“Abstain from anything that sustains prejudice against the Gospel.” - Dr. Robert Delnay
Romans 14:1-15:7
Background
Holy – Sanctification, Separation
Leviticus 19:2 qadosh Leviticus 20:7 qodesh
I Peter 1:15,16 hagios 1 Thessalonians 5:23 hagiazo
God is black and white! Light in Scripture equals holiness. Darkness is sin or unholiness.
I John 1:15 in Him is no darkness at all.
II Corinthians 4:6 “what communion hath light with darkness…”
Communion – fellowship or sharing – implied answer is none. Like oil and water they do not mix.
The most dangerous time to drive is twilight. Light and darkness are “mixed.” Mix black and white and you have gray.
Context
1. Church made up of born-again Jews and Gentiles
2. Issues are Old Testament acts – holy days, feasts, fasts, foods (Kosher or offered up to idols), etc.
3. Paul is not attacking legalism, but lack of love by the strong for the weak and judgment of the strong by the weak. His point is that you are not to judge or count as a reject the brother who is gray or black and white. Overriding principle is love.
4. Most of the passages strong commands are to the strong.
Romans 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Strong are not to argue with the weaker brother or judge the weaker brother’s “convictions.”
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
The weak eat herbs, not a gray area. Paul implies that the strong are right.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Love and understanding is key! God welcomes the weak and the strong.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
You are not to judge one another. God will teach you if you let Him. Remember the context. We judge sin, but allow a brother to grow in truth.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Reference is to Jewish holy days and sabbaths. If you want to observe fine, but it is not required. If you tie your salvation to any of that you are legalistic and may not be saved because you do not trust in Christ alone. None of those things help you to be saved or stay saved nor make you more holy than the brother who does not do these things. As a cultural thing or historical reenactment, live in a tent or celebrate the feast. The Jewish converts may have had trouble buying Kosher food after conversion so to be safe they ate vegetables to avoid eating blood or things strangled as well as offered to idols. Gentiles were to avoid blood and things strangled, but Paul said the idol was nothing so if the food was sold in the market don’t worry about it. If at a feast, someone points out that it had been offered to an idol do not eat for the conscience of the one who pointed it out, not for yours.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
We are not islands. Everything we do is before the Lord judgment. We are His and we cannot do our own thing. We are accountable to live so as not to give sinners a reason to blaspheme or reject Christ as they are watching as well as other brethren.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
The Gospel was to fulfill God’s purpose and to establish Jesus as Lord and a perfect judge.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
“Set at nought”, despise or count as nothing. Here is the crux of the issue! Christ bought both of you! What right do you have to despise one another? We were all despicable when He saved us and we will all answer to Christ.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
Stop the judging! You are to edify, not tear down a brother!
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Death blow to gray area philosophy! Paul is telling everyone that the strong ones are right about the issue, but conscience rules in a person.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
“Destroy”, lose off or away; marred. We are called to LOVE, SACRIFICE and RESPONSIBILITY. If it is a good thing, but brings reproach or trouble then you made a good thing evil and your faith appears evil. People around you will judge appearance before they hear facts nearly every time so appearance does matter. You are to walk in love with all men especially the brethren.
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Proper perspective of rights. Kingdom is not solely designed to give you materials rights rather the right to exhibit spirituality.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
You want to serve as an approved servant? This is how!
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
PEACE! “Blessed are the peacemakers.” There would be less splits if the strong would be forbearing and loving and the weak more willing to turn things over to God. There are many issues that fall along the same lines as things in this chapter. We need to find the truth, but if a person is struggling with that truth we give them grace to grow walking in the peace of God.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
Even if you are right and slam the person who is weak you condemn yourself not for the pork sandwich, but for eating it with a sneer or condescending attitude in front of your weaker brother. That goes for the brother who thinks he is the stronger eating herbs. Let the brother enjoy his sandwich and you enjoy your salad. Let God talk to him and you. You have enough on your own plate for God to talk to you about so you do not need to worry about him drooling BBQ sauce down his shirt. Paul said it was not a sin so let it go.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
If you are an herb eater and feel obligated to eat meat because of an insistent, even overbearing carnivore don’t do it. If you believe it is wrong in your heart than it would be wrong for you to do it until you can do it in faith. If you choose herbs for health reasons and not because you think it is a sin and will eat a bacon burger now and then with the brother than do so because you have faith that it is not a sin. Otherwise, back off until you can. Do not cross your conscience and allow the devil to condemn you when God does not.
15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Strong admonition to the strong! Carry the burden of the weak! Even if it seems unbearable! We are not here to please ourselves! Build, do not destroy! In so doing you destroy yourself. When you build up the weak you build yourself by sacrificing self and being a red corpuscle in the Body not a cancer cell.
3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Why? Because Christ sacrificed and bore more than we will ever bear. It is not about you.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
Look at how God has dealt with the strong and the weak in the Word. At times, He takes down the strong when they are walking in pride, but raises them up when they repent and see their weakness. He takes the weak and makes them strong when they also confess their weakness and look to Him for their strength. Hence we should take note and have hope and comfort in the Word!
5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Likeminded on all issues? We could get close if we really looked for the black and white truth rather than dillydallying in the gray. One day, we will all say the same thing when Christ comes back. We should make that transition easier by working on it now. We are to at least be likeminded in purpose and goal. All should be done for Christ for the good of the Body and salvation of the Lost.
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
How did Christ welcome you? How does He still welcome you in spite of your current sins and weakness? Then do the same to others!
One last thought.
1Corinthians 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?
6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.
7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
Both sides of an issue need to seek Christ and a way to make things right using Matthew 18:15-29 as a guide. If things do not work out as you wish then give it over to the Lord and allow the Holy Spirit deal with it. Don’t disrupt the Body’s or your testimony for something trivial compared to eternal value. If the brother borrows and breaks your lawnmower and will not make it right fix the mower and forgive him. Let the Holy Spirit deal with it. Don’t leave the church or go to small claims court. Pray for him and let Christ’s love and longsuffering shine through you. If you cut his lawn and he does not pay you then do the same. It does not mean you cannot ever go to court, but make sure it is really worth it. If you can, as my DI said, “Suck it up, Buttercup” it would be better to do that and let Christ abide in you and He will handle the offender. Let God sue him, not you. Maranatha!
