Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.
Freedom and Love
Some more thoughts from Moo on chapter 14:
"Christians who are not convinced in their own minds that something is right for them to do should not do it. Paul urges weak believers who still harbor doubts about eating meat not to eat, for they will be acting against their faith and thus sinning (v. 23). We may be placed in a situation in which most other Christians are doing something we have always considered wrong. We may be led by their example and arguments to rethink our own position on the matter. But until we are convinced, Paul suggests, we should refrain from acting.
Some of us bring baggage into our Christian experience from our background that we will never get away from. I know mature believers who refuse, for instance, to drink alcohol, dance, or play card games—not because they are sure such activities are wrong (they are often sure they are not wrong) but because they simply do not feel “comfortable” doing it themselves.
When confronted with believers that have such scruples, those of us who do not have them need to modify the expression of our freedom by the demands of love. Liberty is wonderful, but love is even greater." [1] (emphasis mine)
Freedom and Love
Some more thoughts from Moo on chapter 14:
"Christians who are not convinced in their own minds that something is right for them to do should not do it. Paul urges weak believers who still harbor doubts about eating meat not to eat, for they will be acting against their faith and thus sinning (v. 23). We may be placed in a situation in which most other Christians are doing something we have always considered wrong. We may be led by their example and arguments to rethink our own position on the matter. But until we are convinced, Paul suggests, we should refrain from acting.
Some of us bring baggage into our Christian experience from our background that we will never get away from. I know mature believers who refuse, for instance, to drink alcohol, dance, or play card games—not because they are sure such activities are wrong (they are often sure they are not wrong) but because they simply do not feel “comfortable” doing it themselves.
When confronted with believers that have such scruples, those of us who do not have them need to modify the expression of our freedom by the demands of love. Liberty is wonderful, but love is even greater." [1] (emphasis mine)
[1] Douglas J. Moo, Romans, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 467-68.
RSS Feed
