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Principles of Conscience

¹ As for the ^(F1)one whose faith is ^(C1)weak, ^(C2)accept him into your fellowship, but not for the purpose of quarreling over his opinions.^2 (C1)One man's faith permits him to eat everything, while the ^(C2)weak believer eats only vegetables to avoid eating ritually unclean meat or something previously considered unclean.³ The one who eats everything is not to ^(C1)look down on the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat must not ^(C2)criticize or pass judgment on the one who eats everything, for God has ^(C3)accepted him.^4 (C1)Who are you to judge the servant of another? Before his own master he stands approved or falls out of favor. And he who serves the Master—the Lord will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

^5 (C1)One person regards one day as better or more important than another, while another regards every day the same as any other. Let everyone be ^(C2)fully convinced (assured, satisfied) in his own mind.⁶ He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord. He who eats, eats for the Lord, since he ^(C1)gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains for the Lord and gives thanks to God.⁷ None of us ^(C1)lives for himself for his own benefit, but for the Lord, and none of us dies for himself but for the Lord.⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, ^(C1)whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.⁹ For ^(C1)Christ died and lived again for this reason, that He might be ^(C2)Lord of both the dead and the living.

¹⁰ But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you again, why do you look down on your believing brother or ^(C1)regard him with contempt? For ^(C2)we will all stand before the judgment seat of God who alone is judge.¹¹ For it is written in Scripture,

"^(C1)AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, ^(C2)EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME,
AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD." ^(VR1)

¹³ Then let us not ^(C1)criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—^(C2)not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer's way.¹⁴ I know and am convinced as one in the Lord Jesus that ^(C1)nothing is unclean ritually defiled, and unholy in itself; but nonetheless ^(C2)it is unclean to anyone who thinks it is unclean.¹⁵ If your brother is being hurt or offended because of food that you insist on eating, you are no longer ^(C1)walking in love toward him. ^(C2)Do not let what you eat destroy and spiritually harm one for whom Christ died.¹⁶ Therefore ^(C1)do not let what is a good thing for you because of your freedom to choose be spoken of as evil by someone else;¹⁷ for the kingdom of God ^(C1)is not a matter of eating and drinking what one likes, but of righteousness and ^(C2)peace and ^(C2)joy in the Holy Spirit.¹⁸ For the one who ^(C1)serves Christ in this way recognizing that food choice is secondary is ^(C2)acceptable to God and is approved by men.¹⁹ So then, let us ^(C1)pursue with enthusiasm the things which make for peace and the ^(C2)building up of one another things which lead to spiritual growth.^20 (C1)Do not, for the sake of food, tear down the work of God. ^(C2)All things indeed are ceremonially clean, but ^(C3)they are wrong for the person who eats and offends another's conscience in the process.^21 (C1)It is good to do the right thing and not eat meat or drink wine, or do anything that offends your brother and weakens him spiritually.²² The faith which you have that gives you freedom of choice, have as your own conviction before God just keep it between yourself and God, seeking His will. Happy is he who ^(C1)has no reason to condemn himself for what he approves.²³ But ^(C1)he who is uncertain about eating a particular thing is condemned if he eats, because he is not acting from faith. Whatever is not from faith is sin whatever is done with doubt is sinful.