Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
The word accept here (proslambánō) means, to take in addition, to welcome, to take to myself, lay hold of with initiative, aggressively receive, with strong personal interest.
Think of someone who truly accepts you for who you are. You never feel stressed around them do you. You never feel like you have to pretend when you are in their presence. There are no airs and graces when you are around them. You can be yourself around them. What is it about this person that allows you to be like this? Are you that person for others? Is there someone out there who would choose you in this exercise? If this is true of you, are there more people you can extend this to? In order to build authentic community, we need to have a critical mass of relational dyads that epitomize true acceptance. In this message I will share with you some keys that will help you to be accepting of others. It is important to note that acceptance of a person does not equate to condoning sin or ungodly lifestyle. Jesus accepted and delighted in people, whilst simultaneously challenging them to a new lifestyle. The essence of accepting someone is seeing them as Christ sees them.
