Posts by John Longmire (Page 3)

So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. (Romans 14:19) Nothing good will happen unless we pursue it. If we want blessings for our souls and our relationships, God wants this too, but we must be active and not passive. If we want peace in our souls, we must pursue it. If we want good relationships, we must build them. All too often, we ask God for what we need and then do nothing,…

Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy,…

But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God. So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12) Judging others is the human race’s favorite pastime. Even though…

Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living. (Romans 14:9) No one can escape the Lordship of Jesus Christ, not even those who have died. Christ is the Lord over every soul that has ever lived or ever shall live. Jesus gave his life on the cross to purchase humanity for God; therefore, God has given him authority over all humanity. I imagine that this is why the…

For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Romans 14:7-8) Most people fear death. We fear it because we’ve never experienced it. We fear it because of its finality. But Jesus Christ has died and has risen from the dead. “I was dead, and behold, I am…

One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God. (Romans 14:5-6) There…

Welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters. One person believes he may eat anything, while one who is weak eats only vegetables. One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the…

Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy.…

Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:8-10) Freedom from debt is common wisdom. When we are in debt, the person…