Today's Passage: Romans 14

This passage really drives home the focus on faith in the new covenant.  Where the old covenant was based on a very strict set of rules that were extremely difficult to completely adhere to, the new covenant was established through having a faith in Christ.  Paul makes this clear in verse 23 where he writes "... everything that does not come from faith is sin."

Another key verse in this passage is verse 21, "It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall."  This verse is referring to so much more than food.  Most of us understand the symbolism that is often made with this verse: "You wouldn't invite a recovering alcoholic to a bar?"  However there are many everyday situations that we could find ourselves in that could ultimately causing our "brothers" to fall.  Like inviting someone that is a compulsive spender to go to the mall with you.  You may be able to pass up a great deal if you don't have the money but they won't.  Or, inviting someone who is watching their weight to come with you to an all you can eat buffet.  We all have some sort of compulsive tendencies and those tendencies typically are sinful in some way.   It takes a serious commitment to knowing one and other to truly accomplish an environment where we don't lead others to stumble.

As it says in verse 19 our minds should always be focused on how we can promote peace and moral improvement among each other.  If this is one of our primary goals anytime that we meet with someone we will be blessed by lots healthy, fruitful relationships.  Remember the verse in John 15 "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  If you are willing to sacrifice something to help keep your friend from stumbling, you are displaying the love that Jesus talks about in this verse.

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