October 28, 2016

Romans 14:1-4



Rachel Workman: 14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
What I pull from this is let us be tolerant of other people. If they are weaker in faith than you be understanding and love them anyways. If someone else fasts and you do not don't judge them and don't think you need to be doing the same. Be tolerant and non-judgmental.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Allen Michaels:  14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
This is one of the biggest problems that I see in Christianity; everybody thinks that their beliefs and practices are the only right ones. Like God spoke His word directly to them, and only to them. But what Paul is saying is that the instructed and mature believer must not look down on the other who has problems with this issue. And, the person who cannot eat must not be critical of the one who does. They have to think of this as a family—there are some things the children have to learn before they have the freedom of adults. It is presumption and spiritual pride to judge another Christian in such areas. God will deal with each person where change is necessary, for God is able to make him stand. This is a hard lesson to learn because of human nature. Some think they are mature and they look down on others; and some who are struggling with things become very critical of others whom they think are worldly. If both people are walking with the Lord, in the Word, and conscientiously trying to grow as a body, these attitudes cannot be there.
I think this is one of the biggest reasons that non-believers have such an issue with turning to religion. I know it is in my case. When I tell people that I’m a Christian, or that I’m listening to Christian music some laugh, thinking that I’m being sarcastic. Others have said why. One even asked “do you really think there’s enough time?” I see where they are coming from though. I see it in most “Christian” friends. But, I find it easier to mimic their beliefs and actions, say what they want to hear, post what they want to read, so I can call myself a Christian, than to apply myself and someday become a true Christian.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Monday's reading for Romans 14:5-12

One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
    every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b]
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

No comments:

Post a Comment