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You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. It is written: ''As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.''So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. There fore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 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 person 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 or sister to fall. on whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
Paul wanted to know why the two groups were judging each other. Because one day each person would have to face God and kneel before him, acknowledge him, and give him an account of our lives. So it doesn't matter which group we fall into. And if we were judging others for what we feel they did wrong, we are not acting in love!
And if I have made anything more clear in these posts about that church, that would have been one of the top 2 points. Because they weren't. Or at least some weren't. Acting in love, that is.
Christians should never make anyone stumble in their own life. Whether eating non-kosher food or making someone go so far as to wonder if they left a church that believes in Salvation and why Jesus came-that they may go to heaven for anything less than what Christ came to do.
Granted, we can reserve that for churches that do not believe in being born again because if someone is teaching something else then we are to tell them where they are wrong and maybe even lead them to what the Bible says. Because if they are not born again at the time they die, they will not get to be with the Lord.
As verses 17&18 reminds us:
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
Humm. "If anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval."
Not criticism from God and neither should it come from other Christians. And best of all, not judgment to keep someone out of heaven when they die.
And in the meantime? We are to do what we can to live in peace and give others edification instead of judgment of them. And not do what may cause someone to stumble.
Sometimes not easy, is it? But, when we slip up-God is there. Ready to forgive and forget. When we ask.
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Hello, Friends. Thanks for coming by today. There were two more chapters in the book of Romans. But by chapter 14 I was definity convinced that I did not have to worry about where I would spend eternity any longer. Was that the end of my learning in this book. Come back Tuesday for chapter 15. I will be here tomorrow for just a few minutes, as it is Labor day if you do come. Have a wonderful rest of your day!
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