Romans - Lesson 14

Text

F. The righteous man and his fraternal relationship 14:1-15:13

1. Brothers and judgement 14:1-12

Chapter 14

1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.

2 One man has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.

3 Let not him who eats regard with contempt him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand. ¹

5 One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind.

6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.

7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself;

8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or 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.

10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we shall 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 give praise to God."

12 So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

2. Brothers and stumbling 14:13-23

13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this-- not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.

14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

16 Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil;

17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

19 So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

20 Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense.

21 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.

22 The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

23. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

Thought questions for chapter 14

1. Have you ever found yourself in the position of watching a fellow Christian do something you felt was wrong, only to realize later that the problem was your own judgmental attitude? How did this make you feel?

Yes. Very, very small.

2. What is the principle of Christian commitment in the last verses of chapter 14?

Our confidence for our actions is in christ. If we do our own will, we negate that of Christ’s

3. What do verses 1-12 teach about Christian liberty?

In matters of opinion only there is liberty. The word of God is still our standard of conscience and conduct.

“In essentials, unity; in on-essentials, liberty; in everything, LOVE”

4. If we see a faithful Christian doing something we have questions about doing ourselves, what should we do about it?

Talk with them openly about it. We should speak the truth in love (that is, with understanding).

g. How would we describe the shortcomings of the Romans Christians?

They were a little too overconfident in their ability to judge.

5. What does this chapter emphasize most; liberty, unity or love?

All three.

h. Instead of judging my brother, Where should my spiritual energy efforts be focused? (See 14:13, 17-18)

My own spiritual life. Righteousness is being and doing.

For further thought

What are the most important things to be preserved among us?

Verse 17

As concerned Christians, what can we legitimately judge?

Yes, if we use understanding and the scriptures. We are to use 2 Timothy 4:2 wisely.

Are verses 7-8 about Christians only, or about all people?

Yes and no. As Christians we are to do good to all men, especially the brethren. As human beings, we all share a common bond.

Weak in faith Strong in faith

1. Eat herbs 2 1. Eats everything 2

2. Esteem day 5 2. Every day the same 5

3. Don’t condemn 3, 10 3. Don’t despise 3, 10

Compare verses 10-12 with Matt 12:36-37; 2 Cor 5:10; Phil 2:9-11 and Heb 4:12-13.

Viewed together, what do they teach about the coming judgment? We will be judged by what we do and by what we say. So, be careful!

Does paul mean that we are never to judge between right and wrong in regard to others? An example would be?

No. 14:1 refers to opinions, not doctrine.

By way of illustration

I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me.

-Reply to Missouri Committee of Seventy

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within.

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Conscience does make cowards of us all . . .

• William Shakespeare

When you get what you want in your struggle for self

And the world makes you king for a day,

Just go to a mirror and look at yourself,

And see what THAT man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife

Who judgment upon you must pass;

The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the one staring back from the glass.

Some people may think you a straight-shootin' chum

And call you a wonderful guy,

But the man in the glass says you're only a bum

If you can't look him straight in the eye.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest

For he's with you clear up to the end,

And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test

If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years

And get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears

If you've cheated the man in the glass.

Oh! Conscience! Conscience! Man's most faithful friend,

Him canst thou comfort, ease, relieve, defend:

But if he will thy friendly checks forego,

Thou art, oh! woe for me, his deadliest foe!

George Crabbe (1754-1832)

1 Question:

Is there a limit to the actions another might take and we stil accept him? In other words, what are the boundaries of fellowship?

Ans. The focus in this chapter is on personal opinions, not doctrine; on matters of conscience

dealing with right or wrong.

Ans. In the context, the problems are eating meat sacrificed to idols and the celebration of special days, both of which deal with ones personal closeness to God. The essential matters of religion are those that lead to our discipleship in the first place. See Jn 6:28-29; 4:24

Ans. Could we accept someone who taught against the fundamentals of faith and used Romans 14:1 to say that he was entitled to his opinion?