Romans 15:1-6

¹ But we –the strong ones– ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not just accommodate ourselves. ² Each of us accommodate his neighbor for his good to build him up. ³ For even Christ did not accommodate himself, but as scripture puts it, “The abuses of those who abused you have fallen on me.”[1] ⁴ Because everything that was written in former times was written to teach us, so that as we endure and stay encouraged by the scriptures we may keep our hope. ⁵ Now may the God of endurance and encouragement give you unity with one another appropriate to Christ Jesus, ⁶ so that together you may with one voice bring praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

with one voice

A church that divides itself into factions and only focuses on what’s wrong with the other factions is failing to be the church as God intends it. Paul points this out in two ways.

• First, he says that the Romans should look back to what was predicted about Christ in Psalm 69:9. Those who were inclined to abuse God would find the Messiah a convenient whipping post. He so identified with his Father’s will that he took on himself the rage that people felt toward God. Paul wanted the Roman Christians to identify with each other like that – even the ones who had different theologies and habits.
• Secondly, he prayed that the LORD would give them that kind of unity, because without it, they would not be able to praise and worship God “with one voice.” Disunity disrupts our vertical relationship with God as well as our horizontal one with our fellow believers.

LORD, give your church one corporate life, so that we can praise you with one corporate voice.

[1] Psalm 69:9.