Love in Action (2)
Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
If you were with us last week, you might remember that we ended with the ninth verse of chapter fourteen.
For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Christ died for both the living and the dead.
Not Judging
Not Judging
You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
Paul now asks two questions:
Why do you judge (to pass judgment, to separate from)your brother or sister?
Why do you treat them with contempt (despise them)?
KEY--Each and every person will stand before God and be judged--the Greek word here is bema. It is often referred to as the Bema Seat Judgment.
This is not a judgment that determines whether or not we receive eternal life, but rather it judges our actions here on earth for eternal rewards in glory.
The places that talk about a judgment to determine entrance into heaven uses the Greek word krisis which refers to judgement to determine punishment. For example Hebrews 9:27.
Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ”
Paul now quotes from Isaiah 45:23.
He uses this passage to remind us that one day, EVERY knee will bow before the Lord God, and EVERY tongue will acknowledge God—or every tongue will praise God (v. 11)!
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
Bottom line--ever person will give an account of our lives to God. What you and I do here on earth really does matter (v. 12)!
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
First of all, notice that this verse begins with a “therefore.” It refers back to two things:
The fact that God is the ultimate Judge (v. 10).
Each person will give a personal account of their actions to God (v. 11).
Because of these two things--we need to do two things:
We must stop passing judgment on our Christian brothers and sisters.
Need to determine that we will NOT put a stumbling block or obstacle in our Christian brother’s or sister’s way.
In the context—this idea applies to both the weak brother or sister who judges the actions of a strong Christian. And it applies to the stronger Christian who looks down upon the weaker brother or sister with an air of superiority. So in essence it applies to ALL of us!
I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.
Paul says he is convinced (Gk. know, understand, perceive) that nothing is unclean (v. 14a).
Paul says he is fully persuaded (Gk. fully convinced, rely on) that nothing is unclean (v. 14b).
But if someone “regards” (considers, counts) something as unclean then to that person it is unclean (cf. 1 Cor. 8:7) (v. 14c).
If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.
Paul takes it a step farther by saying, if a fellow Christian is distressed (Gk. hurt, grieved, injured, sad) because of what you eat (or expand to do. . .) then your actions are not loving (v. 15a)!
We are not to destroy (Gk. ruin, kill, lay waste), by our actions, someone for whom Jesus died (v. 15b)!
Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.
WARNING--Don’t let something that you know is good end up being spoken of as if it is evil (v. 16).
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.
These two verse are the key to the previous verses.
The kingdom of God is a lot more than simple arguments about what we eat and drink (v. 17a).
The kingdom of God is about righteousness (right living before God), peace (harmony and order) and joy that comes from the Holy Spirit (v. 17b). If your religiousness leads you to righteousness then it is “of God.” But if your religiousness doesn’t push you towards living right before God—then it is useless!
The way we please God is to serve Jesus in this way (v. 18a)!
And will ultimately be at peace with others (v. 18b). Paul echos this idea in 2 Corinthians 8:21.
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Verse 19, begins with a “therefore,” it points us back to verse 18 where Paul reminds us that those who serve Jesus seeks to please God and in the process they will receive human approval.
Now verse 19:
Make every effort--work hard, pursue, chase after--to do what leads to two things:
— Peace--harmony (v. 19a)
— Mutual edification—building up others (v. 19b)
Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.
We also need to be careful not to destroy the work that God is doing! (v. 20a) Especially not for the sake of food! Or something insignificant.
All food is clean (there’s no right or wrong when it comes to the food argument) (v. 20b)
But it is wrong for a person to eat ANYTHING that might causes someone within the family of Jesus to stumble (v. 20c).
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.
Paul goes on to say:
— It is better not to eat meat
— It is better not to drink wine
— It is better not to do anything else that might cause one of our brothers or sisters to fall—to stumble, get tripped up (v. 21).
So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.
KEY—Paul says whatever you believe about these things keep them between yourself and God (v. 22a).
Blessed is the person who does not condemn themselves by what they approve of (v. 22b).
But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
The one who fails to act in faith, is sinning, because everything that does not come from faith is sin—it’s either faith or sin (v. 23)!
James says a similar thing in James 4:17.
If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
So What
So What
There are a lot of things in our various denominations that people argue about. Many of them are what Paul would regard as “disputable matters.” In such cases we must ask ourselves several questions:
Could our freedom to do a particular something cause a brother or sister to stumble? If the answer is “Yes,” then we need to abstain from the action.
Do I feel superior to someone else because I have freedom to do something, or because I don’t do something? If the answer is “Yes,” then there is something wrong in my heart.
Do the religious things that I do lead me to righteousness? If the answer is “Yes” then I need to keep doing them. But if the answer is “No,” then I need to stop doing them.
And finally, am I doing EVERYTHING by faith? This is important, because Paul tells us that everything that does not come from faith is sin. Hebrews 11:6 echos this when it says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God. . .”
These are 4 questions that we must be asking ourselves as we live out our faith in Jesus.
