Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours. Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables. But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone. What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right.
Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind. Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don't eat meat.
Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves. Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord.
Romans 14:1-8
Weak faith shows itself in rules of self discipline that help you believe that your faith is stronger than it is! As your faith grows and becomes stronger, the regulations birthed in weakness lose their power to bolster your spiritual self-esteem. You come to see that nothing you can do increases the love that Jesus has for you and your love for Him is shown by your obedience, not by personal discipline!
But these verses clearly say that we should not “look down” on someone whose faith is weak. Faith can be dead or alive, and if it is alive it will be growing, consequently everyone’s faith is at a different level. If, at your level of faith you cannot eat meat, don’t criticize someone whose faith is not harmed by eating meat. That is between them and the Lord. This is especially hard as you travel from one culture to another and see brothers and sisters in Christ doing things that in your home country would not be permitted in the Church! Of course, if the Bible says that a thing is a sin, then it doesn’t matter where you are, you cannot justify it by the practices of your fellow citizens!
Let your heart and mind focus on your own relationship with Jesus and not on judging the walk of your brothers or sisters in Christ. When we all seek Jesus and run after being obedient to Him, we will soon see nothing but His glory and the “differences” of opinion that we have on this earth will fade as they are overshadowed by Heaven’s beauty!
“Lord Jesus, distract my mind today from judging my brothers, by Your Eternal Glory! May we all praise Your Name forever! Amen.”
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