Welcoming One Another
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Sermon Title: “Welcoming One Another”
Scripture: Romans 14:1-12
Occasion: The Lord’s Day
Date: July 7, 2023
Scripture Transitions Sermon Title|Quotes |Emphasis| Illustration
Ephesians 1:2 “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Introduction
Good morning, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ.
Today, I want to start by asking you some questions.
Have you ever had strong opinions about tattoos, drinking, Bible translations, music, dress, politics, or holidays?
Have these opinions ever caused you to feel divided from other Christians?
Have you ever questioned the salvation of those who hold different views on these matters?
These questions hit close to home for many of us.
We have all encountered moments when our personal convictions have clashed with those of other believers.
These differences can sometimes lead to tension and division within the body of Christ.
B. Present the Problem
These issues of conscience have divided churches, caused the loss of relationships among Christians, and led us to question the salvation of fellow believers.
This division is a serious problem that needs addressing.
Paul saw these same issues in the early church, and he addressed them head-on.
The problem we face today is not new.
The early church struggled with similar issues, and Paul's words offer godly wisdom for us.
C. The Solution
Our text today presents a solution to these kinds of disputes.
It teaches us how to have unity in diversity and how to welcome and love other brothers and sisters in Christ who differ from us.
The question that we will try and answer from our text today is this:
How do we treat (or Welcome) those who differ from us in the body of Christ?
I have titled my sermon today: “Welcoming One Another”.
PRAY
Provide Context of Passage
The early Church as many know was made up of Jew and gentile.
Because that was the case, it was a very diverse group of people from different walks of life, different faith traditions.
All of this background, this tradition, this baggage some may say, was brought into the Church.
Paul is working through this baggage in this passage.
Some believers were extremely dogmatic about certain things (we will see some of these things in this passage), and others were not.
So the apostle works through this argument by referring to the two groups as “the weak in faith” and “the strong in faith”.
What does weak and strong in the faith mean?
Who’s weak, and who’s strong?
The weak in faith were actually our Jewish brothers in the faith, who brought a lot of their jewish traditions into their new found faith in Christ Jesus.
The Strong in faith were predominately our gentiles brothers.
The weak in faith are considered theologically incorrect but NOT heretical.
The strong in faith here are considered theologically correct.
The issues of dispute or opinions in the text are food, Holy Days, and wine.
Show tables Andrew Naselli’s Romans Commentary (Refer to Chart):
Table 6.3 Three Disputable Matters in Romans 14
The Whole issue in this section which is Romans 14-Romans 15:7 is all about conscience issues in the Church.
So if we are going to talk about matters of conscience for the next few weeks, we have to get a solid working definition.
Conscience Defintion:
Your conscience is your consciousness or awareness of what you believe is right and wrong, guiding your thoughts and actions.
Now it is vital to note here about the text is this:
Paul does not explicitly command the weak in conscience to change their theologically incorrect convictions.
As a matter of fact, he leaves room for a conscience that still needs calibration on some issues.
But that does not mean that Paul is neutral on whether a believer should be weak or strong in conscience.
The very terms “strong” and “weak” suggest that a strong conscience is more desirable than a weak one.
But make no mistake, the strong in faith do not necessarily please God more than the weak in faith.
Paul’s burden in Romans 14:1–15:7 is not to eliminate such differences but to glorify God by loving others who differ.
Paul is making the case in these chapters that one of the chief ways christians can glorify God in the body of Christ is to learn how to welcome others who differ frrom us.
Unity is found at the foot of reception, not resistance.
Which leads me to my first point and observation of the text..
Point One: Reception over Resistance (Romans 14:1-4)
Romans 14:1–3 (ESV)
As for the one who is weak in faith, WELCOME HIM, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 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 WELCOME HIM.
Let’s get one thing straight this morning about this text:
This text is dealing with Christians not unbelievers!
This is not a dispute among Christian’s and non-Christian’s.
Therefore our disposition must first and foremost be: reception, acceptance, to welcome our fellow brother or sister who is “in the faith”.
That’s the key phrase here for this welcoming.
We are dealing with people who are IN THE FAITH!
Paul’s language here makes the case that there might be people in different seasons and walks with the Lord, but we are to receive them as Christians.
We are not to judge them, shun them, oppose them, resist them, or worse, treat them as outsiders.
As mentioned earlier:
(v1) To be “weak in faith” means to have a weak conscience on a particular issue- to hold a conviction that is theologically incorrect but not heretical.
(v1) “Faith” here does not refer to saving faith—one salvation status.
“faith”here refers to specific confidence or conviction that one has in his or her conscience as it relates to a specific thing or activity.
But the emphasis here refers to a lack of confidence to do a particular act with self-judgment, even if that act is not a sin.
To the person “weak in faith,” to pursue this act is a sin.
Romans 14:13 (See v13, v23)
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.
But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Provide example for our Recovery House and Freeway Brothers and our commitment as an elders and leadership at RCS to abstain from drinking for the sake of our brothers.
(v1) The issue is in verse 1 is that we are naturally inclined to quarrel over “opinions” or “disputable matters.”
Paul is saying here if I can say it how I want to say it:
“Stop going after arguments”!
Don’t get into an argument for the sake of an argument.
Which many of us have the tendency to do. Some more than others.
This is not a noble Christian thing to do,brothers and sisters. As a matter of fact, Paul views this here very negatively.
Why?
Because these are your brothers and sisters that you are discouraging and causing to stumble.
Welcoming them and NOT arguing with them over trivial matters should be our pursuit.
But some of us might simply be confused as to what disputable matters are, and what are not disputable matters?
Show Theological Triage Image Here And talk through it.
1st Order: “Different Faith” (Non-Negotiable's)
2nd Order: “Different Church” (Important but Churches often disagree)
3rd Order: “Agree to Disagree” (Disputable Matters)
Main Point: 2nd order and 3rd order: Welcome your brothers and sisters. Receive them don’t resist them.
If someone disagrees with issues of 1st order doctrines we must evangelize, persuade, and pray for the gospel to take root in their hearts because they have not yet come to a saving knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ.
(v2) Refer back to 6.4 table “Strong Conscience vs Weak Conscience on eating meat”.
As it relates to verse 2, the matter at hand is a strong and weak conscience as it relates to the issue of eating meat. (Show the chart and just talk through it briefly)
So Paul follows up verse 2 in verse 3 by simply exhorting us, knowing what we know now about verse 1 and 2:
Point: Don’t Despise and Don’t Judge those God has Accepted in Christ
This is exactly his point here in verse 3. Look at it with me:
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.
The Strong in the faith must not despise the weak.
Despise means to look down on (i.e., “show by one’s attitude or manner of treatment that an entity has no merit or worth, disdain”) the weak.
On the other hand, the weak must not “pass judgment on” (i.e., “criticize, find fault with, condemn”) the strong.
Why?
The first reason is that God has welcomed, received, or “accepted” in the Greek, both the strong and weaker brothers.
What right do we have to reject someone God himself has welcomed into his household?!
Example: Going into someone else's house and kicking a family member out of their own home.
Paul continues with this idea in verse 4. He writes,
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.
(v4) Each true Christian serves one master, Jesus Christ, and he or she gives an account only to his/her master.
Paul asks the pressing question:
Who are we to judge another's slave? We are not there master!
Example: You are not my childs parent. You do not have any jurisdiction there to make any acts of judgment on them. They are mine! If you do, you have to answer to me!
Paul ensures us, that slaves of Christ, Christians are in the safest hands possible.
They are in the hands of the mighty and merciful, the gentle and lowly hands of the master, JEsus Christ,
And He provides such great hope and security to the believer under the attacks of such judgments from fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and write:
Romans 14:4 (ESV)
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.
My dear brother and sister in Christ, do you understand the weight of these words from God.
No one can make you stand or fall from God’s grace except Christ the Lord!
Matthew 10:28 (ESV)
Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
But these words here in verse 4 are not intended for intimidation but for fortification.
God says those who are in Christ “WILL BE UP HELD (Not maybe they will stand.No wishy washy statement here friends!)…THE LORD (ALONE) IS ABLE TO MAKE YOU STAND”!!
Those whom God has caused to stand in grace will never fall out of grace.
Those whom God the father has given to the Son will never be lost or snatched from his Hand not matter what judgements are brought upon you from other Christian’s.
Here the fortified words of the good shepherd, Jesus Christ, in the gospel of John, John 6:37-40,
John 6:37–40 (ESV)
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, BUT raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Brothers and sisters in Christ, here me very carefully this morning:
No one can snatch you out of Christ’s hand. NO ONE! NO CHRISTIAN. NO FRIEND. NO FOE.
On the other hand ChristianS:
Be careful in calling into question someone else's salvation.
Salvation belongs to the Lord NOT to YOU. That is Not your call!
You have no ability to make the call on someone’s spiritual standing or falling.
Stop worrying about what is not yours to worry about.
Your brother or sister is Christ’s bond-servent. His domestic slave. Jesus is the master over them.
As we will see in the following verses, we need to be more concerned about ourselves than we do other people. And we need to entrust judgment to Christ.
If we do this, trust me, you will be more than occupied.
Conclude point:
To sum up vv1-4, Reception over resistance should be the posture of our hearts towards our brothers and sisters in Christ who differ from us BECAUSE God has welcomed them,He owns them, He rules over them, and He alone determines who stands and who falls.
Surely God has not lost one sheep that is HIS!
If you struggle with this, beloved, you need to look into the face of the gospel yet again this morning.
For those battling with eternal security: If you have repented of your sin, trusted Christ alone for salvation, and are slowly growing in Christ-likeness; rest in Christ’s saving work today. Your are his. You will never be lost in him. He will uphold you.
For those having issues playing judge and throwing around the imitation gavel: you too need to look into the face of the gospel this morning and nee to be reminded of how far you fall from God’s perfection and glory And how much you need Christ’s righteousness and the Spirits sanctifying work in your life.
Simple point: Receive your brother and sister in Christ, don’t resist them.
But the second movement of this text teaches us the importance of:
Point Two: Honoring the Lord in Your Convictions (Romans 14:5-9)
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. 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.
Two things I want you to observe in the text:
V5- “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”
V6- The Phrase “Honor the Lord” 3x (with an additional “Give thanks to God” twice)
Again, Paul uses an example here to discuss some of the disputes that were happening with Jews and gentiles.
In the case of v5-6 it’s a matter of the observance of days, probably referring to the sabbath (possibly other jewish holidays as well).
The issue of days is NOT referring to the discussion of the Lord’s day.
The other reference of course is in reference to dietary jewish laws. (v6)
But the point lies in v5, don’t miss it:’
Romans 14:5 (ESV)
Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
What does this sentence mean?
It means that we must be sure that whether we eat or whether we abstain from eating certain foods; whether we observe the sabbath or not; whatever it is that we do or do not do, we must be fully convinced (“see/carry it through to the end” in the Greek) in our hearts with thanksgiving to God, that we are honoring the Lord with our convictions!
BUT here is what this statement doesn’t mean:
This doesn't mean your conscience is always right (you must always calibrate your conscience to the word of God. This doesn't happen overnight).
But v5 also means that you must NOT sin against your conscience!
Here is a question for all of us:
What is motivating you to hold a particular conviction regarding a disputable matter or opinion?
Here is the truth about the convictions we hold:
How and why we hold a conviction on a disputable matter is more important than what conviction we hold. (repeat)
Here is a helpful diagnostic question for all of us to ask ourselves regarding whether we are free to do a particular activity:
Can I glorify God by doing this activity?
Or to ask it another way,
Can I give thanks to God for this activity?
Vv5-9 boils down to a matter of the Lordship of Jesus.
We see Paul real hunkering down on this point of this second movement of the text here in Vv7-9.
Romans 14:7–9 (ESV)
For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 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. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
I will say it again: This is all about the Lordship of Jesus Christ!
It’s been said “He is either the Lord of all or not the Lord at all”.
Paul just finishing saying in v4 that Christ is our master, we are His slave. I.e. We belong to him!
Christ’s death and resurrection have established Christ as Lord over all believers; and believers must therefore recognize that all their activities are done “in honor of” that Lord—and not for the benefit of any other Christian who may presume to judge us or any of our actions.
We have a great fear of man, don’t we? Often times we fear man more than we fear God.
Provide example of fear of man rather than fearing our Lord and master in the Church.
Examples: Avoiding tough conversations, Seeking approvel from others, hestitating to share your faith, going along with the crowd, Prioritizing Popularity Over Principles, Keeping Quiet About Your Beliefs, Letting Traditions Rule, Compromising on Morals.
Recommend book by Ed Welch in our library entitled “When People Are Big and God is mall”.
V7-9 are the heart of Paul’s rebuke of the Roman Christians for their judgmental attitudes (vv. 1–12).
Paul begins with a negative point in verse 7 when He writes:
For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.
Paul probably uses both “live” and “die” to make the point as comprehensive as possible:
I.E. Nothing at all that a Christian does is done “with reference to himself alone” or “for his own benefit.”
The implicit comparison is not with other human beings.
Rather, as the context makes clear, the comparison is with the Lord.
We are not our own, we have been purchased, therefore with life for our master.
We heed his words, and work on to him and his pleasure and glory and for His purposes here on the earth.
Paul develops this point in v8, which is the positive counterpart to v7.
V8 He says,
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.
What does this phrase mean “Live to the Lord”.
How does a christian “Live to the Lord’?
Living to the Lord for the believer means that all parts of a Christian’s’ life—their thoughts, actions, ambitions, decisions—are to be carried out with a view to what pleases and glorifies the Lord.
But maybe the harder question to answer this morning is:
What does it mean to “die to the Lord”?
A few interpreters think that Paul might be using “die” in a spiritual sense, as in Romans 6:3–6
(For my reference: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” )
But nothing in the context would suggest such a nuance.
Most theologians and biblical scholars agree that Paul must be referring to physical death Here in v8.
In this regard, Paul probably has in mind the fact that the circumstances of the believer’s death, as of his life, are determined not by his will or in consideration of his own interests, but are wholly in the hands of the Lord, who sets the time for death in accordance with his own interests and purposes.
I.E. The Lord is Lord of ALL.
He is the Lord of Life.
The Lord of Death.
The Lord of time.
The Lord of all providences and purposes.
He is The Lord of ALL!
The last sentence of verse 8 summarizes the Lordship of Jesus by saying:
Romans 14:8 (ESV)
So then, whether we live or whether we die, WE ARE THE LORD’S.
The change in grammatical construction (from “to the Lord” to “of the Lord”) broadens the idea of the Lordship of Jesus:
Paul is communicating here that NOT only does the believer live and die “in the Lord’s interests”; in both life and death he or she also belongs to the Lord.
This is the blessed hope and precious reality for ever Christian in the room and of all time.
This is referring to a union that cannot be broken-not by sin, not by evil, not even by death!
The union with the Lord Jesus Christ, with all its benefits, that the believer enjoys in this life (pause) will continue after death with, indeed, with an even fuller measure of blessing (cf. 8:18, 31–39).
Paul concludes this second movement In V9 by saying,
For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Paul is reminding the Roman Christians of a well-known truth; Jesus died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Douglas Moo a theologian and scholar says,
“Here also Christ’s death and resurrection stimulate Christians to live “for the Lord” rather than “for themselves.” But Paul tailors the tradition for its particular function at this point in Romans. For one thing, he departs from the more customary “Christ died and was raised” (cf. 1 Thess. 4:14; 1 Cor. 15:3–4; Rom. 8:34) to use a formula unique in the NT: “Christ died and came to life.” Presumably Paul does this in order to forge the closest possible link between Christ’s redemptive acts—his death and “coming to life”—and the two most basic parts of Christian experience—life and death.93
Here is what Moo is saying here about v9:
It is Christ’s death and resurrection together that establish his lordship over all people, including especially here Christians, whether they are living or dead. He is the Lord of All!
Without Christ’s life, death, and resurrection He could not, and would not be the Lord of all!
But since he did live a perfect life, since He did take on the wrath of God for sinners not the cross, and since he died, was buried, and after 3 days, He rose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of the father; he earned the right and title of Lord of all!
Example: The picture that comes to mind for me is at the end of a MMA fight or boxing match, all bruised and beaten, the referee holds up the hand of the winner and gives him his title belt.
Paul is saying that God the father raised up Christ and gave him the title belt of Lord of all.
It’s exactly what the Spirit tells us happened in Philippians 2:8-11
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Christ is the champion. He is the victor. He earned the right from the father to be the Lord of all.
Here is what this also means:
This also means that you can live however you want to live here on earth and somehow escape the Lord at death. Friends, there is no escaping the Lordship of Jesus.
HE is the Lord of life and death!
Jesus is the Lord of both the living and the dead!
Conclude point:
vv5-9 teaches in summary that Whatever we do, we must live in submission to our master, and be fully convinced in our minds, that we you are doing, honors the one who purchased us, owns us, loves us, and rules over us both in life and in death!
Which leads to our final point of the morning.
Point Three: Judgment Belongs to God Alone (Romans 14:10-12)
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; for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Paul reminds the reader once again, this argument is about blood bought brothers and sisters in the faith.
Again: We are NOT talking about unbelievers here in our text!
This is vital to our approach to conversations within Church.
The apostle ends on a most serious note here in these remaining 3 verses.
If it hasn't registered with you yet this morning, the apostle Paul challenges us and essentially says to us in verse 10:
How dare we judge or look down upon those who God has redeemed and exalted to walk in the newness of life!
As a matter of fact: Paul says we will have to give an account to God almighty for how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ in verse 10.
We are quick to judge others and slow to judge ourselves.
Question For you today, beloved:
Can you stand before the judgement seat of Christ today with confidence regarding how you are treating the body of Christ? Or are you afraid to meet the judge because you are a slandering, argumentative, divisive fool?!
It is God’s job alone to judge.
Paul confirms that Justice alone is God’s with the OT reference of Isaiah 45:23 and NT reference of Phil. 2:10-11 in v11.
for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall confess to God.”
Why does Paul use this quote?
What is He communicating here a he ends this thought?
Everyone will come under the Lordship of Jesus.
Some will confess He is Lord at judgment and spend eternity in hell under His Just and rightousness Lordship, and those who confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord here on earth (this can be you TODAY), will spend eternity in heaven under the gracious and merciful Lordship of Christ Jesus.
But the Simple truth is that Everyone will give an account to God
Which is exactley how Paul ends his through here in v12
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Paul is communicating by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that God alone will pronounce his judgment over every believer’s status and actions on that day when “each will receive good or evil according to the things that he or she has done in the body” (2 Cor. 5:10)
Christians look at me and hear me:
Stopy busying yourselves over opinions, over disputable matters.
Stop playing the judge.
Stop looking down on others who are not as far along as you.
You are who you are and where you are by the sheer grace of the Lord Jesus.
This message is for you and not your neighbor.
Focus on yourself, Paul says here in v12.
Romans 14:12 (ESV)
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
“So then each of us” indicates that in the end the only person who we will account for is ourselves!
Every knee-will bow.
Every tongue-confess
That Jesus is Lord!
Stop pointing the finger at another brother or sister in Christ;
How are you doing before the Lord today in this?
How is your life under the Lordship of Christ?
If you focus on your own life; you won’t have much time to judge or despise anyone else.
We must be wholly focused on our own pursuit of holiness on our own journey of sanctification.
We have plenty to work on!
Example of me telling my wife to clean out her car when mine is an absolute mess!
So here are my closing thoughts on today’s sermon as a way of recap:
We are to welcome anyone the Lord has welcomed in the gospel;
we are not to condemn anyone for whom there is now no condemnation in the gospel;
we must ensure our consciences are in line with the freedom of the gospel;
and we should make sure we are then living under the Lordship of Christ and in line with the gospel.
Are you living under the Lordship of Christ?
Are you prepared to meet the Judge?
Not your neighbor, not your wife, not husband: You! Are you ready to meet the Lord?
PRAY