This chapter can be considered a supplement to the constitution of the church life. In setting forth every article, the author's heart was tolerant, his attitude was broad, and his view was noble. In order to practice the church life that he instituted in Rom. 12, we must strictly observe the supplement set forth in this chapter. Many saints who love the Lord and seek to live the church life have failed because they were either negligent or mistaken in this matter.

To practice the Body life revealed in Rom. 12, we must learn the practical lessons of receiving the believers, as revealed particularly in Rom. 14:1-23; 15:1-13, that the church life may be all-inclusive, able to include all kinds of genuine Christians. Such receiving requires the transformation mentioned in ch. 12; if we remain natural, we will be unable to receive those whose views are different from ours in doctrine or in practice.

I.e., doctrinal considerations. Except in the matters of idol worship (1 John 5:21; 1 Cor. 8:4-7), fornication, rapaciousness, reviling, and other such gross sins (1 Cor. 5:9-11; 6:9-10), division (Rom. 16:17; Titus 3:10), and the denial of the incarnation of Christ (2 John 1:7-11), we must learn not to pass judgments on the doctrinal views of others. As long as one is a genuine Christian and has the fundamental faith of the New Testament, we should not exclude him, even though he may differ from us with respect to doctrine; rather, we should receive him in the same one Lord.

Concerning the receiving of the believers, Paul used eating (vv. 2-3) and the keeping of days (vv. 5-6) as examples. God's receiving has nothing to do with what we eat or with our keeping of certain days. These are minor, secondary matters that have nothing to do with our salvation and basic faith. Therefore, we should not despise or judge others in these things.

The basis on which we receive the believers is that God has received them. God receives people according to His Son. When a person receives God's Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, as his Savior, God receives that person immediately and ushers him into the enjoyment of the Triune God and of all He has prepared and accomplished in Christ for us. We should receive people in the same way and should not be more narrow than God. Regardless of how much they differ from us in doctrinal concepts or religious practices, we must receive them. When we receive people according to God and not according to doctrine or practice, we demonstrate and maintain the oneness of the Body of Christ.

The judgment at the judgment seat of God is different from the eternal judgment of God mentioned in Rom. 2:2, 3, 5, 16, and Rom. 3:8, which will be carried out mainly at the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15). The eternal judgment at the great white throne will be
1) after the millennium,
2) to judge all the dead unbelievers,
3) for eternal punishment in the lake of fire.
Since this judgment will be executed upon all the condemned sinners, it is mentioned in this book in the section on condemnation. However, the judgment at the judgment seat of God, or the judgment seat of Christ, will be
1) before the millennium, immediately after Christ's coming back,
2) to judge all the resurrected and raptured believers,
3) for reward or punishment in the millennial kingdom. This judgment will take account of the believers' life and work after they were saved. Since this judgment is very much related to the transformation of the believers, it is mentioned here in this section on transformation.

Lit., common.

Or, grieved.

In all saved persons there is a measure of God's work. If we cause any one of the believers to stumble because of our doctrinal concepts, we break down, destroy, God's work of grace in him.

For the proper church life we must pursue the things of peace, the things that keep the oneness of the Body, and we must pursue also the things that build up one another, the things that minister life to our fellow members for mutual building up.

Lit., serves as a slave. See note Rom. 1:1². To live in the kingdom of God in the way of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit is to serve Christ as a slave. This is well pleasing to God and approved by men, and it preserves the oneness of the church for the practical Body life.

The kingdom of God is the sphere in which God exercises His authority so that He may express His glory for the fulfillment of His purpose. In such a kingdom, what matters is not eating and drinking but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Righteousness denotes that which is right and proper. Those who live in the kingdom of God should be right and proper toward others, toward things, and toward God; with them there should be nothing erroneous, improper, crooked, slanted, or biased. This requires that they be strict in dealing with themselves. Peace is the fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11 and note). It characterizes the relationship that those who live in the kingdom of God should have with others and with God. If we are righteous, right, and proper toward others, toward things, and toward God, we will have a peaceful relationship with others and with God. Thus, we will have joy in the Holy Spirit and, in particular, before God. In this way we will be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52) and will live out righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, which are the reality of the kingdom of God.

According to the context of this chapter, this verse was written for our receiving of the believers. If we receive the believers according to the apostle's instruction in this chapter, we will be right and proper toward those whom we receive and will have peace with them; thus, we will have joy in the Holy Spirit, proving that we are living in the reality of God's kingdom and are under God's rule. Otherwise, we will not be right or proper toward those whom we do not receive and will not have peace with them; thus, we will not have joy in the Holy Spirit before God, proving that we are not subject to God's authority in the kingdom of God.

This verse is a strong proof that the church in the church age is the kingdom of God, because the context here deals with the church life in the present age. The church is a matter of grace and life, whereas the kingdom is a matter of exercise and discipline.