Pursue what makes for peace:
This time in the WSC (Weekly Spiritual Checkup) we look at the manner in which the strong and the weak in faith are to treat and regard each other and more…
Below is a summary of Romans chapter 14 (taken from David Steele and Curtis Thomas’ Interpretive Outline):
- The manner in which the strong and the weak in faith are to treat and regard each other. (verses 1-12)
- The weak are to be received into the Christian fellowship but not for disputes over opinions. (verse 1)
- The strong and the weak are not to despise or pass judgment on each other; both belong to the Lord and will be upheld by Him. (verses 2-4)
- Each does what he does in such matters in honor of the Lord and each belongs to the Lord. (verses 5-9)
- All such matters will be dealt with in the final judgment when each one gives an account of himself to God. (verses 10-12)
- The manner in which Christian liberty is to be used by the strong in faith. (verses 13-23)
- The law of love is to be followed; therefore, Christian liberty must not be used to harm a brother for whom Christ died. (verses 13-15)
- Christian liberty is not to be used in such a way as to bring reproach on the faith. (verse 16)
- The Christian faith does not consist of physical things such as food or drink but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (verses 17,18)
- Christians should pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (verse 19)
- It is wrong for anyone to make others fall by the use of things in themselves indifferent, such as meat or wine. (verses 20, 21)
- Though the strong are free to use things which God has not pronounced sinful, they should not encourage the weak in faith to use them against their conscience, for whatever does not come from faith is sin. (verses 22, 23)
“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Romans 14:19)
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