吃肉还是吃素？
罗马书十四章1至12节
1信心软弱的，你们要接纳，但不要辩论所疑惑的事。
2有人信百物都可吃，但那软弱的，只吃蔬菜。
3吃的人不可轻看不吃的人，不吃的人不可论断吃的人，因为神已经收纳他了。
4你是谁，竟论断别人的仆人呢？他或站住，或跌倒，自有他的主人在；而且他也必要站住，因为主能使他站住。
5有人看这日比那日强，有人看日日都是一样，只是各人心里要意见坚定。
6守日的人，是为主守的；吃的人，是为主吃的，因他感谢神；不吃的人，是为主不吃的，也感谢神。
7我们没有一个人为自己活，也没有一个人为自己死。
8我们若活着，是为主而活；若死了，是为主而死。所以我们或活或死，总是主的人。
9因此基督死了，又活了，为要作死人并活人的主。
10你这个人，为甚么论断弟兄呢？又为甚么轻看弟兄呢？因我们都要站在神的台前。
11经上写着：“主说：‘我凭着我的永生起誓，万膝必向我跪拜，万口必向我承认。’”
12这样看来，我们各人必要将自己的事在神面前说明。
信息分享
还有另一类信徒对吃肉感到疑虑。在当时的罗马世界，几乎所有肉类都先用来祭祀偶像，然后再将主要部份送到市场出售。基督徒该不该吃这些祭过偶像的肉呢？也许在当时的异教社会别无选择，那么只可以吃素吗？
有些信徒说：「只管吃吧，没问题！」但另一些基督徒却认为：「不，祭过偶像的肉，我们不要碰。」
我们今天也会出现类似情况。有些基督徒列出一张「可行与不可行的清单」；另一些却百无禁忌，做出很多行为令前类基督徒深感不满。还有一些中立者观望着，却很困惑。
保罗指出一套疏解这类难题的上策：
1．不要批评其他信徒的行为；
2．你的行为若是一个坏榜样，就要立即改正；
3．每个人都要自行判别对错；
4．我们每个人都要向主交待自己的行为，无论是活着的此刻（9节），还是将来在基督的审判台前（10至12节）。
我们中间出现争论的时候，可否参照保罗给予罗马信徒的指示呢？我们能否以成熟的属灵态度来处理这些问题，并接受圣灵的带领和保守主内的合一呢？这岂不是处理争论的正确方法吗？
牢记经文：「用和平彼此联络，竭力保守圣灵所赐合而为一的心。」（弗四3）
MEAT OR VEGETABLES?
Romans 14: 1-12
1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.
4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord;[a] and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died and rose[b] and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.[c]
11 For it is written:
“ As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”[d]
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
Message
The other group also had a problem. Almost all meat when butchered was offered to an idol and a large share then found its way into the butcher's shops. Was it right to eat that kind of meat? May be in that heathen city there wasn't any other meat. Should one then only eat vegetables?
Some Christians said, “Go ahead and eat. It won't hurt you.” Others said, “No, it's been offered to idols. Don't touch it.”
It is not much different today. Some Christians have lists of “do's and don’ts”. Others do all kinds of things which are frowned on by the first group. Still others, looking on, are confused.
Paul was saying that the best ways to resolve these problems are:
1. Stop criticizing your fellow Christians.
2. If your actions are a bad example, change your actions.
3. Each one has to make up his/her mind on what is right or wrong.
4. We are accountable to the Lord, both now (v.9) and at the Judgment Seat of Christ (vv.10 & 12).
When conflict or tension arises, can't we look at Paul's commands to the church at Rome? Can't we show spiritual maturity in handling the matter and let the Holy Spirit guide us and keep us united in Christ? Isn't that the right way to handle conflict?
A VERSE FOR TODAY: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3)