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by Howard
Watson
This chapter points to our judging each other
and our accountability to God in Christ Jesus. Living in different
places, under differing laws and rules for special days/feasts and
for things eaten or drunk, meant that new Christians coming out
of those differing backgrounds associated the evil of eating forbidden
flesh which may have been slain for an offering/sacrifice to a false
deity, or meat forbidden for Jews to eat in the O.T., and wine drinking
which may have been a great player in debauchery/revilings, will
need to learn to live together in support and kindness.
The rules for Christians are based upon love (agape) and faith as
found in verses fifteen and thirty-one. Eating or drinking habits,
and our religious living with regard to other Christians before
God and Jesus Christ, is based upon our unity in Christ: as Jews,
Gentiles, men, women, rich, poor, whoever we may have been in past
years. We are not to judge one another but to surrender in subjection
to one another in Christ's love. Paul writes in verse twenty-one:
"It is better not to eat meat, or drink wine or to do anything
else tht will cause your brother to fall."NIV
Both the strong in faith, who is able to eat any particular meat
while praising and thanking God in his own heart and conscience
and the weak brother in faith, who can only eat certain meat due
to previous experiences, are important to the Lord and are accepted
of the Lord because the kingdom of God is not food or drink but
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit " pneumati
hagio" ( Gk. for Spirit Holy). See verses fifteen through twenty-one.
Paul reminds the reader, in verse ten, that all are accountable
to Christ in a final judgment of righteousness at Christ's bema
or judgment seat.
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