Romans:14:1-23

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* I now pass to another subject . Receive as a friend a man whose faith is weak , but not for the purpose of deciding mere matters of opinion . * One man 's faith allows him to eat anything , while a man of weaker faith eats nothing but vegetables . * Let not him who eats certain food look down upon him who abstains from it , nor him who abstains from it find fault with him who eats it ; for God has received both of them . * Who are you that you should find fault with the servant of another ? Whether he stands or falls is a matter which concerns his own master . But stand he will ; for the Master can give him power to stand . * One man esteems one day more highly than another ; another esteems all days alike . Let every one be thoroughly convinced in his own mind . * He who regards the day as sacred , so regards it for the Master 's sake ; and he who eats certain food eats it for the Master 's sake , for he gives thanks to God ; and he who refrains from eating it refrains for the Master 's sake , and he also gives thanks to God . * For not one of us lives to himself , and not one dies to himself . * If we live , we live to the Lord : if we die , we die to the Lord . So whether we live or die , we belong to the Lord . * For this was the purpose of Christ 's dying and coming to life –namely that He might be Lord both of the dead and the living . * But you , why do you find fault with your brother ? Or you , why do you look down upon your brother ? We shall all stand before God to be judged ; * for it is written , says the Lord , * So we see that every one of us will give account of himself to God . * Therefore let us no longer judge one another ; but , instead of that , you should come to this judgement –that we must not put a stumbling-block in our brother 's path , nor anything to trip him up . * As one who lives in union with the Lord Jesus , I know and am certain that in its own nature no food is `impure '; but if people regard any food as impure , to them it is . * If your brother is pained by the food you are eating , your conduct is no longer controlled by love . Take care lest , by the food you eat , you lead to ruin a man for whom Christ died . * Therefore do not let the boon which is yours in common be exposed to reproach . * For the Kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking , but of right conduct , peace and joy , through the Holy Spirit ; * and whoever in this way devotedly serves Christ , God takes pleasure in him , and men highly commend him . * Therefore let us aim at whatever makes for peace and mutual upbuilding of character . * Do not for food 's sake be throwing down God 's work . All food is pure ; but a man is in the wrong if his food is a snare to others . * The right course is to forego eating meat or drinking wine or doing anything that tends to your brother 's fall . * As for you and your faith , keep your faith to yourself in the presence of God . The man is to be congratulated who does not pronounce judgement on himself in what his actions sanction . * But he who has misgivings and yet eats meat is condemned already , because his conduct is not based on faith ; for all conduct not based on faith is sinful .

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