Church of the Vine

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.   Romans 15:7 (NIV)

Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Romans 15:7 (NKJV)

Paul tells the Roman Christians to accept one another.  In that day there were all the reasons why people stay apart that there are in this day.  There were racial differences, social and economic differences, and religious differences, to name a few.  But Paul was talking to Christians then and Christians now, and for us it is to be different.  Notice first that in this verse the reason that we are to accept one another is to bring praise and glory to God.  As disciples, this is always the ultimate goal of everything in our lives.  We called to be a people who please and bring glory to God.  Notice also that the model for our accepting one another is Christ, Himself, who has accepted each of us.  Jesus is our only and perfect model for the life we are called to live as Christian disciples.

Notice that the NIV uses accept, and the New King James uses the word receive.  At least one other version uses the word welcome, for the same Greek word, proslambano.  All three English words properly get at the meaning of proslambano.  It is a compound word which literally is ‘to take to oneself’, ‘to take in’, or ‘to add to oneself’.  It is a word that describes a very personal receiving or taking to oneself.  The word is even used to refer to eating (Acts 22:33-36).

So, for us to be instructed to accept one another means that we entirely ignore points of difference or division that would keep us apart.  Instead, we are to receive one another, to draw one another near, and to actually add one another to our personal lives, be it for decades, or just an evening conversation. 

What seems to be common to all of the instructions concerning our relationships with one another, is that we are to be genuinely interested in one another to the extent that we draw one another into our lives.  This means also that we will probably have to take down some of our defenses and risk really knowing and being known. 

What are specific ways that we can show acceptance of one another as members together of the body of Christ?

In what ways can we demonstrate acceptance to new people we meet?

What are the things that hinder or stop us from ‘adding’ each other to our lives?

What do think of when you consider being ‘accepted’ by another?

Here are other verses that use the ‘acceptance’  word.  It is sometimes ‘receive’, or ‘take’, or ‘accept’:

Acts 27:33,34,37; Romans 14:1,3; Philemon 1:12, 17

Also, please see the added email note.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with us!

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