Daily Bible Study

Tweet

Day 116 Romans 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master, he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God can make him stand. 5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his mind. 6 He 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; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: “As I live, says the LORD, every knee will bow to Me, and every tongue will confess to God.” 12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. 13 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, 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, 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 of. 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. Every day people try to persuade others about what is best for their lives by condemning the things they do and destroying their self-esteem. You see ads on television, and the Internet, and hear them on the radio, all trying to persuade you to try the new gimmick, participate in the new fad, and change who they are until they disappear into a new reality about themselves. Paul told the people to stop condemning others because of what they ate. Christians were putting stumbling blocks in front of new believers who just came out of idolatry through their actions. They put forward the idea that they could do anything they wanted because they accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. Wrong! When they did that, they destroyed the new faith so that they didn’t know what to do or how to live. He told the older Christians to stop being a stumbling block and show them the love of Jesus Christ in everything they did. He said the same thing to the Corinthian Christians and went a step further. 1 Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. (NKJV) As Christians, what are you doing that could be a stumbling block to new Christians? You don’t want to destroy the faith of a new believer by your actions. Consider where you were and bring joy to their lives by restraining yourself from trying to put all your knowledge on them at once. Baby steps. New Christians need to learn one step at a time. They will learn nothing and turn away from their faith if you try to put burdens on them, that they aren’t ready for yet. Bring peace, joy, and love to others in everything you do. Let’s pray: Father, do not let me be a stumbling block to new Christians. Show me what I need to do, what to say, and how to act with new believers. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 9 November 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.