Romans 14:17-18
The scripture for today is Romans 14:17-18
Romans 14:17-18 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men.
In our walk with the Lord, we can, like the church in Rome, get distracted by issues that do not have eternal consequences. Those issues can become distractions to our service to God and our witness to the world.
In this chapter’s discourse on eating certain foods, the apostle Paul deals with the issue that confronted the church. Some had real problems with eating meats that came from the Gentile markets. They did not know if the food had been offered to idols or whether it had been properly drained of blood or in some cases whether it was clean. To avoid the problem of what they thought would be a defilement of themselves, some avoided the meat altogether and ate only vegetables. While this was undoubtedly healthier, they did it for the wrong reasons. This produced a judgmental spirit between those who ate and those who would not eat.
While they were concerned with something which, in perspective, had no eternal consequences, the important things of the kingdom of God were neglected. They were casting aspersions upon one another regarding small issues while the greater things of the kingdom were not lived out.
Food and drink pass, but righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit are ours eternally in God’s kingdom. Our focus and our pursuit reflect where our heart is.
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim