Essentials

1 Welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.

Weak vs strong:

The weak person here wanted to do what is right. Food issue.

The strong person has been in the faith for some time - or at least understands that there is nothing unclean.

How that really played out: non christians would sacrifice an animal to their own god… and go through the whole process, and be left over with this butchered animal. So they would take that animal to market and sell it - waste not want not.

Some believers - christians - would see that meat and want nothing to do with it, because it had be associated with the idols.

And some - would chuckle at it, and throw it on the grill, realizing that there is only one God in Heaven - and their little performance meant nothing in real life.

Some believers - would look at a wine skin and, wanting to Glorify God with their lives, would not have anything to do with it.

Some believers would look at the same wine skin, give thanks to God for creating the fruit and pour a glass.

Some would say - we have to do all of the jewish things - and others would say.. We are free from all of that in Christ Jesus.

And this was causing disagreements. It was causing division in the church.

We aren’t supposed to be divided.

Some of the more modern things I see like this are worship music, church clothes, and Bible versions.

Churches all over seem to pick a decade to get stuck in, and for that church - it is the only right way.

I see posts online about 4 times a year about how churches who don’t just sing out of hymnals are wrong. Because if they didn’t bring the song over to the America’s on the mayflower, it isn’t really worship.

Eden and I went to a church in Springfield for a little while that required all of the women who would be on the platform to be in ankle length dresses.

I know of churches who only use the NIV - our kids go to school at one, and some churches that say the King James is the only authorized version.

And with the Christians that make up all of those churches, I can have fellowship.

I can eat with them. I can send my kids to play with them. In fact, I don’t really care that that is what they believe. As long as their main thing - is my main thing we can have fellowship.

Paul gives us two instructions - and then tells us why.

Welcome weaker believers

Do not dispute with them the trivial things.

Be Fully Convinced.

Now, the leadership in those churches - frustrate me. Because they got stuck, and they force everyone else to be stuck. And these issues for them go much deeper.

The why is what really matters.

How do I welcome people who behave differently than me? How do I embrace as brother and sister those who are convinced of other things?

I have to understand what Paul writes here:

IF - they are believers - If they love the Lord the way that I love the Lord - They are doing things for His GLORY. Just like me.

Paul writes: (READ THE PASSAGE)

We have to understand who believers really are. They are servants of the Most high God.

They are children, adopted, coheirs with Christ. Just like you. Just like me.

1 Corinthians 4:1–5 CSB

1 A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God. 2 In this regard, it is required that managers be found faithful. 3 It is of little importance to me that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I don’t even judge myself. 4 For I am not conscious of anything against myself, but I am not justified by this. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.

And so we seek common ground. Knowing what we know. Having our convictions and beliefs.

Draw the lines:

Sin.

Idolatry.

False and damaging gospel.

It is easier to have fellowship with baptists than mormons. Mormons teach a false gospel, Baptist just teach you to be boring. <JK>

How this works today:

Don’t let division creep up in the church. We can and should fellowship with other believers. There are times when we have to limit our involvement with things and groups - because of their beliefs or where they have decided to stand.

Sin is still sin.

Idolatry is still idolatry.

I don’t care much what they believe about the tribulation, as long as they know its coming.

I don’t care what they think about the rapture, as long as they have studied the word to form that understanding.

When it comes to dinner, I don’t care what bible they read - if they are reading one.

When it comes to ministry - I don’t care what they think about gifts of the holy spirit, I will shovel with them.

They may think, because I don’t use the hymnal they buried with Jesus that I am the weaker believer.

They may believe - because I don’t use the King James Authorized version, that I am the one who needs some work.

2 Corinthians 5:10–16 CSB

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 11 Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your consciences. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride in outward appearance rather than in the heart. 13 For if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, since we have reached this conclusion, that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised. 16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective. Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way.

Who we are is rooted in who our Jesus is.

Assemblies of God - 16 Fundamental Truths

Foursquare declaration of faith.

We are committed to unity in the body of Christ, as long as you are IN the body of Christ.

Colossians 2:16–20 CSB

16 Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. 17 These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is Christ. 18 Let no one condemn you by delighting in ascetic practices and the worship of angels, claiming access to a visionary realm. Such people are inflated by empty notions of their unspiritual mind. 19 They don’t hold on to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and tendons, grows with growth from God. 20 If you died with Christ to the elements of this world, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations:

Related Media

Related Sermons

Essentials

​