Romans 14:1-12

Romans 14 begins a new topic in this epistle. Paul now looks at how love keeps you from judging others who disagree with you over non-moral or non-essential issues. From Romans 14:1 through chapter 15:7, he gives us some very powerful principles regarding how to love each other over these issues. He writes, “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:1-12).

In these words, Paul is addressing the conflict that was occurring in the early church over two basic issues. The first issue was whether a person eats meat or is a vegetarian. The second issue was a disagreement over what day they should worship. Should they honor God on one specific day, or should they worship Him every day?

Why did these issues stumble the believers in that day?

To fully understand these issues, you must consider these conflicts in the context of the first century. With regard to eating meat, you must understand that most of the people coming to Christ in that time were idolaters. All of the meat that a person bought in the marketplace had been offered to an idol in one of the multitude of pagan temples. So, for a person who had just come out of idolatry into faith in Christ, they looked at this meat as tainted because of its relationship to the pagan temple. These new believers thought to themselves, Why would I want to participate in and support idolatry again? Consequently, these new believers would struggle with purchasing this meat from the marketplace. Many of them decided to not eat meat anymore, and were very judgmental toward any Christian who did buy this meat. They considered anyone who purchased this meat as compromising their faith. 

The second issue was in regard to worshipping on one special day versus worshipping on a Sunday. This was an equally difficult question. Think about a person who just came out of Judaism, who worshipped primarily on the Sabbath which was Saturday. When a Jewish convert entered into the church, there was an obvious conflict in his mind. Why should I worship on Sunday instead of on Saturday? The church primarily worshipped on Sunday because it was the day Jesus rose from the dead. But, if you believed that Saturday was a holy day, how would you feel if now no one else believed the same way? These believers looked at other Christians as also compromising because they were not really worshiping correctly according to the fourth commandment. Therefore, Paul takes these issues up and explains to these believers how to love each other. These issues are also addressed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9-10, which I will refer to several times in this study. 

Paul’s Five commands

The Apostle Paul now gives five commands that were to help clarify a believer’s responsibilities over such issues. The principles that Paul teaches here are so important for all believers to understand in dealing with all non-moral questions that are not specifically addressed in Scripture. How should you resolve the differences you encounter with others over these and many other non-essential issues?

1. Receive one another without arguing and disputing.  Vs. 1

Paul explains, “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things” (Rom. 14:1). Since there is no instruction given in the Old Testament about eating meat that had been offered to an idol, and no teaching in the New Testament making it mandatory that believers should worship on Sunday, Paul commands them to lovingly receive others who differ on these issues. The word receive in this context means to welcome or accept another person in a loving way. In other words, you should not dispute over doubtful issues when there is no clear command or instruction from God. Such issues fall into a general category of non-biblical and non-moral issues.

There are many issues today that believers dispute over where there is no clear teaching from the Word of God. These are considered “doubtful things.” The word doubtful means a reasoning or personal opinion you have. Therefore, when an issue comes down to your opinion versus another person’s opinion, where the Scripture has not spoken, you must not argue or dispute with other believers over these things. What would some of those things be for us today? How many times have you heard Christians arguing about whether or not a believer should watch television, use social media, go to movies, if women should wear pants or a dress, or many other political and social issues. Think of the arguments that people have about how we should worship, with musical instruments or without, with drums or without, or contemporary Christian music versus hymns. People also dispute about whether we should all be vegetarians, or many other issues concerning your diet. With all such issues you must choose to love and not dispute with others if you want to be obedient to Scriptural principles.

You must also remember that Paul taught that there were certain behaviors such as what we eat, which have no spiritual benefit or detriment for an individual. He said, “But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse” (1 Cor. 8:8). So, keep these truths in your mind when you encounter these issues. Remember to be welcoming toward those who don’t believe exactly like you do in these non-essential areas. Choose to love and receive them, and not dispute with them over such things. Paul also said, “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God” (Rom. 15:7). God loved and received you with all your questions and contrary opinions. Should we not do likewise?

2. Be concerned with people’s weakness of faith.  Vs. 1-2

Again, Paul said, “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things” (Rom. 14:1). What did Paul mean when he taught that someone who struggled with these doubtful things was weak in the faith?

• A person who is weak in the faith is one who is thinking or acting based on their own opinions. Remember that this is the meaning of the word doubtful in our text. This problem is wide-spread in the church today because of the failure of pastors to teach systematically through the Bible, and because of believers’ failure to daily read the Bible. Without a full understanding of the truths of Scripture in their context, Christians will be weak in the faith, and remain that way. All they have is their own opinions and guesses about God’s complete message. When a pastor teaches on one verse of Scripture on a Sunday, and then does the same thing week after week from different places in the Bible, how could a believer ever have a full knowledge of the teachings of Scripture? It would be like opening a letter from a friend and reading one sentence from page 1, then one sentence from page 3, and the next week one sentence from page 5. The same result will occur when a believer just randomly opens the Bible from time to time and reads wherever the book happens to open. Using this method to read a letter or read the Bible is not logical or helpful in getting the overall message.
• A person who is weak in the faith is also one who has a weak conscience. Again, their conscience is weak, because of their lack of knowledge of the Scripture. Paul explained this reasoning when he taught, “Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse” (1 Cor. 8:4-8). Paul explains that some people have a weak conscience, and that weakness will not allow them to partake of certain foods, or worship on certain days. This weak conscience is specifically the result as Paul said because, “there is not in everyone that knowledge.” Notice again, this problem with a weak conscience is also due to a lack of the knowledge of the Word of God. The Word of God is what sensitizes your conscience to what is right and wrong as Paul has already taught us in this epistle. He wrote, “For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them” (Rom. 2:14-15). Note that even men who do not know God have a basic sense of right and wrong within their conscience. This is why as believers we need to feed our conscience with the truth of God, so that our conscience can reject what is foolish and wrong.
• A weak faith will always focus on lesser issues, such as what food we eat, and what day of the week we should worship. When your conscience is not fed the truth of God’s Word, it will always remain weak, and thus always focus on things of lessor value. This is why the Pharisees “neglected the weightier matters of the law” such as love, justice and faith. They focused on external issues of food and washing their hands correctly, and failed to deal with their own self-indulgence (Matt. 23:23-26). Jesus also reproved them when He said, it is “Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (Matthew 15:11). Jesus wanted them to get to the heart issues and what actually mattered.
• But remember, you don’t have to remain as one who has a weak faith or to have a weak conscience. The glorious thing to realize is that God can take your weakness and make it your strength. Paul realized this about himself when he recounted what Jesus had shown him in one of his greatest times of distress. Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). This means that wherever you are weak, cry out to God for His grace and strength, and He will turn your weakness into an asset instead of a liability. Your faith and your conscience can grow strong if you will pursue the Lord in His Word. Open it up daily, and read completely through the New Testament, and then do it again, and again. Your faith will grow, because “faith comes by hearing…the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). As you plant the truth in your heart, the seed of the Word will bring forth the strength of faith and conscience you desire.

3. Your responsibility is to not judge.  Vs. 3-4; 6-10

The third responsibility you have toward the weak brother is to never judge and condemn them in your heart. Arrogant condemnation is what causes strife and disputes. Solomon explained this fact about pride when he taught, “By pride comes nothing but strife” (Prov. 13:10). He also declared, “He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife” (Prov. 28:25). The first thing you must address in your own heart is your prideful attitude. When you think that you have to set everyone straight about how they should live their life in every detail, let me assure you that you have an arrogant heart. You must remember that you are not anyone’s personal Lord and Savior! There is only one Man who holds that office, and His name is Jesus! If someone tells you that you are very opinionated and judgmental, believe them and deal with your sin, or you will create one conflict after another. Judgmentalism is one of the greatest causes of division in the body of Christ. Just make sure you are not the judgmental one!

This is why Paul warned the church at Colossi, “Let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ” (Col. 2:16-17). This is what was happening in this church. People were judging and condemning others, because they ate food offered to idols, and then sold it in the market place, or because they did or did not keep a certain Jewish festival, or because they did or did not worship on the Sabbath. Paul’s encouragement was to stop this judgmentalism. Why? Because all of these festivals or sabbath days were a shadow of what Christ was to do for them. Christ was the fulfillment of every Jewish feast and the only One Who could give them the Sabbath rest in their souls. The word shadow actually means a foreshadow or prediction or a type of another thing to come. Paul declared that Christ was the substance of what was foreshadowed. He is the reality to which all these holy days and feast days were pointing. Think about it, which would you rather have, the shadow or the actual person that is making the shadow?

The ultimate issue is that every believer should realize that they are not the self-appointed reprover of other people’s lives. People should make their own decisions over what they eat and when to worship. They make these decisions sincerely as unto the Lord. This is why Paul says in verses 6-10, “He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?” Paul’s point in these verses is very simple. Those who observe a certain day to the Lord, or those who eat foods believing that God has provided them, do so with sincerity of heart. Likewise, those who refuse to observe a day, or eat certain foods, are doing so with sincerity in their hearts. Both are sincere; both are upright before God; both are seeking to honor God according to the light He has given them. This is why neither group should judge the other.

Before I leave this subject of judgmentalism, let me make sure you have a balance of this truth. There are two kinds of judgments. There is a judgment to condemn and despise, and there is a judgement to discern and determine what is right. However, often believers get these two kinds of judgments mixed up! Jesus was very clear about these two forms of judgment. He condemned one form of judgment when He said, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned” (Luke 6:37). This is what is called a synonymous parallelism, which gives two similar statements or commands, which help define the other. When Jesus spoke of judging, He was referring to condemning another person, which is very clear in this verse.

However, Jesus also taught that there was another form of judging that He wanted us to do. This was a judgment to discern and determine what was right. He taught the multitudes that followed Him, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, 'There will be hot weather'; and there is. Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time? Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?” (Luke 12:54-57). It is quite clear that Jesus intends us to judge and determine what is right. In addition, when people questioned among themselves who Jesus was, He said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). It is very clear from these passages that Jesus intended us to use the brain He has given us, which would enable us to make righteous judgments based on the facts we have. He does not want us judging by appearance. However, this is exactly what the people were doing with Him. Jesus appeared to be just a person from the despised region of Galilee, when He was actually of the seed of David and the Messiah. They should have judged Jesus on the basis of what He said, and the miracles that He did (John 14:10-11). Christ’s reproof to them was simple. If you can discern and determine what the weather will be like, why can’t you judge correctly who I am? Therefore, Paul is explaining that God doesn’t want us condemning and despising others based on our opinions, and forget what the Word of God declares. Communicate God’s truths to others in love, and let them make up their own minds (Eph. 4:15).

 4. You must decide on these non-moral and non-biblical issues.  Vs. 5

The fourth command Paul gives in reference to non-moral and non-biblical issues is to let people make up their own mind. Everyone has the freedom to make their own decisions. In verse 5, Paul says, “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” Now remember, Paul is not talking about clear moral or biblical commands. He is addressing these non-essential issues over which we must make up our own mind. Do you understand that there are certain issues about which God wants you to decide? He wants you to make the decision.

Let me explain the difference between essential issues and non-essential ones. An essential issue is a belief or command that you must believe or do to be a Christian. Essential issues would be your belief in one God whose name is Jehovah. Belief that Jesus is God Who came in the flesh of a man. That you are saved by grace and not of works. That Jesus rose from the dead, and that you must repent of your sins and be born again to enter into His kingdom (Deut. 6:4; John 8:24; Rom. 10:9; Mark 1:15; John 3:3). These are just some of the things you must believe and do to be a follower of Christ.

There are also essential things that you cannot believe or do if you are a Christian. Some of these issues that are taught in Scripture would be: you cannot refuse to be converted and become as a little child if you want to be His disciple. You cannot love anyone or anything more than Jesus if you want to be His disciple. You cannot continue to practice sinful behavior after receiving Christ as your Savior, and you cannot refuse to take up your cross and follow Him (Matt. 18:3; Matt. 10:37-39; 1 John 2:3-4; 1 Cor. 6:9-10). These are some of the essential things that you cannot believe, and that you cannot do, if you want to be a Christian. These are fundamental basic beliefs that all believers have been in agreement regarding for the last two thousand years. 

The non-essential issues I have already addressed earlier in this study. I would refer you to that list. These are issues we can disagree on and still be considered a Christian. In non-essentials, you should give others liberty to believe what they choose, to make a decision in harmony with their own convictions, and to be convinced in their own mind. The balance between these two issues was summed up by one of the early church fathers when he wrote, “In necessary things, unity. In uncertain things, freedom. In everything, charity.” I love this simple statement, because it helps you to understand what Romans 14 is all about.

The Fourth Commandment

However, many would say the one issue of the Sabbath is not a non-essential thing, because it is incorporated into the Ten Commandments. You remember that Moses commanded the people to, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:8-11). If this is the fourth commandment, how then can we call this a non-essential issue?

First, the Sabbath day is a very specific commandment, because it was given exclusively to the Jewish people alone. God spoke to Moses and said, “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you… Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever…’ ” (Ex. 31:13-17). This commandment was given only to the children of Israel to keep throughout their generations. It was a specific sign that set them apart from all other peoples. It was to be between God and the Jews forever. This is also true of the feast days of the Jews.

But, how can I be so sure of this fact? Because Paul clearly taught, as I have already stated above, that the Jewish feast days and Sabbath days were not to be applied to the church. He said, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ” (Col. 2:16-17). Here Paul was addressing the same issue of believers judging other believers, because they were eating certain foods, not worshipping on Jewish feast days or on the Sabbath. His intent was to set them free from these external rituals, and to encourage them that they needed to exchange the shadow for the substance of Christ’s finished work.

How do you make good decisions over non-essential issues?

One of the most important questions people ask me is, “How do you make good decisions over these non-essential issues? If these decisions are left up to me, I want to make wise choices.” Let me give you a few simple principles.

• First, ask God for wisdom. In James 1:5, he commanded, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Prayer is the simplest and easiest way to get the wisdom you need in these circumstances. God will answer the humble acknowledgement that you need His help. He loves to hear your prayers. It is like a father or mother that hears their son or daughter cry out, “Please help me.” Any normal parent hearing these words would naturally help their child, and show them how to do what they cannot. He will never reproach you or scold you for asking, because He loves you and has commanded you to ask (Matt. 7:7-8).
• Second, be sure that whatever behavior you are considering is helpful and edifying to you and others. Paul taught this truth in many places in the Scripture. He declared, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. 6:12). See also Paul’s similar instruction in 1 Corinthians 10:23-33. The word helpful means profitable or beneficial. In these two passages Paul is referring to meat purchased in the marketplace or eaten at a friend’s home. He is declaring that any food is lawful for him to eat, but he also recognized that sometimes another person’s conscience might be offended by his actions. In that case, his liberty and freedom to eat any food would not be helpful or beneficial to another, and could cause them to be brought under the power of their own sin nature. Paul was also concerned that what he allowed himself to partake in might bring him under the power of his own sin nature. I have observed this problem occur many times when someone exercised their liberty to indulge themselves in some behavior, only to have it later take them captive to their own sin nature. Let me give you an example of this kind of dilemma. I counseled a young girl once who wanted to go dancing at a youth night club. She had the liberty to go, but then got romantically involved with a non-Christian man at this dance club. It was lawful to dance, but where she went to dance, and with whom she chose to dance, ended up causing her to sin. Therefore, you must be careful with your liberty.
• Third, determine if a behavior causes your conscience to condemn you. When your conscience begins to bother you, this should be an immediate red flag that something is wrong. Why? Because when you start violating your conscience you are bound to stumble in your faith. Paul warned Timothy about this error when he wrote to him about those in the church who had departed from the faith. He said, “This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander” (1 Tim. 1:18-20). Paul also said of himself in Acts 24:16, “I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” If Paul believed that his own conscience was this important, then so should you! Don’t violate your conscience!
• Fourth, always consider if your behavior is stumbling anyone else. Stumbling yourself is important, but stumbling others is very important. In our next study we will look at this truth as Paul explained in Romans 14:21, “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything, [notice the word, anything] by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” Remember, a behavior might not stumble you, but it may stumble someone else. If it does, stop doing it.
• Fifth, will this lawful behavior you are considering bring glory to God, and not hinder someone else from being saved? Paul taught this truth to the Corinthians when he wrote, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved” (1 Cor. 10:31-33). Notice that Paul declared a universal principle when he wrote, “Whatever you do.” With whatever behavior you are considering, this principle should be uppermost in your thinking. Does my behavior bring glory and honor to God? It is a simple question that only you can answer in your own mind. You must consider, “are my actions right in the sight of God?” When Peter was commanded to not preach anymore in the name of Jesus, he explained the basis of his decision making when he said, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge” (Acts 4:19). Peter’s only concern was what was right in the sight of God. Why? Because whatever is right in God’s sight, will always bring glory to God. Whatever you choose in reference to these non-essential issues, choose wisely!

5. You must give account of your life, and so does everyone else!  Vs. 10-12

The ultimate issue when dealing with non-essential issues is to remember that you don’t have to judge others, or force your beliefs on others, because one day all of us must give account of our lives to God. This is why Paul said, “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:10-12).

This is the ultimate point of this section of Scripture. He is essentially telling the Roman church, “Look, don’t spend all your time judging, despising, and condemning other people. If they misuse their liberty in Christ, don’t worry about it, because they will answer to God one day.” Rather, each of us should be more concerned about the judgment that God will have upon our own lives. How will you make out when you stand before God and give account for your life? We all should be asking ourselves, what did I do with what God has given me to do? Have I fulfilled my responsibility to the best of my ability and with the understanding He has given me? This is what I must give account for, my life and what I have done with the talents He has given me!

Paul said in Romans 2:1, “Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” My sin always looks so terrible when I see others doing it. Yet, I can excuse myself so quickly. That’s just the way I am, and just the way you are too. What you need to do is examine your own life, and you will have plenty to work on for the rest of your life. Where do I need to mature and change? What does God want me to do in service to His Kingdom, and is my personal life pleasing to Him? 

One last thing before we leave this text. There is a passage the Paul quotes in this text that reveals the clear teaching of the deity of Jesus. Paul quoted in Romans 14:11 a passage from Isaiah 45:22-23 that teaches that each of us will bow our knee to God. The passage reads, “For it is written: ‘As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Notice who every knee must bow to. God declared, you “shall bow to Me!” Then God says it again, “every tongue shall confess to God.” What will all men confess? That He is Lord! Now compare this verse with Philippians 2:10-11. There Paul writes, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Here Paul makes it clear that we will all bow and confess to Jesus that He is Lord. Why will we do this? Because He is the Judge of all the earth. Jesus affirmed that He Himself is the Judge of all men when He taught, “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (John 5:22-23). Paul believed Jesus to be the God and judge of all mankind. God’s personal name is Yahweh, the one true and living God. This one God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Notice that Jesus adds the fact that you must honor and revere Him just as you honor the Father. Why? Because Jesus is God the Son that came in the flesh of a man! This is the only reason they are to be equally honored. Is this whom you believe Jesus to be? This is one of those essential beliefs I referred to earlier. Bow your knee to Him today, and confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior!