Romans Week 2, Day 4 – Romans 14:1-12

Read Romans 14

One of the biggest temptations for Christians is to add stuff to the message of Jesus. ‘I know that only Jesus saves people, but you really shouldn’t drink alcohol/eat meat/get a tattoo/shop at Wal-Mart.’ On the contrary, since only Jesus saves us, we have freedom in disputable matters. What a blessing! If you see Christianity as a dry life of harsh do’s and don’ts, hear this teaching – whatever you do, do so giving thanks to God. But remember, you will have to give an account to God for your actions. There’s freedom, but Christians are still called to resist sin. So perhaps this looks like enjoying wine without getting drunk. Or on the other hand, perhaps this looks like avoiding R-rated movies because they burden your heart. For the Christian, there’s a closed fist and an open hand. In the closed fist, there’s things like not going against clear biblical commands (e.g. having sex with someone other than your spouse, and only once they are your spouse). But in the open hand, there’s freedom to enjoy what the Scriptures offer leeway on, to the glory of God. A healthy Christian will know both. Don’t put your life on auto-pilot, assuming that you have to say no to everything, or that you can say yes to anything. Engage with the Scriptures, engage with others, and enjoy the freedom found in Christ.