Christians should not judge each other
1 It is difficult for some Christians to trust God completely about everything. You should accept people like that as your friends. Do not argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 Some people believe that they may eat all kinds of food. But other people are not so sure, so they eat only vegetables. 3 People who eat any kind of food must not think that they are better than people who eat only vegetables. Also, people who eat only vegetables must not judge other people who eat everything. They are not doing anything wrong, because God himself has accepted them.
4 God is the master of all believers and they are his servants. You do not have authority to judge someone else's servant. The servant's own master will decide if he has done well or if he has done something wrong. And he will serve his master well, because the Lord is able to help him.
5 Some people think that certain days are special and more important than other days. Other people think that all days are the same. Each person should decide what seems right to him. 6 Someone who makes a certain day special does it to respect the Lord. Someone who eats all kinds of food does it to respect the Lord. He thanks God for the food that he eats. Someone who refuses to eat certain kinds of food also does it to respect the Lord. And he also thanks God.
7 None of us lives only to please ourselves. And we do not die to please ourselves. 8 While we live, we want to please the Lord. And when we die, we want that to please the Lord too. So, while we live, or if we die, we continue to belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and then he became alive again. This happened so that he could be the Lord of all people. He is the Lord of people who have died and those who are still alive.
10 So, if you eat only vegetables, do not judge other believers. And if you eat anything, do not think that you are better than other believers. Remember that all of us will have to stand in front of God. He will decide whether we have done what is right or wrong. 11 This is written in the Bible:
‘The Lord God says,
“As surely as I live, this will certainly happen:
Everyone will go down on their knees in front of me.
Everyone will praise me that I am God.” ’
12 So each of us will have to explain to God about the things that we have done.
