WHEN NOT TO JUDGE
Romans 14:1
Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.
One of the most misinterpreted part of Christ's teaching is found in Mathew chapter seven.
Matthew 7:1-6
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?
Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
This is so because people confuse correction and admonition with judgment.
In Romans we are taught that we are not to argue about things that are right or wrong with believers whose faith is weak.
Listen, there are two examples given here:
* eating of certain kinds of food;
* observing of days.
Many would conclude then that we should accept the sinful one because their faith is weak. NO!
1 Corinthians 5:9-13
When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin.
But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.
I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.
God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”
We must get it clear, there are matters that are not for us to dispute, however there are things we cannot ignore.
What actually makes one a believer?
Is it in what they eat or on days they observe? No
Romans 14:17
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.
Romans 14:4-6
Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.
Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
We must remember that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him: Mathew 15.
Thus we must understand what we talk about and know how to correct appropriately. That we do put heavy burdens on people, we are not their master, the Heavenly Father is:
Romans 14:10-12
So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the lord,
‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
Remember, the key word is believer! Is the person a believer?
It is not about the food, but how you go about eating it. It is not about the day, but the heart and attitude in observing it.
Romans 14:13-15
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.
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.
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.
We must know when to be considerate.
There are things that are not worthy to tear the church of God apart for:
Romans 14:19-22
So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
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.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.
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.
Same way, people felt that they cannot have good prayers, or an encounter with God unless they go to a building, a prayer site, a monumental space or direct contact with a "holy man". The pandemic has cleared this ignorance from people's eyes. Jesus said:
John 4:21,23-24
Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
However, do not play with your conscience, what you know is wrong, do not go ahead to do it. You are not a man pleaser, but God pleaser.
Romans 14:23
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.
The Lord will help us. We have His Spirit, if we are born again.
He calls us blessed.
Love
@the watcher
Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.
One of the most misinterpreted part of Christ's teaching is found in Mathew chapter seven.
Matthew 7:1-6
“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?
Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
This is so because people confuse correction and admonition with judgment.
In Romans we are taught that we are not to argue about things that are right or wrong with believers whose faith is weak.
Listen, there are two examples given here:
* eating of certain kinds of food;
* observing of days.
Many would conclude then that we should accept the sinful one because their faith is weak. NO!
1 Corinthians 5:9-13
When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin.
But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that.
I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.
God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”
We must get it clear, there are matters that are not for us to dispute, however there are things we cannot ignore.
What actually makes one a believer?
Is it in what they eat or on days they observe? No
Romans 14:17
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.
Romans 14:4-6
Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.
In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.
Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
We must remember that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of him: Mathew 15.
Thus we must understand what we talk about and know how to correct appropriately. That we do put heavy burdens on people, we are not their master, the Heavenly Father is:
Romans 14:10-12
So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the lord,
‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’”
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
Remember, the key word is believer! Is the person a believer?
It is not about the food, but how you go about eating it. It is not about the day, but the heart and attitude in observing it.
Romans 14:13-15
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.
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.
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.
We must know when to be considerate.
There are things that are not worthy to tear the church of God apart for:
Romans 14:19-22
So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
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.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.
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.
Same way, people felt that they cannot have good prayers, or an encounter with God unless they go to a building, a prayer site, a monumental space or direct contact with a "holy man". The pandemic has cleared this ignorance from people's eyes. Jesus said:
John 4:21,23-24
Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
However, do not play with your conscience, what you know is wrong, do not go ahead to do it. You are not a man pleaser, but God pleaser.
Romans 14:23
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.
The Lord will help us. We have His Spirit, if we are born again.
He calls us blessed.
Love
@the watcher
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