| Chapter 14 is about how to get along with people in the church who disagree with you on something you feel passionate about. Paul addresses a specific dispute; most likely over whether Christians need to abide by Jewish food laws. Verse 1 addresses the overall issue as a matter of conscience. A “matter of conscience” is a practice about which God has not specifically spoken in His Word. It has not been clearly forbidden or commanded. It is a preference, and Paul is saying that there are things we will disagree about in church that should not lead to division. There ARE essentials that should be non-negotiable for all true believers (virgin birth, deity of Jesus Christ, substitutionary atonement, etc…) See also Gal 1:8-9, I Cor 5:1-2 Spiritual maturity is more than building strong convictions; it is learning to show restraint in the weight you give those convictions. Unfortunately, the longer you are in church, the more you start to hold your opinions on everything and think everyone else needs to live by your opinions. In your mind, these are not even opinions anymore; they are just the way things are-the way mature Christians “should” see the world. Current “Dividers” in the Church -alcohol -the way people dress at church -school choice (public, homeschool, private) -politics How do we live in unity? Show kindness to those of another opinion (v3) It is okay to have convictions, but if the Bible hasn’t condemned a thing, we should give space to believers whose convictions differ on matters that Scripture does not address plainly. Trust others to the Judge (v4) Remember, they don’t answer to you. They answer to God. In the Romans church, the “weak” needed to be strengthened, and the “strong” needed to be considerate in the exercise of their freedom. The same is true today. Obey your conscience (v5) Listen to your conscious and follow that. As those who live under Truth, God speaks to you and your follow that Truth in your unique way. Accept that your conscious can be transformed by the Holy Spirit (v6-14) We all need to hold the “non-essentials” loosely and be open to growing and understanding how other believers see convictions. The Holy Spirit might change your heart and stance on a matter, and that can be very good. Care more about them than our freedoms (v15-17) In 1 Cor 10:23, Paul says, ““All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.” Just because you “can” do something doesn’t mean you “should”. There are always others watching you and following your example, so be careful in what you choose to do. Let’s care more about unity than uniformity. Let’s fight for our unity and not our opinions. Questions to Consider: - Have you ever judged someone for doing something differently than you? What happened?
- Are there things you feel strongly about that others might see differently?
- How can we tell the difference between a clear sin and a personal conviction?
- How would our relationships change if we remembered that God is the judge, not us?
- Can you think of a time when your actions might have affected someone else’s faith?
- What is one way we can build each other up this week instead of criticizing?
- Would others describe me as someone who brings peace—or division?
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