Christian Unity

Romans 14

The church was never meant to be a cozy club of like-minded people of one race or social position or intellectual calibre. Christians are not clones, identical in all respects. One of the difficulties the church has always faced is that included in its membership are the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless, those from every stratum of society, the old and the young, adults and children, the conservatives and the radicals. People from a great number of nations are Christians, and people of every temperament. This is a wonderful thing about the church, and most of us have thrilled at some time at the contemplation of the rich variety in our brothers and sisters in Christ. But this very variety puts strains on us all. How are we to coexist within one church?

There is a lot of discussion about to whom Paul is actually referring to in this chapter!

Some title this “Christians liberty” which there is much to be said about this, that is true, the heart of this chapter......what Paul is getting to is Christian unity!

The audience would be any believer involved in any church.......but this was written to the church at Rome. Most likely, this was happening in this particular church or it was happening around Paul and he wanted to address it!

He deals with 2 types of believers: “Weak” and “Strong”

Keep in mind here and this is important........Paul is dealing with people of genuine faith, the weaker brother/sister is abstaining not for salvation but to please God!

In the book of Galatians, Paul deals with those that were teaching that observing days, diets, etc was necessary for salvation!

That is a false teaching and it actually goes to the reason why, Paul calls the one that lives in their freedom the stronger brother....because their faith is solely in Christ.....not in what days they observe, what they eat, or what they wear!

However, in Galatians 5:13 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

So, these weak brothers/sisters are living actually with a clear conscience toward God, their motives are pure in effort......because of them being referenced as weak, maybe just somewhat ignorant of their freedom in Christ Jesus.

Paul’s writing is to basically to not correct the weaker but for the stronger to not be a stumbling block!

Legalism is a word brought up most in this discussion.......

Verse 1..............As the discussion shows, he does not mean a person who trusts Christ but little, the man of feeble faith. Rather, the person he has in mind is the one who does not understand the conduct implied by faith; perhaps he is the person whose faith is ineffective. His faith is weak in that it cannot sustain him in certain kinds of conduct. He does not understand that when the meaning of justification by faith is grasped questions like the use of meat and wine and special days become irrelevant. Paul is not referring to basic trust in Christ. He assumes that that is present, for this weak person is a member of the church, not an outsider who it is hoped will be converted. What is being discussed is the way the believer should live, the actions that are permissible or required.

Those converted to Christianity in the first century did not come with minds like empty slates. They had had years of living in Judaism or in some pagan situation and in the process had acquired deeply rooted habits and attitudes. They did some things but avoided others. When they became Christians, all this did not drop away from them in a moment. For example, some pagans were so repelled by the self-indulgence they saw as an integral part of the world in which they lived that they turned from it all and lived ascetic lives, sometimes giving up the eating of meat altogether (Olshausen cites Seneca as one who did this). Jewish converts had kept the law of Moses, and specifically they had observed the Sabbath. When such people became Christians they often maintained such habits. They did not see that justification by faith made them irrelevant. It is people who brought from their previous life such habits of thinking and living of whom Paul is speaking.

Accept them/Receive....... The weak are not to be made to feel that they are barely tolerated and seen as second-class members. They are to be received with warmth and true fellowship. Christian love demands no less.

Without passing judgement on their opinions..........

Some have say that “doubtful disputations” carries a meaning in the Greek of: “Without starting an argument”

“The weak man should be accepted as the Christian brother he claims to be. One should not judge the thoughts which underlie his conduct. This is for God alone to do.”

That is can get a little challenging at times, but we trust the Lord that if there is evil we cannot see, that He will expose it for us in due time!

Obviously, there were sincere believers in this condition back in Paul’s day, more so then than now. But, there are some evidences of this today too!

Verse 2.......Herbs/Vegetables.........Eat anything............

This is speaking of several varieties of things......This is what is argued of what Paul is discussing.

I believe he is covering a lot of ground here........Mosiac dietary laws, pagan food offerings to idols, etc, etc!

The weaker brother would believe what they eat meant something, the stronger believe’s that there salvation is in Christ Jesus and what they ate had no bearing on salvation!

Maybe the stronger had heard Paul say what he said to Timothy......

1 Timothy 4:4–5 “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

Or the stronger remembered the vision God gave Peter in Acts 10:14–16 “But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.”

Of course, God was calling Peter to go to Cornelius, a Gentile, and give Him the Gospel, but it carries the same weight with our diet.

Also, the ex-pagans knew that the had sacrificed meat to idols......Paul also deals with this with the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians 8:4 “As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.”

Some would just eat vegetables because of this........there are some commentators that state that vegetables was also offered to some idols, so that is why that those are considered weaker....however Paul’s point is clear, not to argue the point with them!

Receive them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Verse 3....... Each must maintain a right attitude to the other. The eater must not despise the non-eater, and the non-eater must not pass judgment on the eater. The strong often have a tendency to look down on the weak and regard them as inferior Christians, while the weak, knowing that it would be wrong for them (thinking as they do) to do something that the strong do, all too easily hold that the strong are sinning and slip into condemning them.

The weak are clearly in danger of letting works obscure the centrality of justification by faith, and the same is true of the strong, for their attitude implies “My faith is better than yours”, and that turns us to what we do rather than to what Christ has done for us.

It is important for each to realize that God has accepted the other. The weak is not to judge the strong because God has welcomed him. And it is just as true that the weak, with all his scruples, is not to be despised, for God has welcomed him, too.

Verse 4.......“Who are you that judge …?” Both strong and weak should realize that it is God, not they and those who think like them, whose verdict counts.

It is to God that we are held in account and God Himself will make that judgement......

1 Corinthians 4:4–5 “For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.”

Paul adds at the last.......it is God that makes us stand......In the last resort it is the power of God that matters. The Lord is able to make his servant stand, and He will.

Verse 5..........Food was not the only matter in dispute; there was also the question of the observance or nonobservance of certain days. One person considers one day more sacred than another, whereas another person makes no such distinction.

There is something to make clear in what Paul is writing here......Paul does discuss the topic of observance of “holy days” in other places.......

Galatians 4:10–11 “Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.”

Colossians 2:16–17 “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

However, where the centrality of justification by faith was clear and the observance of a certain day (or days) was no more than a practice some believer found helpful, it was another matter.

One writer even stated that there were some pagans come out of observing what they called “luck days”, but these former pagans wanted to observe something more meaningful or helpful.

But, if those days are observed as a means of justification, you have made Christ of none effect!

Each man needs to be honest with himself and follow what his conscience is telling him.....whatever of those things that seem to draw the person closer to Christ and if that is needed then follow after that.

Verse 6......Because the conscience is doing things unto the Lord......it is not for salvation it is because of salvation and the desire to please Him.

The strong believer eats whatever he pleases and thanks the Lord.

The weak believer eats according to the his ceremonial diet and thanks the Lord that he made a sacrifice on the Lord’s behalf.

In either case the Lord is thanked, so the motives are the same.

Verse 7........The focus of the true believer is never of your own self.....everything we do should unto the Lord and to please Him......not for salvation, mind you but.........because.......?????

Verse 8........Whether we live or die.......we are the Lord’s! S.M. Lockridge said the He is the OWNER!

No man, whether they choose to or not........lives unto himself.....it will all come back to the Creator/ the Owner!

“It is God, not self, that is important ultimately; to concentrate on self is to neglect our Maker and to sin against him (Black quotes D. M. Baillie, “the very essence of sin is self-centeredness”)”

Even our death is in the Hands and Purpose of God!

Verse 9.........Paul beautifully brings into this discussion the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Our victory is in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ! The finished Work!

Notice Paul’s reference to Jesus’ Lordship, the order of the 2.....Lord of both the dead and the living........Paul must be speaking of the believer’s here and stating that when death comes true life begins because of Jesus!

However, we can say Jesus will judge the dead and He gives life to the living!

In our Christian living, in our relations to the brothers and sisters.......it is Jesus the Christ the Son of the Living God that is the Lord of all for us and our lives are all about Him and His Father!

Verse 10-12..........If He is Lord, then why are you judging or thinking about your brother or sister with contempt?

We will all stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ..........2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

This is much debated about how this will be.....it is called the Bema judgement, by some.

Every believer will give an account of themselves, and the Lord will judge the decisions they made -----including those concerning issues of conscience. That verdict is the only one that matters.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15..........this is what that is referring to.

This is what one commentator stated about this: “The judgment seat of Christ: “This is the bema seat, equivalent to the judge’s seat in the Olympic Games. After each game, the winners came before the judge’s seat to receive crowns for first, second, and third places. Likewise, the Christian’s works will be tested by fire, and he’ll be rewarded for those which remain... The judgment seat of Christ is only concerned with a Christian’s rewards and position in the kingdom, not with his salvation.” (Smith)

Some argue that this is speaking of God’s eternal judgment, which Christ will judge also,

Which Paul quotes from Isaiah 45:23 “I have sworn by myself, The word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall swear.”

Everyone will stand before God and bend their knee and He will judge!

Verse 13..........Answers the response to this teaching.........If God is our judge.......

Therefore............. “Then let us not judge one another, anymore!!!!!!!!

Instead, determine NOT to be a stumbling block/obstacle in your brother’s way!

This is for the weak and the strong, primarily it is for the strong it seems.

Verse 14........Paul is persuaded/convinced by the Lord Jesus, that he is certain about the conclusions about this topic.

He is absolutely certain that there is nothing unclean to eat!

However, if a believer’s conscience is telling them it is unclean, then it is unclean to that person!

That is between Him and the One Who Judges!!

Do not let that be an issue!

Verse 15........And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.

If what you are eating is hindering a brother or sister, don’t eat it and cause harm or confusion in someone that Christ died for!

Romans 13:10 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Verse 16-17........Do not let your good be spoken of as evil: Our liberty in Jesus and freedom from the law is good, but not if we use it to destroy another brother in Christ. If we do that, then it could rightly be spoken of as evil.

The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking: If we place food and drink before righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, then we are hopelessly out of touch with God’s priorities and His heart.

Righteousness.......Holy and Right living unto God

Peace.........Loving tranquility produced by the Spirit of God, that should be the relationship with one another in the family of God.

Joy in the Holy Spirit..........Attitudes of praise and thanksgiving regardless of circumstances

This all flows from confidence in God’s Grace and Sovereignty!

Jesus said that His Kingdom was not of this world, so lets stop treating it that way!

Verse 18.......If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.

All the things that Paul mentioned in verse 17 comes from Christ and if we serve Christ we have these attitudes and that is what pleases God and others will see that in you!

Instead of always being at odds in the family of Christ and having your good spoken of as evil, people see the goodness of God lived out and if they hate it they will have to make up something to call it evil! As they did with Jesus!

Verse 19-21.........pursue the things we make for peace and for building up of each other!

I can only think of Jesus...........1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”

Follow after......pursue Christ......put on the Lord Jesus and make no provisions for fleshly nonsense!

Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.

It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.

1 Corinthians 8:13 “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”

Paul does not say “It is not good to eat meat”, but “It is good not to eat meat”; he is setting forth the course of action that will help the brother.

Verse 22-23.... Do you have faith?............ or it could be read “The faith which you have,”

The strongest can bring harm to himself in the area of Christian liberty by denouncing or belittling the freedom that God has given him, or by carelessly flaunting his liberty without regard for how that might affect others.

Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Keep that stuff between you and God!

If you are convinced it is right, then good for you!

However, if there are any doubts......don’t do follow after that!

It is a sin!

James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”