Romans 14:13-23
Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Today sermon is the 25th sermon for me in the book of Romans.
Some Context to today’s passage
Romans: An Introduction and Commentary B. Christian Charity (14:13–23)
One of the food-provisions of the Council of Jerusalem laid down abstention from the flesh of animals which had been offered in sacrifice to idols. This was a question which was bound to be raised among Christians living in a pagan society. In his correspondence with the Corinthian church Paul dealt with it in some detail, because that church had sent him a letter seeking a ruling from him on the subject.
The buying of butcher-meat in a pagan city presented some Christians with a problem of conscience. Much of the meat sold in the market came from animals which had been sacrificed to a pagan deity. The deity received his token portion; the rest of the carcase would be sold by the temple authorities to the retail merchants. Among resident Christians there would be some with a robust conscience who knew that the meat was neither better nor worse for its association with a pagan deity and who were quite happy to eat it; others were not so happy, feeling that somehow the meat had been ‘infected’ by its idolatrous association.
13 Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother’s way.
Stumbling Block or hinderance
That is, never to set an example which might lead another into sin.
14 (I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. )
14 Summoning the crowd again, He told them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:
15 Nothing that goes into a person from outside can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.
16 [If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!]”
17 When He went into the house away from the crowd, the disciples asked Him about the parable.
18 And He said to them, “Are you also as lacking in understanding? Don’t you realize that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him?
19 For it doesn’t go into his heart but into the stomach and is eliminated.” (As a result, He made all foods clean. )
20 Then He said, “What comes out of a person—that defiles him.
21 For from within, out of people’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immoralities, thefts, murders,
22 adulteries, greed, evil actions, deceit, promiscuity, stinginess, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness.
23 All these evil things come from within and defile a person.”
15 For if your brother is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy that one Christ died for by what you eat.
16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,
The brother with freedom to eat restricts himself for the sake of his brother that doesn’t have this freedom.
Do not destroy that one Christ died for by what you eat.
16.
What for you is a good thing must not become an occasion for slanderous talk or be spoken of evil.
I think this is a good application and a simple test for us as Christ followers. If I partake right now in that which I believe I have freedom to do so cause for someone to take what I believe to be good and speak evil of it.
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Righteousness (upright living)
peace
harmonious relations and freedom from disputes
Joy
Delight
18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Serves with righteousness, peace and joy is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Notice the contrast from above
16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,
now
18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 So then, we must pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.
I like the ESV
19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
For the sake of the fellowship let us pursue what makes for peace and mutual upbuilding.
to build up the common life.
20 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats.
21 It is a noble thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother stumble.
22 Do you have a conviction? Keep it to yourself before God. The man who does not condemn himself by what he approves is blessed.
23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from a conviction, and everything that is not from a conviction is sin.
v.20
work
His inward work of grace is causing the believer’s spiritual life to develop. This work, carried out in the individual members, will have a beneficial effect on the growth of the whole community
F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 6, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 252.
22
He knows his conviction based on the word of God
Here we have to fight worship of self. Our conscience comes from the word of God. A clear conscience comes from being obedient to the Word of God.