May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6 NABRE
Paul in the letter to the Romans is addressing a community he has never met but he has plans to visit. Chapter fifteen is a conclusion to much that has been written, although it is not the last chapter of the letter. The chapter opens exhorting the strong to bear with the weaker members of the community and with those of the larger community. Paul says we should each try to please our neighbor and not ourselves, this is how Christ lived. Christ cares so much for others that when an insult is given to someone Christ feels it is an insult directed at Him. This message follows Christ command to love one another. Paul wants the community to actively help not love passively from a distance. Paul refers to what is written in the gospels and the other books of scripture as a means to endure in the work of love, and hope. Finally Paul includes the line quoted, that we may live in unity, that we may be faithful to our Lord Christ and may we recognize that without the help of God it is not possible to successfully endure, live in unity and support one another.
This is a message for us today, the strong should bear with the weak. We need to put others before ourselves as Christ has done. We are to love one another seeing insult for one as an insult directed at us. We must try to live united in Christ, know scripture as living words to help and depend upon the grace of God for our success. We are to be immersed in this word to live faithfully.
Do you see others as more important than yourself? Do you live to be united in Christ?
We need to put others before ourselves as Christ has done. We are to love one another seeing insult for one as an insult directed at us Share on X#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity#dailybibleverse @youversion #unity#endure #grace #paul #everybodyalways#god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood#dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture#bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray #prayer#goodnews #loveeachother #godisgreat#bocaraton #youversion #everythingalways