ADMONITIONS TO STRONG AND WEAK BRETHREN (14:1-13)

Introduction:

In this section of Romans where we take what we say we believe and apply it to our every day activities, we have encountered many different scenarios. We have covered how are love one another with brotherly love, how to treat our enemies, and even how we are to react to our government. Last week we saw that the entire law is wrapped up in loving our neighbor as ourselves. This morning, we will go even deeper with our relationship to our brothers in Christ, we will hit some nerves as we deal with brothers who think, act, and have different priorities then we do, as we unpack Paul’s admonitions to the strong and weak brethren in Romans 14:1-13.

Romans 14:1–13 ESV

1 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. 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. 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. 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.

A. HOW TO TREAT EACH OTHER (1-4)

The link to this next section is the last verse in chapter 13:

Romans 13:14 ESV

14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Putting on Christ will have a profound effect in how we treat those who are different from ourselves.

1. The strong are to receive and not despise the weak (1-3a)

(1) the one who is weak in faith – Not referring to saving faith but those things that may be controversial and not settled in their own mind.

1 Corinthians 8:7 ESV

7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

Meat offered to idols

Welcome (proslambano [Pres; Act; Part] (“receive” – KJV)) - to take to, take in addition, to take to one’s self

(2) One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables

(3a) Let not the one who eats despise (exoutheneo - to treat as worthless) the one who abstains - because they don’t have your strength

2. The weak are not to judge those God approves (3b-4)

(3b) let not the one who abstains pass judgment (krino - to subject to censure) on the one who eats

for God has welcomed him - the reason why

(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 - in other words, it is between him and the Lord!

B. HOW TO BE TRUE TO THE LORD IN THESE MATTERS (5-9)

1. Be fully convinced in your own mind (5)

fully convinced (plerophoreo) - to carry through to the end, accomplish

2. Do what you do as to the Lord(6-9)

to the Lord (Dative case) – “the Lord”, is the direct object of all a believers activities

Observing or not observing special days

Eating or not eating certain meats

Living or dying

C. DO NOT JUDGE ONE ANOTHER (10-13)

1. Christ is to be our judge (10-13a)

pass judgment on your brother - Jewish convert, who attempts to arraign the Gentile disciple, as if he had violated a law of God

despise your brother - Gentile convert, despise the Jewish disciple as being unnecessarily scrupulous and superstitious

judgment seat of God – We will all stand equally before Christ and give account to Him, not to each other

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

2. Our concern should be not to put stumbling blocks in a brother's way (13b)

stumbling-block (proskomma) - an obstacle in the way which if one strikes his foot against he stumbles or falls

hindrance (skandalon ) - the movable stick or trigger of a trap, a trap stick