Christ’s Life of Self-Denial

In today’s polarized world, it’s all too easy to spot the flaws of others. We’ve been culturally trained to detect the smallest specks in another’s eye, even as we’re blinded by the planks in our own. But the beauty of the gospel is that it doesn’t gloss over these relational difficulties. Instead, it meets us right in the mess. The apostle Paul, in his powerful letter to the Romans, reminds us that these very struggles conflicts, misunderstandings, differing convictions are places where the grace of Christ shines brightest.

In Romans 14 and 15, Paul addresses disagreements within the church. These were not battles over clear-cut sin, but over matters of personal conviction questions about food, drink, and the observance of certain days. What’s striking is how Paul approaches these “non-essentials.” Rather than dismissing them, he elevates the conversation. He calls believers, especially the strong in faith, to bear with the weak, not from a place of superiority, but from Christlike love.

The Church Divided by Conviction

In the Roman church, there were fault lines forming over secondary issues. Some believers were uncomfortable eating meat that had possibly been sacrificed to idols. Others felt free to eat without concern. Some observed traditional holy days; others did not. Though these weren’t matters central to salvation, they were deeply personal. For many, they were convictions shaped by culture, upbringing, and past spiritual experiences.

Paul doesn’t pretend that all opinions are equal. He calls one group “the strong” and the other “the weak.” And yet, his instruction to the strong is clear: bear with the failings of the weak (Romans 15:1). Not ignore them. Not argue them into submission. Bear with them. Carry their burdens.

A Call to Love That Costs

This kind of love isn’t optional. Paul frames it as a command, not a suggestion. “Owe no one anything, except to love each other,” he writes earlier (Romans 13:8). The Christian life isn’t defined by liberty or rights, but by sacrificial love. In Galatians 6:2, he says plainly, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Today, Christians are no longer divided over ceremonial feasts or dietary laws. But we’re no less fractured be it over politics, worship styles, parenting choices, or a thousand other convictions. And yet, the timeless call of the gospel remains: love one another.

In a 2022 Barna study, 66% of Christians reported that they struggle to remain friends with fellow believers who hold different political or lifestyle views. That’s two-thirds of the body of Christ grappling with divisions Paul addressed nearly 2,000 years ago. Clearly, his message still matters.

For Their Good, Not Our Preferences

Paul clarifies the purpose of this love: “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” (Romans 15:2). The aim isn’t to coddle or enable others, nor to accommodate every whim. The goal is edification spiritual growth in Christ.

This kind of love refuses to be driven by emotion or by fear of conflict. It is anchored in truth and seeks the eternal well-being of others. And it is never easy. Love that builds up others often comes at the cost of our comfort, our pride, and our desire to be right.

The Ultimate Example: Christ

Then Paul gives us the greatest example of all: “For Christ did not please himself” (Romans 15:3). Think of that. The King of glory did not act for his own comfort, but gave up everything for our eternal good.

In Gethsemane, Jesus faced the most excruciating decision in history. His human desire to avoid pain was real. Yet, he submitted to the Father’s will. “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He chose a path that led to torture and death because it would build us up. Because it would reconcile sinners to God.

This is the foundation of Christian love: not people-pleasing, but God-pleasing sacrifice. And it was this posture that brought him joy. Hebrews 12:2 tells us, “For the joy that was set before him, [Jesus] endured the cross.” That joy was our redemption.

The Power to Endure Through Scripture

Paul doesn’t leave us with only an example to imitate. He points to the power source: the Word of God. “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

Even Jesus drew strength from Scripture in his hour of greatest trial. Paul quotes Psalm 69:9: “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” In the darkest hour, Christ turned to the Word not psychology or reasoning but the eternal truth of God’s promises.

Likewise, the strength to bear with others, to love those who frustrate or offend us, doesn’t come from willpower. It comes from being rooted in God’s Word. As we are comforted and instructed by Scripture, we are empowered to lay down our rights and love others well.

Welcome One Another

Paul culminates this section with a profound exhortation: “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). This is the heartbeat of Christian community.

Christ welcomed us not when we were strong or right or mature but when we were weak, sinful, and wrong. He did not please himself. He bore our burdens. He endured the cross. He welcomed us into grace.

Now, we are called to do the same.

This doesn’t mean we ignore truth or compromise conviction. But it does mean we approach disagreements with humility, not superiority. It means we carry others’ burdens, even when they’re self-inflicted. And it means we love for their good not to please ourselves.

Because Christ did not please himself, we are free to stop living for ourselves and to start building up others in love.

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