Romans 14
14
How to Treat Christians Who Are Weak in Faith
1Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don’t get into an argument over differences of opinion. 2Some people believe that they can eat all kinds of food. Other people with weak faith believe that they can eat only vegetables. 3People who eat all foods should not despise people who eat only vegetables. In the same way, the vegetarians should not criticize people who eat all foods, because God has accepted those people. 4Who are you to criticize someone else’s servant? The Lord will determine whether his servant has been successful. The servant will be successful because the Lord makes him successful.
5One person decides that one day is holier than another. Another person decides that all days are the same. Every person must make his own decision. 6When people observe a special day, they observe it to honor the Lord. When people eat all kinds of foods, they honor the Lord as they eat, since they give thanks to God. Vegetarians also honor the Lord when they eat, and they, too, give thanks to God. 7It’s clear that we don’t live to honor ourselves, and we don’t die to honor ourselves. 8If we live, we honor the Lord, and if we die, we honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9For this reason Christ died and came back to life so that he would be the Lord of both the living and the dead.
10Why do you criticize or despise other Christians? Everyone will stand in front of God to be judged. 11Scripture says,
“As certainly as I live, says the Lord,
everyone will worship me,
and everyone will praise God.”
12All of us will have to give an account of ourselves to God.
13So let’s stop criticizing each other. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make other Christians have doubts or lose their faith.
14The Lord Jesus has given me the knowledge and conviction that no food is unacceptable in and of itself. But it is unacceptable to a person who thinks it is. 15So if what you eat hurts another Christian, you are no longer living by love. Don’t destroy anyone by what you eat. Christ died for that person. 16Don’t allow anyone to say that what you consider good is evil.
17God’s kingdom does not consist of what a person eats or drinks. Rather, God’s kingdom consists of God’s approval and peace, as well as the joy that the Holy Spirit gives. 18The person who serves Christ with this in mind is pleasing to God and respected by people.
19So let’s pursue those things which bring peace and which are good for each other. 20Don’t ruin God’s work because of what you eat. All food is acceptable, but it’s wrong for a person to eat something if it causes someone else to have doubts. 21The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that causes another Christian to have doubts. 22So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn’t feel guilty. He is blessed. 23But if a person has doubts and still eats, he is condemned because he didn’t act in faith. Anything that is not done in faith is sin.
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Romans 14: GW
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Romans 14
14
1 Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions. 2One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.
5 One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. 6He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks. 7For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. 8For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgement seat of Christ. 11For it is written,
“‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow.
Every tongue will confess to God.’”#Isaiah 45:23
12 So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling. 14I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16Then don’t let your good be slandered, 17for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up. 20Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating. 21It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.
22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves. 23But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
24Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, 25but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations; 26to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.#14:26 TR places verses 24-26 after Romans 16:24 as verses 25-27.
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