Thank you for joining today as we seek God’s wisdom together. Let us begin with prayer.
“Lord Jesus, I ask that you take the words in this blog and breathe life into them. Apart from your anointing they are just words on a page. I ask that you quicken our hearts to hear, see, and act upon what you are trying to teach us by the Power of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.”
Romans 14: 10-23 (NASB).
“10 But as for you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you as well, why do you regard your brother or sister with contempt? For we will all appear before the judgment seat of God. 11For it is written: “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, TO ME EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, AND EVERY TONGUE WILL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” 12So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let’s not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this: not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s or sister’s way. 14I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to the one who thinks something is unclean, to that person it is unclean. 15For if because of food your brother or sister is hurt, you are no longer walking in accordance with love. Do not destroy with your choice of food that person for whom Christ died. 16Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For the one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by other people. 19So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the person who eats and causes offense. 21It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother or sister stumbles. 22The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is the one who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.”
What the Word is Saying
This is kind of a long section of scripture to take at once. However, it all pertains to the same thought and point that Paul is making here. Therefore, if Paul thought it should go together and all be included to make the same point, I will do the same. Piggy backing on what we went over yesterday about division in the church. Paul goes deeper to give a practical analogy of why someone should give deference to another believer in relation to a doctrinal issue. The main theme and point he is making is that everything should be done through the filter of love.
If we have love for our neighbor, then we will not do those things that might cause them to stumble. Just because the issue is not a stumbling block to us does not make it right to do, if doing so will cause pain or harm to our neighbor. Paul uses the issue of food and diet to show this truth. If by eating something that might be considered ceremonially unclean, we cause our neighbor to question our faith and/or put pressure on them to go against what they believe God is asking them to not do. We are in fact sinning against our neighbor. The act of eating the food is not wrong for us in our spiritual belief system. However, if doing so will cause our brother to fall away or pressure them to do something that they know is wrong in their belief system, it is in fact sin against our neighbor and therefore sin against God.
You might say well this example from the first century does not apply to me. I do not have a friend who is a former Jewish believer who has now become a Christian. What about drinking. Alcoholism and drug use are a very large stumbling block to many in the body of Christ. For many of them just being around these things are a huge threat to their sobriety and therefore faith in God. The bible does tell us not to be a drunkard, but it does not say we cannot partake in small portions of it with dinner or in times of relaxation. However, for your neighbor who is an alcoholic one sip is a slope that leads straight back to being a drunkard. Therefore, to engage in drinking around them is a sin against your neighbor and therefore God. Drug use is not specifically addressed in the bible that I am aware of the principle is there in that we are supposed to obey the law of the land unless it calls us to renounce our faith. What about marijuana you might say?
Well now that marijuana has become legal in much of the world it has become acceptable for some to use it. Especially in edible form where the effects of harm to our lungs are not an issue. However, it is still a mind-altering drug and anything that we do that we seek to use to replace our relationship with God to find peace is a sin. Nevertheless, the same principle applies as to those who are alcoholics. If you neighbor has an addiction to drugs, it is a sin to do them in front of them. You are causing your neighbor to stumble and therefore sinning against God. If we are to act in love as Christ called us, we must do what is in deference to our brother as well. Jesus is calling us to be the Christ with skin on to our neighbors. Jesus would not do anything that might cause his child to stumble, and we should not do so either.
If you are not yet a Christian, I implore you to do so now. Maybe drugs and alcohol have bound you and kept you trapped and without hope. I have good news for you the creator of the universe can and will set you free. Pray this prayer with me now: “Jesus I confess that you are Lord of all, I believe that you came to this earth and lived a sinless life, suffered and died on a cross, were place in a tomb, and three days later rose from the dead. I confess to you that I am a sinner, I ask you to forgive and change my heart and set me free. I ask you to send me your Holy Spirit to fill me with your love and Power to conquer the sin in my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
Thank you for joining me today as we searched the scriptures for What the Word is Saying to us Today. I pray that God would send His Holy Spirit into our lives anew and fill us again with His love and His purpose for us.
“Scripture quotations taken from the NASB (New American Standard Bible) Copyright 1971, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.” lockman.org.
Comments