Romans 15:1-14 Admonish, counsel and instruct one another in love
1 We who are strong [in our convictions and of robust faith] ought to bear with the failings and the frailties and the tender scruples of the weak; [we ought to help carry the doubts and qualms of others] and not to please ourselves.
There are a lot of believers who do not want to pay any attention to the news or what is going on that they feel they have no control over. This is how I would define those who are “strong” in their faith with those who are weak. If you feel your faith is able to move mountains then you are not fearful of hearing about what is happening in the news. In your faith the Lord can do anything. However, if you feel helpless and unable to do anything and you are just a humble believer who wishes to worship the Lord, then that also is fine. That is how an oak tree begins, as a tiny sprout that could be squashed easily enough.
2 Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually].
This is the Lord’s command, to love your neighbor as yourself. When I was a brand new Christian I didn’t watch the news, instead I spent my time in reading the word, fellowship with believers and worship. In one of my classes the professor learned this and was stunned that I didn’t know about 3 mile island. So I asked her to tell me what I had missed. There was a possible leak at 3 mile island, the university was in Houston and 3 mile island was in NY. No one had to be evacuated, no one died, and there was no risk to me in Houston. So I asked her, ok, now that I know more how does any of that require that I watch the news every night? I’m glad I know this but does it really matter if I knew it a month ago or today? We all stand before the Lord if He tells you not to focus on the news that is fine, if He tells you to pay attention to what is going on that also is fine.
3 For Christ did not please Himself [gave no thought to His own interests]; but, as it is written, The reproaches and abuses of those who reproached and abused you fell on Me.
This is known as head covering. My professor reproached me for not watching the news. I was clear before the Lord that I was doing what He wanted me to do, so my head was covered and the reproach fell on Him.
4 For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope.
There are many people who watch the news religiously and yet are clueless about what is going on. Just today I talked to two very educated and well informed people that I work with concerning the recent news on the UFO’s. Neither one had a clue what to think. Now if they read the Bible they would know that this is a critical sign of the Lord’s coming. In 2Thessalonians 2 we are told that the Lord does not return before the apostasy and then Paul says that prior to the rapture God will send them a strong delusion. There has to be an explanation for the rapture and for all the fallen angels that are kicked out of heaven and cast down to Earth at that time. So then watching the news is like watching through a window that is covered in soot. Wouldn’t it make sense to first wash the soot off the window? The Bible is that water that will clean the window, it was written for our instruction.
5 Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance (steadfastness) and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 That together you may [unanimously] with united hearts and one voice, praise and glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).
Right now there is a very sharp schism between those who support Biden and those who supported Trump. This is because the vast majority of Christians do not fully understand God’s purpose which was written for us in His word. If you did understand that you would know that everything is unfolding according to the prophecies and so that the man of lawlessness could be revealed. As Paul said this is essential prior to the rapture. Many things that are taking place are designed to wake us up. Again, something that was prophesied.
7 Welcome and receive [to your hearts] one another, then, even as Christ has welcomed and received you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ (the Messiah) became a servant and a minister to the circumcised (the Jews) in order to show God’s truthfulness and honesty by confirming (verifying) the promises [given] to our fathers, 9 And [also in order] that the Gentiles (nations) might glorify God for His mercy [not covenanted] to them. As it is written, Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles and sing praises to Your name.
There was a great discrepancy between these two, a very sharp schism, yet the Lord has laid the cornerstone which unites these two. They also have two very different seasons and different paths and yet we can all be one rejoicing in the Lord and praising Him for what He has done. For example this link from Gevte. He interprets a dream a sister had from the Lord about the rapture. She didn't understand it, but he breaks it down. This is a very important piece of the puzzle and it took these two, the one who had the dream and the one who could interpret.
10 Again it is said, Rejoice (exult), O Gentiles, along with His [own] people; 11 And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him!
This is the key, we should be praising the Lord in all we do. If you have this attitude it will not bother you if someone has a different opinion about the politics of this nation. For example, I was very upset with what I saw as corruption and was very strong demanding that certain crimes be investigated and prosecuted. But regardless of this no one will be cleansed from their sins unless they repent and turn to the Lord. If we prosecute them as we ought to then that is good, if they don’t get prosecuted then when they appear before the Great White throne judgement it will be resolved. What is more urgent right now is that we praise the Lord and exult in His name. Letting all the people know that He is coming and they need to repent for the Kingdom of the heavens, that is the most needful thing.
12 And further Isaiah says, There shall be a Sprout from the Root of Jesse, He Who rises to rule over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles hope.
Yes, that is my hope, and I am struggling and praying that everything in the world would be brought into subjection under the headship of Jesus Christ. But this begins with me, and that means that I must love my neighbor as myself.
13 May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.
I have been convicted by Noah. Lot is called a righteous man, but Noah was a preacher of righteousness. Lot is rescued by the skin of his teeth and it is a shameful rescue from a burning dumpster fire known as Sodom and Gomorrah. Noah on the other hand had a glorious salvation and deliverance. I want to be Noah not Lot. That requires that you are abounding and overflowing with hope (people around you are getting filled with the water from the word).
14 Personally I am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are rich in goodness, amply filled with all [spiritual] knowledge and competent to admonish and counsel and instruct one another also.
This is the kind of fellowship we should be having. Admonish, counsel and instruct one another. I watched an hour long video from a man teaching about how the Vatican has a UFO department that operates observatories, believes in aliens, and is teaching that we should view them as moral superiors. It was astounding, they are paving the way for the fallen angels to come and set up the kingdom of antichrist. This was particularly relevant given the recent news concerning UFOs. There is too much out there for any of us to know so we need each other, whether it is those who have done the heavy lifting in Bible exposition or those who have focused on tangential issues that are also quite relevant (Shroud of Turin, Catholic Church’s UFO theology, etc).