OK… it’s our last day in the fog! 6, 8, 10, and 14, remembering the two big multi-cultural churches – Corinth and Rome – read this verse:
Romans 14:23
“But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
Imagine coming out of paganism. Before coming to Christ, you offered your body sexually to a temple prostitute. You gave animal sacrifices to the same gods, and you in turn bought meat from your temple market at a reduced rate. Suddenly, you’ve found God and you realize your body belongs to Him, which means sexually your body only belongs to your marriage partner. You’ve grown up eating temple meat, but you associate it totally with your “old” way of life. Despite what Paul said (that all things are the Lord’s if offered in thanksgiving), you simply can’t bring yourself to buy or eat meat from the pagan temple market again. You have too many memories of bondage when you are reminded of your “old” way of life, and you prefer not to be reminded of it but does this mean it is wrong for someone else?
See if you can come up with a list of things that certain Christians SHOULDN’T do – not because they are necessarily wrong, but simply because their faith is weak and their temptation is strong in a particular area.
List below the 6 “Gray Area” principles in your own words:
1) 1 Corinthians 6:12
2) 1 Corinthians 8:13
3) 1 Corinthians 10:31
4) Romans 14:1-9
5) Romans 14:21
6) Romans 14:23
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.