S15P2 – Brotherly love: glorifying the Father through unity

Romans 15: 4-6
For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope and overflow with confidence in His promises. Now may the God who gives endurance and who supplies encouragement grant that you be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify and praise and honor the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the previous three verses, we are instructed to support and encourage those whose faith is weaker than our own. These verses tell us the why behind that instruction. The end game here is hope and confidence in God’s promises. As we live our lives in a hopeless world that offers only a promise of destruction, God gives us the hope of eternal life. And to get us from here, the fallen world, to there, a great eternity living with the Father, God supplies two necessary things: endurance and encouragement.

We are commanded to raise and guide those weaker than ourselves the same way God makes the scriptures do the same for us. Paul tells us that through the scriptures we have hope and confidence in God’s promises. Paul then asks for God, the giver of endurance and encouragement, to cause us to be in spiritual agreement and alignment. We do that when we raise each other from the trenches, taking on each other’s burdens and encouraging one another. We do that when we push each other along to the finish line as God pushes us along by reminding each other of the great confidence we have in our great hope. And when we are of one accord in this way, we can glorify our Father with one voice of praise.

There is a chain reaction that starts with the self-sacrifice of helping those spiritually weaker than ourselves and ends with God being glorified. Along the way, the down-trodden are lifted up, and the brethren is brought into one accord under Christ. If you want to glorify your Father in heaven, lift up your weaker brother. Father, give us hearts that desire to support each other for your glory, to be united with the brethren in one mind, to praise and honor You in unity.