Receive ye one another

Romans 15:7

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

One thing is certain and one thing brings continual reassurance and comfort. And that is that Christ has received us! To the glory of God, He has received our souls unto Himself! We, who once were estranged and enemies, He has adopted for His own children! As we have received Him, He has received us as His loved sons and daughters. And even amidst our troubles and trials, are sins and shortcomings, our failures and falters, He continues to receive us with love every day, taking us to Himself with cords of love. What a Savior is ours! He has received us.

And now, dear friend, in this brief devotional, I would like to ask you a question. Have you received other believers in Christ as He has so kindly and graciously received you? He has received you without reservation or question. He has loved you unconditionally, impartially, and completely. He has loved you unto the end. He has received you to Himself. Therefore, my beloved, we should love others and receive them as Christ received us to the glory of God. Love them without reservation. Do not be partial, picky, or partisan. Do not leave some out, and include others in your groups and circles. Yes, some may be closer in relationship to you than others. That is permissible, as Christ Himself had an inner circle of friends. But the others were not excluded. They did not look in as if through a window. He washed every one of their feet at the Last Supper, and they all felt as if they were most important to Him. That is the pattern, the paradigm, the picture of how we are to treat others. Jesus then said, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” Oh, my dear friends, what happiness comes from treating others with this great equality and care; from giving attention to all of God’s people, receiving them as Christ so mercifully has received you. Let us treat others as Christ has treated us. This is the commandment of God!

“Dear Father in Heaven, we truly thank you for receiving us through Christ. Thank you that we have been welcomed and included in the family of God freely through the saving blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us be of the same mind and mouth, so that in unison and oneness we may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as He has so graciously taken us as His own, let us receive others wholeheartedly and with the most sincere charity. Help us to have fervent charity one toward another, because we know that this covers the multitude of sins. Help us to have this spirit toward other believers in Christ Jesus. And these things we pray in our Savior’s name, Amen.”