Acceptance - 1

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

Sometimes it seems intangible. Sometimes it seems alluring. Some spend their lives fighting for it. Some are blessed to have always known it.

Acceptance.

In this segment we will be looking at different facets of acceptance: toward others, others’ acceptance of us (or lack of it), acceptance by God, acceptance of God, and acceptance of His plan and will for us.

I would like for you to spend some time in prayer, asking God to open your mind to areas in your life that need sharpened, matured, mended or healed. Maybe they’re hidden; maybe they are obvious, bleeding, raw. Maybe there are some from both categories.

Please read our text Romans 15:1-13 and let’s dig in.

Zoom in on verses 2-3:

Romans 15:2-3 “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” NKJV

Christ took all our reproaches – the ones we lash on each other, the ones we earned when we sinned and acted apart from God’s commandment, causing our rejection and lack of Holy acceptance – that is, without intervention.

Read Psalm 69:9-12

And He knew this was coming because of us, and loved, gave, died anyway.

Psalm 69:11 “I wore sackcloth as my clothing,and I was a joke to them.” HCSB

Q:  From Psalm 69:11-12 Christ humbled Himself for us, and how did we respond?

Sheer ridicule.

How could we? How dare we?

And we who did this to Him – yes, willingly – He accepts us. Chose us. Loves us.

What I’d love for you to notice in this is that He is our example.

1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.” NIV

 1 Peter 2:21 “For you were called to this,because Christ also suffered for you,leaving you an example,so that you should follow in His steps.” HCSB emphasis mine

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” NKJV

Philippians 2:5 “Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus” HCSB

I would like to encourage you this: there has never been or ever will be any hurt greater than that which Christ took because of us. And we have His example to follow – so it is time to lay aside our pride and realize that even if we’ve been hurt, we too can forgive, as Christ forgave us.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” NKJV

Only after that forgiveness and by following His example of pure grace can we even begin to practice acceptance toward one another. Even toward those who do not accept us.

Turn back to our text in Romans 15.

Romans 15:1 “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.” NIV

And we are commanded to accept one another.

Romans 15:7 “Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted [a]us to the glory of God.”  NASB

Only through God will we ever be able to do this.

Whenever we see a ‘therefore’ in a text, we ought to look at the preceding verses. So glance back at verses 5-6.

Romans 15:5 “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,” NASB

The ESB says it this way “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.”

And here’s why:

Romans 15:6 “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” NIV

It brings Him glory. This. This is how He wants His children to behave. This is how He wants His ambassadors and representatives to act.

DO: In your journal, take the time to write out Romans 15:5-7. I believe there is such value in physically writing it out.

DO: Now take a highlighter or a different color pen and highlight important words – such as God’s character (we are, after all, to follow His example) and our commands.

Q: What were the characteristics you pulled out?

Q: Do you believe that the characteristics you underlined or circled in verse 5 give us a clue as to how to live in harmony? Why or why not?

Do not be discouraged. Be encouraged. God will enable you to act as He desires. Surrender to His control and enjoy the harmony He brings.

Set Free 6 - Battling Perfection part 3

Today’s the day we bring it home. Perfectionism stops here.

Our text today is Galatians 5-6. (Specifically 5:1-8, 13, 15-18, 25-26; 6:1-3, 7-8, 14-18)

Read as much as you can and we’ll begin.

Galatians 5:1-2 “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.” NLT

Now replace “circumcision” with something on your list. (If you’re just joining us, read about the list here)

Look closely again at Galatians 5:2 and 5:6. Do you see the contrast?

It’s either one or the other. You can’t have such a focus on being perfect all the time- if we rely on one good thing (i.e. church going, good deeds, serving in poor countries, etc) to give us good brownie points with God, then Christ is no benefit to us. According to verse 3, if we are counting on good things to give us good standing with God, then we would have to uphold every. part. of. it. Every single rule. And let’s face it. We will fail.

On our own.

So would we rather try (and inevitably fail?) or would we rather choose to humbly accept (and know that it’s fail-proof)? Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

We are called to the latter. Called to freedom.

I don’t believe in destiny, but this is the closest thing to it in my opinion – God’s will.

Galatians 5:13 “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” NLT

1 Timothy 2:3-4 “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” NASB

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” NKJV

So how do we pull it all in to the reality that is the every-day of this flawed world?

We will be tempted. Tempted to try to carry it on our own. Do perfection by ourselves. It will likely even be second nature to many of us – especially people pleasers, checklist people, and those with OCD tendencies.

Just remember (as God does, thank Heaven! Psalm 103:14) that we are human and we will fail. Others around us will fail.

Enter grace.

Enter Holy Spirit – for any holy living – actual holy-living comes from the overflow; comes from the Holy Spirit in us. Choose to surrender to His desires.

Galatians 5:16 “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” NLT

Your natural human tendencies will likely be opposite that of the Spirit. Actually, there is no ‘likely’ about it. They will be. God says so. (5:17)

See our flesh-tendencies in verses 19-21 and contrast them to the Spirit-tendencies in 22-23.

 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.” NLT

Indeed, we are new. Because it’s not us anymore.

If we keep our focus on our actions being prodded by Christ, keep in mind that it is the Spirit doing it. Picture yourself the latex glove, and God and His Spirit the careful surgeon. The glove doesn’t get the credit or the blame, does it?

Galatians 5:26 “Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.” NLT

Galatians 6:3 “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” NASB

Keep a careful watch this week on our actions. If it is better this week to push pause on a particular ministry until you can determine your motive, I think God would honor that decision. He hates pride (Prov 6:16-17), and so if you need to take a step back to determine whether your service to Him is done out of pride or not, please do. Because you’re not fooling God. Galatians 6:7-8

Q: Do you think that self-imposed standards are always a matter of pride?

Q: Why or why not? Explain. (Use the space in your journal and share in the comments here.)

In my opinion I don’t think they always are. Sometimes we can set up rules to protect ourselves or others, just because we know our own flaws and tendencies and sometimes it is easier to draw the line at a safe distance from the actual breaking point.

Just bear in mind this picture. We are branded by faith. What we do because of that (or in spite of that) does not define us. It may show others Christ’s work in us, to God be the glory, but it does not make us who we are. Christ’s brand alone does.

We are His, and we are covered by His grace.

Let’s act like it; let’s allow that grace for ourselves and let’s allow that grace for others.

Galatians 5:14 “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”” NLT

John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”” NASB

Galatians 6:17 “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.” NASB