Disputable Matters

'Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister ? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.'



Romans 14:1-23

https://www.bible.com/bible/111/ROM.14.1-23



The 10 commandments, the beatitudes and all the words of Jesus are indisputable matters that we are all expected to follow. However, there are other matters that depend on a person’s weaknesses and conscience. For example, one person may be free to have a glass of wine at events without falling into drunkenness or alcoholism, while another person cannot have a sip of anything in good conscience since they would be tempted to overindulge. Another example could be that one person is able to have sweets in the home without overindulging, while another person cannot even have them in the home unless it is a good time for a treat. However, if a free person is accompanied by another person who could be tripped up or offended by his/her consumption of alcohol or sweets, then the free person should choose not to put a stumbling block in the way of their friend/ family member. In all our decisions, we should brood over the potential effects that those decisions could have on other people before making those decisions. In doing so, we are obeying the Word of God by putting others before ourselves and choosing not to harm them. These are the types of matters that believers should avoid disputing nor should we judge one another. Another example is that some people may think that church should be on Sundays rather than on another day, while another person may feel free to go on another day of the week. One person may be against working on Sundays, while another may choose to honor another day as the Sabbath. One person may think that they can only worship God with the hymns, while another person may be able to worship God with any style of music. Neither person is right or wrong; it is just a personal preference and a matter of conscience. In all that we do, we should strive to live in harmony with one another and seek to build one another up, rather than bring one another down by what we do or say.
 
Romans 14:1-23

The 10 commandments, the beatitudes and all the words of Jesus are indisputable matters that we are all expected to follow. However, there are other matters that depend on a person’s weaknesses and conscience. if a free person is accompanied by another person who could be tripped up or offended by his/her consumption of alcohol or sweets, then the free person should choose not to put a stumbling block in the way of their friend/ family member.

Hello Lovekr07;

After one of our Church anniversaries a group of us went out to lunch. An out of town couple joined us and one of them ordered an alcoholic beverage. Amongst our group were a few of our Church members from the men's recovery program. When the person learned this before our meal was served, quietly asked the dining attendant to cancel the alcoholic beverage.

I sat there and watched the whole thing. It really touched me because I was a mentor to these awesome members who succeeded and graduated from the recovery program. Jesus didn't command the person nor did anyone whisper to the person in our group. The person did this on their
own free will choice to remove any stumbling block out of love to the brothers.

Here's a twist. When I was visiting a family who lived in the province of another country they put a lot of effort in preparing a meal for their visitors from overseas. I knew the family may have had their feelings hurt had I politely said no thank you.

But this was the custom of their country to give their best hospitality to an overseas visitor.
As an adult I had the free will choice to say no thank you, but I tried a little bit of the meal for the first time, while being grateful for the their hospitality.

It turned out to be a God blessing.

God bless
you, Lovekr07, and thank you for sharing Disputable Matters.




 
In disputable matters (adiaphora), there often are two sides.

1. Those with a weak conscience.
2. Those who flaunt their freedom.

What complicates the matter is...v.23...
Romans 14:23 ESV
But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

It is egregious when those who flaunt their freedom callously roll over those with weak consciences; but it's equally wrong (in disputable matters/adiaphora), that those with an 'alleged' weak conscience to lay their legalism on another brother's freedom.
 
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Hello Lovekr07;

After one of our Church anniversaries a group of us went out to lunch. An out of town couple joined us and one of them ordered an alcoholic beverage. Amongst our group were a few of our Church members from the men's recovery program. When the person learned this before our meal was served, quietly asked the dining attendant to cancel the alcoholic beverage.

I sat there and watched the whole thing. It really touched me because I was a mentor to these awesome members who succeeded and graduated from the recovery program. Jesus didn't command the person nor did anyone whisper to the person in our group. The person did this on their
own free will choice to remove any stumbling block out of love to the brothers.

Here's a twist. When I was visiting a family who lived in the province of another country they put a lot of effort in preparing a meal for their visitors from overseas. I knew the family may have had their feelings hurt had I politely said no thank you.

But this was the custom of their country to give their best hospitality to an overseas visitor.
As an adult I had the free will choice to say no thank you, but I tried a little bit of the meal for the first time, while being grateful for the their hospitality.

It turned out to be a God blessing.

God bless
you, Lovekr07, and thank you for sharing Disputable Matters.




Praise to Lord!! THank you so much for sharing!!
 
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