Competent to Instruct One Another

Romans 12:1–2 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:9 NIV

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Romans 12:16 NIV

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Romans 14:1 NIV

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.

Romans 14:13 NIV

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

Romans 15:1–2 NIV

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

Romans 15:5–6 NIV

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:7–13 NIV

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.” And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.” And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:7 NIV

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Accept on another

To bring into your home

To bring into fellowship

Philemon 17 NIV

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.

Qualification:

As Christ accepted you

Purpose:

Bring Praise to God

Example:

Jew and Gentile Example

Romans 15:8 NIV

For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed

Romans 15:9 NIV

and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.”

Romans 15:10 NIV

Again, it says, “Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

Romans 15:11 NIV

And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles; let all the peoples extol him.”

Romans 15:12 NIV

And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.”

Benediction

Romans 15:13 NIV

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God of Hope

Fill you with all joy and Peace

As you trust in Him

Overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit

Romans 15:14 NIV

I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.

You are full of goodness

Galatians 5:22 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Ephesians 5:8–9 NIV

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

2 Thessalonians 1:11 NIV

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.

Filled with knowledge

Romans 2:20“an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—”

know the word of God

Competent to Instruct One Another

Competent - able, have power and ability

Instruct - put in mind, warn, exhort

What makes one competent to instruct?

The knowledge, Goodness and hope

Because of our knowledge

Competent to Instruct One Another: Knowledge

Rom 1 - Wrath of God

We know the real issues

We know the wickedness of the hearts of men

We know that it all comes from an unwillingness to acknowledge God, and to worship created things

We know that God has given mankind over to depraved minds, and actions, that in their own minds they are so wise, but it is truly foolishness

We know that all are condemned, there is no one righteous

We know our own sin

Much like Matth 7 1-4

Matthew 7:1–5 NIV

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Competent to Instruct One Another: Knowledge

We know that our righteousness is from God, because of Christ, given through faith in Him

We know that it is not that we sought God, but that He chose us, He worked to draw us, to cause the light to shine in our hearts. It is he who opened our hearts that we might believe!

We know that we were saved from our sin, that we were buried with Christ, and raised to new life.

We know the tension, as Paul described it, that though we want to do good, the flesh, the sin within is still there fighting against us.

We know that it is by the power of Christ, and through the Spirit residing within us that we can walk in forgiveness and the newness of life!

In other words, we know the acceptance of Christ ourselves, and we want to help our brothers and sisters to experience that as well!

Competent to Instruct One Another: Goodness

Goodness - inner desire for what is God says is good, right, true, perfect

1 Thessalonians 2:3–12 NIV

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Competent to Instruct One Another: Goodness

Competent to Instruct One Another: Hope

We have hope - 2x in verse 13

Philippians 1:6 NIV

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Competent to Instruct One Another: Hope

Our counsel, our warning and instruction must come from Hope

where do we get the knowledge, goodness and hope? God, His Word, the Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 3:4–6 NIV

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Competent to Instruct One Another: God, His Word, the Holy Spirit