Fasting Encouragement Day Eleven

Fast encouragement day 11
Romans 14 - The Honor Diet - Pastor Josh

Have you heard of this new trendy diet yet? It’s actually an ancient diet that Paul the Apostle coined, and I’m resurrecting it for my 2022 #lifegoals. It’s simple, but hard, like more than 75 hards (whatever that is), but it’s the best thing you’ll ever do! It’s a perfect diet to start after your fast, so here it is..
Step 1 - Eat whatever you want because you’re free and all food is from God, therefore all food is clean!
Step 2 - Restrict yourself from eating anything that the person sitting across the table from you doesn’t feel right about eating. (Including AAA ribeye steak and a glass of Petite Sirah unfortunately).
Step 3. Repeat. That’s it!

Pretty simple hey? You are free to eat ANYTHING you want, and also to eat NOTHING you want if your brother isn’t comfortable with it. It’s the honor diet, and it’ll help us shed those unsightly selfishness and judgmental pounds (I have more than a few). It’s also the way of the kingdom, the narrow way to Righteousness, Peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit!

Ok, ok, that maybe sounded a little over simplistic and crass, and for that I apologize. However, this is exactly how this scripture personally cuts me to the core. When I honestly read this passage and let Paul’s words wash over me, it brings me into a bit of a crisis, it brings me into tension with my own sense of human entitlement. “Why should I restrict my life because *they* are afraid of meat” I say…however, the scripture still cuts me the same.

14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 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. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant?…

Weak faith, in the Orthodox study bible, is described as “people who assign primary importance to secondary matters”. The secondary matters Paul is talking about here are issues of restrictions around food (v2) and the observance of liturgical calendars (v5), things of which those of “weak Fatih” would try to use to judge others or create division. I’ve found that I live in a world full of secondary matters right now, and this verse is speaking to me loud and clear.

I believe Paul here is showing us what “take up your cross and follow me” looks like on a micro level within a community of believers. It shouldn’t be news to any of us, but if you’re a Christian, that means you’ve made a decision to follow the life example of a middle eastern Jewish Rabbi. One that was falsely accused, falsely prosecuted, received a false ruling, and was tortured and killed—all while saying nothing to defend himself and set the record straight. The book of Revelation says that throughout all eternity we will worship Jesus Christ as the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. THIS is the one we follow, and this cross He invites us to is meant to be the lens through which we understand and evaluate our christian life. Take up your cross doesn’t mean get a necklace with a cross on it, it means follow the narrow way of self-sacrificial love.

We love to quote “It’s for freedom that Christ has set us free”, but don’t like to think about what exactly Jesus did with that freedom. Jesus was the freest human in the universe, and yet he chose the restriction of the cross, putting upon himself our own limitations and brokenness, to show us the infinite love of the Father towards us. This is what freedom looks like, and this is what freedom does.

When we label someone as an ideology or a socio / political / religious perspective, it becomes near impossible to see Christ in them, we only see them as an enemy to our own interests. It really is our own self-interest and judgement that has blinded us since we ate of that tree of knowledge in the garden. That cursed tree of “good and evil”, “us and them”, “right and wrong”, is the very tree that made enemies of brothers and paved the way for humanity to make an enemy of their saviour, nailing Him to another cursed tree.

Maybe my ideas are right, maybe they’re wrong, I might even think they’re primary issues—however, Paul tells us, and Jesus shows us, that they are not enough to justify stepping out of self-sacrificial love for the other.

In the context of new covenant community, honor is how true freedom expresses itself. In the words of Jesus, “No one takes my life.. I lay it down” (Jn 10:18). Other-centred love invites us to put the restrictive needs of others, even if we see them as wrong, above our own. To steward each others hearts and consciences with love and care. Honor is how we do authentic community around the table of the crucified Lord—the table where we break bread and share the cup, to remember what freedom and love does.

Listen, I understand there are caveats to this diet, and nuance to this conversation, the Lord knows that I have some strong opinions you just might agree with. However, I believe the starting point and foundation for any of these tough conversations is not personal liberty, but honor and the self-giving love most clearly revealed in the crucified Christ. The culture that the “honour diet” creates is a "we before me" culture of accommodation, selfless service, and a clear vision of the image of Christ our brother bears.

The honor diet, it’s the hardest diet I’ve ever tried, and I fail at it sometimes, but I’m willing to keep fighting for it because you, yes you…are worthy of love.