Romans 15. 5-7
May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant
you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so
that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has
welcomed you, for the glory of God.
These few verses sum up what
Paul has been trying to do in this long letter. For all its complex theology, in
the end it is a pastoral letter, intended to help the Roman Christians get
along with each other. Jews and Gentiles alike have been welcomed by God, and
because of that, they should welcome each other. They are as good, and as bad,
as each other, and as much in need of God’s forgiveness and help as each other.
Paul longs for a world in which the love of God, which he discovered in
Damascus when Ananias welcomed him, is known by all. The church in Rome is
called to model that love, a tough challenge then, and now too. We have a God
who is “steadfast and encouraging” though,
so we should not give up!
·
As we come to the end of these reflections, what
picture of Peter and Paul have you formed? What will you take away from their
words?
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