Judge Not

Judge Not!

Romans 14:1-23

We are called to be work together, pull together, to serve together but we are all different, we all come from different backgrounds, we are at different stages of our life, we are at different stages of our Christian walk.

No of that cancels out our need to dwell in unity!

But you can’t find a time in church history that there hasn’t been conflict. Some bragged that Paul taught them, some bragged that Apollo’s taught them and

that brought conflict!

3 John 1:9-10-I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us.

Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church.

2 Timothy 4: l4-Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works.

You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.

Acts 15:37-39-Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another.

It turned out ok, there have been great churches started because of conflict, new theological schools have been started because of conflict, new ministries have been started because there was conflict..

The goal is that we learn to live together even though we disagree!

The meat wouldn’t burn up that was sacrificed to an idol, so they would take the meat that was left and sell it at the meat market.

The weak did not believe you should eat that meat, those who were strong in the faith believe that idols were nothing and it was ok to eat that meat.

Paul is saying to weak, “Grow up!” and to the strong, “Lighten up!”

We in our day and time have disagreements over things:

Alcohol-Can drink some, none at all?

Prescription drugs-Should we take them, or not take them?

Cosmetics-Should you wear them or not wear them?

Fashion-Should you keep up with trends or not?

Dancing-Should you dance or not?

Movies-Should you go to the movies or live theater?

Music-Secular or Gospel? Hymns or Contemporary?

Tobacco-To smoke or not to smoke?

Bible Translation-Which is the right one?

Material Wealth-Should we have things or not?

Don’t go against anything set in scripture!

Buy what you want to buy, fix it how you want fix it, eat it how you want to eat it, but don’t force on others.

Verse 15-Our prayer: “Lord, Free me the need to straighten anybody else out!”

Ruth Graham said, “My job is to love Billy, God’s job is to make him good!”

Surgeon liked cigars and Parker like going to the theaters and it broke up their friendship, because they judged one another.

Surgeon justified it by saying, “He didn’t smoke to an excess.”

They asked him what he meant by excess.

He said, “No more than two at a time!”

That’s your opinion and opinions are like elbows nearly- everyone’s got one!

Believe as I believe, no more, no less, that I am right

And no one else confess

Feel as I feel

Think only as I think

Eat what I eat, drink what I drink

Look as I look

Do always as I do, then and only then will I fellowship with you.