Romans 14
14Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.G770G4102G4355G1161G3361G1519G1261G12532For instance, a person who has been around for a while might well be convinced that he can eat anything on the table, while another, with a different background, might assume all Christians should be vegetarians and eat accordingly.G3303G3739G4100G5315G3956G1161G770G2068G30013But since both are guests at Christ's table, wouldn't it be terribly rude if they fell to criticizing what the other ate or didn't eat? God, after all, invited them both to the table.G1848G3361G2068G1848G2068G3361G2532G2068G3361G2068G3361G2919G2068G1063G2316G4355G8464Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God's welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.G5101G1488G4771G2919G245G3610G2398G2962G4739G2228G4098G1161G2476G1063G2316G2076G1415G2476G846G24765Or, say, one person thinks that some days should be set aside as holy and another thinks that each day is pretty much like any other. There are good reasons either way. So, each person is free to follow the convictions of conscience.G3303G3739G2919G2250G3844G2250G1161G3739G2919G3956G2250G4135G1538G4135G1722G2398G35636What's important in all this is that if you keep a holy day, keep it for God's sake; if you eat meat, eat it to the glory of God and thank God for prime rib; if you're a vegetarian, eat vegetables to the glory of God and thank God for broccoli.G5426G2250G5426G2962G2532G5426G3361G2250G2962G5426G3756G5426G2068G2068G2962G1063G2316G2168G2532G2068G3361G2962G2068G3756G2532G2316G21687None of us are permitted to insist on our own way in these matters.G1063G3762G2257G2198G1438G2532G3762G599G14388It's God we are answerable to—all the way from life to death and everything in between—not each other.G1063G1437G5037G2198G2198G2962G1437G5037G599G599G2962G1437G5037G2198G3767G1437G5037G599G2070G29629That's why Jesus lived and died and then lived again: so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other.G1063G1519G5124G5547G2532G599G2532G450G2532G326G2443G2961G2532G3498G2532G219810So where does that leave you when you criticize a brother? And where does that leave you when you condescend to a sister? I'd say it leaves you looking pretty silly—or worse. Eventually, we're all going to end up kneeling side by side in the place of judgment, facing God. Your critical and condescending ways aren't going to improve your position there one bit.G1161G5101G2919G4771G2919G4675G80G2228G2532G5101G1848G4771G1848G4675G80G1063G3936G3956G3936G968G554711Read it for yourself in Scripture: "As I live and breathe," God says, "every knee will bow before me; Every tongue will tell the honest truth that I and only I am God."G1063G1125G1473G2198G3004G2962G3754G3956G1119G2578G1698G2532G3956G1100G1843G231612So tend to your knitting. You've got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God.G3767G686G1538G2257G1325G3056G4012G1438G231613Forget about deciding what's right for each other. Here's what you need to be concerned about: that you don't get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is.G2919G3767G2919G240G3371G235G2919G5124G3123G3361G5087G4348G2228G4625G8014I'm convinced—Jesus convinced me!—that everything as it is in itself is holy. We, of course, by the way we treat it or talk about it, can contaminate it.G1492G2532G3982G1722G2962G2424G3754G3762G2839G1223G1438G1508G3049G5100G1511G2839G1565G283915If you confuse others by making a big issue over what they eat or don't eat, you're no longer a companion with them in love, are you? These, remember, are persons for whom Christ died. Would you risk sending them to hell over an item in their diet?G1161G1487G4675G80G3076G1223G1033G3765G4043G3765G26G2596G622G3361G1565G4675G1033G5228G3739G5547G59916Don't you dare let a piece of God-blessed food become an occasion of soul-poisoning!G3361G3767G5216G18G98717God's kingdom isn't a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness' sake. It's what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy.G1063G932G2316G2076G3756G1035G2532G4213G235G1343G2532G1515G2532G5479G1722G40G415118Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you'll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.G1063G1722G5125G1398G5547G2101G2316G2532G1384G44419So let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words;G1377G686G3767G1377G3588G1515G2532G1519G240G3619G24020don't drag them down by finding fault. You're certainly not going to permit an argument over what is served or not served at supper to wreck God's work among you, are you? I said it before and I'll say it again: All food is good, but it can turn bad if you use it badly, if you use it to trip others up and send them sprawling.G1752G1033G2647G3361G2041G2316G3956G3303G2513G235G2556G444G2068G1223G434821When you sit down to a meal, your primary concern should not be to feed your own face but to share the life of Jesus. So be sensitive and courteous to the others who are eating. Don't eat or say or do things that might interfere with the free exchange of love.G2570G3361G5315G2907G3366G4095G3631G3366G1722G3739G4675G80G4350G2228G4624G2228G77022Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent.G2192G4771G4102G2192G2596G4572G1799G2316G3107G2919G3361G1438G1722G3739G138123But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong.G1161G1252G2632G1437G5315G3754G3756G1537G4102G1161G3739G3956G3756G1537G4102G2076G266
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