Romans 14

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (v17).  In Paul’s time, as in ours, Christians disagreed about certain points of behavior: which days to celebrate (v5), and whether or not to eat meat or drink wine (v21).  Paul told the believers not to condemn one another for different opinions, but to accept one another (v1).  Also, each person has to wrestle with their own conscience, because “each one of us shall give an account of himself to God” (v12).

Instead of self-righteousness and condemnation, we are to pursue “the things which make for peace” (v19).