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

1A weak convert receive as a friend without regard to any difference of opinion. 2for one makes no difficulty of eating all sorts of food: another is so scrupulous, he lives upon herbs. 3let not him that eateth, despise him that does not; and let not him that refrains, pass censure on him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4who art thou that judgest the domestick of another? his staying or removal depends solely upon his master: yea, he shall be fixed: for God is able to establish him.

5one man thinks one day fitter for religious worship than another: another thinks every day alike, let every man follow the persuasion of his own mind. 6he that observes a day, and he that obobserves it not, act both from a sense of duty, he that eats, consisiders it as the bounty of his Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that forbeareth to eat, considers his forbearance as enjoined by his Lord, and giveth God thanks for the rest. 7for we neither live, nor die, as if we were our own masters. 8if we live, our life is appropriated to the Lord; and if we die, we die as his servants: whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's. 9for to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

10why then dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou think contemptibly of thy brother? since we shall all of us be brought before the judgment-seat of Christ.

11for it is written, "as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God."

12Since then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God;

The Law of Love
(1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

13let us not judge one another any more: but rather come to this determination, not to put a stumbling-block, or any thing in a brother's way, that may make him fall. 14I know, being fully assured by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: it is only so to him that thinks it is unclean. 15now if your brother be endanger'd by your eating, you violate the obligations of love: for such a matter as eating, will you risk his life, for whom Christ died? 16Don't let our religion then be expos'd to reproach. 17for the gospel dispensation does not consist in meats and drinks, but in piety and peace, and spiritual joy. 18for he that thus pays his allegiance to Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19Let us therefore pursue those things which tend to peace, and mutual edification. 20do not for such a thing as meat, pull down what God has been raising, all things indeed are pure; but they become evil to him who by eating giveth offence. 21it is better to abstain from flesh, and wine, and every thing whereby your brother is in danger of falling off. 22keep the persuasion you have, to your own conscience, blessed is he that approves himself to God, without making any difference about meats: 23for he that makes a difference, is self-condemn'd, if he eats against his own persuasion: for every action of that kind is sin.