I’ve always heard this passage in Romans 14 interpreted according to clothing, music, alcohol, smoking, and more—all in terms of “not being a stumbling block for others.” I was tender to my power to be a stumbling block of every sort, both to the believing and the unbelieving, checking over my shoulder to see the carnage I’d left in my wake. The truth was, I left hardly any, but it didn’t stop me from metaphorically cutting off arms and legs, gouging out eyes and the like, in pursuit of protecting my brothers and sisters.
The Christian life, I thought, was more about what I couldn’t do than what I could.
How glorious, then, when the true gospel began to take root in my heart. I began to understand that freedom in Christ meant I was truly free to live. As it turns out, Christ had declared me more than clean. He’d declared me redeemed.
Of all the ways I’d formerly applied this passage, though, the one I’d not considered was food. I knew all food had been declared clean, that we were no longer under the law of Moses in our dietary restrictions. But what I didn’t understand was the law of our current world with regard to food: the diet and exercise industry.
Today, in modern culture, the opposing god—though a no less despicable one—is the one who demands less food, more restrictions, better supplements, flatter stomachs, tighter abs, and the list goes on. In an attempt to care for the temples of the Holy Spirit with eating and exercising, we can destroy our bodies (which are wasting away, whether we like it or not) and cause harm to the impressionable hearts and minds of others who jump on every new regime or diet we offer.
We want to be well, to eat healthy, whole, and good foods. We love the rhythms of feasting and fasting we see in Scripture. We want to move our bodies, staying active. But we don’t want to destroy our hearts by lusting after what we don’t have. We don’t want to destroy our bodies by rebounding from one quick-fix supplement to another. We don’t want to destroy our minds by believing our approval comes from certain lifestyles or appearances.
There are countless difficulties in life, opportunities to be divided over race, gender, theology, and history. And food, instead of becoming a means to crush those divides—to draw near to one another, armed with soups, fruits, breads, vegetables, and meats—has become one more line of division.
Christ died for all; this is what the Bible says. I don’t want to be known by what I eat or don’t eat. I want to be known by how I love and who I’m loved by.
So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. Do not tear down God’s work because of food.
—Romans 14:19–20
Whatever struggle you’re caught in the throes of today, know that you are loved by Christ. He spread His own body, bleeding and broken, to fit a cross you could never bear on your own. Don’t destroy your body by what you do or don’t eat. Christ died for all—every curve, every bulge, and every stretch mark—all of it.
For “the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). God gives us food as a means of provision, not division. Instead of fostering false divisions today, let’s share it with someone in the pursuit of peace.
Oh my Lord Jesus, typing & tears what a mix. My first thing today was a message my hubs took from the hospital about a referral to an obesity clinic, then this. I’ve struggled with this for 40 years. That’s a biblical number right. I know Jesus doesn’t care, but my joints & health do. So I’m in the middle trying to love myself and God and stay healthy but it’s not happening. This morning my Pastor’s email was about “gluttony” too! Talk about it’s time as God says! Face it…
@SEARCHING: praying for your legal situation. May God send reinforcement through capable people.
@CEE GEE ❤️
@HEIDI: for Kin’s first day of school, for amazing growth, lovely new experiences and meaningful friendships with classmates and teachers for her. How sweet.
@ALLIE M: for your eating disorder, and other dear she’s that might be suffering silently b/c of this. Never knew it’s a thing until I read Lisa Bevere’s book that she described this horrible bondage. May it be cast down in Jesus’ Name.
@ALEIDA: praying for fibromyalgia healing for you, and for the situation. You made me tear up. What a beautiful heart you have, your love for your son is incredibly touching. Sometimes brokenness has to come before building new. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up (Ecclesiastes 3:1-3). Sometimes we can’t skip the stages, and the may the Lord be ever so merciful.
@VICTORIA E: rest and peace for work.
@HEATHER LANDERS: continual prayers for your family, your husband’s rehab.
@DOROTHY: thinking of you, praying for your well-being and return to SRT.
Hugs and blessings to all you sweet she’s.
@changed life- I’m right there with you!! Recently the church voted about this and I see both sides. It’s so hard!!
4 Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand. – Romans 14:4. This is a word right here!!! We all have to go before the Lord and “give an account” therefore DONT JUDGE JUST LOVE!!!! Roman’s 14 might be my favorite chapter and most convicting!!!! Lifting up all the prayer requests today!!
Happy Wednesday she’s, a few take away points for me from today’s scriptures:
1- Do not quarrel with those weak in faith (Romans 14:1). I do see this happening a lot under social media posts of many great men and women of God, when they share a revelation and then get attacked immediately by those with lesser understanding. It is so easy to get sucked into debates and quarrels. It is such a snare that we are warned to be mindful of.
2- Don’t judge another servant of God by their God-observing routines/ rituals/ choices (Romans 14:5-6) as long as it’s honoring to God based on their faith. It’s between God and them. Same as our faith is between God and us.
3- Whatever is not from faith is sin (Romans 14:23). When we eat or drink or do anything else, let that come from faith and with the purpose of honoring God.
4- Discern those who are weak in conscience, in their mind, and watch carefully what we do around them. For if someone sees you, the one who has knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, won’t his weak conscience be encouraged to eat food offered to idols? So the weak person, the brother or sister for whom Christ died, is ruined by your knowledge.( 1 Corinthians 8:10-11)
5- Kingdom of God is of Righteousness, Peace, Joy IN THE HOLY SPIRIT (Romans 14:17). Be Spirit-led, and not flesh-led (carnal joy leads to death). For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Romans 8:6).
Lifting up prayers on behalf of our sweet and faithful she’s. May the Lord lead you into new revelation and personal encounter with Him daily, and build up your faith in His Word.
Be blessed dear sisters.
Help me not to miss what You are saying here, Yahweh. There’s so much beauty and truth here, but I don’t have the time at the moment to express and comment on it all. I will have to go back to read it again later.
As I read, I keep thinking of my sweet Jehovah’s Witness friend, M. She’s my friend first and foremost. What she believes the secondary. Her sect has different regulations — they do not celebrate holidays — but they still believe in salvation through Christ. I do not judge her or those who think like her for these things. I pray for their knowledge of the truth that Jesus is Lord and one with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Father, open their eyes to the truth. Open my eyes and heart for how I can serve them better under the law of love. Show me how I can better represent the truth of who You are to my dear friend, M. I do not want her to miss out on all that You are and can be to her. Help me to be a vessel overflowing with Your love to her.
Hi Changed Life,
I do not think you can be a Christian (Christ follower) and choose to remain in lifestyle that God is against. I cannot be a Christ follower, and choose to lie and cheat every day. I know a lawyer who works for a client, that requires lying to win cases, and the conviction from the Holy Spirit and through reading scriptures slowly changes that person’s mind… and he quits. A lifestyle change (that reflects the inner heart change). And yes it does take time and patience and the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. The Lord says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). And I am sorry to say that your niece’s lifestyle bears false witness to the Lord as well. It is a stumbling block for others. It does boil down to serving God or serving ourselves (as Taylor put it the other day). I will be praying for your niece and her partner. In the meantime, we can speak truth IN LOVE, with gentleness and kindness. Speaking truth is NOT passing judgment- it is simply speaking truth, as faith comes by hearing and hearing Truth/ Word of God. We leave the rest to the Lord. It is not always easy because we can break the relationship when speaking truth, even in love. It happened to me before. But we’d rather obey God than please man (Acts 5:29), to call evil evil, that takes courage to be honest. I’d rather have people that will NOT cheer me on in my errors for fear of how I will react, I’d rather hear the truth that sets me on the right path (paths of righteousness that is). There is protection in correction. Besides, I’d like to encourage you to pray and have hope in the Lord, there have been many powerful testimonies of people delivered and turned around from this lifestyle, but takes years and years, even decades, with tremendous amount of hurt and pain (harsh bondage and such steep cost)- but with God, it is POSSIBBLE. Thank you for asking the question. God bless you!
Dear Changed Life,
I too tend to be inclusive. It is dangerous to judge, no matter. Sounds like your niece and her partner are lovely ladies. Quite sure there will be much divide here as I have brought this issue here before. Just want you to know you are not alone.
Furthermore, I believe the church will pay dearly for singling out the LGBTQ community as sinners. We should not point fingers at anyone. It’s love and only love. To quote my pastor, if we get the love part wrong, we are wrong.