Issue 17 ...
Following Your Own Convictions - And Letting Others Follow Theirs
Paul writes, "accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong" (Romans 14:1 New Living Translation). He refers to two examples where he believes this principle should be applied. The first related to the type of foods they ate and the second to the days they considered holy. Paul's concern in the passage is that we do what we believe to be right and leave others to their Lord and Saviour to do what they should be doing. He says, "Who are you to condemn someone else's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let Him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord's help, they will do what is right and will receive His approval." (Rom 14:4).
Paul himself does not see anything wrong with eating a variety of foods nor considering one special day or all days holy. His point is that we need to follow our own convictions. He writes, "But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning." (Rom 14:23 )
When we consider what God is asking of us, we encounter our Lord in a new way. He calls us afresh to the purpose He has for us. We see this in the encounters Jesus has with His disciples between His resurrection and Pentecost. In this process he challenges disciples like Thomas who initially doubted the resurrection stories (John 20) and then Peter to whom he makes a threefold call to feed His sheep (John 21). In that process Peter asks Jesus what is His intention for the other disciple (presumably John the author of the Gospel). Jesus tells him that it does not concern him what God's intentions are for other disciples.
What does concern Peter is that he fulfils what God has asked Him to do. Peter takes that instruction to heart and for the rest of his life faithfully serves God and builds His Church. Peter's faithfulness ends in martyrdom, crucified upside-down. When God calls, we need to respond to that call with all our hearts.In fulfilling God's purpose for us there are three principles that help us stay focused upon that call:
- Judge not that we will not be judged (Matthew 7:1; Romans 14);
- Consider others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:1-4);
- Assist others in their endeavours as we seek to fulfil our own purpose (Philippians 2:1- 4).
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