I love the Word of God. I love how its alive and applies to our everyday life. I love that its the discerner of the thoughts and the intents of our hearts. I love that its a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. And most importantly I love that the Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us.
Today I was listening the book of Romans and this chapter really stood out to me. Perhaps its just an indication to where I am. Let me share a few things; a few things to consider...
The premise behind this chapter is to point out that if someone esteems a day higher than another or if someone considers eating one thing a sin but the other does...don't judge. I am a KJV kind of girl but for clarification purposes am going to use another intereptation.
Romans 14: 13-23 (NKJV)
Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. 14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
Somehow I need to change my mindset and my behavior of judging others and their actions. There are some cut and dry issues in the bible that we need to live by. And there are people's opinions...How often are we destroying the work of God in peoples lives over the sake of food? If only we could condition ourselves to pursue things which make for peace and edify one another and stop judging because someone doesn't eat the same food.
There is so much judgment in the church of the living God. Even back then. Jesus said that you will know my disciples because they will love one another. Somehow the church, even from early on got caught up in judging one anothers actions.
I've never known anything different than pentecost...I've grown up in this thing. With that I've never really known the peace of God. I know I have spent a lot of time walking in condemnation always trying to live by some standard of measure that guarentees my entrance into heaven and my acceptance into the fold. And because of this I have always found myself falling short.
Its only been recently that my relationship with God has been between me and Him. Before I let someone's elses opinion dictate to me my behavior. And even though I have always loved and read the Word of God it has never hit home to me like it should. I think that in some regard my mind has been conditioned to think of only the judgments, righteousness, and holiness of God and not his mercy, grace, or love.
So when I would read passages like Romans 14 I would always put myself in the "don't be a stumbling block to someone by your actions". Please don't get me wrong I firmly believe that I need to be careful and not do that but what about all those who have done it to me. Unrealistic expectations of man's opinions that make me stumble because I can't live up to them. The Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword...that means that it cuts both ways. I can't judge someone's intentions and they can't judge mine.
Oh, how I need the mercy of God. I need to recondition my thinking and stop being judgmental of others. This behavior is bred into to me...it leaks out all the time. The Word of God is just and its a mirror that will show us a reflection of who we are and our environment and what we can be because of a man named Jesus.
The word says... Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
I'm going to stop second guessing my decisions when they are lined up with the Word of God and forget trying to line up to the word of man. Clearly my condemnation is a sin even if what I am doing isn't.
