Oneness in the Body of Christ
I. The Kind of Persons for the Oneness in the Body - Rom. 1-13
- A. Those who know their justification is based upon God's love and
grace
- Rom. 3:23-28; 5:6-11
- B. Those who know their sanctification is based upon God's love and
grace - Rom. 5:1-5, 10, 17-18, 21; 6:3-11, 14
- C. Those who know their entire Christian life is based upon God's
love handling them in their environment - Rom. 8:26-39
- D. Those who recognize God's grace in His dealings with His people
- Rom. 9:1-12:8
- E. Those who seek to live out God's love in their relationships -
Rom. 12:9-13:14
II. The Nature of Receiving Other Believers in Oneness - Rom. 14
- A. Receiving without reservations - Rom. 14:1
- B. Receiving the way God and Christ receives - Rom. 14:1, 3; 15:7
- 1. Examples - Apollos in Acts 18:26; Paul in Acts 28:2; and Onesimus
in
Philemon 12 and 17
- 2. Problems in receiving others
- a) Despising and judging - Rom. 14:3-5, 10, 13, 22 (cf. Luke 18:9;
1 Thess. 5:19-20; 1 Cor. 4:3-5)
- C. Receiving despite outward practices - Rom. 14:1-6; Col. 2:16-17
- D. Receiving that gives space for individual growth - Rom. 14:5b;
Col. 2:2
- E. Receiving that recognizes the Lordship of Christ over every believer
- Rom. 14:7-12
- 1. Differences of practice does not affect a persons relationship
to the Lord
- Rom. 14:6-8
- 2. Differences of practice will not affect our individual accountability
to the Lord
- - Rom. 14:10-12
- F. Receiving one another in the realm of the new creation - 2 Cor.
5:14-21; Rom.14:13-15 (our new judgment springing from love)
- G. Receiving one another with revelation
- 1. Relationships and the reality of the Kingdom - Rom. 14:16-19
- 2. Relationships with those "for whom Christ died" - Rom.
14:15
- 3. Relationships that represent Christ - 1 Cor. 8:11-13
- H. Receiving that recognizes "the work of God" in each believer
- Rom. 14:20
- 1.The work of God in personal convictions - Rom. 14:6
- 2. The work of God in the conscience - Rom. 14:14-15, 20-21; 1 Cor.
8:9-13;
10:23-33
- 3. The work of God in each person at the level of his understanding
- Rom. 14:22-23