In this message we shall consider further the failures in the churches.
In Romans 14 Paul refers to the failure of the believers in judging one another in the matters of eating and observing days. This failure was due to certain traditional customs. Some said that the believers should eat only certain things and should observe particular days, whereas others said that they could eat everything and did not have to observe any days. As a result, there were criticism and debate concerning eating and the keeping of days.
In 14:2-5 Paul says, “One believes that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has received him. Who are you that judges another’s household servant? To his own lord he will stand or fall. But he will be made to stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One judges one day above another, another judges every day alike. Let each be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Here Paul is an excellent example of not judging others in the matters of eating and observing days, for he did not express his opinion about which is right or wrong. Certainly he knew the correct doctrines about eating and about the keeping of days. Nevertheless, he did not take sides but charged the believers to be general and not to criticize others. We should let others be free to eat whatever they want and to keep whatever day they want.
In 14:10 Paul goes on to say, “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.” Here we see that we must receive the saints in the light of the judgment seat. We should not judge others, for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.
In 14:20 Paul says, “Do not break down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but it is evil for a man to eat so as to be a stumbling block.” In all saved persons there is an amount of God’s work. God has called and saved them. God has done at least this much divine work in them. If we cause any one of the believers to stumble by our doctrinal concepts, we break down, destroy, God’s work of grace in him. We should take care of God’s work, not our doctrinal concepts. All our judgments concerning eating and the keeping of days must be cast aside for the sake of God’s work of grace in others. We must take care of the building up of the believers in life, not our concepts concerning eating and the keeping of days.
In Romans 16:17 Paul says, “Now I beg you, brothers, keep a watchful eye on those who make divisions and causes of falling contrary to the teaching which you have learned, and turn away from them.” Even when Paul wrote the book of Romans, some were making divisions and causes of falling contrary to “the teaching,” that is, contrary to the teaching of the apostles. If we deviate from the teachings of the apostles, we shall be factors of division and also causes of falling.
While we are enjoying the church life, we must be watchful for those who cause divisions. Any dissension contrary to the apostles’ teaching is divisive, and we must keep a watchful, discerning eye over it. According to Romans 16:17, we must turn away from those who make divisions and causes of falling contrary to the teaching of the apostles.
In 1 Timothy 6:3 Paul refers to anyone who “teaches differently and does not consent to healthy words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the teaching which is according to godliness.” To teach differently is to teach things that differ from the apostles’ teaching centered on Christ and the church. The “healthy words” here refer to the health of life. The sound teaching of the apostles ministers healthy teaching as the supply of life to people. The words of our Lord Jesus Christ are words of life (John 6:63); hence, they are healthy words. The healthy words of the Lord are the source of the teaching according to godliness. When the Lord’s words of life are taught, particularly in certain aspects, they become the teaching according to godliness. The living words of the Lord always bring forth godliness-a life that lives Christ and expresses God in Christ. Paul’s teaching was according to godliness. However, because some did not consent to healthy words, they taught differently. They did not teach according to godliness. All our teaching must be according to the healthy words of God’s economy.
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