Good Not Evil Spoken Of Romans 14:16

Paul the apostle instructed the believers in Rome to, “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean”, and he added, “But if your brother is grieved with your meat, now walk not charitably. Destroy not him with your meat, for whom Christ died.” In chapter fourteen and verse sixteen of Romans, Paul instructed the believers in Rome not to allow, “your good be evil spoken of” where we read:

Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

The verse begins, “Let not then your good be evil spoken of:” Paul began with the words, “let not then” which means “do not allow or permit therefore, accordingly, consequently and these things being so” “your good” or “the believers in Rome's useful, salutary, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent and distinguished acts” “be evil spoken of” which means “be railed at, reviled, calumniated and blasphemed”. Paul exhorted the believers in Rome not to “allow or permit” their “pleasant and excellent acts” to be “reviled and blasphemed”.

When we meditate upon these words of Paul, we understand how “good” is not to be “allowed” to be “put down” or “blasphemed”. In context, these “good acts and deeds” are according to “loving one another”, and when believers in Jesus aligned themselves in opposition to one another over dietary convictions, they may walk outside of God's “good” manner. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believers in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life”, (John 3:16) and those who follow Him should not only perform “good” toward one another, but also not allow their “good” to be “blasphemed”.

Next time Paul tells the believers in Rome, “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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