Whatever is Not From Faith is Sin....

“But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” ~ Romans 14:23, NKJV

Eating the meat of an animal sacrificed to an idol was considered as part of the act of worship. In pagan cities, where animals were offered to idols and the meat was served to guests or sold in the marketplace, believers faced a difficult decision. Was eating the meat tantamount to idol worship? Or was it, as Paul wrote on more than one occasion, just meat? Nothing in God's creation is unclean of itself. If someone had the faith to accept God's word and eat the meat without a doubts in his conscience, this was all well and good - as long as his eating wasn't making another, weaker believer stumble. But it was not well and good for someone to go against his conscience and eat the meat, because his actions, indeed, would be sin - he was going against his conscience and doing that which he believed to be wrong. Faith is the believer's connection to everything that is good. Faith is what holds him to the truth of God's word. Faith is how he receives the Holy Spirit and God's nature. God's nature is good and encompasses all that is good; human nature, on the other hand, is only evil. So, as Paul writes above, whatever is not from faith is sin. All the good motivations - such as love - have their roots in faith. All the evil motivations, like fear, pride, envy, self-seeking, anger, and revenge, are found apart from faith. It's an eye-opening and rather intimidating division of sin and righteousness, but it's also a division that brings simplicity. Where are my actions coming from? Are they from faith? Are they in accordance with the word of God? Are they empowered by the Holy Spirit? Or are they not? Paul makes it very easy to see what deeds are worthless and what deeds are not. And the grace of God is always there to help us walk by faith and not by sight.

by Rebecca