It's a matter of faith and conscience!
"Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another to stumble by what he eats. Romans 14:20
Imagine this - You have a Christian friend who genuinely believes it is God's will for people to be vegetarians. You invite him over for supper and serve him a medium-rare steak. Not wanting to offend you, he eats the steak and violates his concience.
This scenario is one that is addressed in Romans 14. Paul says, even though Biblically you know no food is deemed by God to be unclean, your friend erranrly believes otherwise. Thus, Paul says, you have no right to serve him the steak. You are right in your theology, but wrong in your action. He says it is wrong to cause him to stumble, to violate his faith and conscience because of food.
So what does this mean? Here is the bottom line:
"But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from fatih is sin." Usually people think of sin as breaking a commandment or law of God. Here we see it being defined as anything that does not proceed from faith. For example, a person who puts $5 in the collection plate because he loves the Lord is doing a good work. A person who puts $5 into the collection plate to impress other people is committing a sin because it was not done with faith. That which does not proceed from faith is a sin.
The final decision-making question, then, is, "Can it be done in faith?"
Now, here they are - The five decision-making questions based on God's Word"
1. What does God's Word say?
2. Is the love of Christ motivating me?
3. What would Jesus do?
4. Does it glorify God?
5. Can it be done in fatih?
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