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(1) Walk Thru The Word: Romans 15: 1-7 (ESV)
We Glorify God When We Reflect Christ Who Welcomes The Lost, The Strong & The Weak”
1We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” 4For 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. 5May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
(2) Message map — Rom. 15: 1 – 7 “We Welcome Others As Christ Welcomes Us” (The Book of Romans: Session 25)
- Rom 15: 1 1The strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak.
- Rom 15: 1-2, The Goal of Pleasing Others Is To glorify God As We Build Them Up
- Rom 15: 5-6 Christ bore our reproaches So We Can Be born Again & Live in harmony with God
- Rom 15: 3-4 & 7 we are born again to become disciples, Who reflect God’s Endurance & Encouragement & Live in harmony with Each other
(3) Rom 15: 1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak
1We who are strong (able to do what is made possible because of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment) have an obligation (a moral, duty and responsibility before God ) to bear (carry what is burdensome(carry what is burdensome and annoying) with the failings (error arising from weakness) of the weak.
(4) Rom 15: 1 the 3 components of Spiritual Strength In Christ are …
The Spiritually Strong In Christ are …
- strong in soul (moral government) to bear calamities and trials with fortitude and patience,
- 2 Corinthians 12:10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, (acknowledge my powerless) then I am strong.(am open to the ability God provides to do what’s to do what’s not possible w/o Him, which is humanly impossible);
- strong in Christian virtue, (the capacity to fulfill moral duties while abstaining from vice; conformity of life and conversation to God’s moral law)
- 2 Corinthians 13:9 For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. Your restoration (overcoming “mental dislocations” brought on by arrogance and refusal to repent.) is what we pray for.
- firm in conviction and faith, (convinced that Jesus is the Messiah and the author of salvation, and that what God has revealed in Scripture is the truth, about which we must not compromise!) (1 John 5: 1-5, 1 Corinthians 9:22, Galatians 6:2)
- 1 John 5: 1-5 says Believers obey and overcome! “1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
- 1 Corinthians 9:22 — To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men, so that by all possible means I might save some.
- Galatians 6:2 — Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.
We Balance The Rule of Liberty and The Rule of Bearing The Burdens of The Weak —
Be sensitive to not do what causes others to stumble. Many Christians will enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but they don’t do it in public. It is not that they are “sneaking around sinning,” for everything God created is good, and it depends on how and under what circumstances it is used or eaten or partaken of that determines whether or not one is in Christ while doing so. They just do not want to stumble weak people who might say, “Hey, Christians are not supposed to drink!”
Matt 11: 18-19 & Luke 7:33-34 (ESV) “God Calls His Disciples To Different Disciplines”
Matt 11: 18-19
18For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
Luke 7: 33-34
33For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 34he Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at this glutton and drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and of sinners!’ 35But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”…
John The Baptist was anointed from birth to abstain:
Luke 1:15
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
Jesus apparently had a different calling and made wine at a wedding as the introduction of His miraculous ministry in John 2: 1-10
(5) Rom 15: 1-2 The Goal of Pleasing Others Is To Build Them Up
1… not to please (have an eye to one’s own interests) ourselves. 2Let each of us please his neighbor (any other person, and where two are concerned the other one, who is our fellow-man,) for his good, to build (do what makes for spiritual advancement, edification.) him up. (Phil. 2:4, 1 Thes. 5:14)
Philippians 2:4 — Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 — And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
(6) Rom 15: 6 The purpose of harmony is to glorify God & Christ
6that together you may with one voice glorify (to make renowned, render illustrious; to cause the dignity and worth of to become manifest and acknowledged by our attitudes and actions that ascribe weight by recognizing the real substantive value of God for who He really is. We give or ascribe glory to God by personally acknowledging God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. in His true character and essence.)
The only way we can with one voice glorify God is that …
- All voices have to Christ on His terms — which means they agree to the essential Bible doctrines that determine repentance and salvation and His 10 Commands & Sermon on The Mount. Otherwise we are entering into fellowship with what violates God’s Commands, which the Holy Spirit never would motivate.
- All voices are submitted to Christ as His disciples (one who learns the doctrines of Scripture and who grows in the disciplined lifestyle they require) growing in holiness defined by keeping the Ten Commandments and living by Christ’s Sermon on The Mount. (John 13:34 and John 13:34-35)
- John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”…
- John 13:34 qualifies the type of love we are to have: “x34A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another.
(7) Rom 15:7 Welcome & Glorify = God is glorified when we welcome others
7Therefore welcome one another (receive, with strong personal interest; to grant one access to our hearts; to take into friendship and close contact) as Christ has welcomed (God and Christ have received us who, formerly were estranged from them. They have united us with themselves by the blessings of the Gospel), for the glory of God.
Welcoming others in Christ means we are …
- evangelizing
- accommodating
- compromising (with qualifications) (perhaps on preferences and convictions, but not on Biblical Commands & the Essential Truths of Salvation)
- deferring what we have liberty to do for their sakes
As we welcome others, we are to be sensitive to their spiritual growth status and needs. [bctt tweet=”Rom 15:7 Welcome & Glorify = God is glorified when we welcome others 7Therefore welcome one another (receive, with strong personal interest; to grant one access to our hearts; to take into friendship and close contact) as Christ has welcomed (God and Christ have received us who, formerly were estranged from them. ” username=”LibertyCF3″]
(8) Rom 15: 3-4 All Our Christian Living Only is possible because Christ bore our reproaches & Made Us Born Again
3…it is written, (stands composed in the scriptures to give information and directions — 2 Tim 3:16,) “The reproaches (undeserved insults and condemnation, meant to disgrace, but. which does not “hold up” after the situation is correctly fully understood) of those who reproached you fell (landed violently) on me.”
All our Christian living only is possible because Christ bore our reproaches so we can be born again! (Heb. 12:2 & 13: 12-13)
3…it is written, (stands composed in the scriptures to give information and directions) 2 Tim 3:16 (Beran Literal Bible) Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
“The reproaches (undeserved insults and condemnation, meant to disgrace, but. which does not “hold up” after the situation is correctly fully understood) of those who reproached you fell on me.” (Christ took our place to receive what was meant to land on us. This won our salvation. Ps. 69:6-9 are on next slide, which we’ll get to in a moment.)
Hebrews 12:2 — looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb. 13: 12-13 12So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.
(9) Christ bore our reproach Psalm 69: 6-9
6Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord GOD of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel.
7For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face.
8I have become a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons.
9For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
(10) Walk Thru The Word: Heb. 11: 23- 28 (ESV)
Moses also came alongside the Israelites and stood with them to bear the reproach they were under.
Heb. 11: 23- 28 — 23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.
Like Moses, if God uses us to come along side certain other people, we can see God deliver them. Our challenge is to be obedient to be appropriately available.
(11) Rom 15: 5
We can reflect God’s Endurance & Encouragement to live in harmony with each other
5May the God of endurance (steadfastness, patient waiting for) and encouragement (3874 /paráklēsis (“holy urging”) is used of the Lord directly motivating and inspiring believers to carry out His plan, grant you to live in such harmony (to be of the same mind, i. e. to agree together, cherish the same views ) with one another, in accord (mutually as partners with each other, as) with Christ Jesus,
Rom 15:5 (NAS) — Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,
Rom 15:5 (KJB)— Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
Rom 15:5 NLT —May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 
(12) Being of One Accord is Based on Biblical Essentials
While we can associate with anyone at work, at play, and when engaging in hobbies, events etc… we only can have intimate fellowship with those who are of precious like-minded faith.
Faithful Fellowship between brothers and sisters in Christ means it must be centered around what is faithful to Christ according to His Scriptures.
Essential Biblical Truths and Commands are Immutable Absolutes, Irrefutable Doctrines of Biblical Certainty that provide Necessities & Essentials for all believers, about which there can be no compromise.
These include …
- Doctrinal issues that pertain to salvation, discipleship and holiness (10 Commandments, Sermon on The Mount,) We may not live these perfectly, but the Holy Spirit motivates thoughts, actions, activities and behaviors that are consistent with them.
- Doctrinal issues that are evidence of salvation, such as living out the provisions of the sermon on the Mount, which is built off the commands the God gives us throughout the totality of Scripture. Not worshipping idols.
Convictions should be formed from Biblical Evidence but about which there is lacking Biblical Certainty. Issues include speaking in tongues, when and under what circumstances does God heal; what day should one worship; does one drink alcoholic beverages, which Jesus made in John 2 and apparently partook of according to Matt 11: 18-19 & Luke 7: 33-34, whereas John The Baptist did not.
Choices should be informed by conscience, which should be informed by Biblical evidence. Choices stem from our Endearments that are born of personality and personal style preferences that appeal to our likes and dislikes. Since there are no unredeemable personality types, most of our style choices can be acceptable to God. For instance, my favorite color is blue, and your favorite color may be something else, both of which are acceptable to the Spirit of God.
But to repeat, while we can associate with anyone and anything, depending upon how the Holy Spirit convicts us, we only can fellowship in the Spirit, including engaging in prayer meetings, with people who adhere to the Essentials of Salvation and Commands of God, and are not in open refutation of them — either by commission and omission.
As the Scriptural people called by God’s name, we must not mistakenly think the Holy Spirit motivates fellowship that involves neglecting, making mistakes about and ignoring Biblical essentials and commands. We must not treat them as optional convictions, nor be deceived by people who do so.
(13) Rom 15: 3-4 Christ bore our reproaches to make us disciples
Romans 15: 4 Discipleship involves submitting to the scriptures through which we …
- receive instruction (applied-teaching of Christian doctrine that especially extends to its necessary lifestyle applications)
- understand how to grow in endurance (patient in steadfastness, as God enables us to persevere to “remain under” the challenges He allots in life).
- benefit from its encouragement (delivering God’s particular message to someone to exhort, warn, encourage, comfort)
- to walk in hope (joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation, through Christ, which Ellicott’s Commentary calls “Messianic hope” of glory, that fortifies the Christian to endure trials with firmer tenacity.
(14) Let’s Pray that God ReAwakens, ReInvigorates & ReEstablish Us in Our Calls In Christ!
Let’s Pray:
God grant us the grace to faithfully fulfill Your plan for us to participate in welcoming those You welcome. [email-download-link namefield=”YES” id=”365″]
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