Tag: Romans 14
Walking in love not judgment
Scripture reading for July 2: Romans 14
“Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” Romans 14:13-19
Paul was addressing those in the church that liked religious rules and traditions. Some believers in Jesus had come out of Judaism and still observed dietary laws. They judged Gentiles who were believers and ate anything. Others kept certain feast days in honor of God and judged those who did not. These outward traditions really did not affect their ability to follow Jesus in themselves. The bigger problem was the strife that this generated within Christ’s Body. Paul taught them not to pass judgment on one another, but to trust that God would straighten it all out on Judgment Day.
The key verse is, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Life in the kingdom doesn’t consist of rules or outward observances but rather is a matter of our heart. The King, Jesus, has given us His righteousness and now we all enjoy by grace a right standing in God’s family. Through the blood of Jesus, we have peace with God and are to have peace with our fellow believer. The kingdom is marked by the joy of the redeemed who have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit and all His gifts and fruit. Because we are all on level ground at the foot of Jesus’ cross, we pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding of each other.
Have you ever experienced a judgmental attitude from someone in the church concerning your diet, make-up, or celebration of holidays honoring Christ? How did you respond towards that person? In light of Jesus’ instructions through Paul, how can you keep peace and mutually build up others?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the Gift of the Holy Spirit and Christ’s righteousness. Through the Spirit, remind me daily how to walk in love with other believers that may not live in complete freedom in manner of foods or drinks or outward appearance. Use me to keep peace and build up others. Amen.
Faith working through Love!
Scripture reading for July 1st: Romans 14
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Romans 14:19-23 “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because it is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
In Paul’s time, eating meat sacrificed to idols was a big issue. Some believed that this meat would pollute them spiritually. Others were concerned that this would cause unbelievers to think that believers were serving idols too. Paul taught the law of love. When we love others, we do what is best for them and try and keep peace. Each person should serve God with a clear conscience, acting in faith in whatever they believe in these disputable matters. This doesn’t mean that we ignore sin and fail to lovingly pray for and confront believers that are still caught in sinful lifestyles. We must do all that we do to the glory of God and live by faith to please Him!
Observations for over-comers: “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating or drinking, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit!” (Romans 14:17)“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to You.” (Psalm 51:12-13)
Are you ‘weak’ or ‘strong’?
Scripture reading for July 2nd: Romans 14
“For by the grace given me, I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” (Romans 12:3) Paul had exhorted the believers to dedicate their bodies to God and renew their minds with His word. He had instructed them to think soberly about their own lives, calling, and gifts. Some, however, were not as strong as others in their faith and walk of liberty with the Lord.
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” (Romans 14:1-4) Some of the believers with ‘stronger’ faith were passing judgment on those who limited what they could eat to vegetables. Those with ‘weaker’ faith were also passing judgment on those who ate everything. Under Christ’s New Covenant of grace, each person would answer to God in matters like diet that were disputable.
As New Testament believers and children of God, we must seek to please the Father by walking in faith. It is Christ who will enable each believer to stand before the Father through what He has done on our behalf. We must not judge one another on matters that are disputable!