Romans 14 1-12 ESV
Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another
1As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3Let 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. 4 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. 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8For 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. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.10Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11for it is written,
"As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God."
12So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
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Amen and Amen to that Jenn. I have been so discouraged lately about this very same thing. I sometimes enjoy posting about what we do, or what I read, or how we believe just as a way to share and perhaps encourage someone else if they are headed on the same path, but certainly not to judge others if they don't feel the same way. However, some just seem to have to criticize what I write on MY blog and I just don't have broad enough shoulders I guess...it takes all the fun out of blogging and saddens me deeply. I agree with you on the issue of Christmas...we have a rather split family here. The girls & I would just as soon do away with the whole "Christmas" thing and focus more on the Biblical Feasts...but DH is sticking with tradition + the Biblical Feasts :). And you know what...it's okay...it's not a "lose your salvation deal breaker"...I guess I'm just observing GRACE, or the lack thereof, more lately. I just ran into another situation last night re: friendships & likemindedness...some can really carry it to an extreme. When you get to know a family for any length of time...eventually you WILL run into differences, but that's another story. With Holidays, however, it does seem like I'm seeing a lot more commercialism & worldliness shining through what use to be (for a time) considered "Christian" hoidays. Oh, I could go on & on, but I won't...too bad we can't just gab over a cup of hot coco. I think it all boils down to Christ being glorified...or not. Good post Jenn.
ReplyDeleteHearty agreement here! The internet has definitely helped me broaden my horizon and I have learned much as to how to get along. It isn't mine to judge or to even tell others what they should or should not be doing. I do hold with the if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all, I believe this especially in our dealing with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
ReplyDeleteI know that I feel I cannot celebrate x-mas but that doesn't mean I have gotten in others faces or left not so nice comments. I raised my question on my sidebar so that way I am not in anyone's face but at the same time I raise the question should be doing what we are doing? I haven't been commenting as much b/c I don't feel comfortable in commenting on x-mas posts. But I am more than happy to comment on ones that don't. I am not spiteful or mean and I hope you never felt I have ever been, I pray. I have embraced celebrating the Biblical Holidays instead and hope this week to share how we now celebrate. I pray there are not bad feelings toward me my friend for I would be SO sad if there was.
ReplyDeleteBlessings and ((HUGS))!
-Mary
Amen :) ((((Hugs)))
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post Jenn, and I couldn't agree with you more. I do wish we could all just be blessed by what others do and not feel judged or want to judge others. I know I have been in both boats. I agree that the Lord just wants us to love one another, regardless of what we choose to do for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing your heart and writing this post. I think it is a great reminder. :)