Romans 14:20 (KJV) How Careless Opinions Harm Christian Unity

Romans 14:20 (KJV)

For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

Albert Barnes writes of the phrase “For meat”:
“By your obstinate, pertinacious attachment to your own opinions about the distinctions of meat and drinks, do not pursue such a course as to lead a brother into sin, and ruin his soul. Here is a new argument presented why Christians should pursue a course of charity.”

Please allow me to isolate this one phrase of his: “by your obstinate and pertinacious attachment to your own opinions…”

May I say that it is evil—worthless, wrong, injurious—to allow our opinions about anything to offend others.

It is impossible to live in this world without offenses, and the Bible clearly teaches that we are to forgive them all, all of the time. (I leave you to study the concept of forgiveness; most of us misunderstand it entirely.) But still, “woe unto the man by whom the offence cometh.”

As difficult as it may be to forgive when offended, it is far more difficult to avoid being guilty of the evil of offending others with our opinions.

Now there’s a sin to confess to God every day!

#Romans1420 #ChristianCharity #OffenseAndLove #GuardYourOpinions #WalkInGrace

How Careless Opinions Harm Christian Unity — A Biblical Warning

What does the Bible really teach about offense, opinions, and Christian charity? Romans 14:20 gives us a sober warning we all need to hear. 📖⚠️

Have you ever realized after the fact that something you said—though true—may have caused unnecessary offense? 🤔
👉 How do you try to guard your words and opinions as a believer? Share your thoughts in the comments.

If you’re searching for clear Bible answers, practical teaching, and encouragement rooted in Scripture, I invite you to visit marvinmckenzie.org 🌐
You’ll find Bible studies, articles, and resources designed to help you walk in truth and charity.

Let’s build, not destroy, the work of God. 🧱❤️

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7000 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Romans 14:20 (KJV) How Careless Opinions Harm Christian Unity

Romans 11:11 (KJV) Have They Fallen Forever?

Romans 11:11 (KJV)

I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

Contrary to the doctrine of the Calvinists, I am confident that God has no desire that any should “fall.” There is no one beyond God’s love. There is no one God would not receive to Himself.

Whether Jew or Gentile, what is true of one is true of all. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Christ died for all. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Here is the crux of the situation, though: God only accepts us by the election of grace. No amount of work can save, and no part of grace can be of works.

So God 

• blinds the eyes,
• diminishes the riches,
• casts away the traditional people of God,
• and breaks off the branches—

all to provoke them to jealousy and bring them, eventually, to grace.

That is the plan of God, the will of God, the election of God.

Grace, not works.

Have you felt like you’ve been cast away? Have you wondered if you may not be among the elect?

Fear not.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (KJV)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.

It is not of you. It is of God, and it is for everyone.

Just accept this grace, this gift. Just believe His promise.

Romans 6:23 (KJV)
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

• It’s not up to you to believe.
• It’s not up to you to work up faith.
• It’s not up to you to turn over a new leaf.

It’s only up to you to accept the gift of God of eternal life.

And God will do anything to bring you to the place where you will accept it.

#GraceNotWorks #Romans11 #ElectionOfGrace #SalvationByGrace #WhosoeverWill

Have They Fallen Forever? Grace, Election, and God’s Plan

Looking for clear Bible answers about grace, salvation, and election—without confusion or tradition mixed in? 📖✨
Romans 11:11 reminds us that God’s plan is rooted in grace, not works, and that no one is beyond His reach.

👉 Read the passage. Think it through. Believe God’s Word.
👉 If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “cast away” or truly invited, the Bible speaks plainly.

❓ Question for the comments:
Do you believe salvation is entirely by grace, or do people still try to earn what God freely gives?

📌 For more straightforward Bible teaching and clear gospel answers, visit marvinmckenzie.org 🌐
Let God’s Word settle what opinions never can.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7000 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Romans 11:11 (KJV) Have They Fallen Forever?

Romans 10:15 (KJV) God’s Biblical Pattern for Preaching

Romans 10:15 (KJV)

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

It is sometimes in the most obvious things that we fail to see—and by doing so, reject—the plan and will of God.

Romans chapter 10 is all about spiritual conversion—salvation in the biblical sense. It is true that Israel was in a world of hurt in those days.

• Politically, they were occupied and oppressed by the Romans.
• Religiously, they were divided.
• Socially, they were angry with the world and with one another.

But spiritually, they were dead and did not know it.

History tells us that within just a few years of this writing (and possibly even at the time Paul penned these words), the factions of Phariseeism and Sadduceeism would become so radicalized that they attacked one another. Then, in A.D. 70, the Romans would practically annihilate them, tearing Jerusalem to the ground.

I am certain Paul could sense and see this coming and would have been deeply concerned. But that is not the point of the chapter. His concern for Israel was spiritual.

Then, as the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul transitions from the Jews to the people of the world.

• People are saved only through the hearing of God’s Word.
• People hear God’s Word through preaching.

And here is the point of our text:

• Preachers go only if they are sent.

John Gill writes, “There is no proper, rightful, regular, and lawful preaching of the word without a mission, which is either extraordinary or ordinary…” He describes the extraordinary mission as that of the apostles, and the ordinary as that of pastors and teachers. He speaks at length about the gifts of the Spirit bestowed upon those whom God is calling to this work, and then writes of the mission: “…which is given by the churches of Christ, after due trial and examination of gifts, and a serious consideration of the matter, and that in the most solemn manner; and this is what may be properly called a preacher’s mission, and none but such who are in this way sent out ought to preach the Gospel.”

Let God authorize us and guide us to the work of preaching through the church He has placed us in—or else let us hold fast to our place in the local church until such guidance and authority are approved.

#SentToPreach #FaithComethByHearing #BiblicalMissions #ChurchAuthorized #GladTidings

God’s Biblical Pattern for Preaching: Biblical Missions Start with the Church, Not the Individual

Looking for clear Bible answers in a confused religious world? 📖
Romans 10 reminds us that salvation comes by hearing God’s Word, and God has an order for how that Word is preached.

Too many voices speak today—but not all are sent. Scripture still matters. Truth still has authority. The local church still plays a central role in God’s plan. ⛪

Question for you:
👉 According to the Bible, who has the authority to send a preacher—and why does it matter?
Drop your thoughts in the comments. 💬

If you’re searching for plain Bible teaching, faithful to Scripture and grounded in truth, visit marvinmckenzie.org 🌐
You’ll find resources designed to help you understand the Bible, not just talk about it.

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7000 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Romans 10:15 (KJV) God’s Biblical Pattern for Preaching

Romans 8:16 (KJV) Can You Really Know You’re Saved?

Romans 8:16 (KJV)

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

I consider this to be the most important verse in any conversation on the subject of salvation.

• There are certain important texts that give us the details of what salvation is.
• There are important texts that teach us what salvation does.
• There is a huge volume of important text that preaches why we need to be saved.
• There are key texts that point out how to be saved.

But here’s the thing—it’s all just conversation when it is between one man and another.

We can never know the heart and soul of another person. They can tell us anything they want. They can tell us they are saved. They can tell us they are atheists. They can tell us whatever they wish, and we cannot argue, because we cannot see inside their soul.

We can watch their lives, but even that does not tell us everything. They could be lost but under great conviction. They could live as a Christian but be pretending—or worse, fooled into thinking that their lifestyle can save them.

We can attempt to give another person assurance of salvation, pointing out the precious promises of eternal security—once saved, always saved. We can explain how Christ did all the work of salvation, and since His work is perfect, they can never be lost.

The truth is this: salvation is a work planned by the Heavenly Father, paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ, and performed by the Holy Spirit of God. If a soul is truly saved, the Holy Spirit tells their spirit that it is a fact. I do not know what the Holy Spirit is telling another person’s soul. A person can lie to me. A person may, for a time, lie to themselves. But the crux of the matter is this—if one is saved, the Spirit of God confirms it in them.

If He does not, they are not.

#Romans816 #ChildrenOfGod #HolySpiritWitness #AssuranceOfSalvation #SavedByGrace

Can You Really Know You’re Saved? The Biblical Answer

Looking for real Bible answers about salvation and assurance—not opinions, not feelings, not tradition? 📖✨
Romans 8:16 teaches that the Holy Spirit Himself bears witness that we are the children of God. That’s assurance God gives, not something man invents.

👉 Do you have that witness within, or are you still unsure?
Drop a comment below and let’s talk about what the Bible actually says. 💬

For clear, Scripture-based teaching and trusted Bible studies, visit marvinmckenzie.org 🌐
Truth matters. Eternity matters. 🔍✝️

To my readers:

Thank you! It is a great joy to me to know you read the thoughts and lessons God has given me in His word. I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave comments.

For this and, more than 7000 earlier Daily Visits with God, visit https://mckenzie-visit-with-god.blogspot.com. There you will find daily visits going back to 2005.

If you have been blessed by this blog, please subscribe to my feed and share it with others.

My books, and other resources, are available at:
https://marvinmckenzie.org

Join me at Daily Visits with God Podcast
https://marvinmckenzie.substack.com/

Merch at my Teespring store https://macz.creator-spring.com/
Be a witness with hats, mugs, t-shirts, sweat shirts, and more

Let’s have coffee?
The link to Ko-fi  is an opportunity to support this effort to reach a world of souls with the Word of God. I would appreciate any gift you can give. 

Romans 8:16 (KJV) Can You Really Know You’re Saved?