We must live as God would have us live, each of us. My walk with Christ is not yours, and yours is not mine. Finding others whose walk with Christ compliments our own is truly a blessing, but that doesn't negate the fact we accept Christ as individuals and we must hold fast to the truths that He reveals to us. We don't all have the same exact lives- it's impossible. We do all have many similarities in our lives. Yet why do two people living through the exact same circumstance experience it in different ways? That individuality will determine how we experience anything. A traumatic happenstance may affect one person severely and another less so. Why does one soldier get post-traumatic stress, while another doesn't? Why does one rise above circumstances and another fall beneath them? We are individuals and because we are- we can't possibly ever judge another person in any way. We can judge right and wrong as given to us by our Lord, but we cannot judge people and their eternity, we just can't! I cannot condemn a single person based on their behavior being completely contrary to all I know of God. I can react by leaving a situation filled with those choosing not to follow the Lord's way, but I cannot take anyone of those I'm leaving and say they have no chance for eternity. What I can do is pray that they will come to know the Lord and live the Lord's way. Then I have to leave them to God to judge. We are not to tell people they have to do this or that. We can reveal truth and they can decide to do this or that according as the Holy Spirit convicts them. To keep the truth without the love of God and conviction of the Holy Spirit, is truly meaningless because if we try to do that we are trying to work our way to eternity and there is absolutely no path to eternity that we can ever create on our own. The only way to eternity is through the path that Christ has forged before us, the narrow way. Love leads, love MUST lead. Heart conviction must prevail. Others who in all sincerity seek Christ will find Him as they are led. They may take many different detours getting to the narrow way, but their journey is theirs to make. We must live the truth as we've received it, and pray all would have their eyes opened to only the truth of God and not the deceptive lies of Satan.
God help us now and always! All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. All by the Holy Spirit! Amen!
(Excerpt)
Articles on Romans by E. J. Waggoner Chapter 14
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Since the fourteenth chapter consists wholly of practical instruction in Christian living, and has no direct dependence upon the exhortations that have preceded it, we need not now take time to review the previous chapters, but will proceed at once with the text. Let it not be forgotten that this chapter, as well as those which precede, is addressed to the church, and not to those who do not profess to serve the Lord. In the sixth verse it is plainly shown that all who are spoken of in this chapter are those who acknowledge God as their Lord. The chapter therefore tells how we should regard one another as
Servants of One Common Master Romans 14:1-11
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord; whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith tye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things; another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth; for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up; for God is able to make him stand. 5 One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7 For none of us liveth to himselhe Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more; but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
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