10 May 2022

 Good morning! How are we faithing? What are our behavior patterns? Do you realize the freedom we have under grace? The grace of our savior removes the judgement from all the old rules. The old rules don't go away, we just aren't under a heavenly penalty of them. How we act and how our rule adherence behavior is important in so much as the witness it has on the unsaved people, the lost. I may have the freedom to do or eat whatever but when my doing or eating causes another to stray or ignore the gospel, I ought not do it. I'm not judged by it but by it another may fall thusly I am aware of my behavior and make an effort to not break those rules. Do you see the difference from rule adherence by love verses by command? Look at think;


1 Cor 8
Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.
So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
NIV

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the freedom in your arms. Lord we know that the rules are for our own good and you are not just being a tyrant. Lord we ask for wisdom in our choices. Lord, we ask for your light to shine on us and reveal truth about all we do. Teach us to be loving and witnesses for you. Lord we lift those who are frightened and hurting. Heal their hearts and minds and bodies, in Jesus name, amen

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