Romans 14:13-23

Text

Romans 14:13-23. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother's way, or an occasion of falling. Romans 14:14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: same that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Romans 14:15 For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died. Romans 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:18 For he that herein serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men. Romans 14:19 So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another. Romans 14:20 Overthrow not for meat's sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. Romans 14:21 It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth. Romans 14:22 The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth. Romans 14:23 But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

361.

We have no will in certain matterswhat are they?

362.

In what way is Christ the Lord of the dead?

363.

We shall all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. We should not therefore judge one another. Show how the two thoughts are related.

REALIZING ROMANS, Romans 14:13-23

586.

It would seem some brothers will stumble over anything. Are we to remove all objections for all brothers? Explain.

587.

Why not ask the weak brother to study and become strong?

588.

Verse fourteen contains a principle for all of us to learn and apply. Be careful how it is applied. Be more careful that it is applied. Is any meat unclean today?

589.

We could and should forego many things because of those who are weak. How does this relate to tobacco or the theater or TV? Are any weak ones destroyed by these things?

590.

What is the good in Romans 14:16?

591.

Is the church the kingdom of God? We are not to spend our time and energies on matters of eating and drinking. On what should we expend our time and energies? What is joy in the Holy Spirit?

592.

Who are the men of Romans 14:18?

593.

Verse nineteen should be made into an attractive plaque and sold in stores frequented by preachers and Sunday School teachers. Mention one practical application of this verse to everyday living.

594.

Who is involved in Romans 14:20 b? i.e., who is eating with offence?

595.

The stumbling in Romans 14:21 has reference to the loss of the soul, not the loss of face. Do you agree?

596.

On matters of indifference we are to keep quiet. Sometimes when we speak we do so to our own hurt. Explain how with special reference to Romans 14:22 b.

597.

If faith cometh by hearing, (Romans 10:17) and we are in chapter fourteen dealing with matters of indifference, how could the principle of Romans 14:23 be applied?

Paraphrase

Romans 14:13-23. Let us therefore no more judge one another bigots or profane persons, because our opinions and practices are different: but ye Gentile Christians, pass this sentence rather on yourselves, that ye will not do any thing which may endanger your brother's virtue, or occasion him to sin.

Romans 14:14 I know by the light of reason, and am persuaded by revelation from the Lord Jesus, that there is no kind of meat unclean naturally. Nevertheless, to him who believeth certain kinds to be unclean, to that man they are unclean; and he will sin if he eat them, either to indulge his own taste or to gain the favor of others,

Romans 14:15 Wherefore, if thy brother, who thinketh certain meats unclean, is made to sin through thy eating such meat, whether it be by hating thee as a profane person, or by following thy example contrary to his conscience, or by apostatizing to Judaism, thou no longer actest according to the love thou owest to thy brother. Do not become the occasion of destroying him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

Romans 14:16 Let not then the good liberty which belongeth to you be evil spoken of, as an indulgence of appetite to the prejudice of others.

Romans 14:17 Ye need not use your liberty always; for the religion of Christ does not consist, either in abstaining from or in using meat and drink, but in a righteous and peaceable behaviour, and in joy in the Holy Ghost.

Romans 14:18 And the brother who, by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, serves Christ his Lord, (Romans 14:9), is acceptable to God, and will be approved of men.

Romans 14:19 Well, then, let us pursue the things which promote peace, and the things which advance that mutual edification which we ought to reap from one another's example.

Romans 14:20 Do not for the sake of the pleasure of eating this or that kind of meat, destroy your brother's virtue, which is the work of God. All kinds of meats, indeed, are clean under the gospel; yet that meat is bad to the man who eateth it, not from a persuasion of its lawfulness, but through the influence of example.

Romans 14:21 It is commendable neither to eat flesh of any kind, nor to drink wine, or to do any tiling, however innocent, whereby thy brother is brought into danger of sinning, or is made to sin, or is weakened in his attachment to the gospel.

Romans 14:22 I own thou hast a just persuasion concerning the lawfulness of all kinds of meat. Hold that persuasion fast, so far as respects thine own conduct in the presence of God; but do not use thy liberty, so as to lead others to sin. Happy is he who doth not subject himself to punishment, by doing what he approveth as lawful.

Romans 14:23 For he who seeth a difference in meats, is liable to punishment, if through thy example he eat what he thinks unclean; because he eateth not from a persuasion that it is lawful, but to please others. This is wrong; for whatever is done without a conviction of its lawfulness, is really a sin, though it be lawful in itself.

Summary

Instead of judging one another in questions respecting days and meats, let each decide, rather, that he will be very careful not to place a stumbling-block or occasion of falling in the way of his brother. This is the proper kind of judging for Christians. But in the matter of meats, and in all similar cases, if eating it grieves a brother, an effect which he may be unable to prevent, we are to abstain from it in deference to his feelings. Should we not do so, we may either drive him from the church, or induce him to follow an example which he is in danger of following too far, and so ruin him. In order to avoid these results, we must abstain from eating meat, where any one is hurt by it. We must not do anything that will imperil the salvation of a brother. The strong belief which enables us to do so many things that the weak cannot do, we must keep to ourselves. We are not at liberty to use it, when by so doing we injure others.

Comment

2.

The Liberty of the Gospel Should not Be Used to the Injury of Others. Romans 14:13-23.

Speaking of judgment, we have no need to judge one another. Indeed, to do so is wrong. If we wish to exercise our powers of evaluation, let us do it in this regardthat we place no stumbling block in our brother's way. This is addressed particularly to the strong. The weak brother might actually lose his soul over this matter. Let us be careful in what we consider indifferentit is not so to him. If someone persuades him to eat meat, he could in his present frame of mind be sinning. He might feel he should go farther, since he sinned in eating meat, and become an idolater. It is not likely he would go back to idol worship, but neither would he remain with the church. He could not continue to associate with such, and would withdraw himself from fellowship.

In Romans 14:14-15 is a most marvelous principlea principle which, if exercised, would solve so very many of today's problems. Paul presents it by stating, No meat is unclean. Paul knew this, since he knew the mind of Christ. But all men do not have this knowledgeto those who do not, the meat is unclean. One's attitude toward it changes it for him. Let us not force a man to violate his conscience even on a matter of indifference. When we wilfully act in opposition to our own sense of right and wrong, we break down our walls of defense against Satan. More than this, if we continue to insist in this matter of food, we no longer act out of love. Our consideration for the weak brother is woefully lacking.

364.

We are to judge one anotherbut in what regard?

365.

How could the weak brother lose his soul over eating meat?

Let it be noticed please that the eating of meat by the stronger brother was no sin, and the weak brother was not to look upon it as such for the stronger brother. On the other hand, since it offends the weak brother, the one who is strong will refrain from eating in the presence of the weak. Since Christ died for both, neither should judge the other. It is possible even to cause the loss of the soul. If Christ loved him so much as to come all the way from heaven to die for him, we can show a little consideration in these matters.

I see nothing wrong in that. The practice of such doesn-'t hurt me. Such expressions are often heard. When self alone is involved, such might be true, but we do not live unto ourselvesothers are watching. What appears permissible to us may be offensive to them and cause criticism for the whole body. What then is good to us becomes a point of offense. What shall we do? Give up that which we thought good for the sake of the cause of Christ. Someone else wants to know just how far one should go in applying this rule. The answer isjust as far as is necessary to avoid criticism of the cause of Christ.
Some persons, of course, who raise such an objection do not want to apply the rule at all. They raise such a question as a subterfuge behind which they can hide.
The important matters in the church, or the kingdom of God, are not meats and days, eating or not eating, but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We should give the greatest attention to whether we are right by divine law, not by human opinion, to a settled peace in our own heart and the promotion of peace in the church as a wholeblessed indeed are the peacemakersand to the joy which the Holy Spirit himself alone can give.. joy, that delicate regard for the feelings of one another which, under the strengthening presence in all of the Holy Spirit, shall give joy and not grief.

The Christian who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God (whether some brethren ever accept him or not) and approved by all men who stand on the sidelines to observe the Christian race. Such was the position of the Jerusalem church when they said (and meant) that nought they possessed was their own. They were one heart and one soul. In this they found unity among themselves and favor with all the people. Let's make it the aim of our lives to pursue the ways and words of peace, not contention. We are here to help, not hinder one another. In Romans 14:19-20 is a description of a house being built and pulled down, the house of God. We are either engaged constructively or destructively in our work on God's home, the church. For the sake of food pull not down the work of God.

366.

Even if eating meat is not a sin, thinking it is a sin will make it wrong. Why?

367.

The strong is not to eat meat in the presence of the weak. Why?

368.

How far can we go in applying the rule of being careful for the weak?

369.

State the important matters in the Kingdom of God.

It is good to know that all food is clean (from the distinctions of the law) but even then it can become very evil to us when we, through our eating, cause our brother to stumble or apostasize.

Romans 14:21 sums up in one sentence the whole point of the section. It is not a matter of right or wrong, but rather of love and concern for our brother. Does it injure him? Abstain from it.

Remain quiet about your superior knowledge of meats and days; it is a matter of indifference or opinion; not of faith. Hold it to yourself. If you do not, (speaking to the strong brother) you will condemn yourself by the very thing in which you condemn others. God will judge the man who causes the weak to fall.

Romans 14:23 states the principle from which all service to God must spring. What we do must be done because we believe he approves of it. When we act in doubt or even against what we feel is right, we are destroying the basis of obediencefaith in God. This we must never do, nor lead others to do so.

Rethinking in Outline Form

7.

Forbearance in Matters of Opinion for Those Who are Weak in the Faith. Romans 14:1, Romans 15:13.

a.

The weak in the faith should not be harshly judged. Romans 14:1-12

(1)

To receive the weak brother, Romans 14:1.

(2)

Not to judge in matters of food. Romans 14:2-4.

(3)

Not to judge (that is condemn) one who esteems certain days. Romans 14:5.

(4)

Everything one does is to be done as unto the Lord. Romans 14:6-9.

(5)

There is to be no judging of others for all alike will stand before God. Romans 14:10-12.

b.

The liberty of the gospel should not be used to the injury of others. Romans 14:13-23.

(1)

Not to put a stumbling block in our brother's way. Romans 14:13 cf. 1 Corinthians 8:7-13.

370.

How shall the Holy Spirit produce joy in our lives?

371.

Who is acceptable with God and the people?

372.

We are all workmen of one type or another in the house of God. Explain.

373.

How do some condemn themselves in their judgment of others?

(2)

All food is clean. Romans 14:14 cf. Leviticus 11:1-47; 1 Timothy 4:3-5.

But to him that accounts it unclean, to him it is unclean.

(3)

If we, through our actions or words, cause our brother to stumble in this matter then we had better take note that we are in sin. Romans 14:15-16.

(4)

The essential character of the kingdom. Romans 14:17-19.

(5)

Do not overthrow the work of God for a non-essential. That is, in your manner of observance. Romans 14:20.

(6)

Do nothing that would cause others to stumble. Romans 14:21.

(7)

Be careful that you do not judge yourself in the way you seek to bind that opinion upon another. Romans 14:22.

(8)

To act without conviction is a principle condemned by God. This principle of action is condemned in Romans 14:23.