For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. (Romans 14:17-19, NLT)
Romans 14 is such a good practical chapter. It is a good companion to 1 Corinthians 13. If most local churches could paste 1 Corinthians 13 and Romans 14 into their constitutions, post them on their walls, and implant them in people’s hearts then it would probably resolve a lot of the issues that crop up. Most church conflicts do not revolve around core doctrinal issues but rather over personality differences, methodology, and personal convictions.
Paul reminds the Roman believers that at the heart of God’s kingdom is not what foods you eat or what day your worship service is held on (apparently the hot button issues of Paul’s day). These are side issues, areas of personal conviction and preference. Instead at the heart of God’s kingdom is living a life of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
How do you know you are living in the Spirit?
You pursue righteousness. You seek to please God in your actions and attitude. You avoid “wild parties, getting drunk, adultery, immoral living, fighting, and jealousy” (Romans 13:13). Why? Not because of some legalistic standard but because of a desire to avoid those things which harm our testimony before others, harm our own bodies, and harm our relationship with God.
You pursue peace. You “aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.” You seek to be a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9). You keep short accounts (1 Cor. 13:5). You confront sin with humility and gentleness (Galatians 6:1). You work hard to maintain unity with other believers, even those that bother you (Ephesians 4:1-3). And you seek to display an attitude before others that is “peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (James 3:17).
You pursue joy. Joy isn’t a given in the Christian life. It has to be fought for, sought after, doggedly chosen in the face of trial, frustration, and distraction. C.S. Lewis once said that “joy is the serious business of heaven.” I think he meant that joy is not some afterthought of Christianity or a nice cherry on the top of what is really important. Joy is essential to the Christian life. It is a fruit of the Spirit. It flows out of the heart of God. It is often our very strength…the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
Ever tried to live the Christian life without joy? It quickly becomes drudgery. You become critical, tired, edgy, angry. You start blaming God, blaming others, blaming the government, blaming the church, blaming your spouse, blaming everybody for your misery. Joy is not something dependent on your environment; it is dependent on the Holy Spirit filling your heart. When the joy is gone, check your spiritual engine…something has gone awry. Maybe it’s time to repent, reconcile, renew your mind with God’s truth not the world’s garbage, relinquish some cares into God’s hands, rest in His grace and sovereignty. This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).
When you pursue righteousness, peace, and joy, when you allow yourself to be filled with the Holy Spirit, then “you will please God and other people will approve of you too” (Romans 14:18). Whoa. Living rightly, seeking peace, and learning to rejoice. This is what it means to please God. This is what shines the light of Jesus. This is what displays the fruit of the Spirit. This is what draws others to us. This is what brings real blessing in life.
Lord, fill me with Your Spirit. Give me Your joy. Help me to be an agent of peace. Keep my mind, mouth, heart, and hands pure before You. May I be a blessing to others who cross my path today.