Paul wraps up this section of Romans with a call to welcome and accept those around us as Christ has welcomed and accepted us. We can often be tempted to surround ourselves with people just like us but Paul is not calling us to uniformity but to unity in the midst of diversity. This can only take place when we are centered upon Christ, not our preferences, secondary beliefs, and opinions. And the end result of this type of this welcoming and unity is the glory of God.

Paul wraps up this section of Romans with a call to welcome and accept those around us as Christ has welcomed and accepted us. We can often be tempted to surround ourselves with people just like us but Paul is not calling us to uniformity but to unity in the midst of diversity. This can only take place when we are centered upon Christ, not our preferences, secondary beliefs, and opinions. And the end result of this type of this welcoming and unity is the glory of God.

As those who have been given grace from God through Jesus, we are now obligated to serve and build up our brothers and sisters who are struggling. Believers have often been marked by abusing others with their strength but Jesus used his strength to serve us in our weakness. God has given us the gospel, the scriptures and prayer that we might endure and be encouraged in hope. We are transformed not through good moral lessons but through the centrality of Jesus and the power of the gospel. Looking to him, we have a foundation for pursuing unity and serving one another and living out our ultimate goal of glorifying God in all things!

As those who have been given grace from God through Jesus, we are now obligated to serve and build up our brothers and sisters who are struggling. Believers have often been marked by abusing others with their strength but Jesus used his strength to serve us in our weakness. God has given us the scriptures to endure and be encouraged to do this—not through good moral lessons but through the centrality of Jesus throughout all of the bible. Looking to him, we have a foundation for pursuing unity and serving one another.

What are the responsibilities of the strong to the weak? According to Paul, the Gospel and the Kingdom inform the way the strong relate to the weak concerning secondary issues. Christ died for our brothers and sisters, so we shouldn’t seek to offend them; and the Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness, peace, and joy. So we should joyfully lay down our rights for our brothers and sisters and seek peace with them—even in areas of disagreement. *We apologize for the quality of this recording.

What are the responsibilities of the strong to the weak? According to Paul, the Gospel and the Kingdom inform the way the strong relate to the weak concerning secondary issues. Christ died for our brothers and sisters, so we shouldn’t seek to offend them; and the Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness, peace, and joy. So we should joyfully lay down our rights for our brothers and sisters and seek peace with them—even in areas of disagreement.

Non-essential issues can often be a point of division among christians, but it doesn’t need to be this way—it shouldn’t be this way. So instead of division and quarreling, Paul calls us to welcome and love one another. For those who are weaker, he calls us to not judge or despise those who are stronger. For those who are stronger, we are called to not cause the weaker to stumble. No matter what the issue is, we are called to deal with it in love.

Non-essential issues can often be a point of division among christians, but it doesn’t need to be this way—it shouldn’t be this way. So instead of division and quarreling, Paul calls us to welcome and love one another. For those who are weaker, he calls us to not judge or despise those who are stronger. For those who are stronger, we are called to not cause the weaker to stumble. No matter what the issue is, we are called to deal with it in love.

By being receivers of God’s grace, we now owe it to others to reflect God’s love and grace to them. So now is the time to wake up and put on Christ, knowing the time that we are living in—where God’s kingdom has come but not yet come in fullness.

How different would the world be if we truly loved others as we loved ourselves? Although this call seems impossible to fulfill, the gospel still calls us to this type of life and self-sacrifice. With the glorious future we have to look forward to, we can start to live like Christ now by looking to him—the founder and perfecter of our faith.