Peter Barnes | Romans 15:5-7
SERMON NOTES
UNITY TO GOD’S GLORY
(Romans 15:5-7)
1. Unity glorifies God.
– 15:5-7; see Phil.3:15-16 for how far Paul is prepared to go
– unity is not uniformity, for then Romans 14-15 would not need to have been written. Act of Uniformity in 1662 was not needed and was heavy-handed
2. Unity is achieved through God’s patience and encouragement.
– 15:5; note 15:4 for patience and encouragement in Scripture
– still need to speak strongly at times (Acts 20:29-30; Jude 12-13)
3. Christians are to receive all true Christians.
– 15:7; receive (NKJV) or accept (NIV) more than welcome (ESV)
– Mark 9:24 – Christ receives him
– George Carey on the Church of England: ‘I am convinced it is a broad church combining the catholic, evangelical, charismatic and liberal in joyful harmony.’ That is a recipe for compromise, not unity
– Christ receives all who repent and believe (Matt.4:17; 11:28; John 11:25-27), and so must we.