May 14, 2017
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Reading along with us in Romans? Here’s today’s reading:
Romans 14 (ESV)
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we 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… Continue Reading
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Reading Daily and posting weekly: Going slower in the Book of Luke and reading “The Spiritual Man” by Watchman Nee. Vol. #1 of 3.
I’m learning and praying through understanding the work of the “flesh”. And, the work of the Spirit. The work of the flesh can be the work of sin. The work of the flesh can also be the work of righteousness. All flesh , evil works and good works have been crucified with Christ on the Cross,. For a believer, the “flesh has been crucified with Christ…past tense. YET, experience tells me my flesh is still alive.
These are truths I’ve known and believe, yet after all these years I’m still trying to understand. I’ll post again after reading also in Romans as it seems the Apostle Paul had the same problem.
Mine is not to judge and mine is not to cause others to stumble
Reminder about a similar message with a speck in my neighbors eye while ignoring the plank in mine
It’s clear that Paul is addressing different convictions about food which was a big issue in the 1st century church. We may not have the same conflict but we certainly deal with debatable matters in the Christian life. Now I think it is important to distinguish between debatable matters and those things the Bible identifies as sin. For those things we do make a righteous judgement and follow the direction of Galatians 6:1. But when it comes to debatable matters (drinking, length of hair, doctrine of end times, etc), what a great balance there is in not judging the convictions that others have on one hand and not providing a stumbling block on the other. So I neither judge nor flaunt a freedom that I have that others in good conscience find objectionable.
Because if I believe something is wrong and still do it, it is sin. That is what Paul means by 14:23
In Romans 14, Paul addresses the tendency we have as believers in Christ to judge one another’s obedience to God in debatable matters. Lest anyone use this to defend their sin and say, “Do not judge,” elsewhere in Scripture Paul and other writers are clear that we are to make right judgments about sin in the church:
“But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:11-13
In Romans 13, however, Paul is instructing believers to not judge or have contempt toward those whose spiritual convictions about debatable matters are different from our own. Allow them their convictions, and do not place a “stumbling block” before them by flaunting your liberty in a matter. Is the conviction (or lack of conviction) from faith, and for the glory of God? Then leave it be. “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.” Romans 14:4-5
Whatever we believe about a debatable matter, we should always act with love, both for God and our neighbor:
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved.” 1 Corinthians 10:30-33
“All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.” 1 Corinthians 10:23-24