Christian Liberty, Conscience, and Mutual Acceptance
Romans 14:1-15:13
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Chapter 14
1Receive the one who is weak in the faith, not for debates over opinions.2One believes he may eat all things, but the weak one eats vegetables.3The one who eats should not despise the one who does not eat, but the one who does not eat should not judge the one who eats, for God has received him.4Who are you who judges another's servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. But he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.5One person judges one day above another; another judges every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.6The one who regards the day regards it to the Lord. And the one who eats eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and the one who does not eat does not eat to the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.7For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.8For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.9For to this end Christ died and lived, that he might rule over both the dead and the living.10But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you also 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 will bend to me, and every tongue will confess to God."12Therefore each of us will give a word about himself.13Therefore let us no longer judge one another, but rather decide this: not to put a stumbling block or an occasion for falling in a brother's way.14I know and have been persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is common in itself; except to the one considering something to be common, to that one it is common.15For if your brother is grieved because of food, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not by your food destroy that one for whom Christ died.16Therefore do not let what is good about you be blasphemed.17For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.18For the one serving Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men.19Therefore let us pursue the things of peace and the things for edification of one another.20Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with a stumbling block.21It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything in which your brother stumbles or is offended or is weak.22You, keep the faith you have to yourself before God. Blessed is the one not judging himself in what he approves.23But the one who is divided, if he eats, is condemned, because it is not from faith; and everything that is not from faith is sin.
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Chapter 15
1But we the strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.2Let each of us please his neighbor for good, toward edification.3For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those reproaching you fell upon me."4For whatever things were written beforehand were written for our instruction, so that through the endurance and the consolation of the Scriptures we might have hope.5But may the God of endurance and consolation give you to think the same thing toward one another according to Christ Jesus,6that with one accord, with one mouth, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.7Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received you, to the glory of God.8For I say that Christ has become a minister of circumcision for the sake of God's truth, to confirm the promises given to the fathers,9and the nations, on account of mercy, to glorify God; just as it is written, "On account of this I will confess to you among the nations, and to your name I will sing praise."10And again he says, "Rejoice, nations, with his people."11And again: "Praise the Lord, all you nations, and let all the peoples praise him."12And again Isaiah says: "There will be the root of Jesse, and the one rising to rule nations; on him nations will hope."13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.