Study Desk

And now they are the ones who refuse to obey, because God showed mercy to you. But this happened so that they can also receive mercy from him.

All people have refused to obey God. And he has put them all together as people who don't obey him so that he can show mercy to everyone.

Yes, God's riches are very great! His wisdom and knowledge have no end! No one can explain what God decides. No one can understand his ways.

"Who has ever given God anything? God owes nothing to anyone."

Yes, God made all things. And everything continues through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen.

So I beg you, brothers and sisters, because of the great mercy God has shown us, offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him—an offering that is only for God and pleasing to him. Considering what he has done, it is only right that you should worship him in this way.

Don't change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect.

God has given me a special gift, and that is why I have something to say to each one of you. Don't think that you are better than you really are. You must see yourself just as you are. Decide what you are by the faith God has given each of us.

We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace God gave us. Whoever has the gift of prophecy should use that gift in a way that fits the kind of faith they have.

Wish only good for those who treat you badly. Ask God to bless them, not curse them.

My friends, don't try to punish anyone who does wrong to you. Wait for God to punish them with his anger. In the Scriptures the Lord says, "I am the one who punishes; I will pay people back."

All of you must obey the government rulers. Everyone who rules was given the power to rule by God. And all those who rule now were given that power by God.

So anyone who is against the government is really against something God has commanded. Those who are against the government bring punishment on themselves.

And this is why you pay taxes too. Those rulers are working for God, and they give all their time to the work of ruling.

Those who know they can eat any kind of food must not feel that they are better than those who eat only vegetables. And those who eat only vegetables must not decide that those who eat all foods are wrong. God has accepted them.

Those who think one day is more important than other days are doing that for the Lord. And those who eat all kinds of food are doing that for the Lord. Yes, they give thanks to God for that food. And those who refuse to eat some foods do that for the Lord. They also give thanks to God.

So why do you judge your brother or sister in Christ? Or why do you think that you are better than they are? We will all stand before God, and he will judge us all.

Yes, the Scriptures say, "‘As surely as I live,' says the Lord, ‘Everyone will bow before me; everyone will say that I am God.'"

So each of us will have to explain to God about the things we do.

Whoever serves Christ by living this way is pleasing God, and they will be accepted by others.