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Romans 13:8 – 14:23

Calvary Chapel Bible College

April 28, 2021

Introduction

The letter of Paul to the Romans is considered Paul’s most important letter. This is why it is placed in front of all his others writings.

When and Where

The year is around AD 57 or 58

In your Bible, we’d place the writing of this letter around Acts 20:2 – that’s about when Paul wrote to the Romans from the city of Corinth.

What it’s about

The first five chapters dealt with justification, how a person is made right with God.

The next three chapters will deal with sanctification, the process where we grow to be more like Jesus.

The next three chapters will unpack the differences between the Jew and Gentile, and God’s plan for His people.

In the last five chapters, Paul will launch into personal, practical matters – how do we live as Christians? What does the Christian life look like? How do we get along with one another?

I’d like to suggest that if you have your theology correct from the first 11 chapters, then your manner of life will look like the things in chapters 12-16.

The Gentiles were guilty of sin (ch.1)

The Jews were also guilty (ch.2)

13:8-10 Love fulfills

Last week we talked about the subject of submission, with Paul applying it to what we “owe” to others.

(Romans 13:7 NKJV) Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

due – opheile – that which is owed; a debt

The idea is that we “owe it” to the government to pay our taxes.

We “owe it” to show respect to certain people.

We “owe it” to show honor to others.

:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.

:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another

owe – opheilo – to owe; to owe money, be in debt for

You might miss it in English, but Paul is basically using the same word translated “due” in the previous verse. He’s continuing the same thought.

The idea here is that we should not have any outstanding debts.

If you owe somebody money, pay your debt.

If you owe someone “fear” or “honor” (Rom. 12:7), then pay your debt.

But there is one debt that you can never completely pay off…

to love – agapao – Love based on the will, assigning value to a person

As opposed to spontaneous, emotional, natural affection.

Lesson

Payment due

The early church father Origen said, “The debt of love remains with us permanently and never leaves us. This is a debt which we pay every day and forever owe.”

Keep in mind what kind of love we’re talking about:

(1 Corinthians 13:4–8 NLT) —4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

There is a difference between godly love and our romantic, mushy, warm-fuzzy concept of love.

God’s kind of love doesn’t look the other way or ignore injustice. In fact, God’s love is the very foundation of His “discipline” of us, His chastisement of us when we’re disobedient (Heb. 13).

We think that “love” means that I have to turn my head and let someone get away with something, but God’s love will step in and deal with the problem, OUT OF LOVE, to stop the sin.

7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

If you think that you’ve already given a certain person “enough love”, you’re wrong.

You still owe more.

But don’t be confused with what you owe them – it’s not affection, it’s agape.

:8 he who loves another has fulfilled the law

has fulfilled – pleroo – to make full, to complete

Perfect tense. Has been fulfilled and continues to be.

:9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

:9 For the commandments, “You shall not …

The Ten Commandments were divided into two parts or two “tables” or “tablets”.

The first “table” (Ex. 20:3-8) contained the commandments about how we relate to God (don’t have other gods, no images… etc).

The second “table” contained the commandments about how we relate to people.

This is what Paul is quoting from, a little out of order and he doesn’t mention the command to honor your parents (Ex. 20:12-17).

adultery – moicheuo – to commit adultery; to break the marriage vows

murder – phoneuo –to kill, slay, murder

steal – klepto – to steal; to commit a theft

bear false witness – pseudomartureo (“false” + “to be a witness) – to utter falsehoods in giving testimony, to lie

covet – epithumeo – to have a desire for, long for; to lust after, covet

We may never let anyone see the strong desires inside of us, but don’t think that the “lust” isn’t harmful. It is one of those “root causes”, one of those things that can drive all of our actions if we aren’t careful.

:9 are all summed up …“You shall love your neighbor

summed up

God simplifies it for us. Instead of having to worry about five things NOT to do, we only have to focus on doing ONE thing – loving.

Paul is quoting from:

(Leviticus 19:18 NKJV) You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Jesus taught this as well (Matt. 22:35-40) that loving God and loving your neighbor was how you sum up all the commandments.

(Matthew 22:35–40 NKJV) —35 36 37 38 39 40

Illustration

Talking about neighbors …

During his sermon, a pastor quoted from Matthew, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” To emphasize the point, he asked three times, with increasing intensity: “Who is my neighbor? Who is my neighbor? Who is my neighbor?!” Each time he asked, a young boy in the congregation answered (mimicking the pastor’s intensity, but not quite as loud): “Mister Rogers! Mister Rogers! Mister Rogers!”

• Ed Arida, Stow, OH, Christian Reader, “Lite Fare.”

:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

harm

:10 love is the fulfillment of the law

If you will love people, then you won’t be hurting them.

Lesson

Love obeys the law.

Some people have the idea that living the Christian life has nothing to do with “the Law”. People will tell you, “Hey, I’m no longer under the Law, brother!”

But what they ignore is the fact that while our lives are no longer judged by the Law, and while our righteousness and the ability to make the grade in heaven is based on what Jesus has done for us, our lives will still conform to the Law.

Jesus said,

(Matthew 5:17–19 NKJV) —17 18 19

As we learn to pay attention to loving others like we ought, we will find that our actions will parallel what is commanded in the Law.

You can tell a lot about a person by whether or not they are obedient to the law.

Illustration

During his time as a rancher, Theodore Roosevelt and one of his cowpunchers lassoed a maverick steer, lit a fire, and prepared the branding irons. The part of the range they were on was claimed by Gregor Lang, one of Roosevelt’s neighbors. According to the cattleman’s rule, the steer therefore belonged to Lang. As his cowboy applied the brand, Roosevelt said, “Wait, it should be Lang’s brand.” “That’s all right boss,” said the cowboy. “But you’re putting on my brand,” Roosevelt said. “That’s right,” said the man. “Drop that iron,” Roosevelt demanded, “and get back to the ranch and get out. I don’t need you anymore. A man who will steal for me will steal from me.”

• The Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes, Clifton Fadiman, General Editor, Little Brown & Company, 1985, p. 476.

Roosevelt knew he couldn’t trust the man as an employee because the man was a law-breaker.

Let’s say that a married man starts getting close to another woman other than his wife at work. Let’s say that he tells the woman that he “loves” her. Can that be true love? No, because the man is breaking the law by committing adultery against his wife. If he breaks the law against his wife, what’s going to keep him from breaking the law again with you?

Lesson

How can I love like that?

1. Let God love you

(1 John 4:19 NKJV) We love Him because He first loved us.

I can only begin to understand how to love God with my heart, mind, and strength when I begin to understand how much God loves me.

2. Be filled with the Spirit

(Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV) —22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

The chief result of the Holy Spirit being in control of your life will be love.

3. Provoke others to love

(Hebrews 10:24 NKJV) And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,

stir up – paroxusmos – an inciting; irritation.

It’s like lighting a match. Starting a fire.

The old adage, “It only takes a spark to get a fire going…”

I don’t always enjoy being an irritation to others, but there is one way in which I hope I excel at irritating people. I hope I irritate them into loving others.

13:11-14 Put on Christ

:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

:11 And do this, knowing the time

What’s the “this”? Learning to “love your neighbor”. We ought to “love our neighbor” because of the time we’re in.

the time – kairos – a measure of time, a fixed and definite time

Paul is not referring to chronological time (chronos) but to kairos, time as an era, epoch, or age (MacArthur).

Do you know what “age” we’re in?

(Matthew 16:1–3 NKJV) —1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. 2 He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; 3 and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

times - kairos

The Pharisees knew a lot about how to predict the weather, but they were ignorant to the fact of the times they were in. The Messiah was standing right in front of them.

:11 that now it is high time to awake out of sleep

sleep – hupnos – sleep.

Sometimes we can get “hypnotized” by the world. We get a little “sleepy” to the things of God.

Yet it is the “hour” to wake up, not fall asleep.

high time

to awake

(Luke 9:22 NKJV) —22

:11 for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed

Paul uses the picture of somebody sleeping through the night and now it’s about time to wake up.

Every day that goes by gets us closer to the day of our “salvation”, when we will see God.

Lesson

Get ready to go

It’s not hard to get cynical about Jesus’ return and say something like, “People have been saying for years that Jesus was about to come back, and He hasn’t yet. Why should I be concerned?”

(Matthew 24:45–51 NKJV) —45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Which servant thinks that the Lord is delaying His coming? The evil servant.

Which servant is ready for his Master’s return? The faithful and wise servant.

Jesus is coming for us. It may be that we could suddenly die, and then we will find ourselves in His presence. It may be that the time of His return will finally come. Get ready.

:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand

far spent

There’s not much night time left.

:12 let us cast off the works of darkness

cast off – apotithemi – to put off or aside or away

Illustration

Down on Lake Isabella, located in the high desert an hour east of Bakersfield, Pete, new to boating was having a problem. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t get his brand new 22-ft Bayliner to perform. It wouldn’t get on a plane at all, and it was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no matter how much power he applied. After about an hour of trying to make it go, he putted over to a nearby marina. Maybe they could tell him what was wrong. A thorough topside check revealed everything was in perfect working order. The engine ran fine, the outdrive went up and down, and the prop was the correct size and pitch. So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath the boat. He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard. Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the trailer.

There are going to be some things that will definitely “slow you down” in life. If you don’t learn to unhook them from your life you’re not going to get too far. Paul calls them “works of darkness”.

(Hebrews 12:1 NKJV) —1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

:12 let us put on the armor of light

put on – enduo – to sink into (clothing), put on, clothe one’s self

The picture is like getting up in the morning and changing out of your pajamas and into your daytime clothes.

armor – hoplon – any tool or implement for preparing a thing; arms used in warfare, weapons

Illustration

A bunch of recruits were having a written examination, and when one of them was asked why he wasn’t working, he replied, “Sir, I have neither paper nor pencil.” “Well!” exclaimed the instructor, “what would you think of a soldier who went into battle with neither rifle nor ammunition?” The recruit thought for a moment, and then answered, “I’d think he was an officer, sir.”

Unfortunately, too many Christians today think they are officers in God’s army and have no need of the Spirit’s weapons. Don’t underestimate the enemy!

works of darkness … armor of light

Paul is going to clarify these in the next two verses.

:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day

properly

Paul is going to list things that belong in “darkness”, not in “the day”.

The things we put off, come in pairs.

The first two deal with intoxication

:13 not in revelry and drunkenness

revelry – komos – drunken party, carousal

This is a nighttime procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows who after supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honor of Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male and female friends; hence used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry

drunkenness – methe – intoxication; drunkenness.

Some folks don’t need a party as an excuse to get drunk. They drink when they’re alone.

The next two words deal with sexual sin:

:13 not in lewdness and lust

lewdness – koite – a place for laying down; a bed, couch

We’d call it “sleeping around”

Illustration

lust – aselgeia – unbridled lust, lacking sexual restraints, outrageousness, shamelessness

The fundamental thought is the acknowledging of no restraints, rudely doing whatever the latest impulse leads you to do.

The last two words deal with conflict with others:

:13 not in strife and envy

strife – eris – contention, strife, wrangling

envy – zelos – an envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy

These are all “night time” activities, things we are to “put off”.

:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ

put on – enduo – to sink into (clothing), put on, clothe one’s self

How do we get “dressed” with Jesus? Perhaps the key is in the title given to Jesus – “Lord”

Lesson

Making Him Lord

Victory over sin doesn’t come only by denying the flesh.

It comes by making Him your “Lord”.

You’ve got a “throne” inside your heart. It’s that seat inside you where the pilot sits, where the one sits that calls the shots, that makes the decisions.

Illustration

There’s a story about a photographer for a national magazine who was assigned to take pictures of a great forest fire. He was advised that a small plane would be waiting to fly him over the fire. The photographer arrived at the airstrip just an hour before sundown. Sure enough, a small Cessna airplane was waiting. He jumped in with his equipment and shouted, “Let’s go!” The tense man sitting in the pilot’s seat swung the plane into the wind and soon they were in the air, though flying erratically. “Fly over the north side of the fire,” said the photographer, “and make several low-level passes.” “Why?” asked the nervous pilot. “Because I’m going to take pictures!” yelled the photographer. “I’m a photographer, and photographers take pictures.” After a long pause, the “pilot” replied: “You mean, you’re not my instructor?”

Who is sitting in the “pilot’s seat” of your life?

Who makes the decisions? Do you have a “beginner” behind the stick? Or do you let Jesus fly the plane?

I think God’s desire is that we learn to stop and ask Him, “What do YOU want me to do?”

Sometimes He simply leaves the decision up to us.

But sometimes His answers are pretty obvious and clear. There are some things that are simply NOT what He wants us to do. There are other things that He does want us to do.

:14 make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts

provision – pronoia (“before” + “to understand”) – forethought, providential care; to make provision for a thing

It’s like planning for a trip and packing what you think you’ll need.

flesh – sarx – flesh; the sensuous nature of man, the sin nature

The part of me that loves to sin and rebel against God

lusts – epithumia – desire, craving, longing, desire for what is forbidden

My “flesh” wants certain things. Am I going to “pack a bag” for my flesh? Am I going to “provide for” my flesh?

Lesson

Don’t pack for the flesh

Illustration

When these extreme explorers try to climb Mount Everest, it’s very important that they have figured out how much supplies they’re going to need. They have special camps along the way to rest and be re-supplied. One of the keys to surviving Everest is having adequate provisions.

Having victory over sin is related to how we “re-supply” our sin nature.

Illustration

There’s the old Eskimo proverb: “Every man has two dogs fighting inside of him. The dog you feed is the dog that wins”

Are you feeding the “flesh dog” or the “Spirit dog”

(Acts 19:18–20 NKJV) —18 19 20

What are the kinds of things that “feed” our flesh? Are you aware of the things that make you want to sin more?

Be careful not to have the things close by that will tempt you. Clean out your closets. Get rid of the provisions.

14:1-13 Weaker Brothers

Now Paul goes into an area where we have lots of problems in church – how we tend to “judge” each other and put guilt trips on each other.

key word: “judge”, the Greek word (krino) is found seven times in our passage.

Paul will divide the people in church into two categories, the “weaker” and the “stronger”.

Who is the weaker brother?

One who still feels like their relationship with the Lord depends upon their keeping certain rules or laws. They have a struggle accepting by faith that Jesus’ righteousness is enough.

Paul is going to give several examples of these “gray” areas where people can differ in their opinions. A “gray” area is one where the Scripture doesn’t specifically forbid a certain thing. Some people take it one way, others take it another way.

He will talk about what to eat, what to drink, and what day is better than another.

CAUTION: Sometimes we think that the person who has “given up” the most things in the church is the stronger brother. It may not be so.

What are some potential “weak brother” issues for us?

Some of you may not like what I’m about to say.

Movies and TV – is it okay to watch? What is okay?

Drinking alcohol. Smoking.

An old saying was, “I don’t smoke and I don’t chew and I don’t go with girls that do!”

There are people who are very strong against smoking, saying that it defiles the temple of God.

But how about if you’re overweight? Is that defiling the “temple”?

Christians who live in the South, where tobacco is grown, often don’t have any problems at all with Christians smoking.

Christians in England and Europe, strong Christians, will drink wine or brandy, and even smoke cigars. Scripture says it’s wrong to be drunk, but it doesn’t say it’s wrong to drink.

Some of these things are more of a “forbidden” thing in a local culture than they are forbidden in Scripture.

These are things that seem to fall into kinds of “gray” areas, areas where I don’t think I’d see any specific prohibition in Scripture.

Lesson

Wrong is still wrong

I need to be clear here. There are some things in Scripture that are non-negotiable. There are some things that are just plain wrong.

(1 Corinthians 6:9–10 NKJV) —9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

People whose lives are characterized by these things won’t be in heaven.

There are certain things that are expressly forbidden in Scripture. We need to stay away from those things. But there are many things that aren’t specifically spoken to. We need to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit guiding us.

:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.

:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith

weak

receive – proslambano (“toward” + “to receive”) – to take to; to take as one’s companion; to take or receive into one’s home

Paul doesn’t just use the simple word for “receive” (lambano), but he uses a bit more intense word, one indicating closeness.

Paul uses a “middle voice”, meaning you “receive to yourself”

Paul uses an “imperative”, this is a command.

Paul uses a “present tense”, meaning that this is something we do now, perhaps even continually.

:1 but not to disputes over doubtful things

disputes

doubtful things

(Romans 14:1 NASB95) —1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.

Lesson

Don’t try to straighten everyone out.

A.T. Robertson: “The “strong” brother is not called upon to settle all the scruples of the “weak” brother.”

Sometimes us more “mature” Christians will try to take someone “under our wing” for the purpose of “setting him straight”.

Just be careful what you’re trying to straighten out.

If it’s a gray area, let it go.

There are some churches where if you expect to “fit in”, then you are going to need to dress a certain way, act a certain way, cut your hair a certain way, even talk a certain way. What was so refreshing about Calvary Chapel in the late sixties was that Pastor Chuck learned to just love the hippie kids, even though they didn’t quite fit the mold of the average church-goer of the time. I remember being in a church when a “long hair” showed up, and boy did they stick out like a sore thumb!

You don’t need to play “Holy Spirit” to your friends by trying to bring them under conviction. The Holy Spirit does a fine job without your help.

:2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.

:2 he who is weak eats only vegetables

may eat

eats

vegetables

There were and still are today some groups who hold to a strict vegetarian diet.

Others will hold to the Jewish dietary laws, forbidding the eating of pork, lobster, shrimp, etc.

Yet food doesn’t make you better or worse in your relationship with God. Jesus said that it wasn’t what you ate that defiled you, but what comes out of your life that defiles you

(Mark 7:19 NLT) —19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

Paul said that God gave us food to eat, and we ought to be thankful about it, all of it:

(1 Timothy 4:4–5 NKJV) —4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

Note that it’s the “weak” brother who is the one who has trouble eating meat. Sometimes we think that the person who has a problem in a certain area is really the spiritual one. If someone talks about how they don’t go to certain kinds of movies, or go and do certain kinds of things, they may actually be a “weaker” brother.

Lesson

What’s your reason?

When it comes to things in the “gray” area, I think it all depends on why you do or don’t do certain things.

Brownie points or lost the taste?

If your reason for not going to the movies is because you think it will get you “brownie points” with God, then you are a weaker brother. If your reason is because you simply have lost the taste for those kinds of movies, and it really doesn’t matter whether you go or don’t go, then perhaps it is just Jesus conforming you into His image.

But you need to be careful that you don’t go put your trip on somebody else.

:3 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.

:3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat

despise – exoutheneo (“out of” + “nothing”) – to make of no account, despise utterly, to look on someone as totally worthless

This seems to carry the idea that you look at a person and think they’re not saved anymore because of what they’re doing.

Here the idea is that the “strong” brother, who doesn’t have a problem eating different kinds of foods, shouldn’t look down on a person who is struggling with food problems.

:3 …not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him

judge – krino – to separate, to pick out, select, choose; to approve, to prefer; to judge; to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong

This is the 1^st we’ll see this word.

Paul is saying that these “weaker” brothers should not stand back and criticize those who are smoking, especially when they don’t seem to have a problem with smoking.

received – proslambano (“toward” + “to receive”) – …to take into friendship

This is the same word used in verse 1. In verse 1 we are told that we need to now continually “receive” this person. Here in verse 3 we find out that God has already “received” them.

If God has “received” them, who am I to not “receive” them?

Do you have contempt for or judge others who do or don’t do certain things?

Sometimes we judge those who seem to have more liberty than we do because we wish we were able to do the same things. We’re jealous of them. We think, “How come they can do these things and get away with it while I feel condemned when I do it?”

There may be times when you are not listening to the Spirit and following His leading. Sometimes your convictions are more a product of what your parents thought or what your pastor says, than what the Lord thinks.

Lesson

Life ain’t fair. Get over it.

There may be times when you feel a conviction about a gray area from the Holy Spirit, and you may indeed be correct. But that doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit has put the same conviction about the same gray area on others as well.

Illustration

As parents, we often try very hard to make sure that one child isn’t exalted above the others. If you buy a shirt for one child, you buy one for each of the others. But sometimes you just can’t keep things balanced. Sometimes one child will simply get blessed with something that just can’t be matched for the others. And when the other children will complain (which they will), the only thing you can respond with is to say, “Sometimes life isn’t fair!” And that’s absolutely the truth.

Just because the Holy Spirit convicts you about a certain area doesn’t mean that you have to make sure that everyone has to learn the same lesson as you, just to be fair. Sometimes it isn’t going to be fair.

The important thing is not whether life seems fair. The important thing is that you are learning to listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

When Peter heard that John was going to live longer than he was, he complained…

(John 21:22 NKJV) —22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

:4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

:4 Who are you to judge another’s servant?

judge – krino – 2^nd time for the word

servant – oiketes – (“house”) one who lives in the same house as another, spoken of all who are under the authority of one and the same householder; a servant, a domestic

The problem comes when we get to thinking that we’re “better” than another person because of our superior beliefs. We can even start thinking that we’re the “lord” of that other person.

In reality, we are all servants in the same household. We all report to the same master.

We can find ourselves quite judgmental of other Christians, yet we are all serving the same Lord.

:4 he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand

Lesson

God wants you to make it

(keyword)

It might seem that some people don’t want you to succeed in following Jesus.

God on the other hand wants you to make it.

Jude says:

(Jude 24 NKJV) —24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

Give God time to finish the project He’s working on.

(Philippians 1:6 NLT) —6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

God is the potter who is shaping the clay. We are the clay and are responsible to stay pliable in the potter’s hands. You may be a part of God’s process of growing people up, but the responsibilities for their growth lie with God and with them, not you.

Lesson

Use the exit

It’s important to realize how God helps us to stand.

(1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV) —13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

There is an important part we play when it comes to “making it”.

God promised to always provide an “exit” to get out of every temptation. The trick is to use the exit.

The “Exit” door is always going to be there. It may be a phone call that temporarily breaks the thought processes of the temptation. Or a text message. It may be that you hit all red lights on the way to your sin. It may simply be the still, small voice of a Scripture calling out for you to flee. The real question is whether or not you use the exit.

Break

:5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.

:5 One person esteems one day above another

esteems – krino – 3^rd & 4^th time for the word

Days

Another “gray” area. The subject here is “days”. Do we consider one day better than another, or all days the same?

In Paul’s day, the Jewish believers were giving honor to God on the Sabbath, on Saturday.

There are people who think that if you worship on Sunday that you are evil and in rebellion against God. They say that Saturday is the day.

In contrast, the Gentile believers of Paul’s day were already worshipping on Sunday (Acts 20:7; 1Cor. 16:2), out of respect for the Resurrection, which took place on a Sunday.

Some folks feel that all days are really the same and that we really ought to be thinking about worshipping God every day! I kind of like that idea myself.

:5 Let each be fully convinced in his own mind

be fully convinced – plerophoreo (“full” + “to wear like clothes”) – to bear or bring full; to fill one with any thought, conviction, or inclination; to be persuaded, persuaded, fully convinced or assured

There is no right or wrong way to these things. You need to make up your own mind on these gray areas and then just be faithful to your convictions without judging others.

Be faithful to what you are persuaded about.

:6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

observes

This is a general rule that doesn’t apply in every situation.

Most people make one day special because they are trying to do it for the Lord, but not everyone.

:7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

Keep in mind that Paul is addressing believers. He’s making a generalization, that believers live their lives for the Lord, to be pleasing to the Lord.

:8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

:9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

rose

lived again

:9 that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living

He might be Lord

Jesus’ death and resurrection make Him “Lord”.

Fellow servants don’t judge one another. That’s the job of their “Lord”.

:10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

:10 why do you judge your brother?

judge – krino – 5^th time for the word

:10 Or why do you show contempt for your brother?

show contempt – exoutheneo (“out of” + “nothing”) – to make of no account, despise utterly; Same word as “despise” in verse 3.

:10 we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ

stand before

judgment seat – bema – a step; a raised place mounted by steps; of the official seat of a judge;

Caesarea was the political center of Israel in Paul’s day. I’ve heard of two possible locations of where Herod had his “bema”.

One was in the theater.

The other was in the praetorium, next door to Herod’s palace that overlooked the Mediterranean.

Lesson

The Judgment Seat of Christ

This judgment seat is not to determine whether or not we go to heaven, but to determine our rewards when we’re in heaven. It is where our deeds are judged after having become a Christian.

(2 Corinthians 5:10 NKJV) —10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Paul talks about our lives being like a build on a foundation. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, God lays a foundation in our life. What we do with our lives after that is the building that we build. It’s the building we build that will be judged.

(1 Corinthians 3:12–15 NKJV) —12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

God’s method of judging our works will be to put them through the fire. Whatever survives the fire of God’s judgment is worth keeping. Whatever burns up is worth losing.

What’s the difference between a “gold” kind of work and a “stubble” kind of work? It’s our motives.

The best motive to do anything, the motive that will produce rewards in heaven, is love:

(1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NKJV) —1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Ultimately, if we don’t do things out of love, then it’s worthless.

What’s the point of Paul mentioning this?

Because it’s JESUS who will judge other believers, not me.

:11 For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”

:11 Every knee shall bow to Me

Paul is quoting from Isaiah 45:23.

(Isaiah 45:23 NKJV) —23 I have sworn by Myself; And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.

Paul also quotes this in Phil. 2:8-11.

confess

:12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

account

:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

:13 not to put a stumbling block

stumbling block

cause to fall

We’ll talk more about this in a minute.

:13 let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve…

judge – krino – 6^th time for the word

resolve – krino – 7^th time for the word

Lesson

Let Jesus do the judging

(keyword)

Part of the influence of Rome upon the world in Paul’s day was that Rome had spread its love for the “games”. Many cities around the world had their smaller versions of the Roman Coliseum, where cities would have various types of competition, some purely athletic, others quite violent and deadly. The average person in the Roman Empire knew of the picture of an athlete standing before the king or judge to receive their prize.

Video: Gladiator - Maximus the Merciful

This is not the exact picture of us though.

Usually the gladiator does what the emperor says.

And in our case, Jesus is the one who is merciful, while we usually prefer to chop off heads.

For us, the king that we are going to stand before is no earthly king, it will be Jesus. We will all stand before Him.

Let Jesus take care of the judging of other Christians in these “gray” areas.

Illustration

Warren Wiersbe writes,

Two of the most famous Christians in the Victorian Era in England were Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker, both of them mighty preachers of the Gospel. Early in their ministries they fellowshipped and even exchanged pulpits. Then they had a disagreement, and the reports even got into the newspapers. Spurgeon accused Parker of being unspiritual because he attended the theater. Interestingly enough, Spurgeon smoked cigars, a practice many believers would condemn. Who was right? Who was wrong? Perhaps both of them were wrong!

When it comes to questionable matters in the Christian life, cannot dedicated believers disagree without being disagreeable? “I have learned that God blesses people I disagree with!” a friend of mine told me one day, and I have learned the same thing. When Jesus Christ is Lord, we permit Him to deal with His own servants as He wishes.

St. Augustine put it this way: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

14:14-23 Walk in Love

:14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

:14 am convinced …there is nothing unclean

unclean – koinos – common; ceremonially unclean

In the Old Testament, “unclean” is close, but not quite sin. Unclean things might be foods you were not to eat, people with certain diseases, but not necessarily outright sin. An “unclean” person was not allowed to come into the Tabernacle. An “unclean” person was supposed to stay away from other people.

nothing – I don’t think Paul is making a blanket statement here. After all, sin is sin. Don’t pervert this passage to say that there’s nothing “unclean” about internet pornography. In the context of the passage, Paul is talking about food.

convinced – peitho – to be persuaded; to believe; have confidence

It’s a perfect tense, something that’s happened in the past but the effects continue on into the present. Paul was persuaded a while back, and he’s still persuaded.

:14 to him who considers anything to be unclean

considers – logizomai – to reckon, compute; count up or weigh the reasons, to deliberate

Here’s our “accounting”, “logical” word.

God’s definition of “unclean” changes in the New Testament.

When Jesus was confronted about the issue of what to eat and becoming unclean, He said,

(Mark 7:18–19 NLT) —18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

I don’t think this entirely eliminates the Levitical Law of what foods were to be eaten and which were not. But Jesus is saying that it does not affect your relationship with God.

There is still some great value to the Levitical Laws. One of the big things that was forbidden was the eating of “fat”. The “fat” belonged to God. My cardiologist also tells me to avoid fat.

And to be honest, I don’t have a problem with the laws against eating some foods like vultures and buzzards (Lev. 11:13), bats (Lev. 11:19), and “winged insects that walk” (Lev. 11:20).

Peter had an encounter with “unclean” things that changed him as well:

(Acts 10:10–15 NKJV) —10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

After this vision, Peter had some visitors sent from the Gentile Cornelius, asking Peter to come and speak to them at Caesarea. When Peter arrived at Caesarea, he told Cornelius,

(Acts 10:28 NKJV) —28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

Peter’s vision was about more than food. It was really about people.

Even though the truth is there is nothing “unclean”, Paul’s point is that when a person thinks something is unclean, then it’s as good as if it were actually unclean.

Some people don’t have a problem watching some things on TV. They find some shows entertaining on TV, though some are not so good for your brain.

Some people that feel they can’t have a TV in their house because TV is evil.

:15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.

Remember that “stumbling block” in verse 13? We’re going to see a little more about what that’s all about.

:15 if your brother is grieved because of your food

grieved – lupeo – to make sorrowful; offend

:15 you are no longer walking in love

love – agape – love based on a choice to value another person.

Lesson

Reasons to say “no”

Why should I say “no” to doing something in the “gray” area?

1. Conscience

That’s the issue in verse 14. If you are having a hard time getting yourself to eat roasted bat wings, just because you know all food is “clean”, doesn’t mean that you should be eating it! If you have a struggle with your conscience about drinking alcoholic beverages, even though you realize that the Scripture allows it (as long as you aren’t getting drunk), then you shouldn’t be doing it.

2. Bondage

(1 Corinthians 6:12 NKJV) —12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

Keep in mind here that we’re still talking about the things that fall into the “gray” areas. I don’t think you can twist Paul’s words to say that “all things are lawful” could cover something like immorality. Paul makes it very clear in this very same passage that there are some things that aren’t negotiable (1Cor. 6:9,14).

There may be some things that are perfectly fine for you to do. But the question is, can you stop? Does this thing bring you into it’s power? People say, “Oh, I can quit any time.” But can you? Do you have to do it?

If there is something other than Jesus Christ in control of your life, then something’s wrong. This often requires that we need to die to something in our life, to be “crucified” to it.

A.W. Tozer said,

“In every Christian’s heart there is a cross and a throne. And the Christian is on the throne until he puts himself on the cross. If he refuses the cross, he remains on the throne.”

Does the thing have control over you? Put Jesus on the throne and yourself on the cross.

3. Profitability

(1 Corinthians 10:23 NKJV) —23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.

There are lots of things that we can be spending our time doing. The question is, “is it profitable”? Is it worth spending time doing? Does it build you up? Does it build others up?

I kind of wonder if sometimes we need to be a little careful here. Some of us are very good at laying guilt trips on ourselves. We can fall into a trap of thinking that only hard work is profitable and never learn to take a rest. God says that He created the Sabbath for our sakes, because we needed rest.

4. Love

That’s the issue here in verse 15.

(1 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV) …(love) does not seek its own

A person exercising agape love does not concern themselves with their own needs before they are concerned with the needs of others.

(Philippians 2:3–4 NKJV) —3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

A person who is learning to walk in agape won’t be thinking things like, “Well I have a right to this!”

Many of the problems we encounter in our relationships with one another occur because we are thinking selfishly, we are thinking only about ourselves, and we trample on those around us.

Some people would hold to the idea that what they are doing is actually permissible. It may be permissible, but it’s not loving.

(1 Corinthians 8:1 NLT) —1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.

:16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;

:16 your good be spoken of as evil

be spoken of as evil – blasphemeo – blaspheme; to be evil spoken of, reviled, railed at

(Romans 14:16 NLT) —16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good.

The “good” things we have are the things we have a liberty to be doing. These things are “good” to us. But when we abuse our freedom by causing others to stumble, we cause them to speak badly of our liberty. Sometimes we can make people curse God.

Lesson

My actions can lead others to blasphemy.

We may not ever actually blaspheme with our own mouths, but our actions might legitimately cause others to curse God.

When David had committed adultery and murder with Bathsheba, he was confronted by the prophet Nathan –

(2 Samuel 12:13–14 NKJV) —13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”

In Romans, the case is not so much outright sin, but because we might cause others to stumble in acting against their convictions.

:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

:17 righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

righteousness

peace

joy – chara – joy, gladness

Lesson

Focus on the right things

Too often we get sidetracked with little, tiny, inconsequential issues.

What’s important is that we find life in the Holy Spirit.

Illustration

I’ve been to baseball games with family members who aren’t really into baseball. They bring books to read. They spend their time on FaceBook.

If it’s a close game, nothing matches the excitement of coming from behind and it’s the bottom of the 9^th inning – two outs, down by one run, men on second and third base, the batter goes to a full count, then hits a bloop single into right field scoring the runners and winning the game. The high fives, the crowd goes wild.

Except for the person busy taking selfies and looking for another popcorn.

They miss what the ballgame is all about.

Sometimes in church we get so sidetracked about little issues like criticizing other people in the church, what’s wrong with this, what’s wrong with that. Maybe we ought to be a little more focused on getting excited about what God is doing???

Illustration

One pastor writes,

Several years ago, on a Saturday before Easter in another city, I was struggling under how to try to preach the Easter message to all the varied people who would gather. How do I tell that news? I was out with my children wanting to take some quality time with them.

But I was burdened under this sermon, and the kids were flitting away like butterflies on the loose, way down the road as we were walking through the neighborhood. Suddenly they called out my name. The shield went up a little bit, and they said, “Daddy, can you do this?” I looked, and my kids were skipping along the road. “Yeah, I can do that,” I said, and went back to pondering this theological treatise.

And they said, “No, Daddy, can you? I mean, really, can you go skipping? We’ve never seen you.”

“Well, of course, I can go skipping. Everybody’s been skipping.” “Well ...” You know what they said: “Then show us.”

I hate to be beaten by the kids. But I couldn’t go skipping. I’m an adult, and I have a doctorate degree, and I pastor First Church, and we have members who live in this neighborhood. Neighborhood associations are worried enough when a preacher moves into town. It makes prices volatile in the neighborhood. But if he goes skipping around, well, that does it. I couldn’t do that. What did they say? “Na-na-na-na-na. You can’t do it.” So I looked around, then I did it.

I can’t remember why I ever stopped skipping as a child. It’s not hard on your knees. It’s easier than jogging, and you can get a lot of distance. Maybe it’s because adults just aren’t that happy any more, not that carefree. Unless they get hold of Easter. Unless Easter gets hold of them.

Allen Walworth, "Running through the Cemetery," Preaching Today, Tape No. 151

All this is found in “the Holy Spirit”.

God’s desire is that we focus on what the Holy Spirit has for us.

:18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

:18 he who serves Christ in these things

Things like righteousness and peace and joy

Things like not causing others to stumble.

Lesson

A better witness

Our goal isn’t to “impress” people, but to “impact” them.

When they see that we care enough for others to limit our own freedoms, they begin to get a taste of what Jesus is all about. It’s all about His love.

(John 13:34–35 NKJV) —34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

That’s how people see we’re connected to Jesus is by how we love each other, not how we judge each other.

:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

:19 the things by which one may edify another

Lesson

Building up or tearing down?

(Ephesians 4:29 NIV) —29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

It’s too often that we are just good at criticizing one another. We need to work at encouraging each other.

Illustration

A dog walks into a butcher shop with a purse strapped around his neck. He walks up to the meat case and calmly sits there until it’s his turn to be helped. A man, who was already in the butcher shop, finished his purchase and noticed the dog. The butcher leaned over the counter and asked the dog what it wanted today. The dog put its paw on the glass case in front of the ground beef, and the butcher said, “How many pounds?” The dog barked twice, so the butcher made a package of two pounds ground beef. He then said, “Anything else?” The dog pointed to the pork chops, and the butcher said, “How many?” The dog barked four times, and the butcher made up a package of four pork chops. The dog then walked around behind the counter, so the butcher could get at the purse. The butcher took out the appropriate amount of money and tied two packages of meat around the dog’s neck. The man, who had been watching all of this, decided to follow the dog. It walked for several blocks and then walked up to a house and began to scratch at the door to be let in. As the owner opened the door, the man said to the owner, “That’s a really smart dog you have there.” The owner said, “He’s not really all that smart. This is the second time this week he forgot his key.”

Illustration

Jesus arrived at the gates of a certain city, and he sent his disciples forward to prepare supper while he himself walked through the streets into the marketplace. He saw, at the corner of the market, some people gathered together looking at some object, and he drew near to see what it might be.

It was a dead dog with a halter round his neck, by which he appeared to have been dragged through the dirt, and a viler, more abject, more unclean thing never met the eyes of man.

“Ugh!” said one, holding his nose, “It pollutes the air!”

“How long,” said another, “will this foul beast offend our sight?”

“Look at his torn hide,” said a third. “You couldn’t even cut a shoe out of it.”

“And his ears,” said a fourth, “all bedraggled and bleeding.”

Jesus looked down compassionately on the dead creature said, “Pearls are not equal to the whiteness of his teeth.”

The people turned to him with amazement and said among themselves, “Who is this? This must be Jesus of Nazareth, for only he could find something to pity and approve even in a dead dog.” Ashamed, they bowed their heads and went each on his way.

Charles Spurgeon

What do you say about your dog? How about your friends? How about the people you work with?

:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.

:20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food

destroy – kataluo – to dissolve, disunite; to destroy, demolish

When a person abuses their freedom to do a certain thing in the “gray” area, instead of bringing peace and building others up, they are dissolving and destroying the Body of Christ.

We would consider it an outrage if someone defaced a great work of Rembrandt or Michelangelo. How much more if we destroy the work of God Himself?

:20 but it is evil for the man who eats with offense

offense – proskomma – a stumbling block

Even though there is nothing wrong with eating things, if you do it to cause another person to stumble, then it becomes wrong.

I may be convinced that I can drink alcohol (which I’m not), and go out and “have a few beers” with my friends. But if I cause a brother who is struggling to have victory over alcohol to stumble, then my drinking is WRONG.

:21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

Be careful about doing things that you know might cause another person to stumble. Out of love, not out of legalism.

:22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

:22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God.

There’s a sense in which my personal convictions about the gray areas need to be my personal convictions. I shouldn’t be living according to what others have as personal convictions.

But I also need to be honest with myself in standing in God’s presence with these convictions.

Do you have your personal convictions because it just happens to please your flesh? Do you have the freedom to go see “R” rated movies, because you just want to see “R” rated movies? Or could you honestly stand before God and watch your “R” rated movie? Only you and God know whether you’re being honest about it.

:22 Happy is he who does not condemn himself

It’s a truly happy person who doesn’t do things that their own conscience tells them not to do.

:23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

:23 he who doubts is condemned if he eats

Pastor Chuck Smith:

“It’s wrong to talk someone out of his convictions. When a person is pressured to act against his convictions, he feels condemned before God. His conscience will whip him, and Satan will take full advantage of his feelings. He’ll try to make the weaker brother feel alienated from God. Be wary of becoming an unwitting tool in Satan’s hands by urging a brother to act against his convictions. Let everyone serve God according to his own measure of faith.”

:23 whatever is not from faith is sin

sin

Lesson

Live by your convictions

If you doubt, don’t.

There’s a balance needed here. There are times when a person’s convictions are way out of hand. I know of people who feel guilty about everything. If one of these people followed this completely, they wouldn’t do anything.

As a general rule, this is a good principle to follow in making decisions.

Illustration

The mighty Niagara River plummets some 180 feet at the American and Horseshoe Falls. Before the falls, there are violent, turbulent rapids. Farther upstream, however, where the river’s current flows more gently, boats are able to navigate. Just before the Welland River empties into the Niagara, a pedestrian walkway spans the river. Posted on this bridge’s pylons is a warning sign for all boaters: “Do you have an anchor?” followed by, “Do you know how to use it?”

-- Paul Adams in Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.

Following your convictions, following after the things that you have “faith” for, can be one of those anchors in life. Learn to follow your convictions now rather than wait until you go over the falls that you were warned about with those little inner promptings.

Pericope Project