Who are you to pass judgment ...
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. -Romans 14:1-4 ESV
Do you find it strange that, in light of these verses, people still argue over food. I know of one religious denomination that advocates the vegetarian lifestyle. The context for these verses was the way that some Jews were hanging on to the idea that foods like pork were to be abstained from. Apparently, the Law of Moses was still a strong force in the church at Rome. It is interesting how Paul tells people to not pass judgment after he judges some as weak.
I think that it is so easy to judge by outward appearances. One thing that life has taught me is that things are not always how they appear. Sometimes the ones who are the strongest on the outside are weak. Many times, people who preach the loudest about sin struggle with the things that they rail against. People will stand or fall before God. God is able to make the weakest stand. Our mission should be one that doesn't judge but helps people to stand.
Help us Lord to be humble encouragers and not pride-filled judges.
Decent lives for all to see ...
The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. -Romans 13:12-14 NLT
The imagery of clothing in these verses fascinates me. What do you make of the idea that we are to shed the dirty clothes of bad behaviors and put on the presence of Christ? Certainly Paul is not writing about entering into some sort of hypocrisy and being someone you are not. So how should we read these verses? I think that he is saying that a Christian acts like Christ. The truth is that when we live an inside-out life we show the beauty of Christ in our hearts.
I love the phrase "we belong to the day". It speaks to me of how my life is an open book that is read by all I encounter. When Paul advises us to stay away from immoral behavior he is telling us to be different from those who do not bear the mark of Jesus Christ in their heart. He is not throwing cold water on the things that make us happy but is confronting us with the reality that people are watching. As he says, "We must live decent lives for all to see."
Shine through me today Lord. Help me to show Christ by my words, my actions and my attitudes.
Your obligation to love ...
Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. -Romans 13:8-10 NLT
The Ten Commandments embody the idea of loving God and loving each other. As Paul indicates here no one steals from another if they love them. Neither do they murder them or commit adultery with that person's spouse. When someone gossips or bears false testimony they prove that they do not love the one that they malign. In the same way a person proves that they do not love God when they treasure earthly things more than they esteem God.
Love can do what no written law can ever do. Love compels us to do things that cannot be listed in written documents. In the gospels Jesus consistently contrasted divine love with Mosaic Law. When a woman caught in the act of adultery was brought to him he showed us the weakness of that law. All walked away from judging this woman by stoning because none were free of sin. Perhaps we can only love when we first understand that we are all sinners?
Lord Jesus, conquer our desire to sin and help us to love the way that you love.
Pay your taxes ...
Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. -Romans 13:6-7 NLT
Yesterday I wrote of how it is sometimes necessary to prophetically oppose governmental authority. I want to look at the flip side today and write about how we are called to respect and submit to the governmental authority. In these verses Paul speaks to us about the ways that we render such respect by paying taxes and giving money to a government that we might not agree with. He says that governmental workers should be paid because they too are serving God.
This reminds me of how Jesus paid his taxes with a coin miraculously found in a fish. In that gospel passage he told his disciples to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. In paying his taxes Jesus showed respect for the government and gave us an example of how we should submit to human authority. Jesus also commended a widow who gave all she had at the temple and showed us how we should honor God.
Keep us dear Lord from the love of money. Help us to respect and honor the authority we are under by paying taxes.
Keep a clear conscience ...
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. ... The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. -Romans 13:1,4,5 NLT
I wonder what American revolutionists who were Christians thought when they read the words (in the King James of course) "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers"? Christian Brits like the preacher John Wesley thought the Colonists had no business rebelling - he said that they "enjoyed their liberty in as full manner as I do". And when Paul wrote these words the Israeli nation was under the harsh thumb of the Roman Empire. Authority is a complex issue.
Martin Luther King, Jr. bucked the authorities in the Deep South and proved to be a courageous prophet. Jesus spoke of such prophets being killed in Israel. Often a government or a leader is corrupt and must be prophetically opposed the way that the prophet Nathan opposed King David. That said, I think that we should take Paul's words to heart and keep a clear conscience as we recognize God's direct and delegated authority in our lives.
Cleanse me Lord from any way that would be in rebellion to your authority. Teach me to pray for my leaders.
Overcome evil with good ...
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. -Romans 12:18-21 NIV
I think that we often forget what the apostle James instructs when he writes how "human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires". There is no room for payback in the kingdom of God because revenge is evil and it is the polar opposite of love. I think that even the wrath of God is not what many of us to imagine it to be. Doubtful that God is watching over those who oppose us waiting to trip them up and avenge the wrongs done to us. God is love.
Ever wonder what the significance of burning coals is? I have read that in eastern villages one would rise first and build a fire. Then the burning coals from the fire would be distributed throughout the village in pottery balanced on a boy's head. It was a pleasant task because the coals gave warmth to the boy's head. I love that image! It reminds me of how we can overcome evil by sharing the warmth of God with others by caring for those who do not love us.
Help me to be your hands and your feet today Lord. Cause me to carry your love to others in my village.
Live at peace with everyone ...
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. -Romans 12:14-18 NIV
It is hard to look at the life of Jesus in the gospels and see a person that was at peace with everyone. On many occasions he deliberately confronted religious leaders and made them angry. Christ's life, I believe, is the proper backdrop for Paul's instructions in these verses. He is not telling us to be doormats for the bullies of the world. Neither is he saying that it will always be possible to live in harmony with those oppose the gospel of Christ.
So what is he saying? I think that he is speaking about what it means to love everyone - friends and enemies. To love some means to see the best in those who treat you badly. To love others is not to self-righteously judge those who have fallen on hard times. Love is what Paul means when he speaks of doing what is right in everyone's eyes. In truth peace can only come from a love that is unconditional in nature and willing to put others interests above our own.
Teach us to love the way that you love Lord Jesus. Remind us of how you forgave your accusers from the cross.
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