Raising the Bar with Balance

 

(Rom 14:12-19 [KJV])

So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.

I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

 

My own paraphrase:

One day I will stand before God and answer for the way I lived. One day you will stand before God and answer for the way you lived.

It is not my place to judge you nor for you to judge me. This could cause stumbling.

We must be sensitive to our brothers and sisters in Christ, that we do not offend. Or we are walking without love.

It’s about living in righteousness, peace and joy and walking with the Holy Spirits guidance. We are to live in a way that is pleasing to God. To try and live at peace with our fellow Christians and to live in such a way that we build one another up.

 

Example:

I know a lady who feels very strongly against homeschooling. Why, I don’t know. I on the other hand feel very strongly led to homeschool, but I can’t let her opinion or her views cause me to stumble. If God is leading me to do so, then I must! But I must live so with a spirit of love.

 

We will always run into people (Christians) with different views than our own. We are called not to argue with them, but to walk circumspectly and to not cause them to stumble or fall away from the faith.

 

In today’s world we as Christians should be raising the bar, so to speak, so that we live `in the world but not of it’. We must always be going to the scriptures and asking the Lord what would be honouring to Him.  But my standards are always going to be different than the next persons. This doesn’t mean I force mine on them or that they should force theirs on me. Now if we see a brother or sister sinning, then we need to challenge them. It speaks so in the Bible

It becomes legalism when we teach others to follow rules that simply aren’t there in scripture. But for you to hold a high standard for yourself that I may not agree with, I am then called to walk in love and not cause you to stumble.

 

I would love comments on this, and or scripture verses. What is God teaching you in this area?

 

S.L. Kliever