Romans: Theology for Everybody (12-16)Sample

One thing you learn quickly growing up in a family is that everyone in the family is incredibly different. It’s amazing how kids who grow up with the same parents in the same home attending the same church and school can come out completely differently in everything from their personality to their interests and beliefs. A family with adopted kids, or a blended family, has even more unique diversity to pull together for the sake of loving unity.

The same is true in God’s family, the church. If you stop and think about it for a moment, the church of Jesus Christ is incredible. For thousands of years, it has remained the largest and most diverse movement of any sort or kind in world history with more languages, nations, and cultures than any other movement of any sort. Paul tells us that the unity of our diverse global Church, as well as local churches, is all made possible through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Christ who seeks us, saves us, and continually serves us. Following in Jesus’ example, believers are invited to do the same and serve one another. We do this in seven ways. One, for brothers and sisters who have areas of weakness or a tender conscience on an issue, we do all we can to remain in relationship with them by seeking what is glorifying to God and good for them, even if it is an effort or inconvenience for us so that they are built up in their maturity. Two, we walk in endurance with people who are more wearying than we wished, and remain encouraged that God is working on both us and them as we walk with Jesus together throughout the hills and valleys of life. Three, we seek to live in harmony with one another so that our voices join together as one in worship and our lives do the same throughout the week. Four, we welcome brothers and sisters into relationship and make the initiative to get to know others and extend a hand of friendship and fellowship to them without sitting back expecting everyone else to approach us. Five, like Jesus has served us, we look for practical ways to serve one another by being generous, lifting burdens, and giving grace. Six, all of this is made possible by life together in the Holy Spirit who allows us to increasingly walk in the character of Christ with hope that God is at work, joy in what God is doing and will do, and peace that the same God who is working on and through us is doing the same with all of His children. Since non-Christians watch how Christians treat one another, our love is a powerful part of our evangelistic invitation to not just know God but also join the Father’s family. Lastly, these principles for supernatural unity amidst diversity are true not just with a Christian church or ministry, but between Christian churches and ministries. When believers fight in front of unbelievers the only person that wins is the Devil. Admittedly, just like siblings in a family have issues, and issues can and do arise between families in an extended family, how the family of God treats one another is incredibly important for three reasons. One, we carry the name of Christ as Christians and should want to conduct ourselves in such a way that honors Jesus Christ. Two, since non-Christians watch how Christians treat one another, our love is a powerful part of our evangelistic invitation to not just know God but also join the Father’s family. Three, if we really believe that fellow believers are in error we should, in love, seek to treat them in such a way that they are most likely to listen if we really hope to help them correct a bad course they have chosen. One thing my wife Grace and I have found very helpful to explain to our family and church family about unity and diversity is helping people distinguish between principles and methods. The Bible is filled with principles, but allows believers, guided by the Scriptures and their  conscience under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, to determine their methods. For example, the Bible commands us to sing songs to the Lord together, hear the Word of God preached, and gather together. We are not told what music choice should accompany the singing or how many songs should be song, what translation of the Bible should be used or how long the sermon should be, or what day or time we should gather and whether that should be in a church building, someone’s home, or under a tree, because all of those methods are fine. As Christians, our unity is in our principles and our diversity is in our methods. This explains why there is incredible unity in the Spirit in local churches and among churches and ministries so long as we understand that our way is not the only way to be obedient to God’s biblical principles.

Questions: 

1. If you are curious, you can look the following verses up for yourself to see the theme that God's heart has always been for us non-Jewish Gentiles. One Bible commentator says of Romans 15:9-12, "In Romans 15:9b-12, Paul again appeals to a string of OT Scriptures (see also Rom. 3:10-18; 9:25-29; 10:14-15). Paul employs his typical introductory phrases in citing the following four OT verses: Psa. 18:49 (Rom. 15:9b; possibly related to 2 Sam. 22:50); Deut. 32:43 (Rom. 15:10); Psa. 117:1 (Rom. 15:11); and Isa. 11:10 (Rom. 15:12). Further, commentators generally agree that the quotations are united thematically in their shared references to the Gentiles and to the praise of God."

2. Have you ever worshipped with believers from other denominations or traditions, or even from other nations and languages? How was there unity in the Spirit despite the diversity?

3. Paul talks about the joy God and His people should have when new groups of people become Christians. Who are you praying for to meet Jesus (family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, extended family, former friends, etc.)?