Worshipping Ladies Community Group
This group is for Christian women only. We seek to love and encourage one another with the compassion Christ gives us.
Romans 14:12-23 (Quoted from NLT)
12-13 “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. (13) So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.”
14-19 “I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. (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 in 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.”
20-23 “Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. (21) It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else of it might cause another believer to stumble. (22) You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. (23) But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.”
My comments: We will all give a personal account to God, so we shouldn’t condemn each other, but instead live our lives so we don’t cause anyone to fall. We each have different convictions about certain things like what is o.k. to eat, and other behaviors we feel are wrong. If we feel it anything is wrong, then for us it IS sin. We should show love for others by respecting their beliefs and not eat anything or do things in front of them that they feel are wrong to eat or do. Verse 17 tells us that God’s Kingdom isn’t about what we eat, but it is about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. I believe that means God’s Kingdom is about allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us, and if we do that, then we will be pleasing God. We should live in harmony and try to build each other up, and not argue over petty things like what to eat. If you think something is o.k. to eat, then keep it between you and God. If you have doubts, then follow your convictions. If you don’t follow your convictions then you are sinning. This passage talked specifically about food, but I think it applies to other things. We should always follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and I believe if we don’t do what He convicts us to do, then for us it is sin. Not everyone is convicted to do the same things, so what is right in specific situations for one person, is not necessarily right for someone else. Of course I am not talking about things we already know are sins for everyone. I’m talking about being led to say or do certain things in our daily lives by the Holy Spirit, such as: giving someone money to someone in need, or witnessing to someone, or maybe we feel led to offer to drive someone to church. Whatever He leads us to do, I believe the passage is saying that if don’t do it, then it is sin.
Do not destroy the man for whom Christ died by the food you eat. 16 Do not let what is good for you be talked about as bad. 17 For the holy nation of God is not food and drink. It is being right with God. It is peace and joy given by the Holy Spirit. 18 If you follow Christ in these things, God will be happy with you. Men will think well of you also
.1 Corinthians 8:11-13 New Life Version (NLV)
11 You may make the weak Christian fall into sin by what you have done. Remember, he is a Christian brother for whom Christ died. 12 When you sin against a weak Christian by making him do what is wrong, you sin against Christ. 13 So then, if eating meat makes my Christian brother trip and fall, I will never eat it again. I do not want to make my Christian brother sin.
For me, Paul, in his letters to early Christian churches, talked a lot about the things that were coming up in his/their day. Eating certain foods was very important thing at the time. Moses's laws where against certain foods, especially foods offered to idols. But, Jesus made everything new. So, the rules changed.
But, the most important rule didn't.
DON'T BE A STUMBLING BLOCK TO OTHERS
I think Paul was trying to get this point across. Respect other's beliefs...even if they are NOT your own.
But, worship is between me and God.
I sooo believe, like the Jewish "religion" leaders of Jesus's day, too much importance is given to the LETTER of the laws not the SPIRIT of the laws.
Deuteronomy 22:5 New King James Version (NKJV)
5 “A woman shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment, for all who do so are [a]an abomination to the Lord your God.
This has been a strict rule I don't think should have been interpreted the way I have heard some churches have.
In the times this was written, both men and women wore tunics. But, there was a difference between them. Just so, today, both men and women wear pants. But, there is a difference between them...or should be.
So, LETTER of the law is Very different than Spirit of the law.
Just my humble opinion.