I'm Super, Super Cereal
I know its long and overwhelming but I don’t post that often and I have a lot to say. Please take the time to read it.
Ok. So I don’t ever have time to write on my blog but I’m making time now since God just spoke to my heart through His Word. I’m reading Romans for like the 12th time and I’m seeing us all not taking Paul’s advice on a lot of things.
Romans 14
1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won’t. And those who won’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn God’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord’s power will help them do as they should…10 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God…12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So don’t condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Chrisian’s path…15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. 16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. 19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
He’s not just talking about food here. That’s why he says “For instance.” This is to be applied to judging and putting our own convictions others in general. Especially Christians who are weak or not as experienced in their faith. One particular student comes to mind who’s been under a lot of scrutiny for his twisted sense of humor. I say in the words of one of my heroes, “Who are you to condemn God’s servants. They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord’s power will help them do as they should.” This legalism that we are putting on other Christians is hypocritical because in no way can we “cast the first stone” just because our sin might be more private than theirs. If we expect grace and redemption and acceptance from others for our own sins, we should do the same for others.
So we should allow God to convict others and not do it ourselves unless asked. But on the other end we need to live our lives to serve others as Paul says in Chapter 15:
1 We may know that these things are make no difference, but we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong. 2 We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord.
Some of you may know that a while ago I removed some things on my blog that I did not find sinful or wrong and had no conviction about, but they were things that others might view in that manner. I followed my spiritual and parental authority by removing them. They weren’t dear to my heart and it wasn’t denying who I was spiritually or personally. Paul says that “if another Christian is distressed by what you [do], you are not acting in love if you [do] it.” I changed “eat” to “do” in this verse since he was using food as an example. I want to act in love. I don’t want to keep something I might not find wrong and be selfish and please myself if someone else finds it wrong. I want to “be considerate of the doubts and fears of others who think these things are wrong.” He says in Romans 14:22, “You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God.” For the harmony and to show our love for others we must be unselfish and sacrifice things that we might not find personally convicting.
But we must first and foremost keep our convictions and judgments to ourselves because in verse 17, Paul makes it clear that “the Kingdom of God is not about what we [do], but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
We need to love and not condemn. We need to be redemptive and not accusatory. We need to be accepting not judgmental. Then we will have harmony. Then we will please God.
This isn't for anyone or about anyone. I just have this message in my heart and I hope it will help someone else.
Ok. So I don’t ever have time to write on my blog but I’m making time now since God just spoke to my heart through His Word. I’m reading Romans for like the 12th time and I’m seeing us all not taking Paul’s advice on a lot of things.
Romans 14
1 Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those think it is all right to eat anything must not look down on those who won’t. And those who won’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn God’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord’s power will help them do as they should…10 So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God…12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So don’t condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Chrisian’s path…15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. 16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. 19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
He’s not just talking about food here. That’s why he says “For instance.” This is to be applied to judging and putting our own convictions others in general. Especially Christians who are weak or not as experienced in their faith. One particular student comes to mind who’s been under a lot of scrutiny for his twisted sense of humor. I say in the words of one of my heroes, “Who are you to condemn God’s servants. They are responsible to the Lord, so let him tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord’s power will help them do as they should.” This legalism that we are putting on other Christians is hypocritical because in no way can we “cast the first stone” just because our sin might be more private than theirs. If we expect grace and redemption and acceptance from others for our own sins, we should do the same for others.
So we should allow God to convict others and not do it ourselves unless asked. But on the other end we need to live our lives to serve others as Paul says in Chapter 15:
1 We may know that these things are make no difference, but we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be considerate of the doubts and fears of those who think these things are wrong. 2 We should please others. If we do what helps them, we will build them up in the Lord.
Some of you may know that a while ago I removed some things on my blog that I did not find sinful or wrong and had no conviction about, but they were things that others might view in that manner. I followed my spiritual and parental authority by removing them. They weren’t dear to my heart and it wasn’t denying who I was spiritually or personally. Paul says that “if another Christian is distressed by what you [do], you are not acting in love if you [do] it.” I changed “eat” to “do” in this verse since he was using food as an example. I want to act in love. I don’t want to keep something I might not find wrong and be selfish and please myself if someone else finds it wrong. I want to “be considerate of the doubts and fears of others who think these things are wrong.” He says in Romans 14:22, “You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God.” For the harmony and to show our love for others we must be unselfish and sacrifice things that we might not find personally convicting.
But we must first and foremost keep our convictions and judgments to ourselves because in verse 17, Paul makes it clear that “the Kingdom of God is not about what we [do], but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
We need to love and not condemn. We need to be redemptive and not accusatory. We need to be accepting not judgmental. Then we will have harmony. Then we will please God.
This isn't for anyone or about anyone. I just have this message in my heart and I hope it will help someone else.
posted by My name is Steve at 4:24 PM
3 comments
