GRATITUDE FOR GRACE TO STAND

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.

For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables.

The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not,

and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does,

for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?

To his own master he stands or falls.

And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Romans 14:4

Christians are not here to judge each other. We tend to forget that. We tell people they are saved by grace and then expect them to follow whatever rules we have chosen to embrace. Even if we feel the guidelines are strongly based on God’s word, we are not to set ourselves up as judges over other believers. The “disputable matters” might include hairstyles, clothing, moderate drinking, movie choices, amount of television, etc. We are each accountable for our own choices and must sincerely seek the Lord regarding the things we allow in our lives in order to choose things that enhance rather than hinder our walk with Him. But even when we fail to meet the standards we believe God has shown us and even when we sin, His grace is still sufficient. God is able to make us stand. In fact, it is only by God’s grace that any believer stands, whether he or she be considered weaker or stronger in the faith compared to another believer. God has accepted us. We are His children. He chose to adopt us, and the adoption price was the life of Christ who died in our place. God was able to raise Jesus from the dead, and He is able to cover us with His own Son’s righteousness and enable each of us to stand. No matter how meticulously we live before Him, we could never stand on our own merit. Praise the Lord for picking us up and providing the grace we need to stand firm! We were already found guilty of falling short of God’s holiness, but we were saved—ransomed, redeemed, acquitted—because Jesus paid the price in our place by dying on the cross. Then He rose from the grave victoriously on the third day and is seated at the right hand of His Father. Now His Holy Spirit lives within each believer, enabling us to become more and more like Christ, enabling us to stand! Praise the Lord!

Father, thank You for forgiving us. Thank You that by your grace we are able to live abundantly and to stand before You covered by the righteousness of Jesus. Give us grace to be a testimony to Your love. Help us to not judge others. Help us trust You to show others what their actions need to be. Help us to accept those whom You have chosen even when we disagree.

GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ME STAND

The Lord is able to make me stand.

He will uphold me with His own hand.

My gracious Master will not let me fall.

He has accepted me, weakness and all.

Worship with the Crabb Family singing “The Reason That I’m Standing”: