May 9 Click on verses for Full Scripture	previous - - - - - - - - - - next
Today's Pathway: Romans 15:5-7 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Paul told us in verse 4 that the Scriptures contained patience and comfort that would give believers hope in difficult times. In verse 5 he states that these virtues ultimately come from God. The words "comfort" in verse 4 and "consolation" in verse 5 are translations of the same Greek word. So God has given us the Scriptures that provide patience and comfort, but they do this because they point us to God Who IS patience and comfort. And the great blessing of this verse is that God not only has patience and comfort, but that He will give those virtues to us! The word "grant" simply means "to give". God will give us the ability to be patient with both our situations and with others, and He will also give us the encouragement that we need to keep pressing forward.

One of the areas where believers might need God's patience and encouragement is in dealing with their brothers and sisters in Christ. Up until this point this entire section has been about relationships between stronger and weaker brethren, and now Paul expands the teaching to deal with all the brethren. Once again, the primary application of this passage deals with the local church. Paul teaches that we need to be "likeminded" with our fellow church members. We certainly need to be thinking the same way when it comes to issues about which the Bible clearly speaks. However, we also need to be united in our thinking when it comes to issues about which the Bible is silent. That does not mean that all the church members are going to come to the same conclusions on questionable things, but it does mean that all the church members should have a mindset that they are going to be patient with each other and encourage one another in spite of having different opinions.

The goal of this is that the church can be Christ-like (verse 5) and also united in its glorification of God (verse 6). The Greek word translated "one mind" is a musical term which means to play the notes together and harmoniously. This is what God wants from His children and in our churches. If God's people are thinking properly, then they will be able to be united in raising their voices in their worship of the Lord. Concerning the expression "one mouth", Albert Barnes wrote that it

"refers, doubtless, to their prayers and praises. That they might join, without contention and unkind feeling, in the worship of God. Divisions, strife, and contention in the church prevent union in worship. Though the body may be there, and the church professedly engaged in public worship, yet it is a divided service; and the prayers of strife and contention are not heard."

"If the Lord Jesus has indeed received us, and bears with our weaknesses and follies, well may we have patience with one another, and show pity to each other's infirmities. Christ did not receive us because we were perfect, because He could see no fault in us, or because He hoped to gain somewhat at our hands. Ah, no! but, in loving condescension covering our faults, and seeking our good, He welcomed us to his Heart; so, in the same way, and with the same purpose, let us receive one another."

Are you thinking like Christ? Are you receiving the brethren as He has received you?