While this evening’s post features another fairly lengthy Scriptural passage, I am posting the entire chapter because I find it impossible to do justice to the topic without its context. Romans 14:1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. 10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. 22 The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. I recall reading in a Christian publication years ago that the object of wonder should not be that Christians disagree about so many things, but that, considering the vast array of personalities and backgrounds, they agree as much as they do. When major divisions do arise, it is often because individuals or groups insist that others adhere to a set of values that, while they feel strongly about, are not actually endorsed – by either specific statement or principle – by Scripture. Whether the divisive issue involves questions about whether certain practices are/are not sinful, as in the passage here about eating meat or whether Old Testament religious days should be observed, or whether the disagreement is about more common current issues such as traditional vs. contemporary music or dressy vs. casual attire, the point made by Paul is that the law of love should rule when dealing with all disagreements within the body. Note the following verses: 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. As I Corinthians 13:5 states, love “does not seek its own,” and that is the principle Paul uses here. The sad aspect of these types of controversies is that Christians on both sides are prone to taking the stance that they are acting in the best interest of the Lord and the church. As with the contention that existed in Corinth, Christians today often express “righteous indignation” toward those who disagree with them with statements like, “That music doesn’t honor God,” or, from the opposite perspective, “Their formality is quenching the Spirit.” A modern rendering for verse seventeen could be, “for the kingdom of God is not about worship style or dress, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” As stated in this passage, we shall all one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and I am convinced that, at that time, one of the things we will give an account for is whether we chose to place our focus on the things that matter most to Him or whether we caused division and/or frittered away our time and energy on issues that don’t really matter that much or at all. Lord, maintain in me a spirit of love and unity with other believers, and may we ever keep in mind that we all meet together at the foot of the cross.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 02:45:13 +0000
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