Emperor Frederick carried out an isolation experiment to try and determine humanity’s original language. He reasoned that infants would eventually speak the natural tongue of humans if they were sheltered from the sound of the human voice. The infants never heard a spoken word. Wet nurses, sworn to absolute silence, were employed. Within several months, the babies all died.

We’re made for relationships, and we need them to survive. In Romans 14–15, Paul addresses the essence of what it means to live in community. Christians were criticizing each other over various practices related to Old Testament law, and Paul told them to accept each other and to look to Jesus’ example of self-giving love as the model to emulate.

In Romans 15:1, Paul says: “We who are strong must be considerate.” The word must means more than just “we should.” It means “a debt.” The strong—those who feel free to engage in certain disputable matters—have a debt to bear the weaknesses of those who don’t share the same views.

Following Christ’s example, the strong are not to please themselves, but to please the neighbor for his good, his edification. When Paul says “accept each other” (v.7), these words mean, “Keep on accepting or receiving one another.” Just as Jesus receives us—although we’re not perfect—we need to receive others. Why? So they can also bring glory to God.

The churches of the New Testament were imperfect—made up of imperfect people. But they regularly gathered together because of their need for their perfect Savior and Lord—and for one another. So even though we may rub each other the wrong way at times, don’t withdraw.