Jesus gave us a mission that demanded our unity. It’s the one thing He literally prayed for.

• John 17:20–21 | “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
• Paul knew that unity was a

issue. Conflict is inevitable, but

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is preventable. Throughout Romans 14 and 15 thus far, Paul has given us the recipe for unity.

The Goal is

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Romans 15:7 | Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
• “For the glory of God” >> Paul understands exactly what Jesus said: the glory of God is at stake in the unity and mutual love and

that believers have towards one another.
• John 13:34-35 | A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
• “Therefore” >> in this instance, this word shows us that the

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for our welcoming spirit come in the preceding verses.

How can God produce this welcoming spirit in us?

Romans 15:4-5 | For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• The Christian life cannot be lived

. This means that you cannot manufacture the strength to live it in your will. Each step in the Christian life is a step of faith, not pride. It is a step that testifies to our dependence, not our self-sufficiency.
• Where God has called you to function in a way that

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you into a place where you must rely upon God’s supernatural provision of His grace, He has ALREADY faithfully provided all that you need to endure with encouragement.
• 2 Peter 1:3-4 | His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
• “former days was written for our instruction” >> this reference to us following the example of Christ in bearing with the failings of others reminds him to explain the

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of the Scriptures.
• From the Scriptures we receive encouragement for endurance in what God has

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us to do.
• As Christians living here and now, Jesus is our tree of life in terms of our

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. Each and every day, the Scriptures, God’s Word, is our tree of life in terms of our

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.
• As you read the Scriptures, you are

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yourself with the strength to fulfill God’s call on your life, to love others, to die to self, to lift up others and encourage them even when it is hard. All because God is the God of encouragement and endurance.