Men’s Fellowship

Monthly Men’s Fellowship

Last Saturday of the month @ 9:00 a.m.

Men, please join us Saturday Sept 24, for the next Men’s Fellowship. We will be meeting at the church office in Mira Mesa, Testimonies will be shared and God’s Word will be taught.  If you have questions, please email: Paul Tabb or call 858-566-0561.

Monday Night Men’s Fellowship

Join the guys Monday nights at the church office from 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. for Bible study and prayer.  If you are interested and or have any questions, please call Albert Contreras at 858-602-9686.

Romans 14:13-23 The Law of Love

By Pastor Jason

Paul’s letter to the Romans shows us that from the very first days of the church, we Christians have been struggling with issues within ourselves, issues with one another, with the government, and with the culture in which we find ourselves.

And in Romans ch.14 we see that Christians have wrestled just as long with striking a balance between the law of liberty and the law of love. Our conscience has been liberated because we no longer wonder where we stand with God. We who trust in Christ know God has forgiven our sins (Jesus’ death on the cross satisfies the death penalty that we deserve for our sins – past, present & future). But we have a tendency to take our liberty to the extreme of doing whatever it is we want to do contrary to what God says and without consideration for how we may affect those around us.

The law of LIBERTY says, “Do what you do, being fully convinced in your own mind, but understand that we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” And remember, you won’t be on that judgment seat; nor will I, so let’s be careful not to be so critical of others.

The law of LOVE says, “Enjoy your freedom in Christ BUT never at the expense of causing others to stumble, nor with the appearance that you may consent to pagan gods, as if Jesus is one God among many.

With that in mind, please read Romans 14:13-23

In vs.13 Paul says, “Let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” Instead of flaunting our freedom in Christ to eat what we want, drink whatever we want, listen to whatever we want to listen to, and watch whatever we want, when we want—let’s be careful “not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall” in their way.

We can’t go about wondering what every other person is thinking, nor should we walk on eggshells around others. (That’s no way to live, and I’ve spent enough of my own life doing that before believers and unbelievers alike.) But if we know a certain brother or sister has a particular conviction or weakness we ought to be sensitive to that.

As Paul says in vs.14, “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” I know that foods, beverages, people, music, even sex is acceptable, all within the natural order and morality that God has established by His Word, dually concurred by the conscience He’s given us. But if for whatever reason you believe any of these things are unacceptable (or a sin even), then to you it’s unacceptable.

Many of us are aware of the fact that Jews considered certain animals & foods to be clean or unclean, but you might not know what that means exactly.  See, where we read “unclean,” it is translated from the Greek word koinos, which means common (i.e. not holy or special, but just plain ordinary). In fact, in the 12 times it is used in the New Testament text, it is more frequently translated (in the KJV) as “common” (Acts 2:44; 4:32; 10:14,28; 11:8, Titus 1:4, Jude 1:3). What I’m trying to point out is that certain animals and foods (and peoples for that matter) were not necessarily “dirty” as we might interpret “unclean,” but they were common—they were simply not special enough for God’s people, and therefore they were not good enough. Even so, for us, there are some things that don’t seem good enough, and so we respond as if they are gross, yucky, or abominable.

But who would’ve thought that eating and drinking could be an act of worship? Paul addressed this in great detail with the Corinthian church. (Let’s read 1 Corinthians 10:23-33.) We can buy and eat whatever is sold in the markets because, “the earth is the LORD’s and all its fullness.” He quotes this passage (Ps 24) twice so as to confirm that everything God has made is good enough for us Christians. If there’s any doubt, all we have to do is search the Scriptures and pray: (1 Tim 4:4-5), “For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” We search God’s Word to see what He says about it, and then we give thanks, which sets it apart and makes it acceptable.

Paul still wanted Christians to be careful because the pagans saw eating as an approval of their pagan gods, which, in essence was worship. We know there is one God; we’ve given thanks for what we are about to devour, and yet our pagan friends might judge us, saying, “Look at him! He says he’s a Christian, but he’s partaking of things offered to our gods. What a hypocrite!” So Paul tells us (1 Cor 10:31), “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” And that is the litmus test: Will this bring glory to God? Will I bring God more glory by doing this or saying “no” this?

Not only will unbelievers be drawing conclusions about whom we worship, but also other believers are watching, and they may be saying the same thing: “Look at him! He says he’s a Christian, but he’s partaking of things offered to pagan gods!” Paul says, (Rom 14:15), “if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.” We can, if we are careless of others’ faith (or lack thereof) hurt others and apparently destroy them. If you can enjoy a glass of wine or a beer with your meal, but the brother you’ve invited considers drinking alcohol a sin, you may have invited a roadblock between you and him, because now he believes you are in sin.

Or he may not consider your wine or beer a sin, but he may have a history of alcohol abuse from years ago; and in your presence (respecting you as a Christian) he may have a drink, which turns into another, and then another, and maybe even a drinking problem for days, months or years after having been sober.

Let’s turn back to 1 Corinthians (read 1 Cor 8:1-13). Paul knew there was one God and that he worshiped that One True God. Even though He was free to do what he wanted, he concluded (vs.13), “If food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” He understood that knowledge was great, but it can make us proud. However, love…love will never cause someone else to stumble.

You & I may have the knowledge of the truth and the freedom that comes with it—that’s good. But others may not, and so, (vs.16) “do not let your good be spoken of as evil; (vs.17) for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking whatever we want now that we can, but it is about righteousness and peace and joy in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

(vs.18) “For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.” He who serves Christ in what things?

• In pursuing not what seems right to me but what’s right for all.
• In pursuing not what I myself have a peace about, but what offers peace of mind for others as well.
• In pursuing not what makes me happy, but that which adds to the joy we have when we share one heart and one mind in Christ.

Remember, we aren’t living for ourselves any longer—we serve Christ. “Therefore (vs.19) let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which we may edify [or build up & encourage] another.”

Try imagining if you will the balancing act Paul was trying to orchestrate in the church between Jews and Gentile believers and their newfound freedoms in Christ. Many Jewish brothers and sisters, were happy to enjoy a good, greasy, barbecued pork chop, while others still struggled with the very thought of it! His Gentile audience, empowered with the knowledge that there is one God, could eat at Apollo’s Bar & Grill with a good conscience even though Mr. Apollo dedicated all of his products to his idols every day at opening and closing. Some, however, still couldn’t do it! With that in mind, Paul says (vs.20), “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.”

If one could not eat at Apollo’s without feeling as if they had just committed some sort of sacrilege (violation) against God, then to them it was sin, no matter how you or I might feel about it.

And if we were to stop by that particular brother or sister’s house, sit beside them on their porch to catch up a little, and pull out of our greasy bag an Apollo’s special…a Double-Double, Animal Style MacDevil Burger, we are not pursuing the things which make for peace! We are being offensive. They see what we’re eating. They can recognize it by the little devil caricatures and pentagrams on the wrapper! And while we see our visit to Apollo’s as a chance to witness to other customers (and get a great burger), some see it as shaking hands with the devil himself.

So how are we to handle that? We eat our burger somewhere else! Paul says (vs.21), “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” Again, this isn’t about walking on eggshells but a genuine concern for our brother or sister, so much that we would not do anything that would cause them to trip, be offended or make them weak.

Paul’s prescription for those of us who have worked out the details between our faith and our freedoms is simple: (Vs.22) “Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.”

As for those who still struggle with conscience pangs he says (vs.23), “he who doubts is condemned already if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” If you and I cannot do what we do with the complete confidence that what we are doing is acceptable in God’s eyes, then (as far as our conscience goes) we are in sin.

If you cannot listen to any music but that which is labeled as Christian music, then you should only listen to Christian music. And while you are careful not to judge me for listening to music other than “Christian” music, I’ll be careful not to play my Marvin Gaye or Journey in your presence.

If partaking of alcoholic beverages would be sin to you, then you should not drink alcohol. And while you are careful not to judge me for giving my kids Nyquil, we’ll be careful not to put any cooking wine in the meal when you come over for dinner.

If reading from any other version than a King James Version Bible is an abomination to you, then read from your KJV with a good conscience. And while you are careful not to judge others for reading a less superior version, I’ll make sure I personally don’t offer you an NIV when you and I get together for Bible study.

In Conclusion…

1. Don’t cause others to stumble. Have your faith and your freedoms in the presence of God & other believers who share the same faith.
2. Pursue the things that make for peace. If what you do offends those with whom you fellowship, then stop it (at least in their company, that is, if you care about continuing in fellowship)
3. Discern between convictions & weak faith. Understand that God may give you a conviction to abstain from something others are free to do. That conviction may be specific to you. But also understand that you may be abstaining from certain things because you have a hard time trusting that God will accept you as you are or without your help.
4. Whatever you do, do it to the glory of God. Ask yourself, “Will this bring glory to God? Will I bring God good press or bad by doing this or saying ‘no’ this?”