Every Knee Shall Bow

I can not read this verse without getting chills! It’s like MercyMe’s song “I Can Only Imagine”. I don’t think I can even imagine. Seeing our Lord and Savior face to face, what a day that will be.

What Paul is reminding us in this chapter is that Christ died for all of us and we are not to judge or “look down on our bother’s” for there will come a time when we will all have to give an account to God. What is important is our witness for Christ.

Paul explains that while we as believers know that no foods are ceremonially unclean, some believe certain foods are unclean. If that’s what they believe then that is is what they should practice. We are not to judge them. We can show respect to them and to their belief’s by not ordering or preparing that particular food while with them. Not that we are agreeing with their belief that it is unclean but instead of judging we are showing them the love of Christ within us. Stating that a difference of opinion would not be worth  damage to our spiritual witness that could come form our eating such foods in front of them.

“It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that would cause your brother to fall.” (Romans 14:21, NIV)

In this time of opening states up vs closing states down. Police vs no police. Black vs white. Mask vs no mask. Democrat’s vs Republican’s, seems the list could go on and on. But judging one another has become the norm. It should not matter what my stand is on any of these matters might be,  I am still to love my neighbor as myself. If my opinion differs from yours that doesn’t mean I don’t care for you. I have seen and heard of families being torn apart because of difference of opinions and it is heart breaking.

God created each and every one of us and each one of us have a right to our opinion. What we do not have a right to do is to try to make someone believe the way we believe in these situations. Instead we are to build one another up in love. This allows the Holy Spirit living within us to unite us so we can glorify our Lord and Savior. If you find yourself in conflict with someone whose opinions are different from yours, ask God to give you the words to say so He would be glorified through those words.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 14:5-6, NIV)

Maybe you have that someone whom you can not discuss certain issues with, that’s OK, we all do. What we can do, is become aware of those issues and decide ahead of time that this is something that should not be discussed with that person. It’s better to  say nothing than to have someone push your buttons causing you to react in an ungodly way. We are always going to have differences of opinions and I’m not saying we should not discuss ideas with someone who disagrees with us. What I am saying is when “Uncle Joe” (we all have one) comes around and his opinions strongly differ from yours, rather than allowing a discussion to become heated and you saying something that might hurt yours or his spiritual walk then let him know that you respect his opinions but you are not going to discuss the matter with him.

This is something my family have had to realize. We are a passionate group who range in ideas from one end of the spectrum to the other therefore we have learned there are a few subjects we can not discuss as a group. I don’t want any discussion to become heated and possibly leading to hurt feelings. This is something we have all agreed ahead of time so that when we do get together everyone knows not to bring up certain subjects.

“So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.” (Romans 14:22 NIV)

Christ died for you and for me and His blood was shed so that you and I could have an everlasting life. That my friends is the most important discussion we should be having. We are not to judge our brothers for their opinions or actions but to lift them up in love and do everything we can to make sure they see Christ in us and never do or say something that would cause them to stumble. May we all lift one another in prayer and live in peace as we await that day when every knee shall bow.

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” (Romans 14:19, NIV)