We have long taught our son to follow the Lord's written Word. Everything man tells us is "from God" must be compared to scripture. If it is contrary to scripture it must be discarded, even if the human source is a pastor, preacher, teacher, or elder.

If we think something is a "sin" that is not specifically spoken to in scripture, i.e. eating meat, drinking wine, we must compare this "sin" to scripture as well. God is not the author of confusion. He will not contradict Himself. He is very clear about His expectations and His commandments.

So I believe that if I ****** it is a "sin". I've searched the Word, and scripture says don't let ****** rule you, do not ****** to excess, and all things are lawful for me but all things are not expedient. So there are warnings, there are okays, there are no thou shalt nots. But I really believe that I should never ******. So, is it a sin if I ******? Is it a sin if YOU do?

Romans 14 speaks to this directly. "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written,
"AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME,
AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD."
So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this--not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.
Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin." (Romans 14)

Whatever faith I have, I must have it as my own conviction before God. I must be fully convinced in my own mind, and live my conviction! If I am fully convinced before God that it is a "sin" for me to ******, and I choose to ******, then I have sinned. My heart condemns me because I did not ****** from faith. If you have faith that ****** is clean before God, and you choose to ******, you have NOT sinned. You do not condemn yourself in what you approve. HOWEVER, if you see my weakness of faith and condemn me for it, you HAVE sinned. And if I see the freedom of your faith, and condemn you, I have sinned.

Friends will tell you I am kind, compassionate, a good listener. I'm usually the first call when one of my girlfriends has a problem they need to talk out. I made an important discovery this week, that will impact the way I deal with some people who've been calling recently. Whiny adults seriously make me crazy! I can't stand to be around them or talk with them when they are whining! So here's the deal. If you have a problem, take the steps to fix it. If you don't want to do the work to fix the problem, that's fine. Understand you have chosen the consequences when you choose to not handle the problem. Either way, don't whine about it to me! I've spent the past 2 weeks listening to non-stop whining combined with absolute refusal to take the steps they acknowledge will fix their problem. NO MORE. I'm no longer listening to whining from ANYONE. It makes my head hurt!

I was talking to a friend today who was trying to convince me that it was important to read commentaries (books, articles, etc.) to make sure my interpretation of scripture was "correct". He'd sent an article regarding the role of women in the church, written by a man for whom he has great respect. It did not sinc with my understanding of the 'proof text' scripture this man used.

So I made the blanket statement that I see no use in reading every man's opinion of scripture when scripture does a perfect job of interpreting and commenting upon itself. Later I realized that statement could be misinterpreted to mean I'd interpret scripture my very own way and come up with my very own doctrine, so there. Not what I meant!

My relationship with Jesus is personal. I have a responsibility/obligation because of that relationship to get to know Him myself! That means reading and studying the Word, going back to the original language(s), listening to the Holy Spirit teach me. I need to know that I believe what I believe because I've studied scripture and found the truth there. If I am fully convinced what I have learned is truth, I must live it before the Lord. Before the Lord I stand or fall. I am His.

I do understand the importance of edifying and being edified by my brethren in Christ. After I've studied, I can see benefit in talking with other Christians or reading commentaries or books or articles. I would at least have a good foundation and be able to measure their opinions against scripture I've already studied. Without that foundation I'd be like a volleyball, tossed up by every different opinion. There are people whose opinions I greatly respect: Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, Bailey Smith, Charles Spurgeon, Oswald Chambers, to name a few. But they are just people. They had to read scripture, just like me, and listen to the Holy Spirit teach them, just like me. And they had to depend on the rest of the body of Christ to exercise their spiritual gifts to build up the body, just like me.