1 Welcome those who are weak in
faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2 Some
believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3 Those
who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must
not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4 Who are
you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord
that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able
to make them stand. 5 Some judge one day to be better than another,
while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in
their own minds. 6 Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the
Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give
thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and
give thanks to God. 7 We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to
ourselves. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to
the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord
of both the dead and the living. 10 Why do you pass judgment on your
brother or sister? Or you, 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 shall bow to me, and
every tongue shall give praise to God.” 12 So then, each of us will be
accountable to God. 13 Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one
another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance
in the way of another. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that
nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it
unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is being injured by what you eat,
you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the
ruin of one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let your good be spoken
of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 The one who thus
serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. 19 Let us
then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 20 Do not,
for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed
clean, but it is wrong for you to make others fall by what you eat; 21
it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your
brother or sister stumble. 22 The faith that you have, have as your own
conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn
themselves because of what they approve. 23 But those who have doubts
are condemned if they eat, because they do not act from faith; for
whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
CONTINUE |