Romans 15:1
“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”
In a world that teaches, me first, take care of you, look out for yourself. Paul teaches the exact opposite. To bear, carry, uphold or support the infirmities, weakness of another. The world says only the strong survive. That is true if the strong do not put the weak above themselves. Paul was not considering those who reframe from as strong but weak because they do not understand the freedom they have in Christ. Those who are often offended if you don't do everything "THEY" consider as right.
Paul teaches we should become as them in order to edify them, help them grow. If they don't eat certain foods even though 1 Timothy 4:4 tells us “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:” then we should not eat that which is offensive to them. If your brother was an alcoholic we wouldn't drink wine in front of him causing a stumbling block, if your sister felt it was sin we would reframe from it as well. We would give the right away to our freedom to edify the other, those who are weaker in the faith.
Why? Because Romans 14:23 tells us: And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. We would not want them to do or fall into anything that is sin following those who are stronger in the faith when they don't truly believe all things are lawful unto us to do it to them it is sin. The Bible tells us let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. Simply put those things which are lawful unto you do it in privacy let them be between you and God. Live peaceably with all men. To keep the peace with your brethren don't push your faith off on them give the right away until they are stronger in the faith.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. You believe they do not therefore bear the infirmities of the weak this life is not about you. Yes you have the right but can you give the right a way to help your sister or brother in the faith grow stronger?
Christ did not please himself everything he did was for us, with us in mind. He gave the right away and picked up his cross for us. We must do the same for others.
Received