“Christ died and came to life for this: that He might rule over both the dead and the living.” vs9

Jesus Christ is the Lord of the conscience, not men. You have no right to lord over your brothers OR to look down on them. In matters unspecified in Scripture, there must be liberty, so we practice love.

First, there are unspecified matters [vs1-2]. He says, “Accept anyone who is weak in the faith, but don’t argue about doubtful issues. One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak eats only vegetables.” One person thinks everything is OK, but the weaker faith says only certain things are permissible. One knows their liberty in Christ, while another has a tender conscience.

Isn’t it interesting that weak faith eats little? Let strong faith have temperance, or it is worse than weak faith: it is licentiousness. Let neither practice pride, hating each other - saying that one is better than the other, etc.

Secondly, we must love in our differences [vs3-5]. He says, “One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does, because God has accepted him.” That’s all that matters: God’s acceptance! It doesn’t matter if YOU approve of what they do. It doesn’t matter if YOU think they should grow up and mature. It only matters that they trust the Son of God, and He’s received them - dying for their sins and establishing them righteous! The blood of Christ is not to be disregarded, and that’s what we do when we despise His children: We despise His love for them, His approval of them, and His command that we love each other; we have become lords instead of servants, masters in our own eyes.

Let this attitude not be among us - that I’m better than you, because I do or don’t do! Let us receive one another to the glory of God.

Thirdly, Jesus is the Judge [vs6-8]. “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, yet he thanks God. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to 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.”

We don’t belong to one another. You are not my Master, and I’m not yours. We don’t live for each other’s approval or by each other’s rules. I have no right to impose on you, and you have none on me. All attempts of spiritual lordship must be disregarded. The slave is a freeman in Christ: he cannot worship according to his earthly master. The church member is free, if the pastor cannot point to God’s word for counsel. The Scriptures ALONE rule us, and we will not give authority to men! There are no councils and no popes higher than, “Thus says the Scripture.” We bow to, “It is written,” and teach it with authority.

Likewise, we live unto the Lord. We aren’t selfish and licentious. We don’t take our liberties too far, but in loving concern for others, we practice our freedom. We recognize others are weak and esteem them as brothers. We don’t set ourselves up as superior, for we all fall. We use temperance and self control, giving thanks, which forbids drunkenness. “For everything created by God is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving [1 Tim 4:4].” We live for the glory of the Father rather than our freedom in unspecified things. Our priority is to serve the Lord.