This week at our men’s group we were speaking of a variety of scripture verses, but one section we discussed was from Romans 14 - and spoke to my heart that night, and in turn felt compelled to share this evening.

“Accept him whose faith is weak, whithout passing judgement on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” - Romans 14:1-4

These verses came upon me with fresh eyes - convicting my heart.  How does our (I speak of Christians everyone, in the broadest sense of the word) image continue to digress into a judgemental, hypocritical, close-minded stereotype, in the face of the Word of God?  Are we furthering such lies in ignorance?  Here is what I mean -

Our purpose in Christ is to glorify him, and our time together, in fellowship, should not be disrupted by what?  Disputable matters!

Do we not see this so often?  I have seen brothers at each others throats over worship styles, preaching styles, personal convictions, denominations, etc.  Does this mean that truth is irrelevant, that we should not yearn for the truth of scripture and Christ?  No - it simply means we have absolutely no right to judge those who are convicted in different ways, ways that are not in direct opposition to the precepts of Christ.

We are to what?  Accept them!  Accept those whose faith is weak, who eat only vegetables.  Those who eat TBN and those who eat VH1.  Those who eat Rated R or PG - for these are disputable matters!  Romans continues to say

“Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”

If we are convicted to turn away from such things as Rated R movies, secular music etc, we do so fully convinced within ourselves of such a conviction, for we are the servant of Christ - and he is our master.    I believe it is between us and God, and it  is our job personally to stick with our convictions.  This does not mean we have any right to look down upon others who do not share that conviction.

This truth is twofold, let me borrow this phrasing from my commentary, as it sums it up:

The “weak” Christian is not the master of his “strong” brother, nor is the “strong” the master of the “weak.”  God is the Master, and to him alone all believers are responsible.

He who abstains from things, does it unto the Lord - and he who does not does it unto the Lord - (Romains 14:5) - speaking in scripture of dietary restrictions.

“Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean” (Romans 13-14)

How easy it is to pass judgment based on our own convictions.  I pray this truth will effect you as it has me, to shed even more light upon “living up to what we have attained” - may we continue to seek Christ first, seek our Master first, and show love in our efforts to keep one another from stumbling.