Every knee will bow before me!

Romans 14:10-18

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:

‘“As surely as I live,” says the Lord,
“Every knee will bow before me;
    every tongue will acknowledge God.”’

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling-block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

Scripture union commentary

‘Every knee will bow before me’ (v 11), says the Lord. Take a moment to worship Almighty God.

Here, Paul drills down further into how we live lovingly when consciences are in conflict. I remember once as a young Christian, out for a meal with friends, refusing to go into a pub restaurant to eat. My friends hunted for a less attractive option which wouldn’t offend my conscience! They were acting lovingly; Paul had no such qualms (v 14). Jesus himself affirmed that all foods are ‘clean’.1 Peter’s vision in Joppa taught him that all food was acceptable.2

Ignoring others’ scruples about how they live for God may bring offence and distress to some of our brothers and sisters in Christ (v 15). Likewise, insistence on others doing the fine detail of what we believe to be right may put a ‘stumbling-block’ (v 13) in their way. The hurt which we cause by our sense of ‘right’ can be unloving and destructive of faith (v 15).

How then should we live with fellow believers whose practices differ from our own? Paul takes us back to essentials of our faith: ‘righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’ (v 17).

This life is God-focused, Christ-centered and Spirit-filled. We serve a King, we are forgiven people for whom Christ died (v 15), the Holy Spirit lives within us – and the fruit of God’s life is seen as we serve Christ and others.3 The variety of practices that characterise our lives may be the result of conscience-driven choices made to honour Christ. We may have different opinions. But God is pleased by each person’s honest, heartfelt desire to serve him (vs 17,18). Loving our brother or sister in Christ may mean putting aside our own freedoms. If our faith is ‘strong’ there is no difficulty in being tolerant and respectful of others’ convictions.

Lord God, forgive me for ways in which I am contemptuous of others (v 10). Change me that I might live and love as you love me.

1Mark 7:18,19  2Acts 10:9–23  3Gal 5:13–15; 22–26

Author

Emlyn and ’Tricia Williams

Are you rejecting God because of x,y,z reasons, read on...

Forgiveness is available to everyone 

Chris Sparkes reflects on Hosea

Hosea 6 

When I was a child my Dad’s word was law.  I don’t mean he was dictatorial, unkind or unfair, but back then Dads were the head of the household, that’s just how it was.  I was always sure I was deeply loved and if I had a problem I could tell Dad about it. If, however, I had done something wrong I was equally sure Dad would be angry, he would tell me exactly what he thought of what I had done/not done and probably impose some sort of punishment as a reminder not to do it again! Through this process I was never ever in any doubt I would be forgiven and restored to dad’s  good opinion.

To own up and face embarrassment and the consequences of my actions, or not? That was the question. Would the punishment be worse than the guilty secret?  Would Dad love me anymore if I owned up? Point 1:Secrecy – Dad probably already knew what I had done and sorted it out in his mind before I ever plucked up courage to admit it, so there was no secrecy. Point 2: Love – I don’t know what it would have taken for Dad to stop loving me, but childhood mistakes probably weren’t among the most heinous crimes. I also knew in the back of my mind, that Dad would think better of me if I admitted the mistake, rather than keep it from him. 

The whole of the book of Hosea is seemingly a very strange story. God is trying to get the prophet Hosea to understand what the people of Israel have done in rejecting or forgetting God. Also, what then happens when they persist in going their own way.  By chapter 6 of Hosea the people of Israel were beginning to see that to own up and say sorry to God couldn’t be any worse than where they were.

They knew they couldn’t continue as they were.  They also knew they had to own up to God, and face the consequences of his anger. They did know that God would restore their relationship once they were back on the right path.

When I talk with people who won’t acknowledge God, the conversation sometimes turns on the fact that they feel they cannot turn to God because they are not ‘good enough’ They believe that because of something they have done wrong they cannot be forgiven by God. It is a hugely liberating discovery that God doesn’t work like that. 

Forgiveness was paid for in the blood that Jesus shed. Today anyone can be forgiven, no matter where they've been or what they've done. Amazing grace!