Encouragement: Building up one another

Here is your daily encouragement words and thoughts. Today I am in catch up mode. Today I bring you encouragement from Romans 14:1 - 15:7

14:1 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. 2 One person believes in eating everything, but the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on another’s servant? Before his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But you who eat vegetables only – why do you judge your brother or sister? And you who eat everything – why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.” 12 Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
13 Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you consider good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.
19 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. 23 But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin.
15:1 But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself, but just as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” 4 For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope. 5 Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus, 6 so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory.

Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (Ro 14:1-15:7). Biblical Studies Press.

Paul's letter to the Romans is one of my favorite books of the bible. It certainly is not the easiest to understand as Paul goes in to great detail on instruction on many major issues in being a christian. He gives us some real words of instruction and helps point out conditions that we must be aware of.

Chapter 14 I find to be a very important chapter on how to deal with others in the faith. To often we confront each other in that others do not do what we do. These are often little things that have little to do with our relationships to God.

Special care must be given to those who are weak in the faith. Those that are strong in the faith must make sure not to put a stumbling block in front of the weak that we might destroy their faith altogether. Paul gives us an example "One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind." Both consider days holy so both are right. Just differing opinions. Paul bids us to "Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister" and "So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another".

Paul feels really strongly that as he states "For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.” Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God." Ultimately it is your relationship with God that counts and our job is to build one another up to improve those individual relationships to God. Sometimes those of us who proclaim we are strongest are actually weakest. And those of us who appear weak are actually very strong in the lord, and thus in our strength we must be careful not to place a stumbling block before our brother who feels they are strong but perhaps are weak.

It would seem that I am no clearer at explaining this than Paul was. Let me try again. Paul lived in the freedom of Grace. Though Paul had this freedom he was careful not to do things that may make others stumble. He would try to make sure that his freedom would not be the cause that could make some one stumble because they could not fully understand the freedom of Grace that Christ has to offer. They are still growing in their relationship to God.

So go forth and build one another up. Correct each other when necessary but do it in love not in condemnation. Never question someone elses depth of faith as that relationship is between each one of us and God. "Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory."

Remember our lives are all about Christ. Christ first and last. The trip is as important as the destination. We touch lives by what we do and say. Let all we do and say be to the Glory of Christ.

Amen

Music Encouragement I Love You --God