Receive Ye One Another – Romans 15:1-7

 Fifteen years ago we made a study of one of the Greek words in verse 7. “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.” It isn’t the one that you might think; it isn’t “receive ye,” but rather “one another.” It is a common word, but the way that the Bible uses it, it becomes quite important. It speaks about our relationships, and that of course is Paul’s theme right here.

Let’s string some of its 94 usages together. The Lord Jesus said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” Notice that love for the brethren is not an option, but a command of God. Paul reiterates the command of the Lord, but then changes it just slightly. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” Then further, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” He says, “salute one another,” and “greet one another.” “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love.” “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another.” He says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another…” “Exhort one another daily, while it is called To day,” and “let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

One of the interesting things in this study is to see that when Paul uses the word “allelon” (al-lay’-lone) it often comes in bunches. In Romans 12 he gave us that word 4 or 5 times. And we find it three times in chapter 15 – verses 5, 7 and 14. “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.” “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.” “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”

Tonight, let’s think about “accepting one another” – receiving “allelon” (al-lay’-lone).

But let’s enter that subject through the back door – How do you choose your friends?Everyone has different methods and standards. Some prefer extroverted people, or funny people, or smart people, or talented people. Unfortunately, some like buffoons and fools, rich spend-thrifts, rebels or obnoxious people. Everyone has his own way of choosing friends or receiving and accepting people. But I’m afraid that most of us have a far narrower field of view than we ought to have.

In verse 7 Paul says, “receive” (“allelon” – al-lay’-lone), but he doesn’t attach any qualifying criteria. The only implied restriction is that these people all profess to be children of God. The word “receive” in this verse is the Greek word “proslambano.” Strong’s Concordance says that this word hints of taking food – eating. What do we do when we eat? We bring that food into ourselves. “Proslambano” is to admit someone into our hearts and into our fellowship. Vine’s Dictionary says that the word signifies special intent on the part of the receiver. In other words, it suggests a deliberate and warm welcome. Romans 15:7 says, “Give a warm welcome to one another as Christ gave a warm welcome to you.”

Now, let’s take a little test – Would you accept Rahab as a church member and personal friend? We need to make that decision based on what we know of her at the time of her conversion. Our King James Bible says that Rahab was an harlot. I know that some prejudiced Bible teachers try to avoid that by saying that the word means that she was an inn-keeper. That could even make matters worse – she might have been a madam with a whole stable full of harlots. Would you have accepted Rahab as a member and friend following her repentance? And what about King David? Why certainly we’d receive him, after all he was a man after God’s own heart. And don’t forget that he was rich and could really help a church like ours. True, and at the same time he was a murderer, adulterer and polygamist. Would you take the king and reject the adulterer? Would you have accepted the Ethiopian Eunuch, assuming he was a black man? Could you allow yourself a Christian friend, if the man was black? There is a man named Rufus in Romans 16 who may have been a black member of church. I base that statement, not on his name, but some other things which we will eventually address. And what about Thomas, that weakling in the faith? Would you accept him? What about John Mark, the former Christian-deserter, could you ever fellowship with him again? Mark was a problem for Paul, and for a while he couldn’t accept him. Both Thomas and John Mark would definitely qualify as a couple of the “weaker” brethren. We could even ask this question about our acceptance of Saul/Paul. What if you were a member of the church in Damascus, and Saul came forward for membership? That church could have suffered a split over the membership of the great church persecutor. Ananias was saying that Saul had been born again, and the church followed his leadership, but the church in Jerusalem was not satisfied with that testimony.

Few things can shatter Christian unity like extra-biblical rules and regulations governing acceptance.

There are at least two areas wherein we violate the injunction “receive allelon”(al-lay’-lone).The first is in judging and pre-judging people, thus averting any responsibility to receive them. Obviously I have beaten the poor horse of chapter 14 nearly to death, but I’ve got to lay my stick against his ribs once again. Both the weak brethren and the strong in faith were not receiving the others who had the opposite opinions to the question of meats and dates. But Paul particularly commanded the strong brethren to accept with patience the weak, because none of this had anything to do with sin. No man should deliberately cause his weak brother to stumble. Patience on the part of the man strong in the faith, coupled to Christian sensitivity should eventually help the weak brother to become stronger. But key to any kind of growth is acceptance of each other in midst of the differences. “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”

A second problem in receiving one another, comes in a less common form – partiality. Back in chapter 12 Paul said, “Be of the same mind….” It is possible to apparently receive someone, and still keep him at arm’s length, or even at boot’s length? This is something that really irked James, so he ripped the hides off the saints in chapter 2 of his epistle. “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” Prejudice, favoritism, and discrimination within the body of Christ violates the law of Christ. Every member of the body is vital to the growth and orderly function of the whole. Each should be received – assuming that his heart is pure before God.

Now lets get practical.It is essential that we all know what is sin and what is not sin. We all know people who justify their wickedness by claiming that it isn’t really sin. There are almost as many people who claim things to be sin which are not. The standard must be the Word of God and not our opinions about the Word of God. What seems like a century ago, I preached in a church in Stephenville, Texas. That is the city where the Texas maximum security prison is located, and it has a military feel about it. The church was pastored by a man who believed that short hair on men meant a brush cut no longer than half an inch in length. For the sake of argument, let’s say that he demanded that all the men in his church have hair as short as his. Would his definition of short hair have been scriptural – or cultural – or personal? Have you ever seen pictures of George Whitefield? John Gill? John Bunyon? Those men may or may not have had short hair, but they wore wigs with what I consider to be long hair. Are you going to tell me that John Gill, never read I Corinthians 11:14? I’m sure that if you asked him he would say that he complied with that scripture. This is what his commentary says, “if a man have long hair it is a shame unto him; he looks unmanly and womanish, and exposes himself to ridicule and contempt.” If John Gill walked into our church wearing his wig would he be exposed to ridicule and contempt? I think that in today’s society Gill’s hair style would not be acceptable. And therefore I would encourage him get rid of his wig and to cut his hair if necessary. But it was acceptable in his day, just as our hairdos would have been scandalous to him. Perhaps you should hear what Gill said prior to that last quote: “Though among the Grecians the men cut their hair, and did not suffer it to grow long, as also did the Jews, yet there were many nations who did not, even at that time, observe such a rule or custom; but as the Jews and Greeks were the persons chiefly, if not solely, known to the Corinthians, the apostle signifies, that the usages of these people might direct and inform them in this matter:” It is incumbent on us to be as precise about sin as the Bible is – not going too far or falling too short. Sin is not measured by personal preference nor by current culture. Unfortunately, things which are not sin many times are measured just that way.

We must learn to accept or reject people based on what the Bible says. So what if that brother refuses to eat meat which might have been offered to an heathen idol? Receive him. And what if that man is a vegetarian? Is it a sin to be a vegetarian? To listen to some people, you might thing so. And to listen to others, not to be a vegetarian is a sin. What saith the scripture on this subject? Not much.

And that brings up another practical test: We need to analyze whether or not our attitudes towards other Christians are mere prejudice. Let’s say that two middle-aged men, came forward this morning wanting to join Calvary Independent Baptist Church. One was raised in New York City, complete with the accent and attitude of the Big Apple. He was raised a full-fledged member of Jewish Anti-defamation League, and loves the Yankees. The second man has a hair-cut just like the one I mentioned from Stephenville, Texas. The man has been until just recently a gun-totting, antisemitic, member of KKK. Will you receive as member and friend either, neither or both? And here comes a former biker, a former cocaine addict and a former hooker. Notice that I said “former” in each case. Will you receive any of them? What if that man works for the IRS or Homeland Security?

You say that you couldn’t receive some of these? Then why not? Is it because of teaching that you have received? Well then, was it scriptural teaching? You need to be sure of that. Or is your rejection of these people coming out of pride or prejudice? If that is the case then it’s time to confess your sin, because you are the one who is out of step with God. Brethren, we need to let sin be sin. If that candidate for membership is living in his sin, then have no fellowship with him. But if he is living in repentance, then you are to repent of your sin toward him.

I know that some people simply have a hard time being friendly and accepting people. May I make a suggestion or two? First, acknowledge the problem and analyze the reason. Sometimes it’s a matter of your personality, and can be overcome with prayer and grace. Sometimes the problem is sin, and the answer is still prayer and Lord’s grace. And if you have this problem pin-point areas where you need to change. You need to deliberately go out of your way to be friendly – to obey Paul’s exhortation. And remember that the illustration Paul gave of receiving others was Christ’s receiving of us.

“Brethren, receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”