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Apr 14, 2025 06:00am

Loving and Living in Grace

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“You don’t have a TV in your house?”

With shock, amazement, and bewilderment, I stared at my new friend. A group of us had been talking after work, and our friend just shook his head no.

In all of my 17 years, I had never heard of such a thing. So many questions ran through my mind, and I had to find clarity and understanding.

“Why not?” I asked.

“My parents say they aren’t good.”

Still, more questions.

“So, you’ve never watched television? You’ve never seen Full House? Or Saved by the Bell? Or a soap opera? What about cartoons, are those out too?”

He just looked at us. If there was shame or doubt, he wasn’t showing it. Probably because he had been answering these probing questions his whole life.

“No. I’ve never seen any of it.”

“But what about when you go to someone’s house, is it okay to watch over there? Is it just your house that it’s off-limits?”

He laughed.

“If it’s wrong in one house, wouldn’t it be wrong in another?”

And with this, the debate began. Defensiveness sprang up within us as we felt the need to defend our television watching, our families’ decisions, and all the whys and why nots.

It could have gotten ugly, but one of our friends spoke up.

“Well, I know you can play basketball, so let’s get a game of knockout going.”

And with that, the conversation, the questions, and the possible division were put to rest.

Romans 14:14-23
“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 to 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.”

Let’s go back to the context of the Scripture to remind ourselves where this passage comes from.

Paul is speaking to the Roman believers. These may have been Jewish people that had chosen to follow Jesus, and some of them may have been Gentiles that had become believers. Paul was instructing them on how they should act towards one another in the church and how they should demonstrate the love of Christ to others. In this passage, he brings up the subject of eating meat sacrificed to idols. Remember, to many of the Gentiles who had become believers, they more than likely were part of a pagan religion that had made such sacrifices. Now that they were followers of Christ, they wanted to distance themselves as far as possible from any former practices so as not to sin.

Paul shared that he believed all meat was okay to eat, just like the Lord had revealed to Peter in his vision.

Acts 10:15
“He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds.
13 Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’
14 ‘Surely not, Lord!’ Peter replied. ‘I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’
15 The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’”

But… this is what Paul wanted the believers to understand. If a fellow believer had convictions about not eating meat or questioning where it came from, it was better to not eat meat with them so as not to offend them.

Just like if my friend had come to my house. Knowing he wasn’t supposed to watch TV, it would be better if I didn’t say, “Oh, it’s just a cartoon. It’s harmless. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just one show…”

Why cause division? Why stir up a quarrel that’s unnecessary? His parents would have been upset and offended if they found out. He may never get to spend the night or come to another kid’s house again. And to top it all off, they’d be furious with him for allowing it to happen.

How wise was my friend for challenging us to a basketball game instead?

Just as Paul was wise for instructing the believers that it’s not worth fighting over. It takes away from the focus of the mission—to glorify God in all we do.

What are you fighting about? Have you judged someone because of their convictions? Goodness, listen. I’m just as guilty. I’ve done the same thing, and throughout the years and even today, the Lord continues to mold me and shape me, convicting me and changing me. I have made choices, I’ve said things I regret, and I wish things were different because bridges were burned and friendships forever changed. The best place to start anew is today. We only know what we know. As you learn, allow the Holy Spirit to open your heart and your mind to understanding. Allow the grace of God that has been shown to you for your sins to pour out to others. We’re all learning.

Love one another.

Would you like to learn more about a life that’s devoted to Christ? Learn to follow Him every day by going to follow.lifeword.org. I’ll meet you there.