“Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: ‘For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles and sing to Your name’” (Romans 15:8-9).
In loving and receiving our brothers and sisters in Christ, there is nothing expected of us which compares to what Christ has already done to purchase and build His church. The selfless brotherly love expected of Christians pales in comparison to Jesus’ glorious example.
For God’s eternally purposed plan of salvation to become a historical reality on earth, Jesus had to become a servant to the Jews. As the promised seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the suffering servant of Jehovah Isaiah predicted, Jesus came not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
His selflessness required Him to be our scapegoat. Our reproaches of God were hurled at Him. He endured both the wrath of God and the hostility of sinners against Himself so that Jews and Gentiles alike could have the gospel, obey it, and then glorify God for His mercy.
When any penitent sinner—regardless of his diet—obeys the gospel, Christ welcomes him into God’s family with open arms. How can we who call Jesus “Lord” do anything but strive to imitate the example of God’s sublime servant to the circumcision?
