Annoying Christians.

Annoying Christians. Romans 14:1-13.

Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. Romans 14:1 (NKJV)

A great lesson for Christians is their own history of un-righteousness. How long were you a lost sinner before you came to know the Lord? I say lesson, for many need to calm themselves when dealing with the unsaved. Just as God was faithful to get the message to you, He is faithful to get the message to others; so to you, who are overzealous, I say, learn to calm down in your approach.

It needs to be said, but there is nothing worse than a Christians whose every motive is to drive people to a decision in Christ. This type of person interjects Christ into every conversation and at every opportunity they push Christianity like an eager car salesman.

It becomes so bad that people notice that the motive is not about having love for them and that the sale is the driving factor. This type of Christian is motivated by the conversion and not the spiritual wellbeing of the person they talk to. Even though they believe what they do is right, Jesus did not act this way.

Jesus would feed peoples hunger before offering spiritual food. Jesus would go to their dwellings and eat with them. Though He was criticized for being friends with tax collectors and harlots, Jesus became a friend before people would accept him as Lord.

A second type of annoying Christian sounds like a walking Bible verse and though it is good to know scripture, application is the key. The first application is to know that scripture is spiritually discerned and only by God's spirit can one understand what God intended by the scripture. For the most part, people they come into contact with, usually do not admire the knowledge of scripture, they only perceive the person as proud and arrogant speaking about confusing concepts.

Though there are many more ways to be annoying to the unsaved, the last one is the Christian who argues; this is the one Paul is speaking to in our passage.

For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 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. Romans 14:2-3 (NKJV)

Some Christians have a model in their minds of what a Christian is and the annoying Christian goes about trying to convince people to live according to their model. The problem begins when the person is not patient to let others have their own relationship with God and they try to become the instructor.

You know that you are this type of Christian if your question or your comment turns into a strong conversation or graduates to a debate. In Paul's day, people concerned themselves with what people were eating and judging a person's spirituality by their dietary choices.

The Jew that clung to the Law would not eat pork, shellfish, and any type of food mentioned on the "un-clean" list. This diet became a source of pride and those who maintained it considered themselves as godly, judging those who did not attain to it.

In the societies the first church, much of the food in sold in the market was food left over from the feast surrounding the worship of idols and therefore, labeled by many as "un-clean". Yet it was cheap and to buy this food was an economic survival necessity to many people. For this they were looked down on to the extent that it caused arguments. Eating the food offered to idols was a big issue that has nothing to do with salvation or godliness.

Whatever the subject old or new, arguments never produce good results. Some argue food, others music, and the list is lengthy that led to divisions within the church. In our day, there is a large problem with unity of churches and caused from the way each church behaves. We must ask, is this what Christ wanted for the church?

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. Romans 14:4 (NKJV)

Taking a stance on a certain subject is good, but that is good for you; applying your convictions to others is arrogant unless the scriptures teach a definitive doctrine. Yet even with definitive doctrines a Christians become annoying when they overstep their bounds, pushing people to conform. For the most part they do not realize that they are often are stepping on God's turf.

God's spirit convicts the world of sin and for a Christian to point at another Christian to declare their shortcomings is being critical of God's ability. In the same sentence that points out their flaws, is an underlying criticism that God was not able to clearly get through to the person.

A pastor once taught me that when you point your finger at another, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself. This is where arguments come from when thinking others wrong; the spirit of criticalness being the worst wrong.

One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; 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. Romans 14:5-6 (NKJV)

Each person will have certain convictions and some more than others. Realizing this and keeping your own convictions to yourself is honoring God.

Myself, I would never pierce or tattoo my body; yet around the world there are Christians that do. Some go to the extent that may look very strange to me, yet the feel that it is all right to do so and though many will condemn them and argue that it is not godly, some of these are Christians and convert others, like themselves, to salvation.

This difference in social behavior is magnified when going to other parts of the world; every culture has different behaviors acquired from many influences. This is where Christians must tread light for losing a culture over differences is a lot to be responsible for.

A rule to always remember is that God's hand is not so short that it cannot save. He is reaching to others and everyone will respond even if it is in rejection. There is no need to argue or is there need to push; there is only the need to get out of God's way to allow Him to reach people. Worry about your own godliness, preach the whole message of God, and God will change the ways of people. We must only live our lives as a light and lights do not make a noise.