Thursday, August 28, 2008

Gospel Relationships

I have been teaching through Romans and almost done. In this book Paul gives his clearest and most comprehensive treatment of the gospel. Yet, what stung me most was not his exposition of sin and salvation but rather his treatment of relationships in chapters 14 and 15. Paul's basic argument is that the gospel in the life of the believer will produce gospel relationships.

Chapter 15:7 "Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you." This is a gospel statement. In order for Christ to welcome us he had to be killed to make atonement for our sin. Therefore it should be easy for us to be welcoming to one another. If we cannot welcome one another perhaps it means that we have not understood the gospel. The Gospel should radically transform our relationships. Yet how many churches are marked by division rather than unity, how many churches are stuck in a cycle of relational dysfunction? We need, I need the gospel to transform my relationships.