A Good Conscience
Opening Prayer
Lord, I pray for a good and a clear conscience as I interact with others whom You have placed in my church.
Read Romans 14:1–12
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 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. 4 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.
5 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. 6 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. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 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. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 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. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
“In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Phil. 2:3,4).
The previous reading makes it clear that there are certain things that are definitely morally wrong. Although we are to be moved and guided by love, the Law assists us in specifying what we should avoid and then embrace. There are times when it is not clear what is right or wrong, and here we depend on conscience to guide us—but the conscience can say conflicting things, so what are we to do?
A big issue in Paul’s day was eating meat previously offered to idols. This impinged upon much social life. Jewish Christians in particular had big problems with this, as it conflicted with their aversion to idolatry. They stuck to vegetables (2). Some Gentile Christians, however, were able to take it in their stride: didn’t everything come from God (14)? The problem was that those with tender consciences (probably the Jewish Christians) might feel they had to leave the Christian community, and this could mean spiritual death (15,20). A similar problem arose over the observance of days such as the Sabbath and certain festivals (6).
Every generation has its issues, some old and some new. Clearly, it is important to discern between what is essential to the faith and what might be considered peripheral. Because we can do this, the principles Paul lays down are of continuing validity: Avoid quarrelling (1). Do not treat anybody with contempt, but be sensitive to their struggles (3). Do not sit in judgment, but allow people to be accountable to their own God (4). Respect differences of conscience, and encourage people to be clear in their own minds (5). Realize that none of us are autonomous but are indirectly responsible for others (7). Finally, realize that we are above all directly responsible to the Lord for how we have lived our own life (8–10). Such lessons make for good communities.
Apply
What essential questions does your church face? How does this passage speak to or challenge you?
Closing prayer
Lord, we are responsible to You individually and in my Christian community. Help me to avoid the friction that can arise between saints who just see things differently.
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