Romans Chapter 14 Bible Study

Romans 14:1-4

INTRODUCTION

This chapter is a continuation of the practical aspects of this book. It concerns treating other believers right and interacting with them when we may believe they are wrong. A critical nature and a negative attitude towards others isn’t supported here when the topic isn’t crucial to salvation. My rule of thumb is that the farther the issues is from salvation and the cross the less crucial it is and disagreement is much more tolerable.

Some have what Paul calls weak faith and they act differently than those of stronger faith but neither should be critical of the other.

v. 1

“Those who were weak in the faith did have faith…”[1] They had saving faith but didn’t necessarily hold to all of the Apostolic teaching.

Disputes - engagement in verbal conflict because of differing viewpoints[2]

Doubtful things - content of reasoning or conclusion reached through use of reason, thought, opinion, reasoning,[3]

v. 2

With Thanksgiving around the corner this teaching may be of interest. What’s on the menu? How much is on the menu? How much of what will you eat? In the Roman church there was a disagreement in what some people ate or didn’t eat. Some didn’t eat meat, only vegetables. Others ate all foods with thanksgiving. The vegetarians were thought to be weak. In the context weakness is in the area of faith.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians about weak faith concerning meat sacrificed to idols. There he teaches that food is not evil in itself nor does it commend us to God in any way. (1 Cor. 8:7-13)

v. 3

Pass judgment on, criticize or fault find.

v. 4

standing is to be committed to a position. Many believe that because they are committed that the thing to which they are committed is true. They are right just because they believe wholeheartedly. Only God, the Master can determine who is right and how they should be handled.

Or fall in a moral sense.

Be careful of presuming to know what God would do in the absence of clear instruction from His word. We assume based on our won predispositions and denominational leanings. Some behavior ought to be left to God to handle. In cases where the word isn’t commanding a thing then I can’t either and neither should you!

[1] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne House, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1999), 1451.

[2] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 231.

[3] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker, Walter Bauer, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 232.

Romans 14:5-13

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. κρίνω

one prefers one day to another Ro 14:5a.

One such preferred day could be the day of worship

Sunday vs. Saturday

Jewish Sabbath

The Epistle to the Romans 1. Christian Liberty, 14:1–12

it is equally possible that he is referring to feast days and fast days, either those laid down in the Jewish law or those derived from other sources.

Wuest’s Word Studies in the Greek New Testament Chapter Fourteen

Nothing in the Christian religion is legal or statutory, not even the religious observance of the first day of the week; that observance originated in faith, and is not what it should be except as it is maintained by faith.

There is the possibility that Paul is referring to feast or fast day observances. If a believer observed or not he/she must do so with thanksgiving and to the Lord. That is the focus of every child of God. We serve Him in all that we do.

A Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans Romans 14:5

“each one should be convinced that what he thinks is right,” “each one should be sure as to why he thinks as he does,” or “each one should be able to say to himself, This is surely what it should be.”

The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 4135. πληροφορέω plḗrophoréō

to be fully assured, persuaded

vs. 7, 8

Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary Commentary

None of us refers to believers, not people in general. Believers belong to the Lord. They live and die in relation to Him. Therefore, Christians should aim to please Him.

The MacArthur Study Bible Chapter 14

The focus of Christian living is never oneself—everything we do should be to please our sovereign Lord

Romans Chapter 14

The mention of dying as well as living unto the Lord, though it does not seem needed by the context, makes complete the view of the entire devotion of redeemed Christians to him; and introduces the thought, which follows, of their union with him in his own death as well as in his life.

9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

The MacArthur Study Bible Chapter 14

Christ died not only to free us from sin, but to enslave us to Himself (6:22); to establish Himself as Sovereign over the saints in His presence and those still on earth

Romans: An Introduction and Commentary A. Christian Liberty (14:1–12)

Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord … By virtue of his death he is Lord of the dead; by virtue of his resurrection he is Lord of the living. Therefore in life and death alike his people are his; he is Lord of all (Phil. 2:11).