Title: Love for each other
Commentary on Romans 102
love for each other
Romans 15:7-13
Introduction: The God we serve shows us his love and grace in many ways. Depending on the angle he shows, he is called the God of comfort, the God of patience, or the God of hope. In addition to this, He tells us that He is the God of peace (Romans 15:33), the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3), and the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10). Beautiful terms like these are expressions of God's abundant work of grace toward us. And Paul says that this God wants us to be like-minded, so that we may glorify God with one heart and one mouth, in imitation of Jesus.
1. You also receive each other
The greatest goal of the Christian life is to live for the glory of God. Although the Church of God has people of various races and different personalities, the reason why they are growing and revitalized without being scattered or collapsing is because the ultimate purpose of life for all Christians is the same. Paul emphasizes here that in the Church of God, Jews and Gentiles will become one in Christ through mutual acceptance.
(1) We can accept one another because Christ has accepted us. What kind of person did Jesus have to accept us? He is God. As God, he forsook the glory of heaven and came into the world as a sinner like us. Why? It was to accept us. He became our example of being tempted by being tested as the weak in the world. He set an example for us by being rejected by many, yet not rejecting them. He became our example of suffering through perseverance in the midst of suffering. The example of Jesus like this is that He wants us to learn Him, so that He can form the image of His Son (Romans 8:29, Galatians 4:19). Paul tells us to imitate Jesus and accept one another.
(2) Here Paul said to follow the Lord and receive one another as well. The target of “one another” here refers to both Jews and Gentiles, and they are to “receive” each other in the Church of God, that is, to receive each other. In the Roman Church, there was a lot of conflict between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. Conflicts occurred between the righteous life based on the law and the sense of choice as a descendant of Abraham, resulting in frequent doctrinal conflicts. Because they did not accept each other, they could not become one in Christ.
① Accepting each other here requires an open mind that considers others better than yourself. Quarrels and judgments come from pride or self-superiority. Therefore, in order to understand our brothers and take responsibility for the weaknesses of the weak, we must first have a heart to regard others as superior to ourselves. “Let nothing be done out of strife or perseverance, but in lowliness of mind let each one consider others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3). Jesus also said, “Whoever wants to be first must be your slave” (Matthew 20:27). It is difficult to treat others as better than you. However, we must imitate the Lord's case and live a life of higher faith that considers others to be better than ourselves.
② In accepting each other, we must be able to bear each other's weaknesses. Judging weaknesses creates conflicts and factions. You have to understand your opponent's weakness as your own and bear it. This requires a broad understanding. We need a wrapping cloth of love that can cover that weakness.
③ In accepting each other, we must become partners in our faith. Why is it that diverse people live happily in one house as a family? It is in cooperation with each other.
(3) Paul explains why the Lord became the servant of circumcision. To say that Jesus became a servant of circumcision means that Jesus became a keeper of the law. Although Jesus did not need to be bound by the law, he said that the reason he Himself became a law keeper was for the sake of both Jews and Gentiles. This means that in Christ we must accept each other without distinction, whether Jew or Gentile.
For the Jews, in doing so, the covenant God made to the Jewish fathers was confirmed. Jesus is the promised Messiah to Israel. Such promises were given countless times as covenants to his forefathers. To make that happen, he had to be born a Jew, born under the law, and obey the law. On the other hand, Jesus is the promised Savior even to the Gentiles. The promise of ‘descendants of a woman’ in Genesis 3:15 is a promise that makes no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Even when he called Abraham, the father of the Jews, God's promise was not limited to the Jews.
The fact that the Gentiles were also included in the promise, “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” shows that Gentiles are included in that promise (Genesis 12:3). This work is based on the mercy of God. Therefore, we too must break down the walls of the Gentiles and Jews and become one as we accept each other. The Old Testament quoted by Paul here provides the biblical basis to support this fact.
2. God of Hope
God is a God of hope. Therefore, Christians are people of hope. Our life is to have hope, hope for hope, and live in hope. Christian hope is not a human-made hope, but a gift given to us by the ‘God of hope’. God has shown us a sure hope through His Son. Through his cross, he has made sure that we have our forgiveness, through faith in him, eternal life, and through his resurrection, our hope of resurrection.
When we say that God is the God of hope here, we are assured that God is the God who not only gives us hope, but also makes it come true.
Conclusion: Verse 13 says, “The God of hope fills you with all joy and peace through faith.” The Christian's heart should be filled with all joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. And our hope must overflow with the power of the Holy Spirit. This is a gift from God to all Christians. We must always strive to live in this joy, peace, and hope, so that we can achieve a life of mutual acceptance. *