It's Bigger Than This
Romans 14:1-4 ESV
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Area of Conscience - is an issue where there is no explicit command in Scripture but is where a person should apply the general teaching of the gospel in order to come to a decision on what is right or wrong.
Romans 12:1-2 ESV
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
1st Love Others
Romans 14:1 ESV
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.
Romans 14:3 ESV
Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.
Romans 14:14a NLT
I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat.
Romans 14:15 NLT
If another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
Romans 14:20-21 ESV
Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God… it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
1 Corinthians 8:13 NLT
If what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
Romans 14:13 NLT
Let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
Romans 14:19 ESV
So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
2nd Honor the Lord
Romans 14:4a ESV
Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls.
Romans 14:10b, 12 NLT
Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God… Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
Romans 14:4 MSG
Do you have any business crossing people off the guest list or interfering with God’s welcome? If there are corrections to be made or manners to be learned, God can handle that without your help.
Romans 14:17-19 NLT
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
3rd Live by Faith
Romans 14:23 ESV
But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
