February 1, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Truth that Builds Faith

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Holy Father, I trust You for the continuance of Your daily mercies. I pray for the lessening of sin’s hold on my will.

Read Romans 14:10-23

[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. [13] 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. [14] 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. [15] 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. [16] Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. [17] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, [18] because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. [19] Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. [20] 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. [21] It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. [22] 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. [23] 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.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright &copy 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.&reg Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement) …” (Acts 4:36). Barnabas is an example of how we should relate to others.

Having spent thirteen chapters clarifying what is true about God and his plan, Paul now appears to be saying something quite radical: on many issues in Christian living, being right is less important than being considerate! This is not to suggest that Christian faith is about being polite or avoiding conflict; nor is it to offer a pain-free way around difficult decisions and debates among Christians–Paul was not afraid to speak the truth! It is to say, however, that we can never separate our discussions of what is right and wrong from the impact of that discussion on others. Too many people have walked away from faith and the church because they feel condemned for asking questions or differing in their views on what are, often, disputable matters.

Paul is not saying that the truth is unimportant or ambiguous. Rather, it is rooted in a conviction about God’s unique position as just judge. In this sense, his concerns about relations in the body match those about relations with outsiders; it is God who will judge and repay (12:19). His citation of Isaiah 45:23 in v. 11 reminds us of his later use of this when writing to Christians in Philippi: “every knee should bow” and “every tongue confess” that God the just judge is made known to us in Jesus, who emptied himself for us and became a servant of all (Phil. 2:4-11).

So are we helping others to grow in righteousness, peace and joy as they are filled with the Holy Spirit (17)? Are we building people up and drawing them into experiencing the grace of God for them? The only actions that count are ones that spring from our faith and our trust in God, and lead to the growth of this faith in others (23).

Apply

Think about an issue of contention in your own congregation or in the national church. How might the conduct of this debate reflect more fully the concerns Paul expresses here?

Closing prayer

Lord, I want to lift up others rather than drag them down. I ask to be like Barnabas, encouraging others as they follow Jesus.

Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.

© 2024 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.

Encounter with God is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.

View all readings

Get ENCOUNTER:

in your email:

in Print:

Become a Member | Visit our store