Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing!
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
It’s been a couple of weeks since we have been in our study of Romans. Today we come to the 14th chapter.
Throughout the early church there were some arguments about all kinds of crazy stuff. In chapter 13, Paul talked about putting aside the deeds of darkness (v. 12), and clothing ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 14).
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
Keep verse 14 in mind. We are not to gratify the desires of the flesh. What I find in myself is that one of my strongest desires is to be “right!” I think Paul may have been thinking about this as well. Because when you come to verse 1 of chapter 14 he again talks about unity!
Accepting Each Other!
Accepting Each Other!
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.
Paul begins this section by telling the reader that we need to accept the one whose faith is weak.
The Greek word for “accept” can mean “to receive” so we are to accept them in the hope of helping them grow to a proper understanding of Jesus.
The word “weak” has the idea of sick, ill, or feeble.
Paul continues by telling us that we are not to quarrel or fight about disputable matters which can be translated differing opinions--this refers to things that re not clearly laid out in the Scriptures. If God’s Word is clear, then it’s not disputable! But it is easy to get hung up on things that really don’t make much difference in the big scheme of things.
In the next several verses, Paul is going to show the reader what some of the disputable (or differing opinions) look like.
Examples One—Foods
Examples One—Foods
One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.
Here’s an example of one of the “disputable matters.”
On person’s faith allows him/her to eat anything. This would include food forbidden by Jewish Law, or food purchased in the marketplace that may have been used in idol worship.
Another person—whose faith is weak—eats only vegetables.
So there is now an ongoing debate about whether or not it is okay to eat anything and everything, or should a person only eat vegetables so that they don’t defile themselves with meat that might have been used in ritual sacrifices to idols, or that God said (in the O.T.) is unclean? (v. 2)
The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.
Paul doesn’t address that issue here, but rather goes after the heart issue—the need to be “right!”
The person who is okay with eating anything and everything, must not (an imperative command) treat with contempt (Gk. despise, outright reject, make light of) the person who does not believe it is okay to eat meat.
The one who doesn’t eat, must not (again an imperative command) judge (Gk. pass judgment, separate from) the one who does eat meat.
REASON: God has accepted them—both.
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Rhetorical question: Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? The reader is expected to realize that the servant (or employee) that does not answer to you is not judged by you!
Whether the servant stands or falls depends on the servant’s master! Likewise, both the strong in faith and the weak in faith will stand before their Master--King Jesus!
Notice Paul says And they will stand! Why?. . .for the Lord is able to make them stand. We are unable to stand in our own power! We can ONLY stand when Jesus enables us to stand!
Example Two—Day of Worship
Example Two—Day of Worship
One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.
Another example of “disputable matters.” Considering one day as more important than another (v. 5).
So one person thought the traditional Sabbath was better than the first day of the week (Sunday). And they would argue about who was right or more holy! (v. 5a)
Paul says what ever day a person picks to worship the Lord, the person needs to be fully convinced (to be ready to carry out) in their own thinking (v. 5b). In other words, God is far more concerned about us coming together to worship Him than He is about which day of the week we do it. To quote Nike, “JUST DO IT!”
Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
If you were to regard one day as special— you need to do it as unto the Lord (v. 6a).
If you eat meat—eat meat with a thankful heart, thankful unto the Lord (v. 6b).
Likewise, if you don’t eat meat you also need to give thanks to God (v. 6c).
For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.
For NONE of us live for ourselves alone (v. 7a.)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
And NONE of us die for ourselves alone (cf. Phil 1:22-26) (v. v 7b).
If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
It doesn’t matter if we live or if we die--no matter which one we end up doing, we belong to the Lord (v. 8)!
For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Jesus died to conquer death—so He is the Lord of both those who are living, and those who have died—No matter what, Jesus is Lord (v. 9a).
And both sides are accepted by God (v. 9b)!
So What
So What
There are things that God’s Word clearly presents. Those things are not “disputable matters!” But the Bible does not address EVERY situation that comes up in life.
So, when the Bible doesn’t specifically address something, we should not use an action—either by doing the action, or not doing the action—as a proof of our holiness!
The emphasis in this passage is being totally sold out to the Lord Jesus! I can’t help but think about Paul and his upbringing. He would have known the “shema” which says,
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
The emphasis is loving the Lord God with all of me! And you need to love the Lord God with all of you!
