Weekly Devotional - December 7th

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 

Romans 15:1-2

In this text, Paul appears to say something that doesn’t quite align with what he wrote in a

different letter, specifically the one he wrote to the Galatians.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I

were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Galatians 1:10

What should we take away from this? In summary, these verses exist within a distinct context. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul confronts a false teaching that persuades believers to supplement the work of Christ with their own efforts in order to achieve justification before God. This approach is an affront to God, as it compromises the gospel to accommodate human desires.

In this passage from Romans, Paul emphasizes that by living as individuals who are already

justified through Christ's work, we have a responsibility to support fellow believers who may be grappling with doubt or hesitation in their faith. By doing so, we can help them fully embrace the faith that has been bestowed upon us by God's grace.

The point is fellowship in living out our lives, whether we are strong or weak in faith, Gospel-

forward.