Romans 14:1-12, Don't Criticize Others

 ¹Welcome all the Lord's followers, even those whose faith is weak. Don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours. ²Some think it is all right to eat anything, while those whose faith is weak will eat only vegetables. ³But you should not criticize others for eating or for not eating. After all, God welcomes everyone. ⁴What right do you have to criticize someone else's servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right, and the Lord will make sure that they do right.
    ⁵Some of the Lord's followers think one day is more important than another. Others think all days are the same. But each of you should make up your own mind. ⁶Any followers who count one day more important than another day do it to honor their Lord. And any followers who eat meat give thanks to God, just like the ones who don't eat meat.
    ⁷Whether we live or die, it must be for God, rather than for ourselves. ⁸Whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord. Alive or dead, we still belong to the Lord. ⁹This is because Christ died and rose to life, so that he would be the Lord of the dead and of the living. ¹⁰Why do you criticize other followers of the Lord? Why do you look down on them? The day is coming when God will judge all of us. ¹¹In the Scriptures God says,
   "I swear by my very life
   that everyone will kneel down
   and praise my name!"
    ¹²And so, each of us must give an account to God for what we do.

When I point a finger at you, I have three pointing back at me...

If we're guilty of anything today, this is probably it...criticizing other Christians. Paul clearly says "don't criticize them for having beliefs that are different from yours". I know, I know...professed Christians exhibit all sorts of strange habits..many seem destructive to good order and discipline. A little criticism might seem healthy.

Of course, we're not talking about denying Christ or elevating sacraments. We're talking about (mostly) well-meaning efforts of individual Christians to obey God. Yet, purity of faith is a high priority for all of us...

Paul uses a number of examples from his time and place. They look different from ours, but the principle is the same. We speak in tongues...or we don't. We tithe...or we don't. We share the Gospel...or we don't. Nobody should argue that there isn't a preferred (Divine) position in any dispute. Regardless, we are supposed to mind our own business. Paul says other Christians are not ours to criticize. They are God's property and he will manage them appropriately.

Or don't we believe they can hear the Holy Spirit like we do? Now, that's just ugly! Actually, Paul's counting on it. That's why he says "each of you should make up your own mind". He could only say this if he trusted people to listen to God. Paul has far greater confidence in the Holy Spirit than he does in the Church as a whole.

Anyway, I have enough to do cleaning up my own life. We should all be too busy with our own habits to pay attention to others. Paul says "whether we live or die, it must be for the Lord". Bottom line...other Christians are not ours to criticize. They are God's. Wow! is that a weight of my shoulders!

Live boldly out there today...