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PROGRAM D-8187

We’ve examined Jesus’ new command to love one another—it’s the foundation we need for the other four “one anothers” I wish to highlight.

The second one is this: Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you.

This one comes from Romans 15:5-7, which says the following:

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

I think you will agree with me that we are living in a very contentious time—when there is much division among us, much disagreement, and normal civility seems to be a thing of the past. As those who have been born again through faith in Jesus Christ, our lives should stand in clear contrast to this. We are to accept one another—to hold no prejudices against anyone, and to treat everyone with respect, even when we disagree.

Notice this passage says that God gives us endurance and encouragement, and we should have that same attitude toward one another. You don’t have to agree with everyone in your life in order to accept them. I think of how Jesus accepted me with all my shortcomings, my sin, my failures. He never beats us over the head with our past. He forgives us and remembers our sin no more. Then he empowers us to put the past behind us and move on to do what he wants us to do. That’s how you and I should accept other people.

Is there someone in your life right now that you have rejected for some reason? Someone to whom you’re not willing to give another chance? Maybe your reasons for rejecting them are true; maybe the harm they’ve done is real. But can you—in order to bring praise to God—accept them and allow them to be a part of your life?

Pray it into your life. Ask God to enable you to accept them—because he has accepted you.