Is the Motive Love?

Introduction

Over the past few weeks we have been studying the 14th chapter of the book of Romans. The Apostle Paul has been challenging believers in Rome, and us about watching out for the “weaker” brother or sister in the faith. How in their context it had a lot to do with food/days of celebration that could cause them to stumble into sin. Last week we looked at how each one of us will give an account to the LORD for our actions. God is interested in our motives. He knows our motives. What is the reason you do what you do? We pick up in Romans 14:13 this week as we ask the question: Is the motive love?

Romans 14:13

Romans 14:13 NKJV

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

13 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.

The Apostle Paul echoes back to the previous verses where he stresses that God is the ultimate judge. “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (10) and then in verse 12 “Each of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Let us not judge or literally pass judgment or it could be translated condemn

Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. (Romans 8:34) and remember we as believers are not condemned (Romans 8:1)-There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. (John 3:17-20)

Let us not condemn one another anymore, but let us resolve (decide)—another word for judge, but it is a play on Greek words. Let us not condemn (judge), but let us decide/determine (judge)—command (IMP) to NOT put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another brother or sister.

Romans: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Don’t Cause Your Brother to Stumble

Paul’s play on words demands that we should never be judgmental of fellow believers but instead should use our best judgment to help them.

1 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV

But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

Romans: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Don’t Cause Your Brother to Stumble

For example, although the New Testament does not forbid the drinking of alcoholic beverages, there are many good reasons for Christians to abstain. One of the most important is the detrimental effect it can have on a former alcoholic. Our drinking, even in moderation, could easily place a stumbling block in that brother’s way and cause him to fall back into his former addiction.

The same principle applies to any activity or practice that is not inherently sinful. Problem areas vary from society to society and from person to person, but the principle never changes. The loving, caring, strong Christian will determine in his mind and heart to be sensitive to any weakness in a fellow believer and avoid doing anything, including what is innocent in itself and otherwise permissible, that might cause him to morally or spiritually stumble.

One of the things with family is that you learn what buttons to press on cause family members to do something. You know what things from the past to dig up to cause them to get mad or go in a certain direction. That is true of the body of Christ too, and it is sin. If someone has dealt with something in their past and you flash it before them and entice and bring them down. That is a stumbling block.

Romans 14:14

Romans 14:14 NKJV

I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.

This verse echoes back to the Apostle Peter in Acts 10.

Acts 10:9–16 NKJV

The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

I am sure that the Apostle Paul was stretched in many ways also (as we see later in Acts and his letters). From going from Kosher diet as a Pharisee to saying that nothing is unclean in itself.

Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.”

The Epistle to the Romans 2. Do Not Cause Your Brother to Stumble! (14:13–23)

The “strong” in faith would certainly agree with this declaration of liberty; indeed, their position may well be the result of their acquaintance, directly or indirectly, with Paul’s own bold stance on these matters. But, as he does in the very similar Corinthian situation (see 1 Cor. 8:4–7), Paul quickly adds a complementary and qualifying truth: “But to the one who reckons something to be unclean, to that person it is unclean.” What Paul wants the “strong” to realize is that people differ in their ability to internalize truth. The fact that Christ’s coming brought an end to the absolute validity of the Mosaic law (cf. 6:14, 15; 7:4), and thus explicitly to the ritual provisions of that law, was standard early Christian teaching. And, at the intellectual level, the “weak” Christians may themselves have understood this truth. But Paul wants the “strong” in faith to recognize that people cannot always “existentially” grasp such truth—particularly when it runs so counter to a long and strongly held tradition basic to their own identity as God’s people.

1 Corinthians 8:4–7 NKJV

Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

Romans: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Don’t Grieve Your Brother

It is likely that every Christian has a weak spot of some sort in his conscience. Paul himself probably had one or more. He did not claim to be free of every spiritual deficiency, but he testified before the Roman governor that he did his “best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men” (Acts 24:16).

For various reasons, there are certain things that we know are not sinful but that we do not feel comfortable in doing or even being near. And as long as we feel discomfort about any such thing, we should avoid doing it—even if it would not cause offense to other believers. If we ourselves consider anything to be unclean, then to us it is unclean. And if we persist in violating our conscience, that conscience will become more and more insensitive until it is “seared … as with a branding iron” (1 Tim. 4:2). It then is no longer as sensitive as it needs to be to protect us from sin.

Romans 14:15

Romans 14:15 NKJV

Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

If your brother or sister is grieved (distressed) by your action (even if it is not sinful) than you are not walking in love.

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Romans 14:16-17

Romans 14:16–17 NKJV

Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

Romans 14:18

Romans 14:18 NKJV

For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Romans 14:19

Romans 14:19 NKJV

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Romans 14:20

Romans 14:20 NKJV

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

Romans 14:21

Romans 14:21 NKJV

It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

Romans 14:22

Romans 14:22 NKJV

Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.

Romans 14:23

Romans 14:23 NKJV

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

English Standard Version Chapter 14

23 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.

Conclusion

So once again, what is your motive? Why do you do what you do? Is it to build up a brother or sister or to tear them down? Are you doing your actions out of spite or out of love?