The Law of Liberty
(Matthew 7:1-6; Luke 6:37-42)

1Now receive the one being weak in the faith, not for passing judgment on reasonings. 2Indeed, one believes to eat all things; but the one being weak eats vegetables. 3The one eating, let him not despise the one not eating; and the one not eating, let him not judge the one eating, for God has received him. 4Who are you, judging another’s servant? To the own master he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to uphold him.

5For indeed one judges a day to be above another day, but one judges every day alike. Let each be fully assured in the own mind. 6The one regarding the day, regards it to the Lord;a the one eating, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and the one not eating, does not eat to the Lord and gives thanks to God.

7For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8For both if we should live, we live to the Lord; and if we should die, we die to the Lord. Therefore both if we should live and if we should die, we are the Lord’s. 9For unto this, Christ died and lived again that He might rule over both the dead and living.

10But why do you judge your brother, or why also do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11For it has been written:

“I live, says the Lord,

that every knee will bow to Me,

and every tongue will confessb to God.”c

12So then, each of us will give account concerning himself to God.

The Law of Love
(Ezekiel 14:1-11; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13)

13No longer, therefore, should we judge one another; but rather determine this, not to put any stumbling block or snare before your brother.

14I know and I am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself, except to him reckoning anything to be unclean—to that one it is unclean. 15For if on account of food your brother is grieved, no longer are you walking according to love. Do not destroy with food that one of you for whom Christ died.

16Therefore let not your good be spoken of as evil. 17For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18For the one serving Christ in these things is well-pleasing to God and approved by men.

19So then, we should pursue the things of peace, and the things for edification among each other. 20Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but it is wrong to the man eating through a stumbling block. 21It is good neither to eat meat, nor to drink wine, nor anything in which your brother stumbles.d

22The faith that you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one not judging himself in what he approves. 23But the one doubting has been condemned if he eats, because it is not of faith; and anything that is not of faith is sin.e