Accept Those Who Reject Grace

In Romans 14 and 15, Paul encourages the believers who accept grace to accept believers who do not accept grace, without being critical and condemning of them.

Paul writes:

"Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions." (Romans 14:1)

"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you..."
(Romans 15:7)

It's very easy for those of us who have accepted the good news of grace and have experienced life-change as a result, to reject, criticize, and condemn other believers who do not.

There are times we attack them with harsh words.

We argue with them over points of doctrine.

We tend to come across as rejecting our brothers and sisters in Christ who do not embrace grace as we do.

I have failed over and over again in accepting those who reject grace.

I have fallen into the arguing with them.

I believe these responses for most of us come from the spiritual pain we experienced during the days when we were under legalistic leadership and also from our desire for others to experience the good news of grace.

However, these are not the proper ways we need to respond to our brothers and sisters in Christ who reject to fullness of God's grace.

I share everyone's frustration when it comes to the constant rejection and attacks we experience as grace believers.

But we have to rise above the rejection.

We have to rise above the attacks.

We need to refuse to argue...discuss yes, debate yes...argue no...insult no...criticize no...condemn no.

We need to love those who defend law and legalism.

We need to accept those who do not accept grace.

We need to extend grace to those who do not embrace grace.

As we grow in grace, we can begin to extend grace to them, which is what Paul encourages the grace believers in Rome to do.

Those who extend grace to those who reject grace are the ones Paul calls mature in Romans 14-15.

So let's gracefully accept those who reject grace.

Let's refuse to argue angrily with them.

Let's refuse to attack them with words of criticism and condemnation.

Instead, let's be kind to them.

Let's speak kindly to them.

Let's be grace to them.

Let's accept those who reject grace.