Bible Study

The Gift of Eternal Life Berean Bible Study Course

Part IV--The Family Of God / The Body Of Christ

C. Lesson 21--The Fellowship of Christ's Body

7. READ: ROMANS 15:1-7

c. How should we accept one another?

Answer: Members of the church of Christ should accept one another just as [or "even as"] Christ accepted us, in order to bring praise to God, (verse 7).

MORE INFORMATION AND/OR OTHER SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

• Consider these Scriptures:

  Romans 12:4-5: "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

  Romans 14:1: "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters."

  2 Corinthians 5:14-15: "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again."

  Galatians 3:26-28: "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

  Colossians 1:3-4: "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints..."

  Colossians 3:11: "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."

  1 Peter 3:18a: "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God."

• From The Book of Romans by Jim McGuiggan:

  Jews are to receive Gentiles and Gentiles [are to receive] Jews "even as" Christ received them both. The rich are to receive the poor and the poor the rich; the ignorant are to receive the learned and the learned the ignorant; employers and employees, male and female--and all the other categories, they are to receive one another "even as" Christ received them. Freely, lovingly, fully and happily, with great cost to Himself, Christ has received each of us. What a spirit; what a heart. Here's the cure for most of the fragmenting in the Body of Christ. Doctrinal offenses are bound to come; lines must be drawn at times, but here's the cure for most of our troubles! To receive one another "even as" Christ received us.

  There are a lot of "even as" passages which merit our consideration. We are to forgive one another "even as" God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us [Ephesians 4:32]. Here is the test for all areas of our lives. Live in them "even as" Christ has lived in them. Husbands are to love their wives "even as" Christ loved the Church [Ephesians 5:25]. If this were followed, there'd be little trouble in getting wives to submit to their husbands "even as" unto the Lord [Ephesians 5:22]. This isn't a call to sinlessness; it is a call to saints to live according to their capacity as Christ lived.

  And they are to receive one another "to the glory of God." Christ received each of them to the glory of God and they, in turn, were to do the same. The beauty and joy of doing things to God's glory is that in so doing we are benefiting ourselves and one another. The God with Whom we have to do seeks His Own glory in the blessing of His creation. God isn't like a vain woman. He doesn't insist that we praise Him and tell Him how wonderful He is. He is One Who calls us to His service because it is in His service we find fullness of joy. Yes, of course He finds joy in our faithful serving of Him, but that joy is the result of His children doing themselves good by serving Him and being (thus) fully human. You parents know exactly what I mean. Even though you are sinners, you know what it is to find real joy and pleasure in your child being a blessing to himself as he chooses to submit to your guidance. If ye then being sinners...how much more can your Father Who is in heaven.... [See Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13.]