Consideration

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Tuesday March 24, 2009

Romans 14:1-6 (NIV)
1. Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2. One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3. 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.
4. 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. 5. One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.

Here Paul tells believers not to judge one another. These days there are all kinds of beliefs in different churches and various denominations about days that should be held sacred, foods that should not be eaten, and everything else under the sun.

None of those things matter in the long run! The food you eat does not effect your relationship with God. Which days you consider sacred does not effect your relationship with God. These things are physical, not spiritual, and to dispute such matters amounts to nothing.

We all need to respect eachother's views, and not judge one another for what we do or eat.

Romans 14:13-15 (NIV)
13. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way.
14. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.
15. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.

Here Paul tells us to respect the lack of faith of those who will not "eat meat", when in their presence. Yes, Paul tells us that no food is unclean of itself, so if you choose to eat something, that's your own business. Eat all the meat you want when the people who don't eat meat are not around, but don't cause them to stumble by eating meat in their presence! God wants us to consider one another!

Of course, Paul is talking about more than just "eating meat", as he also mentioned observing "sacred days" or not in the previous passages, so this applies to whatever your faith allows you to do that maybe someone else's faith does not allow them to do.

Romans 14:17-23 (NIV)
17. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18. because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
19. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
20. 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. 21. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.
22. 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. 23. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Let's make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.

PRAYER
Thank You Father for Your life-giving Word. Thank You for setting me free from worry and condemnation. Help me to consider those around me if I "eat meat" that they don't.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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