Ben Fourie
So then, let us stop judging one another. Instead, you should decide never to do anything that would make one another stumble or fall into sin. Romans 14:13, GNT
Throughout history, followers of Christ have always had differing beliefs. We often struggle with the idea of allowing God to transform our minds completely and cling to our stereotypical ways of thinking and believing. As we continue to lay our foundations, we tend to build walls that are so high that we exclude all other ideas and isolate people who think differently from us. We fail to leave room for large doors and windows, and in doing so, rob ourselves of the joy that comes with meeting other believers with different perspectives.
When Paul wrote this letter to the Romans around 55 AD, the church in Rome was facing some challenges. There were two groups within the congregation: the strong believers and those considered weak in faith. The strong believers looked down on the weak, while the weak judged the strong. In his letter, Paul offered guidelines on how to address the situation.
In Romans 14:1, we read, “Welcome those who are weak in faith.” In Romans 14:3, Paul advises: “Those who will eat anything are not to despise those who do'nt.” We can expand this idea to cultivate acceptance across denominational boundaries and different interpretations of Scripture. The belief that one group alone possesses the truth was the very reason that Paul provided these guidelines – to encourage mutual acceptance among believers.
In today’s verse, we read, “let us stop judging one another.” Romans 14:19 states, “So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help strengthen one another.” When a house is being built, the builders cannot be in constant disagreement about the construction process; otherwise, the finished product may turn out strange. The same principle applies to the church as the body of Christ.
As builders of the church, we should never give the world a reason to mock or ridicule what they may see as an unusual building. We must always strive to show respect for one another and work together in harmony to build the body of Christ.
Prayer: Dear Lord, please forgive us when we look at other people and perceive them as strangers because they differ from us. Please help us avoid looking down on people who are different, think differently and even believe differently from us. Amen.
Ben Fourie
Laat ons mekaar dan nie meer veroordeel nie. Neem julle liewer voor om niks te doen wat jou broer kan aanstoot gee of tot 'n val kan bring nie. Romeine 14:13, 1983/1992-vertaling
Dit lyk vir my asof daar nog nooit 'n tydperk was waar daar nie een of ander geskil onder gelowiges was nie. Ons bly maar sukkel met die idee van ons denke wat vernuwe moet word. Ons kry dit net nie reg om weg te dink van geykte idees en waardes nie. Steeds bly ons fondamente grawe. Wanneer ons daarin slaag om die mure van die huis te bou, doen ons dit so dat die mure alles en almal rondom ons uitsluit. Vir baie deure en groot vensters is daar dikwels in ons huis nie plek nie. Daardeur word ons self so ingehok dat ons die vreugde om ander gelowiges te ontmoet misloop.
Toe Paulus dié brief in ongeveer 55 n.C. geskryf het, was daar in Rome 'n ernstige probleem met die sterkeres in die geloof wat die swakkeres verag het en laasgenoemdes wat weer die sterkeres veroordeel het. Hierdie onenigheid mag nie onder gelowiges bestaan nie en daarom gee Paulus hier riglyne hoe so 'n saak hanteer moet word. Ons kan vandag nog hierdie riglyne net so gebruik.
In Romeine 14:1 lees ons: “Aanvaar die een wat in die geloof swak is” en in Romeine 14:3 (2020-vertaling) skryf Paulus “moet die een wat wel eet, nie veroordeel nie.” Ons kan die gedagte uitbrei deur te sê dat ons mekaar oor kerkgrense en selfs verskillende interpretasie van die Skrif heen moet kan ontmoet. 'n Houding dat ek alleen die volle waarheid beet het, gee juis in die kerk van Rome aanleiding tot Paulus se oproep om mekaar te aanvaar.
Daarom die woorde van ons teksvers wat vra dat ons sal ophou om mekaar te veroordeel. Romeine 14:19 (2020-vertaling) sê nie verniet “Kom ons streef dan na die dinge wat die onderlinge vrede en mekaar se opbou bevorder” nie. As 'n huis gebou word en die bouers trek die hele tyd dwars oor hoe die bouwerk gedoen moet word, sal ons met 'n baie eienaardige huis sit. So ongelukkig ook met die kerk as liggaam van Christus.
Ons mag nie so bou dat die wêreld rede het om te lag oor ons vreemde bousel nie.
Gebed: Here, vergewe my asseblief wanneer ek na ander mense kyk en hulle as vreemdelinge sien. Bewaar my daarvan om neer te sien op mense wat anders lyk as ek, anders dink as ek en anders glo as ek. Amen
Ben Fourie
Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians ... Romans 12:13a, GNT
Serving people can become very tiring – ask anyone who works in a people-orientated job. It doesn’t matter how dedicated you are or how much empathy you have for those in need; it can become exhausting. This feeling is not only true in a professional sense but even within our family or circle of friends.
If you have never experienced this kind of fatigue, consider yourself doubly blessed. Unfortunately, many of us have encountered it. However, serving others, especially those in need, is one of the key responsibilities of every believer according to the Bible. It is part of our mission as builders of the body of Christ on Earth.
When Paul talks about fellow Christians in need, two things need to be addressed. Firstly, the word he uses refers to those who lack material goods. Many people have very few possessions, and we are therefore instructed to share what we have with those less fortunate.
When we look at other verses in the Bible, it becomes clear that the concept of needy individuals extends beyond material needs. Many times, people might need moral or spiritual support even more than material support, so we are called to share our spiritual resources with them.
The second important point that we need to address is the phrase “fellow Christians.” Sometimes, we can become so focused on meeting the material and spiritual needs of people outside our community that we forget about our fellow believers. It is the mission of the church and each individual to help those in need, such as when a flood devastates homes and livelihoods. However, we must also remember our neighbours who have lost their jobs; they, too, require our material and spiritual support.
Today, I encourage you to take a look around you. Many people are in need on both counts – do not hesitate to contribute in abundance.
Prayer: Lord, you have blessed us with so many things, both material and spiritual. Please open our eyes to the needs of those around us. Amen.
Ben Fourie
Betoon meelewing met die behoeftes van die heiliges ... Romeine 12:13a, 2020-vertaling
Die diens aan ander mense kan soms veeleisend word. Vra maar vir enigiemand wat in hulle beroep met mense moet werk. Dit maak nie saak hoe 'n toegewyde persoon jy is nie, jou liefde en diensbaarheid word soms tot die uiterste beproef. Maar dit is nie net binne 'n beroepsomgewing nie. Selfs binne ons familie of vriendekring gebeur dit.
As jy dit nog nooit so ervaar het nie, is jy besonders geseënd, maar vir die oorgrote meerderheid van ons is dit maar al te waar. Tog is dit een van die dinge wat gereeld in die Bybel voorgehou word as deel van elke gelowige se taak. Dit is deel van ons bouwerk aan die liggaam van Christus op aarde.
Wanneer Paulus hier praat van die behoeftes van die heiliges, is daar twee dinge wat aandag vra. Eerstens dui die woord wat hy hier vir behoeftes gebruik op materiële gebrek. Die Bybel vir almal sê dit baie mooi: “Party mense wat ook aan die Here behoort, het min goed. Julle moet van julle goed vir hulle gee.”
Ek dink as ons na baie ander gedeeltes van die Bybel kyk, ons goedskiks ook die woord behoeftes kan uitbrei na meer as net die materiële. Soms is mense se innerlike behoeftes baie meer as hulle behoefte aan besittings. Na aanleiding van bogenoemde woorde uit die Bybel vir almal, wil ek dan sê dat party mense min geestelike goed het en ek van my geestelike goed vir hulle moet gee.
Die tweede is die woord “heiliges”. Die 1983/1992-vertaling sê “medegelowiges”. Ons is dikwels geneig om bo-oor die koppe van 'n medegelowige wat swaarkry te kyk na mense in die wêreld rondom ons wat hulp nodig het. Ons moet nie die een versorg en dalk die ander vergeet nie. Dit is goed dat die kerk en ek as lidmaat tydens 'n vloedramp help en bydra, maar wat van my buurman wat sy werk verloor het by wie daar materiële en geestelike behoefte is?
Kyk maar rondom jou. Oral is daar mense wat op albei terreine baie min goed het. Gee maar ruimskoots.
Gebed: Here, U gee so mildelik aan ons alles wat ons nodig het. Maak ons oë oop vir die behoeftes van ander mense. Amen