10-08-06 Rom 14 13-23 Look at yourself
10-08-06 Look at Yourself First
A couple of weeks ago we talked about not sweating the small stuff. Not looking at what others may do different then us and figuring that they are wrong because it is not our way.
We talked about not judging others in non sin issues. “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff”.
This week we are going to be talking about Judging Small Stuff. WHAT you say, a contradiction? NO. We are to Look at Yourself First, and do what is right. Lets go to scripture.
Rom 14; 13-23 New Century Version 13 For that reason we should stop judging each other. We must make up our minds not to do anything that will make another Christian sin. 14 I am in the Lord Jesus, and I know that there is no food that is wrong to eat. But if a person believes something is wrong, that thing is wrong for him. 15 If you hurt your brother’s or sister’s faith because of something you eat, you are not really following the way of love. Do not destroy someone’s faith by eating food he thinks is wrong, because Christ died for him. 16 Do not allow what you think is good to become what others say is evil. 17 In the kingdom of God, eating and drinking are not important. The important things are living right with God, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Anyone who serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God and will be accepted by other people. 19 So let us try to do what makes peace and helps one another. 20 Do not let the eating of food destroy the work of God. All foods are all right to eat, but it is wrong to eat food that causes someone else to sin. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that will cause your brother or sister to sin. 22 Your beliefs about these things should be kept secret between you and God. People are happy if they can do what they think is right without feeling guilty. 23 But those who eat something without being sure it is right are wrong because they did not believe it was right. Anything that is done without believing it is right is a sin.
V13 See we are not to judge one another, as we have talked about previously. Instead we are to watch what we do or judge ourselves as to what we do, in order that we may not cause others to sin.
Look at Yourself First, Judge your own actions first.
Paul confirms in v14 that he knows there are no unclean foods any more. In other words it is OK to eat anything, unless you think there is some thing wrong with that food.
In v 15 he goes on father to tell us if we know that our brother or sister thinks there is something wrong with what we eat, we should not eat it in order to keep from offending the brother or sister.
Or to even rephrase the verse to something like this; “just because you eat certain foods, you must not allow that to destroy the person for whom Christ died.” We do not want to cause someone else to stumble.
Look at Yourself First, do not cause a stumbling block for anyone.
V 16 tells us to not cause what we think of as good to be thought of by others as being bad or evil.
V 17 shows us “God’s rule in our lives is not related to matters of eating and drinking, but is concerned with righteousness, peace, and joy that the Holy Spirit gives.”
These qualities of righteousness, peace, and joy describe the believer in terms of his relation to other believers.
As v18 & 19 says after all our aim should be not to please ourselves, but to build up (edify & bless) other Christians in peace.
Ref NIV1 Corinthians 10:23-24 23 “We are allowed to do all things,” but not all things are good for us to do. “We are allowed to do all things,” but not all things help others grow stronger. 24 Do not look out only for yourselves. Look out for the good of others also.
Look at Yourself First, make sure you are blessing others.
The word Destroy” in v 20 means “tear down.” How selfish for a Christian to tear down another believer’s spiritual life because of his own selfish living.
According to A Handbook on Paul's Letter to the Romans.
The phrase because of food may require some amplification in order to indicate that it is the eating of certain kinds of food, not merely food itself, which is involved—for example, “Simply because you think that any kind of food can be eaten, do not therefore destroy what God has done” or “For the sake of being able to eat any kind of food, do not destroy what God has done.”
Again our practices may be lawful, but they do not come under the law of love.
V21 Paul believes this is important enough to repeat it again. Also it is referenced in;
NIV 1Cor 8: 13 So if the food I eat causes them to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again so that I will not cause any of them to sin.
Remember though this is not just talking about FOOD and DRINK, it is referring to things we do that others may consider wrong.
Look at Yourself First, do not destroy or tear down a Christian brother or sister.
The first part of V 22 may be considered, whatever you do in these matters concerns just you and God.”
The second part tells us that “a man is truly happy if he does not condemn himself when he does what he thinks is right”.
Look at Yourself First, Know what is right between you & God!
V23 Sort of finishes up with a summary that if we know what is right and wrong, and do these things any way we commit sin against God.
This principle can be of special help to the Christian in what we sometimes called the “gray area.” If it is gray to you, it is wrong, plain and simple.
Look at Yourself First, do what is right, no gray areas.
AGAIN Look at Yourself First !
Lets pray