United to Glorify-Romans 15:1-6

Naselli & Crowley in their excellent little paperback CONSCIENCE: What it is, How to Train it, & Loving Those who Differ offer helpful instruction on how to love other people in the church who hold different conscience standards than ourselves. Commenting on Paul's final instructions in Romans (15:1-6) they state, "This principle [on putting others first, because of the example of Christ] doesn't mean that the strong have to agree with the position of the weak. It doesn't even mean that the strong can never again exercise their freedoms. On the other hand, neither does it mean that the strong only put up with or endure or tolerate the weak, like a person who tolerates someone who annoys him. For a Christian, to 'bear with' the weaknesses of the weak means that you gladly help the weak by refraining from doing anything that would hurt their faith. Be careful not to misunderstand v2: 'Let each of us please his neighbor.' Paul is not telling you to become a 'people pleaser' who cares more about what others think than about what God thinks. The choice is not between pleasing people and pleasing God, but between pleasing others and pleasing yourself. Christian freedom is not 'I always do what I want.' Nor is it 'I always do whatever the other person wants.' It is 'I do whatever brings glory to God. I do what brings others under the influence of the gospel. I do what leads to peace in the church.'... To be God is to be completely free. Yet Christ 'did not please Himself' but gave up His rights and freedoms to become a servant so that we could be saved from wrath. Compared to what Christ suffered on the cross, to give up a freedom like eating meat is a trifle indeed." This coming Lord's Day at Grace Bible Church, Talent Oregon we will conclude Paul's instructions on the proper use of Christian Liberty issues in the Church. Join us for "United to Glorify" (Romans 15:1-6).