Romans 14:19–15:13 invites us to trade quick, easy “wins” in our opinions for the slow, demanding work of building people. In this episode, we look at Paul’s call to pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding, to lay down our freedoms when they damage another’s conscience, and to embrace the long, patient work of helping brothers and sisters grow—so that, together, we become a living temple that displays God’s mercy. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why it is so much easier to tear down a life, a community, or a hard-won dream than to build one—and how that reality frames Paul’s charge to “pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” The difference between “building up” and “destroying” the work of God, and how seemingly small choices about food, drink, practices, or preferences can either strengthen or damage a fellow believer’s faithWhat it means to form your convictions “before God”—inviting Him into your decisions about gray areas instead of simply copying your friends or asserting your rightsWhy acting against your conscience, even in things that are morally neutral, is still sin—because it reveals a heart more eager for human approval than God’sPaul’s call to the “strong” to bear with the weaknesses of the “weak,” rather than pleasing themselves—and how that applies to those whose stories include addiction, occult backgrounds, or deeply painful historiesThe role of endurance and the encouragement of Scripture in the long, slow work of helping others grow, rather than demanding quick fixes or tidy spiritual progressThe command to “welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you,” and how that redefines church not as a club for the like-minded but as a diverse choir learning to glorify God “with one voice”How Paul’s Old Testament quotations (from Psalms, Deuteronomy, and Isaiah) show Jew and Gentile learning to praise God together, with the spotlight ultimately on Christ, the Root of Jesse, in whom all nations hope By the end of the episode, listeners will see that Christian freedom is never an excuse to bulldoze someone else’s soul, but a gift to be used in love. You’ll be invited to take your own motives seriously, to choose building over breaking even when it costs you, and to join God’s long-term project of forming a community where the strong gladly bear with the weak, everyone is welcomed as Christ has welcomed them, and hope in the God of endurance and encouragement overflows.  Series: Romans: Justification by FaithStart Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity launches January 9. Pre-order your copy now or buy it on launch day. Visit StartStrongBook.org for more details.   Support the show

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