”We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory. Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: “For this, I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing praises to your name.” And in another place it is written, “Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles.” And yet again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth.” And in another place Isaiah said, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him.” I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.“
Romans 15:1-13 NLT
In this passage, Paul elucidates the need for acceptance. Yet he does so in a way that is still prescient and needed amongst modern Christians. He takes the concept of acceptance and pairs it with the spirit of harmony, but gives a much different take on its polarity. Linking it with the filter of the scriptures, he calls for acceptance to be qualified by a mutual denial of self in order to bring a mutual glory to God. Unlike in modern understandings of acceptance, it is clear that Paul is calling Christians to integration of believers into a harmony. That harmony is not, however, determined by the individual, but by scripture. In God’s choir, everyone should be able to sing, but they only sing one song. Scripture is a songbook that teaches us that song and prepares us to join in its chorus. Those who teach that acceptance is tolerance of a personal melody into Gods harmony, don’t understand their freedom in Christ. They are not seeking to bring glory to God, but rather themselves. A person who sings their own song in a choir cannot bring harmony. They instead sew discord and chaos in the entire choir. The only way to return to the intended melody is for the rest of the choir to know their parts and perform them well.
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