Will – Page 6 – Ministry of Grace Church

Author: Will

Romans 15:16 – Ministerial Calling

Posted on January 17, 2019 by Will

that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be well received, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Truth to Learn

Christians are called to a ministry of proclaiming the gospel message to everyone.

Behind the Words

The word translated “minister” is not the word most often translated minister (diakonos); rather, it is the Greek word leitourgos, which is a compound word made up of leitos, meaning “of the people” and a form of ergon, meaning “work.” Thus, we see that this word refers to a public servant, one who works for the people.

“Ministering” is translated from yet a different word. It is the Greek word hierourgeō, which is also a compound word. It is made up of hieron, meaning “a temple” and a form of ergon, meaning “work.” Hence, it refers to sacred work. It is the word that is used of the service that a priest did in the temple in Jerusalem offering up sacrifices to God for the people.

The word translated “well received” is euprosdechtos, which is made up of eu, meaning “good or well” and a form of prosdechomai, meaning “to receive” or “to accept.” So, it refers to something that is especially well accepted.

“Sanctified” is from a form of hagiadzō, which means “to be taken from common usage and used for the service of God.” The basic meaning is “to be set apart.” It is usually translated as “sanctified” or as “holy.”

Meaning Explained

This verse is the continuation of what Paul was saying in the previous verse. You will recall that he is explaining why he was so bold in his comments to the Christians in Rome. Combining the last part of the previous verse and the first part of this verse, we see he is saying, “because of the grace given to me by God that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.”

Paul is well aware of the ministry to which he has been called by the grace of God, the ministry of apostleship to the Gentiles. But in Paul’s humble manner he does not claim to be the apostle to the Gentiles, instead he calls himself a minister, one who works for the common people, a public servant.

And, according to Paul, his responsibility in this position is “ministering the gospel of God;” that is, he was performing the sacred work of presenting the gospel of God in a clear and understandable manner for the Gentiles.

In other words, Paul is saying he is a public servant of Jesus Christ, doing the sacred work of the gospel of God. He is proclaiming the gospel to the Gentiles so that their offerings will be particularly well acceptable to God through the purifying work of the Holy Spirit. Paul is not serving himself, he is serving God and he is serving the Gentiles to whom he is delivering the message of salvation through faith.

Application

And we who are saved by the blood of Christ, are also ministers of the gospel of God. It is our responsibility to carry the gospel to others, proclaiming this salvation that is available to all who will believe. It is a ministry to which God has called us all. Are you serving God and others? Are you fulfilling your ministry of proclaiming the gospel to those around you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:15 – Always Growing

Posted on January 16, 2019 by Will

Nevertheless, brothers, I wrote more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God,

Truth to Learn

We should always be learning and becoming more Christ-like.

Behind the Words

“More boldly” is a translation of the Greek word tolmēroteron, which is based on tolmaō, meaning “to be confidently bold.” Tolmēroteron is the comparative form of the word so it means “more boldly, with more confidence.”

The word “reminding” is from epanamimnēskō. This is a double compound word made up of epi, meaning “upon” used here as an intensifier, ana, meaning “again,” and mimnēskō, which means “to recall to one’s mind” or “to remember.” Thus, epanamimnēskō means “to strongly remind yet again.”

Meaning Explained

Paul is here explaining to the Christians in Rome why he has been so forceful in his admonition of these brothers and sisters in Christ even though he has never personally met any of them. He starts off by saying that he has written these things to them “more boldly.” Here we have to ask ourselves, “More boldly than what?” Paul was in the habit of being very “up front” and bold whenever he preached and taught, but he doesn’t appear to be more bold with his teaching to these Roman Christians than he was with others. On the other hand, he is being more bold and “up front” with these Christians whom he has never met than he would normally be with strangers. Paul will explain in the next verse why he has taken such a bold step with these brothers and sisters in Rome.

He goes on to tell them that he is reminding them of things that they have already known. But why would he be going over doctrinal truths that they already knew? The answer to that is, because this is the Apostles’ teaching style. They did not simply teach a truth once and then leave it alone. They taught the important truths of Christian living over and over again. Peter made a similar claim regarding his teaching:

For this reason I will not neglect to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. But I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, (2Peter 1:12-13)

Some people are capable of learning a lesson the very first time they are taught it. Most of us, however, need to be told over and over before it sinks in thoroughly. That’s why Paul and others repeated important truths, so that we all might get a firm grasp of these truths.

Next time you hear your pastor or priest proclaim a message that he has proclaimed previously, instead of complaining, thank him for reminding you of these blessed truths.

Application

There is a story of a newly hired preacher who proclaimed the same sermon week after week. When asked by those who hired him if he knew any other sermons, he responded, “Yes, of course, and as soon as you demonstrate that you have learned this lesson, I will preach the next one.” Are you learning the lessons that God is teaching to you and putting them into practice?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:14 – Christ-like Living

Posted on January 15, 2019 by Will

Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brothers, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.

Truth to Learn

Mature Christians behave in a Christ-like manner.

Behind the Words

The word translated “confident” is the Greek verb peithō, which means “to be persuaded or convinced.” It is in the perfect tense indicating a state of being that is the result of past completed action. The force of his statement is increased by the fact that in the Greek this is the first word of the sentence. It’s as if he were saying, “I have been persuaded and am convinced concerning you my brothers.”

“Admonish” is from noutheteō, which is made up of nous, meaning “the mind” and a form of tithēmi, meaning “to place.” Hence, it means “to place in the mind” or “to remind.”

Meaning Explained

At this point Paul is finished with his doctrinal teaching for the church at Rome, some of which has been very direct and forceful. He now proceeds to explain to them why he has written the epistle and to state the confidence that he has in them. He has opposed some of their strongest prejudices since the beginning of the fourteenth chapter and has prayed that they may have joy and peace. Now, in order to ensure their obedience to what he has taught them, he shows the deep interest that he has for their continuing welfare, though he had never met them.

He states in this verse why he has such confidence that they will take his teaching in the proper manner. He starts off with, “Now I myself am confident concerning you.”

And what is he confident of? He’s confident that the Christians in Rome are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish each other. He is confident that their actions demonstrate, and that their reputation reveals, the fact that they are good people. Now, we know Paul teaches that there is none who is righteous apart from the grace of God, but these people when stacked up against the people around them are “good people.” He also tells them that he is confident that they are full of knowledge. In other words, Paul knows that they are growing and learning Christians as opposed to others like those he pointed out in his letter to the Christians at Ephesus,

that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful scheming, (Ephesians 4:14)

Finally, Paul told the Christians at Rome that he is convinced that they are able to admonish one another. In other words, they are spiritually mature enough to recognize error in their midst and address it with one another in a firm but loving way. None of us likes to be told that we are wrong, but apparently the Christians in Rome were able to mix firmness and love in a way that was building-up the body rather than tearing it down.

Application

The Christians in Rome were, for the most part, behaving in a Christ-like manner. These people, living in the midst of one of the most pagan cultures ever, were letting the light of Christ shine through them. Do people around you recognize the light of Jesus Christ shining in you?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:13 – Hopeful Expectation

Posted on January 14, 2019 by Will

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Truth to Learn

Christians can have joy, peace, and hopeful expectation.

Behind the Words

The word translated “hope” in this verse is a form of the Greek word elpis, which means, “the desire of something good with full expectation of obtaining it.” It is different than the English word “hope,” which implies simply a desire for something but not knowing whether it will happen or not. Paul calls our God the God of hope because we know that His promises will definitely come true.

“Fill” is from the verb plēroō, which means “to fill.” Actually, it means more than just filling something; it means to cram it as full as possible. It is expressed here in the Optative mood, indicating a wish, or desire on the part of the Apostle Paul.

The word translated “all” is the Greek word pas, which means “all, the whole, completely, with nothing missing.”

“Joy” is translated from the Greek noun chara, meaning “cheerfulness” or “calm delight.”

The noun “peace” is from eirēnē, which means “peace or tranquility.” It is a state in which there is no perceived threat or cause for worry present.

The word translated “abound” is the Greek word perisseuō, which means “to be in excess in number or measure.”

Meaning Explained

Having finished his treatise on the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ, Paul closes this section with a benediction. He starts off invoking the benediction from the “God of hope.” In all that Paul has been teaching us since the first verse of chapter fourteen, it is hope which, among other things, unites us. It is to both the Jew and Gentile the hope of the return of the Messiah, and it is also to both the Jew and the Gentile the hope of the resurrection and salvation that He promised. Not just empty hope, but expectant hope.

In this benediction Paul asks that God will fill us “with all joy and peace” in our believing faith. That is, Paul is asking that God cram us completely full with all possible joy and peace. Not just a lot of it, but all of it, with nothing missing!

And, as a result of that joy and peace that we have in our saving faith, we can thus abound in hope. Because of the joy and peace that we have in our faith, we can be filled to overflowing with expectant hope.

Our salvation is not a salvation of worry or fear (worrying or being afraid that we might lose it), but a salvation of hope, with full expectation and assurance that God will deliver on His promises.

Application

If you have submitted yourself to the lordship of Jesus Christ and have accepted the sacrificial offering of His blood as full payment for your sins, then God will save you according to His promises! This is the greatest truth ever proclaimed to man. Even though none of us is righteous, all of us are sinners, and even though God demands righteousness, we can avoid the penalty of our sinfulness through the blood of the Lamb of God who was sacrificed to pay the penalty of our sins! Praise God!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:12 – The Root of Life

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Will

And again, Isaiah says: "There will be a Root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope."

Truth to Learn

Every Christian’s hope is a result of the resurrection of Christ.

Behind the Words

“Root” is from the Greek noun rhiza (from which we get our English horticultural term rhizome), meaning “a root or an offshoot growing up from the root.” When a rhizome is planted in the ground, it produces new life in the form of the shoots that rise up from the life-giving rhizome.

The word “rise” is translated from anistēmi, which is a compound word made up of ana, meaning “again” and histēmi, meaning “to stand.” Hence, anistēmi literally means “to stand again.”

“Reign” is translated from archō, meaning “to be first in rank or political position.”

Meaning Explained

Paul uses yet another reference from the Old Testament to make his point about Gentile praises. This one is from the prophet Isaiah,

And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who stands as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious. (Isaiah 11:10)

As mentioned above, rhiza can refer to a root or to its offspring. In this case it refers to the offspring of Jesse. If you read through I Samuel 16, you will see that Jesse was the father of King David. So the root of Jesse is a reference to the offspring of David. In the book of the Revelation the Lord Jesus Christ is twice referred to as “the root of David.”

And one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome to open the scroll and its seven seals." (Revelation 5:5)

"I, Jesus, sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." (Revelation 22:16)

So Paul’s quotation here of Isaiah 11:10 is a proclamation that Jesus Christ shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, and in Him shall the Gentiles hope and expect salvation.

One final point: notice in Paul’s quote of Isaiah he said that the root of Jesse “will rise to reign.” Isaiah did not say “rise” by accident. If Christ had not risen from the dead, then He would not be able to reign over the nations. But because He did rise, He is become King of kings and Lord of lords. It is because of the resurrection that we have expectant hope, and it is because of the resurrection that we should continually be praising God.

Application

Jesus was “planted” in death and “rose again” with new life so that our sins might be forgiven and we might share in His new life. This is an incredible truth that we should proclaim daily to those around us who are still lost in their sins. When was the last time you shared this blessed truth with someone?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:11 – Loudly Praise Him

Posted on January 10, 2019 by Will

And again: "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!"

Truth to Learn

God deserves our praise, so let’s give it to Him!

Behind the Words

The Greek verb translated “Praise” is aineō, which means “to sing praises.” In the New Testament it is only used for giving praise to God. The Hebrew equivalent in Psalms 117:1 is halal, meaning “to shine or to give praise.”

“Laud” is translated from epaineō, which is made up of epi, meaning “upon,” used here as an intensifier and aineō, which means “to sing praises.” The Hebrew equivalent in Psalms 117:1 is shawbakh, meaning “to praise with a loud voice.”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is a direct quotation from one of the shortest psalms in the Bible,

Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Psalms 117)

Paul is providing additional Old Testament evidence that God has always intended that He would gather His own out of both Jews and Gentiles and that the result of His action in their lives is, has been, and will continue to be praise, freely offered up to Him.

What is really sad is the treatment that is being given to God today by those who claim to be His children, professedly Christian churches expending their energies in arguing about the color of the carpet, the proper way to observe traditions, or what is the proper type of music for a church service. I think that this and the previous chapter of Romans could have been written to the churches today. Instead of starting with,

Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over opinions. (Romans 14:1)

He might have started it with,

Quit arguing among yourselves about unimportant things and join together with other true believers in praising God for His mercy and His grace!

We give so much effort and attention to the temporal things and so little effort and attention to eternal things and to giving God the praise and obedience that He deserves. I suspect that if God were to give a performance review to our churches today He might say, as He did to the church in Laodicea,

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16)

Application

Stop for a minute and consider the fact that you are a sinner who has fallen short of God’s righteousness and you deserve eternal Hell. Then consider what God in Jesus Christ did for you so that you might have eternal bliss in God’s holy presence. It’s not fair, is it? We aren’t going to get what we deserve and we should loudly proclaim His praises for it. Let us all recommit to humbling ourselves before our Almighty, Holy God and praising Him for what He has done instead of focusing on ourselves and our petty issues!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:10 – Gentile Rejoicing

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Will

And again it says: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!"

Truth to Learn

Christians of all nationalities have reason to rejoice.

Behind the Words

“Rejoice” is translated from euphrainō, which is made up of eu, meaning “good or well” and a form of phren, meaning “the mind.” Thus, we can see the root meaning is to have a good state of mind. It means “to rejoice, make joy, or be glad.”

Meaning Explained

Paul’s instruction on this topic began back in Romans 14:1 with an admonition to accept into the church those who are weak in the faith but not for the purpose of arguing about minor spiritual issues. Most recently Paul has instructed us that we should be like-minded toward one another and we should not be picking petty faults; rather we should defer to others. In the end, he says that this will allow us, converted Jew and converted Gentile alike, to unite our hearts and voices in praise to our Heavenly Father.

After all, God the Father sent His only Son to demonstrate to the Jews that His promises are true, and to the Gentiles that He is a merciful God. And for this Jews and Gentiles alike should rejoice and praise God. In the previous verse Paul quoted from the Psalms to show that the Jews are to praise God among the Gentiles. The current verse is a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:43 showing that the Gentiles are to praise God along with the Jews. If you read through this 32^nd chapter of Deuteronomy you will see that God is speaking about taking vengeance on His enemies and because of that he proclaims:

Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, and take vengeance on His edemies; He will provide atonement for His land and His people. (Deuteronomy 32:43)

Obviously God is taking vengeance on the enemies of both Israel and the church. This specific verse is a reference to the tribulation when God will rain down vengeance on those who reject His offer of mercy and salvation.

Incidentally, for those of you who think that our God is only a God of love, reading through the book of Revelation will show you that He is also a God of vengeance and wrath upon those who reject His offer of merciful love.

Also, note: some translations are very good about showing words that are not in the original text, which have been inserted by the translators (notice the gray italicized words in the Deuteronomy passage above). Usually the inclusion of these words enhances the meaning. Sometimes, however, it completely changes the message of the text. In the passage quoted above the word “with” is not in the original Hebrew text (though it is in Paul’s quotation of the Greek version of the Old Testament). Thus, it reads: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, His people.” We see from this that in the Old Testament there are places where, in addition to the Jews, Gentiles are declared to be God’s people.

Application

All Christians, no matter what our religious upbringing or national origin, should rejoice because of what God has done for us and because of the promises He gives us concerning our eternal destiny. Let us all rejoice and praise Him together!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:9 – Body Composition

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Will

and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. As it is written, "For this reason I will profess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name."

Truth to Learn

All Christians are members of the same body.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “Gentiles” is ethnos, which refers to “a group of people belonging together and living together.” In classical Greek this word is also used in reference to a flock of sheep or a swarm of bees. In New Testament Greek (Koinē Greek), however, it generally refers to a race of people and is often translated as “nation.” When used by Jews it almost always refers to the all people who are not Jewish, thus the term “Gentile.”

“Profess” is from exomologeō, which is made up of ek, meaning “out” but used here as an intensifier and homologeō, meaning “to have the same mind about something.” Homologeō is usually translated “confess.” Thus, exomologeō means “to express complete agreement” or “to profess.”

Meaning Explained

Whereas the Jews received the fulfillment of their promises in the incarnation of Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross (see previous verse), we Gentile believers did not have those promises made to us. We have been brought to God through Jesus Christ, not because He was promised to us but because of His mercy in forgiving our sins through the blood of the spotless Lamb of God. As a result of that mercy, we Gentile believers now glorify God. Before we received this mercy, we were unable to glorify God because we did not know Him. But because of His mercy, and through His grace, we are now also partakers of the intimate fellowship with Almighty God, which results in our own proclamation of glory and praise to God.

At this point, Paul quotes a passage from the Psalms:

Therefore, I will praise you among the nations, O LORD, and sing to your name. (Psalms 18:49)

In the Psalms the praises of God come among the Gentiles as well as among the Jews; hence, the Jewish converts in the church in Rome should not look down upon the Gentile converts because God has included both in His family and has made both part of His body and His bride. Paul expresses it this way in his letter to the Ephesians,

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, (Ephesians 2:13-15)

So if God has made the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers one through the blood of Christ, then we should accept each other as fellow heirs and not be concerned that we celebrate this marvelous salvation in different manners.

Application

There is no room for racism or ethnic discrimination among Christians. We are all nothing more than sinners saved by grace, and we are all part of the body of Christ.

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:8 – Breaking Old Habits

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Will

For I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers,

Truth to Learn

The bondage of manmade rules and tradition is hard to break.

Behind the Words

“Has become” is translated from the verb ginomai (from which we get our English word generate), meaning “to begin to be, to come into existence, or to become.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense which, in Greek, implies past completed action with an ongoing effect where the emphasis is on the effect.

The word translated “servant” is from the Greek word diakonos which means “one who waits on tables” or “one who serves the needs of others.” This word is often translated as “minister.”

“Confirm” is from the Greek verb bebaioō, meaning “to strengthen, make true, or fulfill.”

Meaning Explained

In this and the following verse Paul will demonstrate to the Christians at Rome why the work of Christ is different, though equally vital, for the Jews and the Gentiles. His purpose, I believe, is to show the Gentile converts in Rome that the Jews have a good reason for wanting to continue to follow the ordinances laid out by the Mosaic Law, and at the same time to show the Jewish converts that the Gentiles have a good reason for not wanting to be bound by those same ordinances.

The first half of this reasoning is contained in the current verse. He says that “Jesus Christ has become a servant of the circumcision.” As mentioned above, the verb “has become” is in the perfect tense, so what Paul is saying is that Jesus Christ became and continues to be one who serves the needs of the Jews with respect to God’s truth.

The way that Jesus has done and continues to do this is by having confirmed, or fulfilled, the promises made to the Jewish fathers. What promises, you say? The promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and others concerning the Messiah's coming and His being the seed of the woman, and of Abraham, and of David. Jesus perfectly fulfilled all that was promised to the Jewish fathers and, therefore, confirms the truth of God’s promise. In so doing, Jesus demonstrates to the Jewish converts that all that has been written in the Old Testament is truth. This gives the Jewish converts reason to believe in Christ and in all that is said of him in the Old Testament. However, it also gives them reason to want to continue conforming to the requirements of the Law.

Paul has taught that righteousness cannot be obtained by obedience to the Law and the Jewish members of the church at Rome were learning that they couldn’t perfectly keep the requirements of the Law anyway. Nonetheless, it is difficult for anyone who has lived his or her life by a strict set of rules to suddenly stop doing those things to which they have been bound for so long.

Application

Every church has rules or traditions which are not based on what the Word of God teaches. As we learn where the truth of the Bible contradicts these rules and traditions, we will want to change how we act, but it is difficult. Recognizing which of these rules and traditions are contrary to truth is the first step in being set free from them. Are you still in bondage or have you been set free in Christ?

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 15:7 – Filthy Righteousness

Posted on January 4, 2019 by Will

Therefore accept one another, just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

Truth to Learn

God freely receives all who come in humble faith.

Behind the Words

“Accept” is translated from proslambanō, which is made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and lambanō, meaning “to take.” Thus, proslambanō literally means “to take to oneself.”

Meaning Explained

In the opening verse of chapter fourteen, Paul began a new subject. He began this treatise with:

Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over opinions. (Romans 14:1)

The disputes over opinions that Paul warned about had to do specifically with the fact that some church members believed that Christians had to adhere to the dietary restrictions of the Mosaic Law. Others disputed over whether or not we should regard one day of the week as more holy than the rest. Even though Paul has gone to great lengths to show that we should not judge each other based on how we are individually convicted about such minor spiritual matters, it is not until the current verse that he completes the point he began back in Romans 14:1.

God doesn’t receive any one of us based on what we have done or what rules we have established for our lives. He accepts or rejects based on righteousness. He has already taught the Roman Christians that none of us are righteous apart from the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. In fact, God’s description of our own righteousness is captured by the prophet Isaiah:

But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6a) [NKJV]

Isaiah compares our righteousness to “filthy rags.” That doesn’t seem too bad to us until we look at what he means by “filthy,” which is translated from the Hebrew word ‛iddāh. It refers to the uncleanness of a woman’s menstrual period.

I know that’s kind of a disgusting description to some of us, but it graphically portrays how God views our own personal righteousness. All of our efforts put into obeying the rules, all the good deeds that we do for others, all the sacrifices that we make for God, and all that we give to Him end up looking to Him like stinking, filthy menstrual rags.

And yet, God receives all of us who come to Him in humble faith when we confess our sinfulness and need of salvation. At that point God credits us with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. He turns away no one who comes to Him in humility because He sees Jesus’ righteousness in us. He accepts us immediately and completely with open arms. That, according to Paul in the current verse, is how we are to receive other Christians into our fellowship. We need to be convinced that a new member is genuinely saved, but once we are convinced of that, we are to welcome him or her just as Christ accepted us, to the glory of God!

Application

God doesn’t want your goodness or your gifts. He wants your humble spirit and the recognition that you don’t deserve what He freely offers. Once we recognize how utterly worthless we are to Him and that we bring nothing of worth, then He can use us to bring glory and praise to Himself, and He is worthy!

In God's service, for His glory,