Study Desk

Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how incomprehensible are his ways!

Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.

And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone who is among you not to think more highly of yourself than what one ought to think, but to think sensibly, as God has apportioned a measure of faith to each one.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God.

So then, the one who resists authority resists the ordinance which is from God, and those who resist will receive condemnation on themselves.

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are servants of God, busily engaged in this very thing.

The one who eats must not despise the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat must not judge the one who eats, because God has accepted him.

The one who is intent on the day is intent on it for the Lord, and the one who eats eats for the Lord, because he is thankful to God, and the one who does not eat does not eat for the Lord, and he is thankful to God.

But why do you judge your brother? Or also, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will praise God."

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

For the one who serves Christ in this way is well-pleasing to God and approved by people.

Do not destroy the work of God on account of food. All things are clean, but it is wrong for the person who eats and stumbles in the process.

The faith that you have, have with respect to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not pass judgment on himself by what he approves.

Now may the God of patient endurance and of encouragement grant you to be in agreement with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus,

so that with one mind you may glorify with one mouth the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore accept one another, just as Christ also has accepted you, to the glory of God.

For I say, Christ has become a servant of the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises to the fathers,

and that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, just as it is written, "Because of this, I will praise you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praise to your name."