Romans 14:10 Why do you criticize and pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you look down upon or despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. Amplified Bible (AMP)
Looking back on our household and our 3 kids growing up it is easy to see that we didn't raise three "clones". They were raised in the same house, went to the same church and were pretty much exposed to the same circumstances through their early teens, but they are vastly different. They are wired differently. They each have their own opinions and words like "that's not fair" were heard quite often. They have their own personalities, and have developed as individuals while they will always remain siblings and part of our family. But the looking down on and "despising" mentioned in the verse take things to a whole new level, one that I hope was not present in the home.
So it is within the local church. We are growing together and hopefully maturing having been exposed to the same messages, studies and worship. We are not clones, we all have our different opinions on theological matters and we all have different gifts and make our own contributions to the church family. There should not be any looking down or "despising" within this family.
Today's verse should be a message to us as part of a family. We should be careful in our thoughts, actions and criticisms/judgment of our "brothers" our church family. The verse points out that our heavenly Father will be the One making final judgments, their will be a review, an accounting for all that we say and do concerning others. We should watch what we say because "each of us will give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:12 NIV). We should be aware that His grace is sufficient.
For some reason the old hymn "Wonderful Grace of Jesus" came to mind in relation to these thoughts. The second stanza below speaks of "reaching the most defiled". You might think the writer is casting judgment, but when you read down a few more lines he writes, and the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me. It would go along with what Paul thinks of himself as "the chief of sinners". If we had that same attitude, we'd focus more on the grace of Jesus than on criticisms of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Greater than all my sin;
How shall my tongue describe it,
Where shall its praise begin?
Taking away my burden,
Setting my spirit free;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching the most defiled,
By its transforming power,
Making him God's dear child,
Purchasing peace and heaven,
For all eternity;
And the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
Wonderful the matchless grace of Jesus,
Deeper than the mighty rolling sea;
Wonderful grace, all sufficient for me, for even me.
Broader than the scope of my transgressions,
Greater far than all my sin and shame,
O magnify the precious Name of Jesus.
Praise His Name!
Wonderful grace of Jesus,
Reaching to all the lost,
By it I have been pardoned,
Saved to the uttermost,
Chains have been torn asunder,
Giving me liberty;
For the wonderful grace of Jesus reaches me.
In Christ,
Mike
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Romans 14:9-12
New International Version (NIV)
9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written:
"'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.'"
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
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