Welcoming All?

The Apostle Paul sets the groundwork for a true community when he says, “Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God (Romans 15:7).”

We can’t talk with the apostle now, of course, but if I could meet with him, I would welcome a conversation on welcoming. I’d like to start with Christ who continues to welcome us—ALL of us. I imagine Paul would agree that Christ didn’t just welcome us one time only. Christ continues to welcome us.

If I sound like a liberal theologian promoting and encouraging a grand, unending, all-inclusive welcome, good. I say it’s good—actually, it’s so very good—not to distance anyone. I point out that Christ was liberal in His love. Actually, Christ was so very generous with His love which, yes, began with His welcome.

The way Christians think of welcoming all others in all facets of life including church life invites us to move from plastic greetings, shiny smiles, and maybe a formal handshake (with the hand sanitizer not too far away, right?) to something far warmer, far deeper, and far more connecting. It’s far more than a big deal—it IS a life-changer—that Christ welcomes us, all of us. Therefore, we who have been loved by Christ (and are loved by Christ) realize through the mega message of the New Testament that Christ welcomes and loves not timidly but inclusively.

Paul is an excellent example of one who understands what it means to be welcomed into a community when he was an obvious outsider. Remember Paul. He began life as Saul, a renowned persecutor of the first Christians long before he met the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. His inner enlightenment happened with him first embarking on a journey from the outside in—from being blind to having full-on vision.

Early Christians were understandably suspicious and fearful of him. After all, his goal had been to close out Christianity.

From a distance he knew he had to overcome, Paul experienced the welcome of a twosome who went out of their way to include, integrate, and embrace him. The two who welcomed him as Christ welcomes all of us were Ananias (Acts 9:10-19) and Barnabas (Acts 9:26-28).

Paul was Jewish by background, belief system, and lifestyle. Faithfully, he lived by specific sets of rules that honored God. However, his life and ministry centered on the inclusive welcoming he received and was called to share. His call led him to reach out to the Gentiles who lived outside God’s law.

When he wanted to set an example to the congregation in Corinth on how to welcome and connect to people, he wrote about how he humbly set out to welcome others to Christ.

This is important. Paul didn’t expect those who were different from him to become like him so that he could then share the good news in Christ. Instead, he tried to become as much like them as he could so that nothing about him could get in the way of them coming to appreciate Jesus. I Corinthians 9:19-23 describes how this looked and sounded like.

“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”

Paul’s life and message should encourage those who carry the love Christ has for all others to become weak—sensitive. We Christians become weak—sensitive—so that others feel gently, sincerely, and warmly welcome to an eternal life through Him.

The Christian’s take home to take into other peoples’ homes and hearts is clear. Welcome as Paul welcomed. This welcome—this inclusion—should be gentle, sincere, sweet, and, above all, genuine because the love Jesus has for the world is peaceful, not pressured.