Title Embracing and Oneness/Romans 15:1-13
Content scorn and slander vs. Harmony and Oneness/Romans 15:1-13
1. The trap of contempt and slander
People who cause conflicts in our religious life are more often than not non-believers or members of other churches, but those who attend the same church. The members of the Roman church also had conflicts, and their conflicts were due to the Mosaic Law Christians in the church. Their insistence that Christians should obey the law just like the Jews caused a religious conflict within the church. Conflicts arose within the church because they forced the members of the church to observe the Mosaic Law, which is rooted in the faith of the grace that Jesus gave for us. It seems natural that the members of the Roman Church despise and despise the legalists who have false beliefs. But contempt and contempt are putting the community in a destructive relationship.
If I despise and despise the other person because I think they are wrong, the other person will also react to me with contempt and contempt. The destructive relationship that begins in this way gradually develops into a stage of slander and condemnation, becoming more and more aggressive. Conflict between each other grows and eventually hurts and the relationship is broken. Because slander and condemnation belong to Satan, Satan dances and rejoices when a relationship is broken. The more I despise and condemn the other person, the worse the relationship gets, not the way I want them to change. And in the end, the relationship is broken, and you experience the pain of the community being broken.
2. The strong who bear the burden of the weak: verses 1-2
We humans are weak. He is weak, so even the smallest thing can hurt him. Also, they often attack their opponents with contempt and slander in order not to be hurt by them. Unless our inner person is truly strong, it is difficult for us to escape the destructive cycle of hurting ourselves and others.
The Holy Spirit transforms our inner man into a strong man. We often use the expression the power of the Holy Spirit. The reason is that the Holy Spirit is the one who strengthens our inner man with his power. Like the lyrics of the gospel hymn, He is the Holy Spirit who strengthens the weak. A person of true faith is a person whose inner man has been restored to strength by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:1 begins with the Greek word “hemeis hoi dunatoi”. Literally translated, it means “we who are strong.” The text means “we are strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit” and refers to those whose inner man is strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is important to be filled with the Holy Spirit and live a strong inner man. Because only a strong life can lead to a life where you can fully enjoy the precious life God has given you. Also, only a strong life can bear the burdens of others. Those who are not strong find it difficult to bear their own burdens, let alone bear the burdens of others. But those who are strengthened by the grace of God have the power to bear the burdens of the weak. Therefore, we must be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit to bear the weaknesses of the weak (verse 1).
3. One will through embracing: verses 5-13
You should use your energy not to despise and slander, but to embrace the weak. Even if there are people who want to despise them, we must endure and embrace them with the strength God gives us. Even if it is difficult to understand and accept others, we must endure and embrace them with the strength God gives us. Because God is patient, God's people are also people who have patience to embrace others. God is with those who persevere in embracing those who are difficult to embrace, and such a person will come to know the heart of the ‘God of patience and comfort’ more deeply. Also, the ‘God of comfort’ who comforts us comforts people of faith who have a hard time embracing others.
Sometimes we express contempt and slander because we want to change the way others think and act. The more you do, the more your opponent doesn't change and goes in a more strange direction. However, if we endure and embrace with the power that God gives, that person will change at some point. Therefore, what we need to do is to embrace with the patience that God gives us. In due time, God will change that person.
God has the hope that we will be of the same mind. He hopes that there will be the same heart between spouses, between parents and children, and between church members. It is the glory of God that people with different wills have the same will in the Lord, and God is very pleased at that time (verses 5-6).
Questions and Sharing
◎ Let's share how each of us treats the other person when their thoughts are different from our own.
◎ When we are filled with the Holy Spirit and our inner man is strengthened, we have the ability and space to bear the burdens of others. Let's pray together that our inner man may be filled with the Holy Spirit.
◎ God wants us to have the same will. Let's pray that our home, house church, and church will be of one heart and one mind. And let's consider and embrace each other so that we can become a community of faith with the same meaning.