Romans 14:1-23

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 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. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

5 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. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,

‘every knee will bow before me;

every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b]

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

22 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. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

-Romans 14:1-23

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During this time period Christians were arguing whether or not they should be allowed to eat meat that was used in non-Christian religious ceremonies.  So if food was used for like a Buddhist ritual or a Hindu ritual, are we as Christians allowed to still eat it?

Some Christians say food is food, who cares what it was used for earlier.  It seems like this was the perspective the Apostle Paul took.  But other Christians were bothered by this saying we shouldn’t eat food that was used in these other religious rituals.  It’s unclear their reasons, but maybe they believed it was wrong because eating food from non-Christian rituals made it seem like they supported these rituals.

Whatever the case may be, Paul is saying that it’s possible for some issues to have both sides be right.  It’s right for those who just see food as food, and it’s right for those who want to be careful not to ruin their witness to outsiders by doing something confusing like eating food from non-Christian rituals.

The point is, in a case where both people are trying to honor God, there needs to be grace show on both sides.  We live in a day in age where petty disagreements are splitting up too many churches.  This is why the Apostle Paul says that “we are to make every effort to do what leads to peace” with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

As you grow in your faith, you should grow in strength in your understanding of God.  You will have strong opinions.  Remember to temper them with grace.  Strive to make every effort to live in peace.

Romans 13:11-14

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

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The Time is Coming... Get Ready!

Christians believe the world is going to end one day. Jesus makes it very clear in His teachings. He also says He will return at the end of time and that all of us need to "get ready." Paul is giving a similar warning here. But what does it mean to "get ready"?

Paul makes it very clear... we should behave decently, and he says we must not engage in carousing or getting drunk. I had to look up the word carousing, and the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as "to drink liquor freely or excessively." So, this is an example of something we should NOT be doing if we want to get ready for the return of Jesus. He also says we should not engage in sexual immorality and debauchery. I had to look up debauchery too, and Merriam-Webster defines it as "extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures: behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral." Are you beginning to see a pattern here? Paul also says we should not engage in dissension and jealousy. I know jealousy is selfishly desiring what other people have, but I wasn't too sure about dissension; here's what Merriam-Webster said: "partisan and contentious quarreling."

So let's put it all together... We should live decent lives that are free of a love for alcohol and sexual immorality and in which we strive to live peacefully and lovingly with others. Paul says Jesus is basically expecting this of us and that these are signs that should define our faith and life in Jesus. In Paul's eloquent words, we should "put on the armor of light" and avoid gratifying "the desires of the flesh."

Today is a good day to reflect on how we're doing and to ask oursleves, "Are we ready?" If not, do something today to "get ready" for Jesus' return.

- Brian Hall

Romans 13:8-10

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

-Romans 13:8-10

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This passage touches upon two points—your finances and your relationships.  The financial advice here is to have no debt.  We live in a consumer culture where easy credit can plunge people into unending chronic debt.  Americans today owe over $930 billion dollars to credit card companies.  That’s a lot of money.

I was always taught by my parents, and now Scripture, that you should never buy anything you can’t afford at the moment.  If you don’t have the money for it, don’t buy it.  Pretty simple rule.

Of course, financial debt is not the focus of this passage but an example to be used for something even more important—our relationships with others.  The Apostle Paul is asking us to live as if we owed others our money, our time, and our very lives.  Paul encourages to live as if our relational debt to people can never be paid—we should always be serving them and always giving to them.  This is pretty radical thinking.

I like to live my own life thinking I don’t owe anybody anything.  But that’s not what the Bible tells us.  It says we have a debt to God that can never be repaid.  I owe God and He doesn’t even want me to pay Him back because He knows I can’t.  That kind of radical grace and love should compel me to show radical grace and love to others.

Are you living your life loving people and seeing others?

Romans 13:1-7

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

-Romans 13:1-7

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How do we read this verse that basically tells us to obey the government in light of all the protests that are happening across the nation?

In every government there are laws created to ensure the safety and the well-being of its citizens.  Laws against theft and murder are generally helpful in a society.  This passage is telling us that we need to play our role in helping the government serve its citizens because the establishment of government is one of the ways God protects us and helps us.

However, almost all Bible commentators agree that this is not a blank check for the government to do whatever it wants and that even the government is not above God’s laws and desires.  The government are made of people who are all sinners.  When the government oversteps its bounds and break God’s decrees, the Christian may find it difficult to continue to obey the government.

One Christian commentator give the example of Peter in Acts 4 refusing to obey the Jewish leaders telling him to stop preaching the Gospel.  Peter refuses knowing that the will of God in this case supersedes the government.

How do we know when to obey and when to practice civil disobedience?  An intimate relationship with Jesus and a healthy knowledge of Scripture is required.  Not all obedience are equal.  Not all protests are the same.  Only when we understand the heart of God are able to rightly make nuanced decisions about our role in government and our society.

Romans 12:9-21

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Love in Action
9 Love must be sincere.v Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.w 10 Be devoted to one another in love.x Honor one another above yourselves.y 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,z serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope,a patient in affliction,b faithful in prayer.c 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.d Practice hospitality.e
14 Bless those who persecute you;f bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.g 16 Live in harmony with one another.h Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.c Do not be conceited.i
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil.j Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.k 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.l 19 Do not take revenge,m my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”d n says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: 
               “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; 
                if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. 
                In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”e o
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:3-8

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body,and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

- Romans 12: 3-8

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Each of us has certain things that we are good at and proud of. Sometimes we even think that we are better than someone else because we can do something that others don’t. If that’s the case, the very first verse of today’s passage already hits. “Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought.” I think it’s a very humbling calling that each of us have. God calls us to be humble in everything that we do. But this does not mean that we should disregard our capabilities and think that we are not good enough. That is not true at all. But rather, instead of putting our focus on ourselves and what we can do, we should put our faith in God and use our  gifts to bring glory to God who gave us our gifts. 

Each of us have different gifts that God gave us. But it does not mean that one is better than another. We should embrace what gave gave us and calls us to do and use it willingly with an open heart as God intended it to be. All of our gifts are good and works together as part of one body and when we center Christ in all that we do and joyfully follows him, we are able to glorify Him. 

Romans 12:1-2

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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Growing up in a Christian family, I was taught that being a Christian meant giving up some portions of your life. Give up an hour on Sunday to go to church, give up soda during the Lenten season, give up another hour on Wednesdays for youth group. Whenever I would complain to my parents they would just tell me, "it's just one hour in the week, is it that hard?" After growing and maturing in my faith, my old thought process couldn't be more wrong.

What Paul tells us in these verses is that God doesn't just want a portion of our time a week, He wants us and all of us. When Paul says God wants our "bodies as a living sacrifice" he means God wants all of us, from the moment we wake up in the morning to when we go to sleep, to be advocates for him and live lives pleasing to him. Paul says that's how we truly and properly worship God. Whether we're out in a crowd or alone in our rooms, God wants us to live lives that exemplify him.

This seems kind of tough though, don't we all have times when we're just focused on school or sports or something not related to God? And it's true we might not be actively focusing on God, but I don't think that's what Paul is getting to here. By actively living holy lives it changes the matter in which we live our lives. This looks like not getting angry after losing a game of basketball, or being patient with your siblings when they're trying to get you mad. Everyday, "non-Christian" activities can be pleasing to God if you go about them in the way God would. 

So let's think about what areas in our life God hasn't spilled into yet. It might be something you've been doing long before you became a Christian, or an area where you just can't see yourself acting holy. These might be the hardest places to change. But it's crucial to being a living sacrifice, for all parts of our lives to be for God. To really worship God as our Lord and Savior, we need him to be flowing into every facet and corner of our lives.