Excerpts from Paul's Letter to the Romans

 

Who are you to pass judgement on servants of another?

Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 

Those who observe the day, observe it in honour of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honour of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honour of the Lord and give thanks to God. 

As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. 

So then, each of us will be accountable to God. 

The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God.

Listening to Paul’s instructions I was struck by his focus on individual behaviour. He personalized life worship, not only is it individual but completely separate from any institutional system. This is not an argument against fellowship and supportive gatherings, but that our relationship with God is personal. What personal practices people engage in as devotional are between each individual and God. Our fellowship is based on our trust in Jesus of Nazareth, and our personal relationship is with God the Father.

Paul tells us to mind our own business. Focus on our own relationship with God and let others do the same. If we trust in Jesus we are family – God’s family. Church is a divisive institution; thousands of denominations exist because people want others to agree with their interpretation of scripture, their weird rules, their traditions. However, everyone whose trust is in Jesus no matter what denomination, church or non institutional, everyone is a child of God.