As believers and disciples of Christ, we are like fellow servants of the King, our heavenly Father. Servants should absolutely discuss amongst one another in love the best way to obey and show love and respect to their master. They should “compare notes” on their understanding of what the master desires. They should help one another. Ultimately, however, there may be genuine disagreements or differences of understanding of what the master desires. In this regard we are not to divide as servants of the master and fight but rather to each seek the direction of the master to come to better understand his way.
Said more simply, we need not fight one another on how best to serve the Master. Instead, support one another in our desire to please and obey Him. Discuss and compare understanding of His instructions for sure, but do not part ways in anger over disagreements. Seek out and be sensitive to ways in which you can support your fellow servants even if they are trying to serve the Master differently than your understanding. Even if you are positive you are right, dividing over it is not helpful. Rebuke what is obviously wrong, discuss and collaborate on what is possibly unclear, and support one another in desire to serve our Master.
Principles of Conscience
1Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 6He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. 7For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
11For it is written,
“AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME,
AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.”
12So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
13Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. 16Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. 22The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
We are each of us accountable to the King, not to one another, for our obedience. Help and encourage one another, even where there are differences of opinion or if you are sure someone has got something wrong. Be the light and share why you worship and serve the way you do and pray for them. If they are wholeheartedly pursuing the Lord, then He can help them find their way. He may even use you if you don’t discourage your fellow servant by making yourself unapproachable.
Take time to consider and pray for Yahweh to show you where you are treating fellow believers wrongly… perhaps even despising them. Pray for God to help you look on fellow believers with love and see them through His eyes. Lead them and encourage them. Support them. Pray for them. Treat them as fellow servants, brothers and sisters, serving the same King.
I invite you to pray with me:
Father, please help Your people to work together to serve You. Help us not to fight between us even as we have differences of understanding on how to serve You. Help us to be filled with grace and patience for one another. Help us to celebrate one another and find strength and encouragement in one another as fellow servants of the King! Amen.
Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ
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