Romans 14:14: I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
No foods are unclean, no days are unclean, no people are unclean. (Read Acts 10 to see how Peter learned this lesson.) What something does to a person determines its quality. One man may be able to read certain books and not be bothered by them, while a weaker Christian reading the same books might be tempted to sin. But the issue is not, “How does it affect me?” so much as, “If I do this, how will it affect my brother?” Will it make him stumble? Will it grieve him or even destroy him by encouraging him to sin? Is it really worth it to harm a brother just so I can enjoy some food? No! 1
Application
- Being convinced about a biblical truth is a worthwhile discovery, but I must make sure that it does not lead to self righteousness and pride.
- I may be convinced that I have the spiritual freedom to make a certain choice, but I must also consider the results of my choice upon others. I must ask myself a serious question: “Have I used my freedom selfishly?”
Prayer
Lord, make me most convinced about loving others, just like You asked me to do.
1. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
