From Romans 14-16
Sometimes we are called to modify our behaviour out of love for God and fellow believers. It is easy for all of us to insist our way is best. But there are things more important than our own way of doing things.
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
When the Gentiles first came to faith the Jewish believers had a real issue with whether or not to get them to obey the law of Moses or not (Acts 15). Without the Old Testament where would they get their ethical instruction from? In part I believe they trusted in the work of the Spirit to guide them (Acts 15.11).
Otherwise Paul had a lot of work to do (1 Cor 15.10). Paul’s prayer and desire is that his churches will seek guidance and learn from the Spirits renewing of their minds and hearts (Rom 12.1-2; Eph 4.23; 5.10; Col 1.9-10).
In today’s passage we see what it looks like when people of different understandings of right and wrong are in fellowship together.
14 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.
4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. (Rom 14.1-6)
‘For God has welcomed him’, ‘who are you to pass judgment?’. Through the power of the gospel and the Spirit God has welcomed people of all nations. Some were prone to judge their brethren because of differences over Jewish observances such as the food laws, Sabbath and festival observance.
If God has welcomed them, so should they receive them.
Note for this whole passage, Paul does not think the named observances are worthy of condemnation and breaking fellowship. But he has no problem with some observing them and others not. Compare this with sexual immorality for example (1 Cor 5.9-13).
7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (Rom 14.7-9)
‘Christ is Lord of both of the dead and of the living’. In virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection Paul reminds his audience they owe their lives and their deaths to Jesus, the Lord and Christ.
His death and resurrection has made him Lord and Christ (cf. Acts 2.36; Rom 1.4; Phil 2.9-11).
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Rom 14.10-12)
The verses about life and death (Rom 14.7-9) are bracketed by Christs judgment (Rom 14.4,10). Consequently, they are not to judge one another. Rather they should to look to Christ and be mindful of his judgment.
13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom 14.13-17)
‘Decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother‘. Paul wants his audience to be mindful of the sensibilities of others around them. To alter their behaviour so they can get along.
18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. (Rom 14.18-19)
‘Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men‘. His audience has been welcomed by God, an act of grace and mercy given to sinners.
Now they are to live in a manner which God finds acceptable.
Such live peacefully with his people and build them up.
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Rom 14.20-23)
‘The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God‘. Sometimes there are things some believe are acceptable which they suspect others will not. This was Paul’s situation. He urges his audience to keep this between themselves and God. To some extent sometimes they had to refrain from doing or talking about things they suspected others would condemn.
‘Whoever has doubts is condemned‘. If their conscience made them uncertain about doing something, or if it feels wrong – then it is wrong. It is sin. ‘Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself’.
Words for Believers
Sometimes we are called to modify our behaviour out of love for God and fellow believers. It is easy for all of us to insist our way is best. But there are things more important than our own way of doing things.
The spiritual well being of our brothers and sisters in Christ is far more important. God has welcomed us into his kingdom.
He calls us to live in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2016. All Rights Reserved.
