Romans 14-1 Christian Conduct (6) Issues Regarding Food 2#
Rom-14-1 Christian Conduct (6)
- Issues Regarding Food (Part 2)
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Life of Eagles)
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for preparing this wonderful time for us to receive your word together. May the Holy Spirit guide everyone who seeks you, so that we may establish correct faith in your word. Grant us wisdom through the truth, so that we may know how to walk in our lives. We are willing to be vessels of blessing, spreading the gospel so that those around us may benefit. We completely dedicate the following time to you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!
Romans 14:12-23
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself; but if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.
15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. 22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 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.
Chapter 14 is all about one thing, the issue of food. Paul's point is that we should not create disputes over food; what matters most is righteousness, peace, and joy that come from God. We cannot let food cause someone to stumble, as what we eat or do not eat does not make God love us more. We should pursue building others up and edifying them.
It is often seen that some brothers and sisters debate over whether certain foods can be eaten. In fact, whether one eats or does not eat is just a personal opinion. Salvation does not depend on what we eat or do not eat. God delights in you because the blood of Jesus has cleansed you from all sin. It has little to do with what you eat.
Verse 12 states, "So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God."
If this passage is not understood, it can be misinterpreted. Those under the law might say, "You must be careful of yourself, because in the future you will have to account for everything before God; be cautious about what you are doing now!" This interpretation is incorrect.
In the future, at God's judgment seat, we will not be explaining others' matters to God; rather, each person will explain their own matters before God. This refers to the part before verse 12, which is about judging others over food. Each person eats according to their faith; those who eat should not judge those who do not eat, and those who do not eat should not look down on those who do eat. In short, we should not judge one another over food. We should simply receive things by faith.
Verse 13 says, "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister."
We should not judge one another over food. God will not listen to you judging your brother. Instead of engaging in such useless activities, it is better to genuinely thank God for food. In the future, the judgment before God's great throne is a matter between us and God. Some may not understand this; when the white throne judgment is mentioned, they think it refers to punishment. If you judge others on earth, God will hold you accountable, or He will display all the judgments you made against others or the bad things you did on a big screen, leaving you embarrassed. This is not the case.
When Jesus was on the cross, He already resolved the issue of our sins; God no longer remembers our sins. In the future, at the judgment seat, God will look at what we have offered to Him. This refers to the reward aspect, not punishment. God will absolutely not allow you to judge your brother at the judgment seat. Each person must explain their own matters to God.
For example, if you have refrained from eating meat for the sake of Christ, God will reward you for that. Similarly, another person who thanks God for eating meat and helps others will also receive a reward. But God will not give you the opportunity to accuse your brother.
If you want to accuse someone, Jesus has many accusations against us, because the issue of sin has already been resolved. God only remembers what you have done for Christ on earth and will reward you for it. Therefore, while living on earth, it is better to do things that will be remembered by God. Do not judge one another.
Verse 13 says, "Instead, make up your mind," meaning you should make a firm decision not to judge one another. Do not put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
A stumbling block refers to something that causes someone to fall while they are on their path. A stumbling block is like setting a trap. We should not do things that cause others to stumble; do not let your brother become discouraged and fall because of your criticism and judgment. In other words, do not judge your brother, condemn your brother, or elevate yourself; these are all stumbling blocks. God is not pleased with actions that elevate oneself at the expense of others.
Judgment is a derogatory term. Judgment refers to slander and malicious criticism.
This means that someone who is not that bad is made to seem worthless, causing them to lose face. We have received the grace of the Lord Jesus, which does not mean we will not sin again; we are all imperfect. If we judge and attack one another, we will not see the love of Jesus.
Of course, if you see a brother or sister going down the wrong path, it does not mean you should ignore them! That is also incorrect. You should privately remind them and encourage them in love, but not in a judgmental or condemning way.
Romans 14:14 says, "I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself; but if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean."
In the Old Testament laws and regulations, there are clean and unclean animals; some can be eaten, and some cannot. But here Paul tells us that, in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that nothing is unclean, because everything created by God is good. The key is how a person's heart views the things of the world.
Only if a person regards something as unclean, then it is unclean for them. Just like in the past when society divided people into classes, in God's eyes, there are no distinctions. If a person's heart regards something as unclean, they will see everything as unclean. The problem is not with others; it may lie within that person.
The early church faced the dilemma of which foods could be eaten and which could not. Jews do not eat unclean foods, but Gentiles enjoy eating them. This is the conflict between the Old and New Testaments.
In this situation, Paul provides us with a clear answer regarding the issue of food: nothing is unclean. It is people who categorize things as clean or unclean. Everything God created is good. It is only later that people corrupted it, changing the original form of what God created.
Let me give a few examples so you can understand: grapes are inherently clean and good, but when wine is made from grapes, some people indulge and get drunk, leading to immoral behavior. The book of Genesis records Noah's situation; wine was originally good, but he got drunk and ended up naked and cursed his own child. Was that the fault of the grapes? The grapes were good, but in the end, they became a stumbling block for others. It is not that God created bad grapes, nor is it that one cannot drink wine. Everything God created is good; it is just that the human heart has changed, so everything is viewed differently.
Some say you should not express your true feelings in front of friends because it is dangerous; you might get betrayed. Everything God created is good, but it is the human heart that has turned many things unclean. Relationships between men and women were originally good, but because of the human heart's corruption, those relationships have turned immoral. Now people think that a man and a woman together cannot do anything good. In reality, it is the human heart that has changed.
Vegetables and plants are inherently good. But when people use them to create toxic substances, are these plants bad? These things are inherently good; it is just that due to human greed and corruption, people end up thinking these things are bad.
Verse 15 says, "If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died."
Regarding the issue of what to eat, each person's understanding may differ slightly. But if your eating causes your brother distress or causes them to stumble, it is of no benefit. It cannot demonstrate the love of Christ. What we eat or do not eat does not make God love us more. God wants us to demonstrate the love of Christ in everything. Therefore, do not let food cause others to stumble.
The change in all things is due to humanity. Originally, everything was good, but because Adam fell, everything was cursed along with him. We must pay special attention to what has become unclean. If your brother truly believes something is unclean, then for their sake, do not do that thing, as they cannot accept it.
Some teachings say that Christians absolutely cannot drink alcohol because alcohol is very evil. Therefore, some brothers and sisters believe that drinking is immoral and that those who drink are hypocrites. If you know their faith is like this, do not drink in front of them. If you go to their house, do not say, "Brother, let’s have a couple of bottles." They might stumble because of your words.
The meaning of verse 15 is that if this food causes your brother distress, then you are putting a stumbling block before him, and you should not do that. You are not acting in love.
We have been discussing the truth of conduct, which is unrelated to salvation. It mainly talks about the lifestyle of believers. It is not that drinking will offend God; it is just that some brothers and sisters do not understand this and cannot accept that Christians drink. Therefore, do not mention drinking in front of them, as it can easily cause them to stumble. Even if you can drink well, do not talk about it in front of them.
Similarly, regarding smoking, some churches explicitly prohibit Christians from smoking. They believe that smoking defiles the body. They take this very seriously and frighteningly, causing some people who want to believe to hesitate because they cannot give up smoking. Of course, I am not encouraging brothers and sisters to smoke; smoking is indeed not beneficial for the body. But we are saying that if someone cannot quit smoking at the moment, can they refrain from smoking in front of brothers and sisters to avoid causing others to stumble?
Because this one action may cause many people to stumble, each person's faith is different; some believe they cannot smoke. In fact, even if you smoke, you will not go to hell, but your behavior brings great distress to others. Of course, if you want to overcome this issue, you can do so by declaring that Jesus Christ has overcome, and you will overcome too, or declare that you are loved by God and are God's beloved child. The Holy Spirit can help you overcome this issue.
If food causes your brother distress, you are not acting in love. This is not a legalistic requirement; it is what God hopes you will do because you are living not only before your brothers and sisters but also before those who do not believe. Many unbelievers have become supervisors of Christians; if you walk down the street with a cigarette, those unbelievers who know you will say, "Aren't you a Christian? How can you still smoke?" They will immediately react, saying that Christians should not do such things!
For this reason, it may bring shame to our Lord. Therefore, out of love, do not let others be distressed; do not let your brother be distressed; act out of love. We have been emphasizing the relationship between people. Before God, even if you do this, your relationship with God will not change, but your relationship with people may change.
Do not cause others pain or distress because of your special behavior, especially regarding food. Because of our actions and habits, we may face criticism, judgment, complaints, or disputes from others, leading to misunderstandings. This leaves others with a stumbling block. If the food you eat causes your brother distress, do not do that thing, as it is out of love for him.
Verse 15 also says, "...Christ has died for him; do not let your food destroy him."
Verse 1 says, "Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters." Christ has died for him; he is also a beloved child of God. But you cannot let your bad behavior destroy this person, causing him to stumble and never be able to stand again because of you. This is our fault. Therefore, if we do not eat a certain type of food for the sake of others, then we should not eat it. Paul once said, "To the Jews, I became like a Jew; to those under the law, I became like one under the law." He did this to win some people.
Brothers and sisters, it is the same regarding food; if we do not eat a certain type of food for the sake of our brothers, it may also be for the sake of winning others. Christ has died for him, so we cannot let food cause someone to stumble. This is not what we should do.
Do not let your good be spoken of as evil (Rom 14:16). This means do not let others gossip behind your back, saying, "He does not look like a Christian at all; how can he eat such things? How can he be a Christian?" If such things happen, we indeed need to correct our eating habits.
Once again, taking eating blood as an example, the Bible clearly tells us that we should not eat blood. There are many aspects that can confirm it is indeed not good; from a scientific perspective, we know that blood is full of various viruses and bacteria. When a person gets sick, they need to have their blood tested; just by testing the blood, one can quickly know the state of their health. Of course, many people say that blood is indeed delicious.
To emphasize again, the Bible indeed says, "Do not eat!" (Refer to Genesis 9:3-4). I do not eat for this reason; it does not bring any benefit to my body. I used to particularly enjoy chicken blood soup, thinking it tasted great. I had a classmate who loved chicken blood soup and ate it almost every day. Because of this, he developed asthma, and his condition was very bad. The doctor's conclusion was that it was related to his diet. In the end, he believed that he had no other hobbies but loved eating that chicken blood soup.
Since then, I have stopped eating blood. But that does not mean you must follow my standard. If you think it tastes good, say in faith: "I believe Jesus Christ has died for me; in the name of Jesus Christ, I cleanse this food," then go ahead and eat! Although I do not encourage it, I will not say anything against it.
I just say that if other brothers and sisters around you, like me, cannot accept eating blood, then do not eat it in front of them to avoid causing them to stumble, lest your good be spoken of as evil. This means that when you eat, if other brothers see you, they will gossip behind your back, saying, "The Bible says not to eat blood, yet he is still eating chicken blood soup! What a double standard!" If this food issue causes brothers and sisters to gossip about you and speak ill of you, we will lose more than we gain.
Later, in a moment of prayer, God told me that I do not want my children to eat animal blood because I have reserved for them the blood of my Son, Jesus Christ. I have given them the best blood (the Holy Communion). Animal blood is full of bacteria, while the blood of Jesus Christ gives you life, makes you healthier, and empowers you.
Of course, if you eat animal blood, God will not make you sick or let you die. God will not punish you like that. But I want to say that you will leave a stumbling block for your brothers and sisters. For this reason, many people will say, "He is still a deacon in the church, still a teacher in the church, still a pastor, yet he does such things!" Many people will slander you because of this, and that is where the problem lies.
Therefore, Paul, fearing we might not understand enough, especially explains that the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking. This means that you can be saved and live in the kingdom of God, regardless of what you eat or drink; what matters is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
If everyone can accept the same food and eat together, how wonderful it would be to have joy and peace! But if food causes fights at the table, even anger, then that is not the state that children of God should have.
Righteousness refers to God's righteousness, the best relationship we have established with God, where we are all righteous. The kingdom of God is not about what you eat but about righteousness.
Peace, from another perspective, refers to having harmonious relationships with others, which is the best relationship between people. Righteousness refers to the unchangeable relationship we have with God. Peace refers to living harmoniously with others. We cannot fight over food. Getting red in the face and neck is not good.
Joy is our experience of the relationship with God and with people, being able to enjoy joy together. How good it is when everyone is joyful at the table! Otherwise, no matter how delicious the food is, if there is fighting at the table, then the food loses its original flavor, right, brothers and sisters?
Verse 18 says, "Because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval."
What does this refer to? It refers to the earlier statement that "the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking." You are accepted by God not because of what you eat or drink; your interactions with people are not just about eating and drinking; what matters is righteousness, peace, and joy. Therefore, believers should care about their relationship with God and with people, rather than what to eat, drink, or what kind of social activities to participate in. Living in the world, our purpose is to win people, to build people, to bring them to Christ, so they can enjoy the joy of Christ, rather than causing them distress or leaving them with stumbling blocks. This is what we should do.
What you should bring to others is joy, peace, and the righteousness of Christ. This is what we should do. Therefore, in this matter, there needs to be patience and self-denial. Originally, you liked to eat certain things, but for the sake of this person, you do not eat them; this is self-denial. Do not always think that self-denial means doing nothing or giving up everything.
In serving Christ in these ways, you will be pleasing to God. In our daily lives, in eating and drinking, it is also a form of service. Many times, Jesus' teachings and important truths were shared at the table, during meals. This shows that food is very important because eating is a crucial part of human interaction, allowing us to understand, acknowledge, and accept each other's faith, creating a very harmonious, friendly, and joyful environment. This is very good. Do not think of yourself first; consider the spiritual condition of others. If they cannot accept it, then for now, do not do it. Your faith is greater than theirs, so accept them. Although we are serving in front of people, we are actually serving God because what we do in this way is pleasing to God.
"And receives human approval." This is wonderful. Do not say that Christians only believe in the Lord and do not care about anything else; others will see you as an outsider! No one has ever said that Jesus is an outsider, but some said John the Baptist was an outsider. Why? Because some said John the Baptist did not eat the food of the world! He lived in the wilderness, ate locusts and wild honey, and wore clothes made of camel's hair; he was a prophet!
But Jesus was not like that. Jesus often went to many people's homes to eat and drink, even going to the homes of many sinners. Therefore, the Pharisees said, "Look at this Jesus, he goes to everyone's house, even to the Pharisees' house, the sinners' house, and the tax collectors' house, as if everyone is his friend!" This is exactly what we should do. In such matters, Jesus was pleasing to God; before people, He was also approved by them.
Brothers and sisters, do you see? What we lack today is doing such things. The issue of sin has been resolved; God will not punish you. However, when interacting with others, we do not know what to do. Sometimes, because we do not understand the situation, we may hurt our brothers with harsh words, or inadvertently, our words may hurt a brother or sister. Many times, our words or other reasons cause misunderstandings, leading others to slander us.
In these matters, remember that the kingdom of God is not about eating and drinking; do not let food cause your brother to stumble or let your brother gossip about you. It is only about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. We should serve our brothers and sisters in these ways and accept their faith; this is what pleases God and is approved by people.
Verse 19 says, "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification."
In the kingdom of God, it is not about eating and drinking; what matters most should be righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. We should pursue harmony, harmony, and harmony. Remind brothers and sisters to pursue peace! (Repeat important words three times)! Do not argue with family over food issues; that is not good. Do not let the joy feast become problematic because of what can or cannot be eaten. This is not good. Especially at funerals, such issues can easily arise; if not handled properly, it can lead to serious consequences. But if we prioritize harmony, we can handle things very well.
A few years ago, I attended a funeral where the family was not believers; only one sister was a believer. After that sister passed away, I represented the church to attend her funeral. The family knew I believed in Jesus, but their understanding of Jesus was limited to just knowing the name. So when I arrived, they were very busy preparing many things and had to entertain me because I had traveled a long way. As soon as I entered their home, they said, "This is what we specially prepared for guests (set out), please eat!"
Brothers and sisters, if it were not for such a specific occasion, I could say that I am a believer in Jesus and would not eat these things. But in that environment, what should I do? They were being kind because in their customs, the best food is served to guests, and they had treated me as their best guest.
So I accepted it; the food looked like dumplings but was not quite dumplings; I did not know what it was. I said "thank you" and then prayed before God, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I set this food apart as holy!" and then I ate it. It was very oily, and I really could not get used to it. I said, "Lord, I eat this for your sake." But it was not that I was willing to eat it; it was for the sake of this family. If I did not eat, I might have been kicked out of their home, and nothing I said would matter.
The first problem I faced when I went to their home was to eat that food. After eating that food, I could then have the opportunity to sit down and talk to this family about Jesus. I am truly grateful to God; I sat down with that family, and they were willing to listen to me talk about Jesus. Afterward, they realized that believers in Jesus do not eat these things, and they felt very sorry, saying they did not know about this.
If I had initially been very firm in holding onto my faith, I might not have been able to do anything. They did not understand and would not listen to anything I said, and they would have kicked me out of their home, and I would not have been able to talk to them at all. What we need to do is pursue peace and build up virtue.
It is not that we intentionally seek out idol offerings to try them! It is just that for the sake of this family’s harmony, we do such things to avoid conflict. If others know you are a Christian and know that Christians cannot eat these things, but they intentionally say, "Aren't you a Christian? Don't you not eat food offered to idols? I have some here; do you want to eat?" At that moment, you can completely refuse.
In these matters, when interacting with family, you must be cautious. When you do not know what to do or how to decide, always remember to prioritize pursuing peace. Do not let this issue lead to disagreements with family members. The person has already passed away, but because of this issue, arguments arise over who is right. That is not good. We should pursue peace and build up virtue with one another. We should let others know that Christians have a stance; we are not a group of people who intentionally pick at others. We should leave that impression. And there are some things we indeed do not do; no matter what, we do not do them. Brothers and sisters, we are only briefly mentioning this point.
We have been talking about food; do not associate it with other areas. We repeatedly emphasize that chapter 14 mainly discusses issues regarding food; do not involve life or salvation in these matters; they are unrelated.
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. The work of God in the original text refers to God's work. It means do not let food prevent you from sharing the gospel with others; do not let food make others dislike you, preventing you from speaking to them; do not let food cause conflicts within a family. This is not what we should do. If conflicts arise over food, let them eat well; at most, we can compromise. We can eat or not eat; it does not matter because we cannot let food cause this family to lose harmony.
Romans 14:20 says, "All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble."
The meaning of this verse is that all food is clean, but if someone stumbles because of food, that is their sin.
Some may think: this is not right; it does not quite align with what we have been taught, because God no longer remembers our sins. Why does it say here, "that is their sin"? What is the reason? Let me remind brothers and sisters again that this is about relationships between people. When it says "that is their sin," the original word used is another term for "evil," meaning doing something evil. Causing someone to stumble is doing evil.
Verse 21 states, "Whether you eat meat, drink wine, or do anything else that causes your brother to stumble, do not do it."
Therefore, chapter 14 mainly refers to food; do not involve other aspects, as it can easily lead to mistakes, which is very dangerous. This mainly discusses eating meat, drinking wine, and such matters; do not let what you eat cause your brother to stumble. Indeed, some churches teach that alcohol should not be drunk, and smoking should not be done, establishing many similar rules.
Some say, "It does not matter; God no longer remembers our sins. What is there to fear about smoking? You will not go to hell! Drinking a little is fine; it is no big deal!" -- You may be fine, but others may not be, so you must accept their faith and not intentionally do things in front of them that will cause their faith to stumble. In front of such people, it is best not to do anything.
If you really want to drink, do it at home! That is our meaning. In this regard, I want to provide correct guidance to brothers and sisters. As I said earlier, it is better not to smoke, as it is indeed not beneficial for our bodies. What about alcohol? The Bible only says, "Do not get drunk." But some people say, "Do not drink," which does not align with the Bible. The reason for saying this may be that if you do not drink, you will not get drunk. Of course, personal interpretations may differ; we are just saying that drinking a small amount is acceptable, but do not get drunk.
It is especially important to remind you that nowadays, if you are driving, do not drink. To avoid causing others to stumble, it is best not to do this. Many people say, "It is fine; I have Jesus; I can drink! When the time comes, I will pray and not get caught by the police!" But what if you are discovered? Do not blame God for not protecting you.
Because the Bible has long said that these things should not be done, as they easily leave room for temptation for the devil. You know? If you are stopped by the police, that is a good thing; if you have been drinking, they will definitely stop you. What if something happens? Today you say drinking a little is fine; next time you think drinking a lot is also fine because you have the Lord to protect you. This is a very dangerous thought. It is best not to do these things.
Verse 22 says, "So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves."
Drinking at home is fine. Do not drink while feeling sad, saying, "Lord, I should not drink!" and then get drunk. The next day, you feel guilty and regretful. If that is the case, then make a firm decision to quit.
The same goes for other matters. If you eat a certain food and feel very uncomfortable afterward, then do not eat it again. If you eat it and feel fine, then it does not matter; receive it according to your faith before God, and you will be blessed!
Chapter 14 also discusses the conduct of Christians, which is very important. If you have faith, do it before God, but accept those whose faith is weak and only eat vegetables; do not keep bringing up how good and fragrant meat is in front of them. This is our wisdom.
Verse 23 says, "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."
What do you feel after reading this verse? Today, you heard my sermon saying, "Do not eat blood," which is the original word of the Bible. If you really want to eat blood, and you go to a chicken blood soup restaurant and say, "Boss, bring me a bowl of chicken blood soup!" As soon as the chicken blood arrives, you remember my sermon saying, "Do not eat blood," and you start to waver, wondering whether to eat or not. In the end, you say, "I will eat first and decide later!" After eating, you cannot let it go; you feel that it is better not to eat, and you regret it. In this case, you easily fall into condemnation. The original meaning is that if you eat with such doubts, you condemn yourself. Therefore, do not let food condemn you.
If you initially feel that there might be a problem, then do not eat it. If you have doubts, do not eat it. If you are unsure whether God allows us to eat this animal, and you feel it is not good to eat, then do not eat it. If you eat while doubting, and afterward condemn yourself, that is not what we should do. Therefore, it says, "If you have doubts and eat, you will be condemned." This means you condemn yourself. You must correctly understand this sentence. Do not think that if you eat, you will be guilty, and God will trouble you. That is not the case.
Later, it says, "because their eating is not from faith." If you have doubts about a certain thing, do not eat it. If you cannot resist and eat it, and then start to doubt, at that moment, you are not acting from faith. The Bible says that everything that does not come from faith is sin. You have heard this verse many times; many pastors use this verse to scare people, saying you must confess all your sins in detail.
What kind of sins? Everything that does not come from faith is sin. People start to think: "I have committed many sins today; let me think one by one, which things were not done in faith; let me confess them all!"... Stop! Because you are wrong; this refers to the issue of food. Let me emphasize again that this refers to the issue of food. If you eat without faith, it immediately follows that everything that does not come from faith is sin.
This refers to the issue of food. Regarding food, should you eat or not? If you feel that eating is not good, then do not eat. But do not eat with doubts. This is very important. For example, in the southern regions, many people like to eat rat meat. We think it is disgusting! Can that thing be eaten? But others think it tastes good; the meat is quite fragrant! Of course, I have never eaten that thing; my faith is: no matter how fragrant it is, I will not eat it! That is my faith.
But someone might say, "I want to try that meat," but they think to themselves how disgusting it is and whether they might get sick. If there are doubts, do not eat it, because eating it will lead to self-condemnation. This point must be remembered, brothers and sisters; when you have doubts, it is better to choose not to eat it. This is what we are talking about regarding the issue of food. Remember! Remember! Remember!!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for giving us such words. In matters of food, let us have principles and standards to follow. When before our brothers, we must not let food cause them to stumble; we accept those whose faith is weak and do not debate.
Lord, grant me such faith regarding food, that I do not let my brothers and sisters stumble; that I am not slandered by others; that I can be a source of peace and build virtue for others in matters of food. I thank you for this; the food you provide is for my health and benefit. Today, I thank you for the food you have given me, and I appreciate your care and protection throughout the day. Thank you, Lord; I pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!