Reading for October 23rd

 Read Romans 14.1-9. In 14.1-15.13: Dealing with differences. Here Paul offers instructions about what is required when people from different backgrounds with strongly held opinions try to live together as a community of faith (1 Cor 8-10). In verses 1-6: What to eat and what holidays to observe. In verses 1-2: The weak, those with stricter views about what to eat, may be Jews or gentiles. In verse 2: Those willing to eat anything reflect Paul's more open view about food laws (14.14; 1 Cor 8.8). In verse 3: God's acceptance of weak and strong requires mutual respect from both. In verse 4; Their own Lord may be the principle they hold dear, or they wat they understand what God requires. In verses 5-6: The day may be the sabbath or other Jewish holidays gentiles did not observe God (Gal 4.10; Col 2.16). For gentiles who did not observe the sabbath, all days were alike. Every day was a workday. In verse 6; Devotion to god can produce opposite religious practices. In verses 7-9: Living for the Lord not for ourselves. Being the Lord's makes living in isolation impossible. Christ's death and resurrection is a shared realty linking all Christians together, both dead and living (1 Cor12.27). Comments or Questions..