Romans 14:23
But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
My brother and I have been talking about this verse this month. We were relating it to the belief that choosing God has to be sin because it is not from faith.
My son started drinking again last night after a year of being sober. When he drinks he becomes violent and I have to break contact with him and put him in God's hands. I can do all the right things, but not without fear and emotional pain. He always puts himself in life and death situations and I never know if he'll live through it.
I thought of the verse above and even though I put my son in God's hands it is not from faith yet. It is just doing the right thing. So it is sin because of the fear and worry I go through.
I thought of some other verses.
Luke 9
58Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59He said to another man, "Follow me."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
2 Samuel 18
31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, "My lord the king, hear the good news! The LORD has delivered you today from all who rose up against you."
32 The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"
The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man."
33 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!"
2 Samuel 19
1 Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." 2 And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, "The king is grieving for his son." 3 The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. 4 The king covered his face and cried aloud, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!"
5 Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. 6 You love those who hate you and hate those who love you.
I think of David and his son Absalom when I'm going through all these trials with my own son. David had to put the Kingdom before his own grief over the loss of his son.
Jesus seems to say the same thing in the verses above. Those are hard words. I can hear myself saying "Lord, save my son first and then I will be able to follow you in faith." That's not how it works though.
62Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Mark 9:24
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"