DAILY REMINDER – Today, November 28’s Bible reading is Romans 14-16.
NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, November 29’s Bible reading is 1 Corinthians
1-4. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.
ROMANS MOMENT – (28NOV19) “Accept the one whose
faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters”
(Romans 14:1). “I urge you, brothers and sisters,
to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that
are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such
people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk
and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (Romans 16:17-18).
The Jews tried to make trouble with
some of the Gentile converts to Christianity by telling them that they had to
adhere to certain Mosaic laws. The Apostle Paul, however, wanted the church in
Rome to know that there should be no quarrels among them over debatable issues.
There are things that are an absolute sin against God and each other such as
lying, cheating, stealing, adultery, murder, and dishonoring one’s parents.
Then there are matters such as dietary laws that have nothing to do with a
person’s salvation, but a matter of conscious. Paul did not want the church
having such debates because they were unproductive to the furtherment of the
kingdom of God. Paul wrote: “The one who eats everything must not treat
with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything
must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them” (Romans 14:3).
Paul argued that God received both the person who refrained from eating certain
things as well as the person who so indulged. To help further explain this, let’s
use the example of unclean meats. During the time of Moses, God had implemented
certain dietary restrictions that the Jews were to adhere to. They were to stay
clear of certain foods such as pork, shrimp, fish without fins and scales
(catfish), etc. Yet, when Jesus came, He said: “What goes into someone’s
mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what
defiles them” (Mathew 15:11). Therefore, it is only a sin for a person
to eat certain foods if they are not doing so in faith and/or if they are being
a stumbling block to their brother in doing so in front of them.
The Apostle Paul also addressed the
issue of observing certain Holy Days. Paul wrote: “One person considers
one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of
them should be fully convinced in their own mind” (Romans 14:5). There
were those who felt that certain days were to be observed in accordance to the
Mosaic Laws, and others who felt that every day was of equal importance. Paul
informed the church that it was up to the individual because both did so unto
the Lord. This debate is still taking place with certain religions such as the
Seventh-Day Adventists who worship on Saturdays, and other Christians who have
their worship services on Sundays. Both groups of believers are acceptable to
the Lord and should not attack the other for their beliefs on this matter.
Now, what about those who enjoy
debating every year on whether Christians should celebrate holidays such as Thanksgiving,
Christmas, and Easter? Although it is true that many of these American holidays
do have pagan origins whereas the real story of Thanksgiving, according to Native
Americans, was not a glorious celebration, Jesus was not born in December, and the
bunny egg had nothing to do with the Resurrection but the fertility goddess,
Isis one may question God’s perspective on this matter. Some Christians have
argued that God does not want us to participate in any of the holiday
celebrations, and so they refrain from participating in them altogether, while
others feel as if they are honoring God with their celebration. This, however,
would be one of those things that are a matter of conscious between God and the
believer. To settle matters like this, Paul wrote: “So whatever you
believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one
who does not condemn himself by what he approves” (Romans 14:22). Rather than debate these things on
social media, in public around non-believers, or others, Paul is saying to keep
the matter between you and God. Therefore, if you feel that it is wrong to
observe such things, then for you it is a sin. Nevertheless, if your brother or
sister does not find it wrong to celebrate these holidays because they feel
they are doing so unto God, it is not for either person to find fault with the
other. Such debates have no place in the body of Christ and it only stirs up dissention. At the same time, if we know that something is offensive to our brother
or sister, we are not to do it in front of them to flaunt our freedom. To do so,
dishonors God. The Bible says: “For the kingdom of God is not a
matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God
and receives human approval” (Romans 14:17-18). Something to ponder….
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