7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9 and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” 10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you (v7)

To feel welcomed by someone is an incredible gift. I’m not talking about a polite greeting but when someone expresses their desire to include you in their space. They want to bring you closer and have you join them.

Maybe you can remember a time when you were warmly welcomed to a friend’s house and they prepared a meal for you. Or perhaps you stopped by their house and they were happy to see you and gave you a hug and invited you inside. To feel welcomed is to be embraced for who you are. Feeling welcomed brings the healing power of love to a person. It has the power to encourage a crushed spirit and bring hope to a broken heart. A welcome brings life.

This is what Jesus does for you when he says “Come”. He invites you to come close. He wants to share his heart and hope with you. Then we can share it with others and bring them close too.

Lord Jesus, I am so grateful for your invitation to come. Your welcome fills my heart with hope and love. 

Written by Gab Martin

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. 22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

“Mum” said the baby fish to his mother. “I’ve heard of this stuff called water. Where can I find some?”

“You are in water my dear. Water is everywhere.” Said the mother fish

“Oh” said the baby fish. “Well, one day, I want to get out of the water and go to the ocean!” Said the baby fish.

“Well my dear, that will be hard. You see, you are already in the ocean”

“!?” Said the baby fish

The culture and worldview that I exist in are a bit like the water and the ocean, and I am a bit like that baby fish. It’s really hard to see what culture and worldview that I am immersed in, unless someone points it out, or unless I increase my attentiveness to why I do what I do, and be inquisitive about how those around me act.

In today’s passage, Paul writes to the Romans about some rules about food that seem distant to us, but really, Paul is addressing an issue of culture and worldview that couldn’t be more current.

As I read this, I realise how individualistic and selfish our culture and worldview can be. I am often swept up in this and I can act in a way that isn’t loving towards others in the way I speak, behave, or even in things that I neglect to do. Only when I am shown the issue of my actions, or if I spend time in prayer, thought and reflection, do I realise that I need to make a change to the way I treat other people.

If verse 19 says “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” I need to put the effort in to becoming more loving.

Lord, create in me a clean heart, a new heart that desires You and Your ways more than my own selfish desires. Help me not to conform to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of my mind in Christ Jesus!

Written by Ps Justin Ware

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. 11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Paul is again exhorting the Church in Rome, teaching that love is the fulfillment of the law. He is instructing on what to do, and then why it should be done, since salvation is nearing.

But the components of this passage that I am drawn to are “putting on the armour of light”, and “clothing oneself with the Lord Jesus Christ”. Armour is for protection. Clothes can too, but can also be a reflection of our taste, our role, our status, and Paul is encouraging us to infuse this with Christ.

These instructions require action and intention. They require decisions, they require choices, they require submission, they require discipline, they require sacrifice of the desires of our sinful nature. And by taking these actions, Christ protects us and empowers us in His light to resist, to overcome, and to reflect Him.

Lord, help me to always be actively submitting to your ways and to be clothed in You. In a world that taunts and tempts, may I shine your light, with love for all and to draw others to yourself. Amen.

Written by Steve Fell

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

What an amazing series of bullet point accurate life advice.

Starting with the inner life to love one another; to devotion to our brothers and sisters in Christ; to the manner of our service to God – enthusiastic; to not giving up in difficult times; to welcoming guests and speaking blessing the list goes on as Paul gives us bullet point after bullet point of life giving practices.  This is a veritable list of how to live life in Christ to achieve the summation in verse 21 – “Never let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.”  Each and every one of these practices releases us to fulfil this last bullet point – defeat evil with good.

All too often we forget we’re in a battle between good and evil, light and dark.  This battle is won in a variety of ways – in prayer, speaking truth over error, loving not accusing or condemning, and living out this list of best practices – because to live them out is to choose to walk in the opposite spirit!

If I am committed to ensure evil doesn’t win over me then I need to live out these ‘opposite spirit’ practices to combat the influences of the world in my world.

Father empower me to live as you choose me to with Romans 12:9-21 to guide my steps.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

There is so much in these two verses. One thing that struck me was how significant my mind is in this process of transformation from a life trying to please the world (generally unsuccessfully) to a life that does please God. It begins with the Spirit renewing my mind. Not only does this allow me to recognise God’s “good, pleasing and perfect will” but also to embrace it.

The difference between a normal, dead sacrifice and a living sacrifice is that the dead one has no choice. A living one can get up and wander off whenever it chooses. Making myself a living sacrifice involves a continual choice to give myself to God. My mind and my will are essential. The word that the NIV translates as “true and proper” is “logikos” (which comes into English as “logic”). It means both “genuine” and “true” but also “rational”. My mind is an active participant in this worship which is “holy and pleasing to God”.

In the following verses, Paul will spell out what this renewed mind and transformed life look like, and it begins with how we think about ourselves. The result of sound judgement is that I use faith (in God and what he is doing) to measure myself. My mind and my faith go hand in glove.

Jesus says the greatest commandment is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Matthew 12:30) When I give myself to God, I choose with my mind as well as my heart and soul to give my whole self because I love him. The Spirit and I work in partnership to renew my thinking and transform my life to be a pleasing response to what Jesus did to rescue me.

Written by David Cornell