"விதைகளின் உள்ளே" 🌳
Scripture Meditation No. 1646
AATHAVAN – Sunday, 10 August 2025
“Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.” (Romans 15:7)
Today’s meditation verse explains that we, who live in this world, ought to live with the nature and character of God. Just as God receives all mankind, transcending barriers of caste, religion, and ethnicity, we too must accept everyone. Only then will we be able to truly proclaim Christ to others.
Sadly, such an attitude is often absent both among the general public and among Christians. Even between various Christian denominations, people fail to value or accept one another. From the 14th chapter itself, the Apostle Paul addresses this same subject. Some people consider one day more special than another, engaging in certain religious practices on those days; others believe God loves them only if they abstain from certain foods. Paul says these are matters of personal conviction, and there is no meaning in continually judging or finding fault with others over such things.
If we call ourselves spiritual Christians yet belittle and criticize others, we are pitiable. Therefore, Paul continues to explain:
“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.” (Romans 15:1–2)
That is, if we consider ourselves strong in the spiritual life, we must bear with the weaknesses of those who have not yet grown spiritually. Moreover, by our conduct, we must seek to please them for their good, leading to their spiritual growth.
I know of a brother who joined a spiritual church, worshipped there, and within a few days received water baptism. But his wife remained in her traditional church. The pastor of the church he attended told him, “Only if you attend worship here as a family and your wife also receives water baptism here will your family receive blessings.” This instilled fear in him. From that point, quarrels and unrest began in their home. He began to beat and ill-treat his wife, forcing her to come to his church and compelling her to take baptism there. Finally, she accepted his demand and took baptism.
Since there was no genuine repentance or true knowledge of God, even today there is no peace in that home. The reason is that the head of the family has not truly known Christ, and therefore does not have the mind to “receive one another, as Christ also received us” as Paul exhorts in today’s meditation verse. There are many Christian homes like this today.
Yes, beloved, first we must know Christ in our personal lives. And it is not by frightening or forcing people, but only by our conduct that we can win others.
“For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:14)
Changing one’s church is not what matters most; what matters is that our life changes to be pleasing to Christ.
God’s Message – Bro. M. Geo Prakash
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