Romans 14:23

Romans 14:23. But he that doubteth (in contrast with the one who judgeth not himself) is (has been and is) condemned, if he eat ‘The act of eating itself condemns him, of course, according to the Divine ordering, so that the justice of this verdict appears not only before God, but before men, and himself also' (Philippi). This guards against the extreme view, that ‘condemned' refers to eternal condemnation.

Because it is not of faith; his eating was not an ethical result of his faith in Christ; comp. Romans 14:1-2.

And (‘for' is incorrect) whatsoever is not of faith is sin. This is the general truth underlying the previous statements. ‘Faith' here is saving faith (and not subjective, moral conviction), regarded as a principle of life, informing the morals of the Christian. ‘It refers as always to the acceptance of the salvation obtained through Christ. That which one cannot do as his redemption and in the enjoyment of His salvation, he should not do at all, otherwise that act, of which faith is not the soul, becomes sin, and can conduct to the result indicated in Romans 14:20: the total destruction of the work of God in us' (Godet).

The conduct of Christians alone is under discussion; so that there is no direct application of the principle to unbelievers. But, making due allowance for the statements of chap. Romans 2:14-15, respecting the natural law of conscience, the passage furnishes a strong indirect proof of the sinfulness of all acts not resulting from faith; especially in view of the previous demonstration of the Apostle in chaps. Romans 1:18 to Romans 3:20. The more important matter is, however, to remember that for Christians, at least, Christian ethics should have full validity, and that here the principle admits of no exception: whatsoever is not of faith is sin; genuine Christian morality is all of faith.

On the doxology inserted at this point in some authorities, see Romans 16:25-27.