Day 237.
We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:1-2 ESV)
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6 ESV)
Romans 12-15 which speak of the application of God’s great work for us, have a strong emphasis on serving each other. It is hard to avoid the corporate nature of what it means to be a Christian. The whole idea that the church exists to build me up in my personal walk with Jesus is a product of our culture rather than the Bible. Instead, the Bible keeps pressing us to see that we exist to build the church up so that, as Paul writes, “that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
When evaluating your church do you ask, “is it still meeting me and my family’s needs” or “am I serving the needs of my church to the glory of Christ?”
McCheyne’s Bible Reading Plan: 1 Sa 17, Ro 15, Lam 2, Lk 22
