Live a life of blessing: (Chap.15)
The previous chapter (chap.-14) had a teaching for mature Christians to behave properly and not become a stumbling block while using their liberty. In this chapter (chap.15) the apostle calls for all the Christians both gentile and Jewish to live together in a community. The faith of strong one should help the weak believer. God is calling the Gentiles to include in His ultimate plan of Salvation. He also shares his plan to visit Jerusalem and Judea with the offering collected from Gentiles to give to the Jewish believers who were undergoing great famine.
Bear with one another: (15:1-2):
As a Christian, we understand the liberty the Gospel gives, each of us should bear the inconvenience and discomfort of others supporting them with our superior strength instead of using our strength to please ourselves. We are bound in duty to bear the difficulties of weaker brethren and ease their conscience by prudently abstaining from such indifferent things which trouble and affect them and not take advantage of our superior knowledge and judgement. We need to please our neighbour first. The second commandment of the NT “love your neighbour as yourself” must be expressed through our deeds and actions. The pleasing does not mean that we become men-pleaser but we must build them up in order to make them right with God. They must be edified in faith. A Christian should not be self-centred, but should be concerned about the spiritual welfare of other believers.
Christ is the greatest model for mankind: (15:3-4):
Paul take the example of perfect model displayed by the Lord Jesus Christ. “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who being in very nature God did not consider equality with God something to be grasped…” (Phil.2:4ff). The Lord Jesus Christ did not please Himself, but came to do the will of the Father who sent Him (Jn.4:34). Further the apostle takes the reference by quoting a messianic Psalm: “for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me” (Ps.69:9). When the Lord Jesus was willing to undergo such insults in order to save us, certainly we can take those little inconveniences from our weak brothers so that each one would be edified in faith and rooted in Christ. Certainly Jesus Christ is the ultimate example for the one who did not please himself but put others first. Many times we are too quick to vindicate ourselves, but like Jesus we must allow ourselves to be vindicated by God. When we respond rightly to the reproaches of the world for the sake of Jesus, it cannot do much against us because as a child of God our eyes are fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
The knowledge of the Scripture do affect our attitudes in this present and future life. As we study the Scripture more and more, our faith and hope increases day by day. The scripture speak of Christ and sometimes we feel that they are inapplicable to our situation. But we must understand that the significance concerning the ministry of Christ and His sacrifice was to teach us in our day-to-day life, encouragement, comfort and hope in hopelessness situations, steadfastness in the face of adversities. Everything that was written in the OT about the men of God who did not please themselves but stood for God and others (Heb.11), continue to be the great motivators so that we can endure and be comforted in the present circumstances, looking ahead in hope for the future.
Prayer for the church: (15:5-7):
The apostle Paul prays for God’s endurance and encouragement so that the spirit of unity may dwell among the brethren. The church can worship and live in harmony as they follow Christ. The purpose of the unity is that they may glorify God with one heart and with one mind. This is the unity of inward feeling and outward expression. This is the worship that every individual and church as a corporate must do. Disunity and disagreement do not glorify God, but instead they rob Him of glory. Disunity has brought great harm among the churches. We see so many churches breaking out for petty reasons. This is the greatest tool of Satan to cause misunderstanding among the members, cause divisions, even the members go to the extent of worldly courts to get the judgement in their favour.
The Patriarch Abraham has displayed unity with great patience. When quarrelling arose between the herdsmen of Abraham and Lot and since they were living among Canaanites and Perizzites, Abraham said: “Let’s not have any quarrelling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are brothers” (Gen.13:8ff). The Lord Jesus also prayed for the believers “Father just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (Jn.17:21ff).
Prayer is more important than our spiritual activity. If there is only activity, there is the tendency for misunderstanding to creep inside the church.
That’s why Paul says: the Word of God and prayer must be exercised so that the Church would be encouraged and maintain the spirit of unity. This is exactly what the apostles have done in the first century. “Brothers choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:3-4).