Walking With Christ

Webers.Home · May 11, 2021

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• Rom 14:13b . . Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or
obstacle in your brother's way.

The Greek word translated "stumbling block" means a stub. For example:
one year I cut down a troublesome bush in my front yard and left a bit of a
stump sticking up out of the ground that later damaged my lawn mower
when I accidentally ran over it while cutting the grass; which had grown tall
enough to conceal the stump. In that respect, stumbling blocks are hazards
not easily detected.

Within the context of the 14th of Romans, I would equate stumbling blocks
to the clever sophistry that silver-tongued Bible thumpers employ to
persuade people to do things contrary to their convictions and their
conscience. Should you get pulled into a debate with one of those thumpers
you'll be frustrated because no matter how skillfully defended your position,
they will continue to oppose it; so the best track is: decline to argue.
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Webers.Home · May 12, 2021

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• Rom 14:14-16 . . I know and am perfectly sure on the authority of The
Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone
believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another Christian
is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don't
let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be
condemned for doing something you know is alright.

For example: We may believe that there is nothing wrong with eating freaky,
barbarian foods; but our Christian dinner companion might feel very strongly
about it. Well; sure, we can get by with eating freaky, barbarian foods; but
Rom 14:14-16 is saying don't. In other words; Christ expects his own to
restrain themselves from eating distasteful stuff in front of our Christian
companions in thoughtful and sympathetic regard for their personal
sensibilities, i.e. as a courtesy.

I'm pretty sure this principle isn't restricted to diet, but can be applied to
any debatable issue with the potential to drive an unnecessary wedge
between ourselves and other Christians. For example; if you have friends
over for an evening of entertainment, and know they're uncomfortable with
movies saturated with crime, cruelty, obscenity, vulgarity, deviance,
indecency, and violence; then accommodate their feelings by selecting
something a bit more tolerable for them.
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Webers.Home · May 13, 2021

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• Rom 14:19 . . Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace
and to mutual edification.

The Greek word for "edification" is oikodome (oy-kod-om-ay') which is a
word related to the building trades; and in this instance would be related to
structural improvements like a new wing, or a bedroom, or another floor;
and in many instances adds square footage to an already-existing structure
and/or improves its appearance, its value, and it's utility. Edification then, is
just the opposite of demolition, i.e. it builds up instead of tearing down.

Webster's defines "peace" as a state in which there is no war or fighting; viz:
harmony and mutual concord. In other words: there are times when it's
appropriate to accommodate people's feelings about certain things for the
sake of us all getting along together.

NOTE: An important element in the practice of love is deference; which, in a
nutshell, implies regarding the wishes of others as trumping yours; viz:
subordination. (Eph 5:21)
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Webers.Home · May 14, 2021

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• Rom 14:20-21 . . Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All
food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone
else to stumble.

We would think that the work of God is indestructible; but not so. People
have been destroying the Earth and themselves-- the work of His hands
-- for an untold number of centuries and millennia: (Gen 1:1)

The critters that God lists in the covenant that Moses' people agreed upon
with God-- on oath --per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy as
unsuitable for human consumption aren't intrinsically unsuitable. They're
only designated unsuitable for the Jews because that's how God wants it for
a particular people. But outside the covenant, for everybody else, whatever
you'd like to eat can be eaten; all flora and all fauna; and that dates all the
way back to the Flood.

"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I
gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." (Gen 9:3)

"The voice spoke to him a second time; "Do not call anything
impure that God has made clean." (Acts 10:15)

But still; we wouldn't want to invite someone over for dinner serving foods
that they sincerely believe are wrong for them to eat; and thus lead them to
contradict their own personal convictions about what's right and what's
wrong for Christians. Prepare something else that you both can eat without
feeling guilty. That's the Christian way to go about it; it's also the
sympathetic way to go about it.
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Webers.Home · May 15, 2021

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• Rom 14:22a . . So whatever you personally believe in debatable areas keep
between yourself and God.

The old adage "Let sleeping dogs lie." certainly applies to this requirement in
regard to gray-area beliefs and practices.
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Webers.Home · May 16, 2021

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• Rom 14:22b. . Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what
he approves.

The Greek word translated "blessed" means fortunate and/or well off, i.e.
one's situation and/or circumstances. The opposite of that would be like
deprived and/or missing out on something worth having.
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Webers.Home · May 17, 2021

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• Rom 14:23 . . But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats,
because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from
faith is sin.

Where there's doubt; it's possible to be wrong even when you're right
because it's a sin to forge ahead when one's conscience is not sure it's okay
to do so.

I once knew a Christian who felt guilty just setting foot inside a Block Buster
video store. Was he silly for feeling that way? Not in his mind; and it's your
own personal moral compass that counts in gray areas. Some Christians
can't permit themselves to dine in a restaurant that serves alcohol; while
others see nothing wrong with it. If those two kinds of Christians should
perchance dine out together, it's the more sensitive conscience that
determines where to eat.

In other words; it makes good spiritual sense to avoid insisting upon your
freedoms and rights sometimes in order to prevent dragging your fellow
Christians into something that makes them feel guilty and/or uncomfortable.
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Webers.Home · May 18, 2021

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• Rom 15:1-2 . . We may know that certain things make no difference, but
we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves. We must be
considerate of the doubts and fears of those who believe certain things are
wrong.

Webster's defines "considerate" as thoughtful of the rights and feelings of
others, i.e. deferent, gallant, chivalrous, sensitive, yielding, and diplomatic.

NOTE: The subject of "yielding" is currently very relevant; especially in this
day and age when certain elements of American society are perpetually
clamoring for so-called equal rights in matters relative to wealth, race,
gender, and sexual preference.

Consideration is almost a dirty word among strong-willed, bossy Christians
who perpetually insist upon having everything their own way; even in trivial
issues that, in the grand scheme of things, mean nothing at all. But these
folk are militant; every disagreement is an act of war to be won at any cost;
even to the destruction of the dignity and self respect of their fellow
Christians for whom the Lord gave his life.
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Webers.Home · May 19, 2021

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• Rom 15:7 . . Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in
order to bring praise to God.

That's a bit tricky but I think it just means all Christians should acknowledge
each other as Christians, and treat one another as Christians though they
may differ in opinion about what constitutes a real Christian.

Too many Christians are bigots; they have the opinion that unless others
believe and practice the very same way they believe and practice, then
those others are not Christians. Well; the easiest way to settle this is to
follow Webster's definition that a Christian is simply someone who professes
a belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ. That's it: no more, no less, and no
qualifiers. They don't even have to practice The Lord's teachings; they only
have to profess to believe in them.

An internet forum I was on in the past made it even easier. In order to
qualify as a Christian on that forum; one only had to believe they were a
Christian; viz: they didn't have to prove they were a Christian; no, they only
had to be convinced in their own minds that they were a Christian. If we all
followed that rule it would put a stop to a lot of unnecessary quarreling,
name calling, and bad feelings.
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Webers.Home · May 20, 2021

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• Rom 15:27 . . For if the Gentiles have shared in the Israelite's spiritual
blessings, they owe it to the Israelites to share with them their material
blessings.

Within the context of Rom 15:25-27, the Israelites to whom Paul refers are
not those who believe and practice Judaism; but those who believe and
practice Christianity. It is unbecoming for Christians to support religions that
undermine Christ; especially when it's taken into consideration that 1Cor
16:22 requires Christ's followers to regard the followers of religions opposed
to his as cursed, i.e. not in harmony with God.

NOTE: The Jews' original beliefs and practices were strictly biblical. By the
time of Jesus' day, their religion had become rabbinical, i.e. defined by the
Talmud; which incorporates the Bible but isn't strictly limited to it.
_

Webers.Home · May 21, 2021

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• Rom 16:17-18 . . I urge you, brothers, beware of those who cause
divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you
have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our
Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they
deceive the minds of naïve people.

Naïve folk can be characterized as credulous, i.e. easily convinced by slight
or uncertain evidence, viz: non critical thinkers.

"smooth talk" is the practice of sophistry; defined as a reason or an
argument that sounds correct but at its core is actually false; viz: subtly
deceptive reasoning or argumentation. Sophistry is typically rational,
reasonable, and sensible; but the thing to keep in mind is that faith believes
what's revealed to it rather than only what makes sense to it.

According to Eph 4:11-14 the very reason that Christ endows some of his
followers to speak for him is so that the rest of his followers may have
access to true premises upon which to build their faith and thus achieve the
unity for which he prayed at John 17:20-21.

NOTE: Rom 16:17-18 contains somewhat universal instructions because, with
a little adjustment here and there, they can be incorporated as counseling
for just about every ideology known to man, e.g. Buddhism, Hinduism,
Islam, Baha'i, Protestant, Catholic, Democracy, Communism, Socialism, etc.
It's kind of comical, in an ironic sort to way, that everybody's ideology warns
its adherents about the dangers of everybody else's ideology.
_

Webers.Home · May 22, 2021

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• 1Cor 1:10 . . I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no
divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and
thought.

Official belief systems-- e.g. the Nicene Creed and/or proprietary church
covenants and statements of faith --are very effective for achieving the
unity required by 1Cor 1:10; and should always be imposed upon new
people applying for membership in a local congregation. A church composed
of a variety of beliefs and practices isn't a unified church: it's a forum.

NOTE: I would have to say that after belief in God and His son, the next
thing that church members need to believe in is each other; and if they can't
believe in each other, then I really think they ought to disband. I'm not
kidding around about this; without trust and loyalty a church is just as
dysfunctional as any other maladjusted family.
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Webers.Home · May 23, 2021

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• 1Cor 1:26-31 . . Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you
were wise in the world's eyes, or powerful, or wealthy when God called you.
Instead, God deliberately chose things the world considers foolish in order to
shame those who think they are wise. And he chose those who are
powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by
the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to
nothing what the world considers important, so that no one can ever boast
in the presence of God.

. . . God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit
God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable
to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our
freedom. As the Scriptures say: The person who wishes to boast should
boast only of what The Lord has done.

Some of us tend to think ourselves pretty smart for having enough good
sense to believe the gospel. But according to the passage above, we didn't
become believers due to our IQ; were that the case, then Carl Sagan
would've stood on the side of intelligent design instead of opposing it.

No; the credit is due to God's IQ, i.e. God alone was smart enough to make
it possible for any of us to be in Christ Jesus. Personally, I look upon that as
something not for me to boast about, rather; an incredible stroke of luck.
(One of the meanings of "blessed" is fortunate.)

Boasting in what the Lord has done is sort of like the pride that sports fans
feel for their favorite teams; especially when they win. Well; it goes without
saying that God is a winner-- maybe He's not accounted a winner by the
world's best and brightest, but certainly by those of us very pleased that
Christ's mission succeeded.
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Webers.Home · May 24, 2021

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• 1Cor 3:9-15 . .We are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's
building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise
master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let
each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation
other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

. . . Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day
will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test
the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built upon it
remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he shall
suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire.

It's easy mistake the judgment spoken of in that passage for the judgment
spoken of in Rev 20:11-15. But there are crucial differences worth noting.

1» The fire spoken of at 1Cor 3:5-15 burns works. The fire spoken of at Rev
20:11-15 burns people.

2» People walk away alive from the fire spoken of at 1Cor 3:5-15. Nobody
walks away alive from the fire spoken of at Rev 20:11-15.

3» People are awarded at the judgment spoken of at 1Cor 3:5-15. People
are punished at the judgment spoken of at Rev 20:11-15.

It's extremely important to note that only the Christian worker's works are
tested with fire; not the worker himself. Compare this to the great white
throne event depicted at Rev 20:11-15 where the dead's works are not
tested; but rather, their works are introduced as evidence in the
prosecution's case against them. The Christian worker's works aren't
evaluated as evidence against them, but as potential credit to justify giving
them a performance award.

Another extremely important thing to note is that the Christian worker's
substandard works are burned up rather than burned off.

"let each man be careful how he builds upon it" indicates that Christians
need to keep in mind that Jesus' saved followers are on track to undergo
Christ's scrutiny one at a time, i.e. on an individual basis; and in regard to
how well and/or how poorly they put their spiritual gift to work building
and/or not building upon his foundation.

NOTE: Greek words for "purify" and "purge" are nowhere to be found in 1Cor
3:5-15; and a note in the current official Catholic Bible-- the 2011 New
American Bible --says: "The text of 1Cor 3:15 has sometimes been used to
support the notion of a purgatory, though it does not envisage this."

If perchance there are Catholics reading this, I should clue them that the
non Biblical materials (foot notes) in the 2011 New American Bible have a
nihil obstat by Reverend Richard L. Schaefer, Censor Deputatus, and an
imprimatur by Most Reverend Jerome Hanus, O.S.B. Archbishop of Duguque.

Nihil Obstat is defined as: The certification by an official censor of the Roman
Catholic Church that a book has been examined and found to contain
nothing opposed to faith and morals

Imprimatur is defined as: Approval of a publication under circumstances of
official censorship

So; if 1Cor 3:15 doesn't envision the notion of a purgatory, then what does
it envision? It's a depiction of people who waken inside a burning home with
barely enough time to get out; taking nothing with them but whatever they
wore to bed. Their home is destroyed, and all their valuables and all their
mementoes; but at least the occupants themselves are safe, and suffer no
harm from the fire.
_

Webers.Home · May 25, 2021

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• 1Cor 3:18 . . If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this
age, he should become a fool so that he may become wise.

I'm guessing that command relates to one of Christ's instructions.

"Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you
shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 18:3)

The Greek word translated "converted" is strepho (stref'-o) which basically
means to twist, i.e. turn quite around or reverse (literally or figuratively)

In a nutshell, strepho is talking about taking a new direction.

Many of those in Jesus' audiences were mature, educated folk. Jesus is as
much as saying that they need to go back to school and learn a new trade—
so to speak —which is what quite a few people had to do back when the
housing bubble burst in 2008 and they found themselves not only out of
work, but also quite over-qualified and/or their skills no longer in as much
demand like they once were.

In our age, "wise" would pertain to people high up in finance, education,
science, art, computing, crafts, music, philosophy, politics, etc. Many of
those kinds of people are brilliant, but when it comes to knowing the ways of
God, they're about as bright as an elementary school kid just starting out in
kindergartner in need of beginning right from square-one and learning some
basics.

"The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise; that they are worthless." (1Cor
3:20)

Christ also spoke of humbling one's self as a little child. Well; I can say from
personal experience that wise people like those mentioned above make very
poor Sunday school students because their intelligence gets in the way. If
only they would leave their IQ at the door, even they themselves would be
the better for it.

"Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your
souls." (Jas 1:21)
_

Webers.Home · May 26, 2021

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• 1Cor 3:21-23 . . So don't take pride in following a particular leader.
Everything belongs to you-- Paul and Apollos and Peter --the whole world
and life and death; the present and the future. Everything belongs to you,
and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

I've noticed that avid sports fans are afflicted with chronic identity
syndromes. When their favorite team wins; they say "we" won; as if they
were on the field playing the game instead of up in the bleachers or on the
couch at home watching the action on TV.

Christians that idolize their favorite pastors and/or Sunday school teachers
are just as avid. They want to be identified with those kinds of church
luminaries because it makes them look really smart and elite; when in
reality it just makes them look silly and star-crossed.

But the thing is; when it comes to inheritance; Christ's believing followers
are equals-- the big shots with the little nobodies --because they are all,
regardless of status, co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17) which is somewhat
different than a regular heir.

Regular heirs each receive an individually specified portion of a benefactor's
estate while co-heirs are heirs in common. For example: supposing a
benefactor's estate totals 60 acres of land plus $10,000 in a bank account.
Co-heirs-- i.e. heirs in common --inherit the whole ball of wax corporately
as one beneficiary instead of six; viz: all six inherit the 60 acres and the
$10,000 as if each one were the only heir. So then, whatever the Father
bequeathed His son, He bequeathed everyone belonging to His son.

I honestly cannot wrap my mind around that because the ramifications are
just too, too remarkable; I really don't even want to think about it.
_

Webers.Home · May 27, 2021

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• 1Cor 4:1 . . So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ, and as
those entrusted with the mysteries of God.

Big names like Mother Teresa, Charles Spurgeon, and Billy Graham are
practically sacred cows-- but Christian celebrities like those are only human
rather than divine. Just be grateful you're not one of them because their
responsibility is proportional.
_

Webers.Home · May 28, 2021

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• 1Cor 4:5 . . Judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till The Lord
comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and expose the
motives of men's hearts.

The "appointed time" is probably referring to the event described at 1Cor
3:1-15 when every Christian worker's service to Christ will be evaluated for
performance awards.

Human nature has a propensity to shower accolades on religious celebrities
without having all the facts.

For example; we now know from Mother Teresa's private letters-- made
public by Father Brian Kolodiejchuk's book "Mother Teresa / Come Be My
Light" --that Ms. Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was a nun with so little personal
belief in God as to be an agnostic; and yet for decades everyone the world
over thought she was the cat's meow and the bee's knees: a veritable poster
child of piety in thought, word, and deed. It turns out Teresa was a
remarkable actor. Her public image bore no resemblance whatsoever to the
secret life of her inner being.

The Spirit's corroboration that comes to Christ's followers via Rom 8:16
never happened for Teresa. As a result, the remarkable nun came to the end
of her life worried that if perchance there is a God, He didn't want her in
India to begin with; maybe even didn't particularly like her, and might
actually be quite intent upon condemning her.

Well; I'd have to say that a Christian worker with those kinds of thoughts
going thru their head really ought to seriously consider turning in their
resignation.
_

Jobb · May 28, 2021

Webers.Home said:

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There's been times during my twenty-three plus years of internet forum
activity when I've encountered people wanting to know what they're
supposed to do now that they decided to become a Christian.

A mega Baptist church that I attended back in the decade of the 1970's had
a discipleship program that incorporated an outreach booklet called "The
Four Spiritual Laws" authored in 1952 by Campus Crusade for Christ founder
Dr. Bill Bright.

Those guidelines are helpful as far as they go, but they're pretty elementary
and in my opinion inadequate for taking Christ's believing followers to
infinity and beyond, so to speak.

Some years ago, just for the fun of it, I set out compiling a home-spun
catalogue of Christ's instructions from the new Testament that apply to all
his followers regardless of denominational affiliation. In time I realized that
his instructions, accompanied by a little commentary, would make a pretty
good how-to handbook; and a blog too.

I chose to start in the book of Acts because that's pretty much where
Christ's apostles began telling his believing followers what to do in accord
with the Lord's instructions as per Matt 28:19-20.
_

Hello

praise the Lord.
I am saved by Jesus Christ from Non Christian Family. When i was in College days i have participated Campus Crusade for Christ Program. I also got discipleship. Thru i shared gospel lot thru 4 laws.

Great. Amen.

With Love
Job

Webers.Home · May 29, 2021

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• 1Cor 5:1-5 . . It is actually reported that there is immorality among you,
and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles,
that someone has his father's wife. And you have become arrogant, and
have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed
might be removed from your midst.

. . . For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have
already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present. In
the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in
spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one
to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the
day of The Lord Jesus.

Gentiles of course do sleep with their stepmothers on occasion; but the
world's practice of that kind of behavior is more an aberration than a
custom.

Well, the Corinthians were treating that man's behavior as if it were a norm,
i.e. they apparently felt that the man's conduct was trivial, undeserving of
either attention or criticism. They must have wondered why Paul was
reacting so badly rather than just "get over it". After all; it's none of his
business what goes on behind closed doors. Had he not heard of the right to
privacy? And besides, didn't the Lord say: "Let he who is without sin cast the
first stone."

Delivering someone to Satan for the destruction of the flesh just simply
means to cull them from the herd, so to speak. In other words: exclude
them from congregational activities; e.g. worship, Sunday school, and
prayer meetings, etc. This is not as radical as totally breaking off contact
with someone; it's purpose is church discipline rather than the social
blacklisting practiced by Jehovah's Witnesses.
_

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