Receive Ye One Another
The Lord's body in the first century was painfully bruised and broken by the dislikes of Jew and Gentile toward one another. We find a prevailing theme in the book of Romans is the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ:
Romans 1:5-"By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the Faith among all nations, for his name:"
Romans 1:16-"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
Romans 2:9-"Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil of the Jew first and also to the Greek."
Romans 16:26- "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations For the obedience of faith."
The fifteenth chapter of Romans is woven tightly into this fabric. The value of the fifteenth chapter to us lies in our ability to so understand its message as to be able to apply it to our own lives.
In the fourteenth chapter of Romans, the beloved apostle discussed the problems of unity and peace in Christ as pertaining to matters of unity and peace in Christ as pertaining to matters of unimportance, specifically eating of meats and
observing of days. This is continued into chapter 15. It is apparent that the problems over matters of opinion were rooted in the soil of animosity between Jew and Gentile. For example, the Jewish Christians would not eat certain meats and desired to
keep certain days (Col. 2:13-23). It is interesting to note that ten times in seven verses in Romans fifteen, the apostles names the Gentiles, demonstrating why Jews should accept them (v. 9,10,11,12,16,18,27) In verse seven of this chapter we find the
theme of this chapter mentioned where we get the title for our lesson: 'Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God."
How Do We Receive One Another??
The term receive denotes to take to oneself .. signifying a special interest on the part of the receiver, suggesting a welcome. The word includes both spiritual reception and social acceptance. If we receive one, we will happily take him into
our homes and share with him our possessions (Acts 28:2; Phile. 10-17).
Here in Romans 15, several ways are mentioned with detailed ways in which we should receive one another. The "strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak" (v.1); We are "not to please ourselves," but "let every one of us please his neighbor
For his good to edification (v. 1.2)." We should "be like minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus. " To be like minded implies an acceptance of the equality of the basic worth and acceptance by the Lord one of the other. We ought to "with
one mind and one mouth glorify God," which beautifully figures unity of both heart and action as we together worship the Father.
We are to receive one another "as Christ also received us" (Romans 15:7). Question: Would Christ refuse to own us as brethren (Hebrews 2:11-12)?? Would he decline to join our bible class, worship or any other work because our opinion was
different? Would he turn us away from his home? (John 14:1-3). Should we so do to one another? Faithful disciples whether Jew or Gentile, in the first century received each other both spiritually and socially. To illustrate: Simon Peter, commanded
uncircumcised Gentiles "to be baptized in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:48) "and didst eat with them" (Acts 11:3). He thus proved we "should not call any man common or unclean on this basis" (Acts 10:15,28).
One will note that "receiving one another" is a three fold responsibility. We receive one another because Christ also received us. A stronger brother must seek to receive a weaker brother as a weaker brother must seek to receive the stronger in
the thing which is not sinful. The thing which is a matter of opinion. Why? "Because Christ also received us."
Attitudes Necessary To Keep The Church Together (Eph. 4:1-3)
The purpose of Paul's teaching for each whether strong or weak in receiving one another was for the purpose of creating unity in the body of Christ. For that to prevail, proper attitudes had to prevail from among all. Those attitudes are
plainly found in Ephesians 4:1-3:
"Spirit of lowliness"
Commending the virtue of humility where that we don't have an arrogant disposition toward ourselves, manifested toward others (Prov. 16:18, 18:12). Here's a man who thinks, I know all there is to know. My way is the best. My way is the only
there is! Here you have 85 people and wouldn't it be silly of me to think that wisdom reside in me, you don't know anything and I know all there is to know! Lowliness in mind recognizes that you have experienced things in life that brings our knowledge
and our work together, things that I don't see and know (Phil. 2:1-4!).
"Meekness"
It is not weakness. it is the opposite of rude striving with others. A peace loving spirit that studies to give a soft answer. (Phil. 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men.." "Moderation"--Reasonableness. humble, patient
steadfastness..trusting in God in spite of it all Not an individual that is boisterous but an individual who is meek.
"Long-suffering"
It comes from a word that is made up of two parts. One part is macros and it has to do with long. Opposite of micros. The other word means tempered. here is a long tempered person. This person has a long fuse.
What does it take to have unity in the church. It take men with long fuses. The person that flies off the handle at the least provocation is a man that disrupts the unity of Gods people!
"Forbearing"
This word involves endurance, patience. In your service of the Lord do you think in those years that somebody might just do something that will hurt you. Maybe I don't get my way all the time. Maybe I'm right and they're wrong. What do I
do?....... You be forbearing.
Contrast that attitude with what sadly happens to many times. One fellow just gets mad and he just gathers up his marbles and goes home and then threatens to leave or withhold contribution. This destroys the unity of God's people.
Many times the issues don't make a hill of beans worth the difference. The problems at times is not issues but attitudes!
"Spirit of Love"
A lot of times a fellow will grit his teeth and he'll forbear it but he resents every bit of it. Don't let that be the way with you! Somewhere down the road, I might be on the other end of that thing. How would I want someone to treat
me.
When these attitudes exist then you have unity among God's people.
Ways Unity Can Be Destroyed
David said in Ps. 133:1-"Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity..... This is to say that a lack of unity is not good and it certainly is not pleasant. What contributes to such:
Hot Tempered Words
Prov. 15:1-"A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stirreth up anger." Suppose I say that so-in-so is a liar. Now, what did that do to him. See, that's the kind of words we call inflammatory. (Prov. 15:18; James 1:19; Eph.
4:26.
Ephesians 4:31
Bitterness- This is letting somebody get upset and it just festers in him and eats him up all the time. It covers everything he sees. It just eats at him an the time. What happens is that it hurts you more than it does anybody else.
Wrath and anger- Wrath is the kind of anger that causes one for example to go out in his vehicle or resort off by himself and pout. Holds it in themself and lets it eat at them. The Bible shows that if you've got something you're alienated with
your brother about, then you go reconcile with your brother.
Then there's the anger that is about like grass that is brown and it flares up and is gone when a match is thrown into it. They don't look back at that trail of damage they've left behind them. These will destroy the unity of a church.
Clamor- This is out of control yelling. You ever seen two people so angry they just sit there and yell at one another! Sometimes two sisters can get their horns locked. In the book of Philippians, there's not but one negative word said in the
whole book and you know who it is said to........ two sisters who got in a mess (Phil 4:2). Two women that fuss at each other and it filters through the whole church can disrupt the unity of the church.
"Loveth the Preeminence"
Then there are those who are like Diotrophes who liked to have the preeminence. (3 John 9-10). Here is a man that is going to run things. Whatever he says is what the whole church is going to have to line up and do. That's the wrong spirit to
have. The Diotrophing spirit that says, it's going to be my way and if it's not going to be my way I'll just bust this thing all to pieces.
Galatains 5:19-21 mentions several categories of sin in this passage. Sins of lust, religion and of violation of brotherly love.
"Variance"
Contention, strife. A business meeting where you just sit and fuss at one another for a couple of hours could fall into this category.
"Emulations"
Jealousy of what is good. Seeks to tear down being prompted by jealousy. I can say something good or I can pull somebody down. One way that I can get on an individuals level is if I kick him in the shin because I'm jealous. This is
emulation.
"Wrath, Anger, Strife"
Selfish ambition is strife. The spirit of rivalry.
"Seditions, Heresies etc..."
This is a party spirit where people begin to rally around certain ones. And example of a divisive spirit and actions with two groups working'
See, unity is not an option in the Lords church (Ephesians 4:3).
Cost Of Being Divided
A fragmented church One goes this way and one goes that way and you've got two little groups. What message is sent to a sin sick and dieing world?
No Evangelism That Goes On. All our energies are spent on the members. When energies are spent on evangelism and all are spiritually minded as they should, this would create harmony among Gods children who are all to be spiritually minded.
Evangelism is thwarted when division occurs.
Loss of membership. People who will throw up their hands and quit. At times people hold the church hostage by this action. This must be dealt with scripturally and emphatically. But, when people grow weary who have made efforts to do what is
scripturally right and they consider leaving, this can hinder the Lords work and certainly the unity of Gods people.
Our Children will see what's going on. We should live in such a way before our children that Christianity is adorned. That they like Christianity. A divisive spirit presents a situation before our children which may be responded by, 'Well
thanks but no thanks". As the older women are to teach the younger women in Titus 2:5 to behave in such a way...."that the word of God be not blasphemed." Let's all live in such a way that none will think poorly of Christianity because of the way we
behave....... receive ye one another!
Rick Christian