Sunday, March 31, 2019

PAUL'S LAST INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ROMAN CHURCH

My Dear Precious Child,
   Just like the Mosaic Law was given to the Jews to identify the devil's temptations so that the people would not yield to them, My letters, warnings and  words through Paul to the churches were given for the same purpose, to alert My children to the evil that had invaded their churches so that, having been alerted to the devil's temptations, the people would work to allow My Spirit to purify them.  I had told them that a little leaven will leaven the whole lump.  In other words, once they allow the devil's works to pollute even one of their group, there is a danger that the rest will become polluted.  You had observed that when demons temp someone to sin by going outside of My will and obeying evil temptations, then the consequences of those sins don't happen immediately or My children would connect their evil actions with the destruction and death in their lives.  The devil waits long enough before causing the consequences of transgressions to happen so that My children will be blind to the connection between their fraternizing with the devil and the consequences which come much later. 
   Through Paul's writings, he alerted the Christians to the leaven that had come into their groups that were already starting to poison the whole group.  He told them that it was time for them to wake up because the time was coming soon for their entire salvation,  He said that darkness was soon to be over and daylight would dawn because he thought that Christ Jesus was coming to earth soon. He encouraged them to arm themselves and said that they would appear in the light of Christ.  His instructions were for them to live decently as people do in the daytime; no drunken orgies, no promiscuity and no unrestrained sexual activities, no fighting among themselves and no jealousy.  He told them to forget about satisfying their bodily cravings and instead to put on the Lord Jesus Christ as their armor. (Romans 13:11-14)
    For the people who were weak in faith, Paul told the believers to welcome them into their congregations without arguments.  He said there were people who eat every kind of meat but there were also people who only ate vegetables.  He said that for whatever they had faith, that other people should not condemn them.  If you eat every kind of meat that has been blessed, don't despise the vegetarians.  Also, if you are a vegetarian, don't condemn the meat eaters.  He said not to condemn anyone who observes feast days if you consider yourself free from those ceremonies.  The people who observe the feast days do so as honoring Me and the people who are free from the feasts, having already had the prophesies fulfilled in the feasts to become real in their lives, they are also honoring Me by being free.  The reason for refusing to condemn others is because Christ died for the dead and for the living.  That is why you must not judge anyone with contempt, as some of My children do.  You must do what your conscience tells you to do.  If your conscience tells you not to eat meat, then it would be a sin if you did.  If your conscience tells you that you are free to eat meat, then it would be contemptible for you not to eat meat that has been blessed.  Whatever every person's conscience tells him or her, do it.  (Romans 14:1-12)
    However, don't pass judgment on each other. Make up your mind to never be a cause for someone to stumble and fall from what his own conscience tells him.  Paul wrote that as far as he was concerned no food is unclean and all food is good to eat.  But if someone thinks that a food is unclean, then it is unclean for him or her.  If he or she eats what the conscience says is prohibited, then guilt and condemnation will curse them.  (Romans 14:13-15)  Don't judge that person for what his or her conscience dictates.  If you do, then you might cause him or her to stumble in faith.
    So if your eating meat or not eating meat upsets your brother or sister in Christ, then you are not being guided by love.  You are not free to eat something if that means the downfall of someone for whom Christ died.  It is under those instructions that Paul wrote that My kingdom of heaven does not consist of meat and drink, but it does consist of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  If you serve Christ to others with righteousness, peace and joy, then it will please Me and you will be respected by other people.  Adopt every custom that leads to peace and mutual improvement; so don't destroy the unity of your group by arguments over food.  The best thing to do is to abstain from meat and wine and anything else that would cause your brother to trip and fall or become weakened in any way.  Hold on to your own belief as between you and Me and respect a person who does not go against his own conscience.  Anyone who eats in a state of condemnation is not eating in good faith.  Every act done in bad faith is a sin for the person.  (Romans 14:16-23)
     All of My children must put the faith of others above themselves and refuse to condemn other people who are weak in faith if your conscience is free of the limitations of the Law, as Jesus was.  Always help other people to become stronger Christians by not thinking of your own self above their beliefs.  Paul said that Christ who helps us when we are weak will help you to also be tolerant of others who are weak in faith so that you will be united in mind and voice and you will in unity give praise to Christ and to Me.  The only way that Christ could fulfill the promises made to the old covenant patriarchs, as well as to take the Good News to the pagans, is for My mercy to flood into the lives of everyone through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.
    Holding onto hope, allow Me to bring joy, peace and faith into your life so that your hope will abound.  (Romans 15:1-6) Love the people who are weak in faith that they keep Jewish feasts and dietary restrictions.
    Heed the writings of My Holy Spirit through Paul in His chastening of the early Christians.  Strive for that unity of faith, forgiveness and understanding that Christ Jesus taught to you.  Keep your own body free from yielding to temptations of sexual immorality, jealousy, stiff necked doctrines and arguments over them.  Let every one of your actions be done in love, for love fulfills all of the Jewish Law.(Galatians 5:14)
    Your Father Who Corrects in Love 

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