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Romans 14:9 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

There is a high probability this Christian deal is a new thing for you. It is a life that is completely foreign to the life you were living – and that is by God’s design.

This entity called ‘The Church’ could just as easily have been called ‘The Family.’

We are all used to sort-of constraining our behavior around our families, (at least I hope we are.) There are some behaviors practiced in nuclear family life that are not seen anywhere else. There is respect for mom and dad, love for brother and sister, and common desires for the welfare of all.

Unfortunately, we know all too well this pattern often breaks down, and that family life too often falls far short of the ideal sense we all have about what it should be if only it could be.

Here, Paul is telling those of us who have together escaped the condemnation of God, (Rom 8:1,) and are now living in God’s plan of being conformed to the image of Christ, (Rom 8:29,) that life as we live it has also changed. We are now to live our lives as though those around us are literally our brothers and our sisters – and that we would place their needs and desires above our own.

One of the greatest ways to practice unselfishness is by being around people. Since placing others above ourselves is the greatest exemplar of unselfishness, it becomes imperative we live out this Christian life assembled together in groups. This is why Hebrews 10:24-25 commands us not to forsake assembling ourselves with others – as much as we may want to – because it is no longer what we want that matters; unselfishness is.

There is one more step, and that is that we would be so considerate as to not do anything that may stumble one of our brothers or sisters in their Christian walk, because their Christian walk is more important than our liberty to do what God may allow us the freedom to do. This is behavior modification in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. It allows us to live and love unselfishly in and among large groups of people without considering our own needs but the needs of others. Imagine a church like that!

- Pastor Bill