Romans 15:7
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes that our reception of one another should mirror Christ's reception of us. This means we're called to welcome others not just as they are, but as Christ has already embraced them, forgiving their flaws and drawing them into God's love. This mutual acceptance, reflecting Christ's own action, is the very means by which God is glorified among us.
In the preceding verses, Paul has been discussing how believers, whether strong or weak in their faith, should bear with one another's differences, particularly concerning disputable matters like dietary laws and observance of special days. He emphasizes unity and avoiding actions that would tear down a fellow believer, ultimately aiming for the glory of God. This verse serves as a powerful conclusion to that argument, urging believers to extend the same radical acceptance to each other that Christ showed them.
We're called to welcome each other, but what does that really look like? The answer is found in how Jesus welcomed us.
The core of Christian community is mutual acceptance, and Paul grounds this in the ultimate example: Christ himself.
Christ's All-Encompassing Welcome
When Christ welcomed us, he didn't check our credentials or our background. He welcomed sinners, the weak, and those who had previously been excluded. This wasn't a conditional welcome; it was an act of radical grace that bridged divides. He embraced both Jews and Gentiles, fulfilling promises and extending salvation.
Our Response: Reflecting His Grace
Paul urges us to extend this same kind of unconditional welcome to fellow believers. This means looking past differences in opinion or practice and seeing each other through the lens of Christ's acceptance. It's about making room in our lives and our communities for everyone Christ has welcomed.
Why is welcoming each other so important? It's not just about feeling good; it's about something far greater.
The ultimate purpose behind our mutual welcome is the glory of God.
A Visible Testimony
When Christians from diverse backgrounds (like the original Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome) can live in unity and love, it becomes a powerful testimony to the world. Our ability to overcome differences and extend grace reflects God's own inclusive love and the reconciling work of Christ.
Glorifying God Through Harmony
Our harmony and brotherly love, stemming from Christ's welcoming embrace, actively promotes God's glory. It shows that the Gospel is a force powerful enough to unite people who would naturally be divided. It makes God's magnificent grace visible and praiseworthy.
Understand the original words
proslambanō · Greek Verb
A term meaning "to receive into one’s home, circle of friends, or fellowship." In a church context, it refers to accepting others into the Christian community with the same gracious, unconditional acceptance that Christ extended to the believer.
This verse is a direct response to the social and religious friction within the early Roman church, a community uniquely composed of both Jewish and Gentile believers navigating their shared faith amidst distinct cultural backgrounds and historical upheavals.
c. 40s-50s AD— this verse
Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome
The church in Rome was composed of both Jewish and Gentile believers, leading to potential tensions over practices like dietary laws and observance of special days.
c. AD 49
Claudius expels Jews from Rome
Emperor Claudius expelled Jews from Rome, which likely disrupted the nascent Christian community and may have led to a predominantly Gentile church for a time. This sets the stage for later reintegration.
c. AD 54-60s
Re-establishment of Jewish community in Rome
Following Claudius's death, Jewish communities began to re-establish themselves in Rome, including Jewish Christians who would have re-entered a church that had grown and potentially shifted in its practices.
c. AD 60-62
Paul writes Romans
Paul writes his letter to the Romans from Corinth, addressing the deep-seated issues of division between Jewish and Gentile believers and calling for unity in Christ.
This passage echoes Romans 15:7 by urging believers to live a life of love, mirroring Christ's sacrificial love for us, ultimately for God's glory. It highlights that Christ's offering is both a sacrifice and a fragrant aroma to God, similar to how our acceptance of one another should bring glory to Him.
Philippians 2:3-5This passage provides the foundational principle for welcoming one another: humility and considering others better than yourselves, just as Christ, though divine, humbled himself. It expands on the 'why' behind welcoming others, emphasizing a Christ-like mindset rooted in selflessness.
John 13:34-35Jesus commands his followers to love one another as He has loved them, stating this will be the mark of true discipleship. This directly supports the exhortation in Romans 15:7, showing that Christ's love for us is the model for how we should treat fellow believers.
Galatians 3:28This verse emphasizes the unity of all believers in Christ, transcending social and ethnic distinctions. It provides the theological basis for welcoming 'one another' in Romans 15:7, reminding us that Christ has broken down dividing walls, making us all one in Him.
ellicottRomans 15:7: "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God."
(7) Received us. —There is again a division of the best authorities, the Vatican and Claromontane MSS. reading “us,” while the Sinaitic, Alexandrine, Paris rescript, and others, read “you.” The latter is, perhaps, to be preferred, but with no real difference to the sense. The word “received” is the same as that at the beginning of Romans 14, the subject of which chapter is still continued, and is no…
cambridgeRomans 15:7: "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God."
7 . receive ye , &c.] See on Romans 14:1 . Cp. Colossians 3:13 . as Christ also received us ] “He receiveth sinners,” to be His “brethren.”—Better, perhaps, received you . to the glory of God ] Christ received us “to the praise of the glory of His Father’s grace;” Ephesians 1:6 . But possibly a comma should stand after “received us:” q. d., “receive one another, (as Christ received us;) for this wil…
The verse emphasizes that our reception of one another should mirror Christ's reception of us. This means we're called to welcome others not just as they are, but as Christ has already embraced them, forgiving their flaws and drawing them into God's love. This mutual acceptance, reflecting Christ's own action, is the very means by which God is glorified among us.
In the preceding verses, Paul has been discussing how believers, whether strong or weak in their faith, should bear with one another's differences, particularly concerning disputable matters like dietary laws and observance of special days. He emphasizes unity and avoiding actions that would tear down a fellow believer, ultimately aiming for the glory of God. This verse serves as a powerful conclusion to that argument, urging believers to extend the same radical acceptance to each other that Christ showed them.
In the preceding verses, Paul has been discussing how believers, whether strong or weak in their faith, should bear with one another's differences, particularly concerning disputable matters like dietary laws and observance of special days. He emphasizes unity and avoiding actions that would tear down a fellow believer, ultimately aiming for the glory of God. This verse serves as a powerful conclusion to that argument, urging believers to extend the same radical acceptance to each other that Christ showed them.
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"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." — The verse emphasizes that our reception of one another should mirror Christ's reception of us. This means we're called to welcome others not just as they are, but as Christ has already embraced the…
