THURSDAY October 29, 2020

Walk in Love

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. 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.
Romans 14:14-15

Paul again spoke about minor things––food and drink––over which Christians were breaking fellowship with each other––sad. The word unclean means “common, impure or evil” If a believer considered something to be common, impure or evil, then that was their personal conviction. In the Jewish culture, they would not eat food offered to idols or other certain foods because they were considered to be unclean (Leviticus 11; Acts 10:14).

If a weaker believer does not have the faith or conviction to eat something, then why pursue the issue to try to force them? You cannot change their hearts and minds, so respect their decisions! Believers must be sensitive and loving toward a brother or sister in Christ. Everything said should be based on love. Instead, these Christians were setting themselves up as judges.

If a brother in Christ is offended by what you are going to eat, then do not eat it; have something else to eat. If you disregard the convictions of others, then you are not acting toward them in love. You are going ahead with your Christian liberties with no consideration for others. When you go ahead and do as you please, you make people stumble. Why would you want to destroy someone over something as trivial as food? Remember, Christ died for him, too!

Therefore, do not criticize or look down on a brother or sister in Christ. Be Christ-like and walk in love toward them. In the Scripture, the word destroy means “complete devastation,” and it indicates eternal damnation. So do not damn with food the one for whom Christ died!

A true and faithful Christian does not make holy living an accidental thing. It is his great concern. As the business of the soldier is to fight, so the business of the Christian is to be like Christ.
~Jonathan Edwards~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!