under sin, saved by grace (not their own works), and grafted together as God’s people.  Where we were different, we are now one in Christ.  Yet even now, we will not always agree.  God wants us to welcome one another and show kindness and respect despite our differences of opinion.  We must learn to distinguish between matters of faith and matters of opinion—and learn to accept others who think differently than we do.

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One Thing to Think About:  Why do I struggle accepting others whose opinions differ from mine?

One Thing to Pray For:   Willingness to accept others—and a place where I am accepted—despite differences over opinions