The way to love one another

Romans 15:1-13; 8/3/2025; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

Introduction

Paul spends an entire chapter fourteen discussing judgment, his point being that judgment is the greatest obstacle to loving one another.  In this situation, how should we love one another? Let’s look at the first point:

 

Can we bear with each other?

What does it mean to bear with each other?  The word “bearing” means to pick up or remove, essentially meaning to be able to take on and let go.  First, the motivation for bearing.  Being able to take on something demonstrates physical strength.  Being able to let go demonstrates spiritual strength.  To be considered strong, one must possess both physical and spiritual strength.  But where can we find such a person? Theoretically, such a person is impossible to find.  Our old selves are always seeking their own pleasure, so how could they bear the weaknesses of others?  During the Cultural Revolution, we often saw slogans written by rebels: “One more step, and he’ll never be able to get up again!”  These slogans lack love and are filled with cruelty.  Unless we truly have the heart of Jesus Christ, we can develop a mindset of benefiting others. Otherwise, the limit of human nature is selfishness.

Secondly, please your neighbor.  Even with an altruistic mindset, pleasing your neighbor is even more challenging!  Your closest neighbor is your spouse, whether wife or husband, and you always want to please your spouse.  Husbands often make decisions in the home, so what are the criteria or standards for their decisions?  Essentially, it’s to maximize the benefit for your wife!  Seeking your own pleasure isn’t difficult; it comes naturally, without even a second thought.  However, pleasing your neighbor means paying a price; it means suffering a loss.  If it weren’t for the desire to please God, establish virtue before Him, and gain His remembrance, no one could do it.

Finally, it fell on me.  Paul said,  “For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. (Romans 15:3)”  If it is not too heavy, it is okay to take on someone else’s burden.  If it pleases your neighbor, you may feel a little reluctant, but if you think about increasing your own virtue and gaining God’s approval, then it is okay!  However, now you have to let “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”  Why?  I was simply acting according to the Bible’s teachings, the church’s decisions, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  Yet, I was met with humiliation and lashes.  How unbearable!  I treated others with such sincerity, only to receive scrapes and thorns in return!  Thank God!  Let’s look at the second point:

We should live in such harmony with one another

The Bible says that the fruit of a person’s life flows from his heart.  The church’s exhortation is to be of one mind and to spread the gospel.  The only thing that can bring us together is the Bible.  First and foremost, the Bible is there to teach us.  Perhaps we misunderstand that the Bible is meant to make us feel comfortable and stress-free.  Is that possible?  Our old selves are dirty and stinking.  How can we find our place in God’s holy kingdom?  From our first words to speaking appropriate words, like golden apples falling into a net of silver, it’s more than just not easy!  This process should be painful, disorienting, and occasionally despairing.  It feels as if we are being lectured, regulated, required, rebuked, and corrected at every turn, as if everything is wrong.  Actually, this is normal!  Compared to the past, the vocabulary we use has changed!

Secondly, the Bible is for our growth.  The purpose of the Bible’s teachings is to enable us to grow in Christ.  The problem is, growth itself is painful.  How much patience is required to move from filthy and defiled habits to one that glorifies God and benefits others in Christ!  This is a major obstacle to our growth!  The very feelings we experience with patience are no longer the same as they once were!  Christ, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; He denied Himself and took the form of a servant.  Finally, He humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on the cross.  In other words, the secret of growth is to die, to die completely to our old self!  Otherwise, how can we receive the comfort and hope of Christ?

Finally, the Bible aims to imitate Christ. Since we have the example of Christ, we should imitate him with all our heart.  The prerequisite for imitating Christ is to be of one mind and one heart in Christ and to promote the gospel.  The so-called one mind and one heart means to be united in the church, the body of Christ.  Because it is impossible for a person to boast that he is in one with Christ, while on the other hand, his words, actions, thoughts and ideas diverge from the church or even attack the church.  That is what the Pharisees did.  Judas, who betrayed Christ Jesus, did so because he stood on the church founded by Jesus Christ and judged the teachings of Jesus!  Judas thought he had the authority to teach and judge Jesus, and even betrayed Jesus, doing something apostate and ending up in a dead end.  Let’s look at the third point:

 

Always accept each other

Why should we accept one another?  Is it okay for us to go home and see our own mothers after Sunday service, and not have anything to do with each other?  Sorry, no!  Because God is pleased for those who belong to Him to eat together and rejoice together.  First of all, the starting point of fellowship is acceptance.  The Apostle Paul taught us, saying, “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”  The mutual acceptance mentioned here is the starting point of fellowship (koinonia).  In other words, mutual acceptance within the church fulfills the core value God requires of believers in fellowship.  This mutual acceptance must be like Christ accepting us, glorifying God and benefiting others.  Peter refused to accept Gentile believers, the Roman church was divided over eating and drinking, and James rebuked some in the church for judging people by appearances.  Even today, some people judge one another based on their backgrounds, denominations, and cultures.  None of this pleases God.

Second, unity with the Body of Christ.  A hallmark of the early church was its composition of believers from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds.  For example, the Greek-speaking members of the Jerusalem church complained bitterly, accusing the Hebrews of being unfair and neglecting their widows (Acts 6:1).  It seems that differences in race, culture, diet, wealth, social status, perspectives on matters, opinions on ministry, and political affiliations can all create barriers to mutual acceptance.  What can be done?  This is why God gave us the church!  The church is the Body of Christ, and unity with the church demonstrates unity with Christ.  Fellowship is the life of the church, and living in fellowship is evidence of our affiliation with Christ.

Finally, it demonstrates the Holy Spirit’s presence and power.  Did you know?  Satan hates to see God’s children worshipping in church and fellowshipping together,  for the church is the only instrument God has given us to live out and bear witness to the truth in this world.  The Holy Spirit’s power is only manifested in the church.  Our worship, praise, fellowship, sharing, and love for one another in church are clear evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work in our hearts.  Our weekly Sunday worship, Sunday school, discipleship, prayer meetings, and so on all demonstrate the Holy Spirit’s powerful presence.  However, only those who belong to God can understand this. Those who belong to Satan not only fail to understand, but instead harbor blasphemous and contemptuous feelings!

Conclusion

Thank God! As Paul said, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”  It is not us who love, but God who first loved us and gave His life for us!  May God help us to bear with one another, be of one mind, and accept one another, so that we can give an account to Him when Christ Jesus returns.

Let us pray……

 

 

1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,

9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”

10 And again it says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.”

12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.”

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.