For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

 Romans 14:1-23

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.

For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.

But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Why?

With love and faith, and peace to living in our daily life.

Whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, so we'd rather not eat, because their eating is not from faith, but from the Laws.

We have no right to judge others, for we are sinners too. No righteous man in this world, so we should be humble and love each other.

Let the love from the Lord not be limited by some regulations or patterns. We are free from customs or laws.

How?

Honor the Holy Name of the Lord with peace, joy, and righteousness.

The authorities that exist have been established by God

 Romans 13:1-14

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. 

Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another,

summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Why?

Respecting the authority for all of these is allowed by the Lord.

Love others covers everything we need to do.

Keep what we should do and be aware the time is limited, so do our best to honor our God.

How?

Let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Jesus Christ.

Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God

 Romans 12:1-21

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;

Love in action: Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Why?

Love is just some words, but do it in actions, humble myself and honor others, love others who need.

Offer my body as a living sacrifice, because I belong to the Lord.

Paul teaches us many ways to perform the love actions. This is true love, for the Love us before we love the Lord.

How?

Love others with love and my heart. Do the actions to love others! May the Lord gives me the way, the mind and strength to love others around me!

For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable

 Romans 11:19-36

Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.  Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.

For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!

“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

Why?

Do not be arrogant, but tremble for all of us and need to stand by faith.

When the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved, so God's people will be saved in God's time schedule.

The Lord can graft Gentiles to an olive tree, so more natural let the natural branches to be grafted into their own olive tree!

How?

Pray to the Lord, may I be able to walk on the way of God's schedule and God's plan, be humble and tremble every day.

If by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace

 Romans 11:1-18

So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!

If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

Why?

Even Gentiles get the salvation because Israel rejects the salvation, but the salvation comes from the Israelites, Abraham. So the Gentiles could not boast, for they received the salvation. If the Israelites receive Jesus Christ as their savior, it will bea  better grace over the whole world.

How?

Be humble and continue seek the Holy life and more faith in Jesus Christ!

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved

 Romans 10:1-21

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes

But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim:

As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

But concerning Israel, he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.

Why?

Just as Mesia said all day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people, this is the people of Israel and other peoples.

How?

The Lord chooses who will be saved, then he will be saved. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. What we should do is show a good witness among people and proclaim Jesus Christ 

The one who believes in him will never be put to shame

 Romans 9:16-33

 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

Therefore, God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved.

It is just as Isaiah said previously: “Unless the Lord Almighty had left us descendants, we would have become like Sodom, we would have been like Gomorrah.

What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone.

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble  and a rock that makes them fall,  and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Isaiah 8:14; 28:16

Why?

There is a stone, a law, or a regulation, or a specific way. What the Lord asks us is by faith.

Honor the Lord from our heart, and it is not doing for show or ceremony only.

The stone could firm our hearts, but it has also become a stone that makes people stumble

How?

Live our my faith in my daily life and do my best to honor the Holy Name of the Lord.