Transcript

An old saying goes: “In essentials, unity; In non-essentials, liberty; In all things, charity.” Liberty in non-essentials, and the love and grace that is to be shown in all things is the theme of Romans 14.

God never intended for all of us to be cookie-cutter Christians. He has given different gifts to His Church, and He uses our diverse personalities all for the purpose that His Church might have a greater outreach, and reach more for Christ, and with His gospel of grace.

With all of us being different, it is not wrong to have different likes and dislikes. In Christ, unity and individuality are friends, not enemies. As we live by grace and put grace into action, we must receive and accept one another and the differences that are among us.

We are called to be one, to work together, to serve together, but we cannot ignore the fact that we are all different. We have different viewpoints, different opinions, different pasts, different preferences, different ways of solving problems.

We each have our own set of convictions about life and its gray areas and what may or may not affect our relationship with the Lord. We like to think that life is all black and white, but there are gray areas in the Christian life.

And by grace, God wants His Church to receive one another with the differences there are among us and to dwell in unity and harmony. Romans 14 explains how this is done.

Romans 14:1-4 reads, “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”

This chapter of God’s Word centers around phrases like “one believeth” one thing, “another believeth” another thing. “One esteemeth” one thing, “another esteemeth” another. “One regardeth” one thing, “another regardeth” another thing.

Paul refers to differing opinions or differing convictions among members in the Church in non-essential areas. Paul presents a strong plea here for grace and understanding among the members of Christ’s Body in the “gray areas,” in matters of conduct that are not necessarily forbidden, but neither are they promoted in God’s Word.

The food we eat and days we observe are brought up as examples here by our Apostle Paul.

And these gray areas where people have strong opinions can touch many other areas of life such as: going to movies, playing card games, celebrating holidays, going to a restaurant that sells alcohol, listening to certain music, schooling choices, drinking coffee, playing pool, the clothes we wear, and on and on.

These kind of issues are not sin issues, they’re preference issues. There are some things in life and from Scripture that are crystal clear! The Bible is plain when it tells us that we should not commit adultery, kill, steal, lie, have corrupt speech, be bitter, murmur, etc.

These things are beyond debate, and with these things God’s Word is clear. However, there are other areas of life that are not so clear.

And not doing certain things in gray areas often helps a person feel closer to the Lord. However, this may not be true for someone else.

But the teaching of God’s Word is to accept these differences and to not judge or criticize those who have different convictions in these areas.

Paul says to “receive” him that is weak in the faith. To “receive” in the Greek implies “to accept, to warmly receive, to embrace, to welcome.”

In other words, there is nothing hypocritical about it; it is to sincerely accept another believer. It is to take someone for who they are and where they are at and to accept them.

Paul says to receive them, “not to doubtful disputations,” or don’t dispute and argue with that person over doubtful things, over things of secondary importance where there is liberty.

“One who is weak in the faith” reminds us that the Church is made up of individuals at different levels of spirituality, but we need to accept the spiritually weak and the spiritually strong, and everyone in between.

There are those who are fully aware of the grace and freedom that they enjoy in Christ and they live accordingly. On the other hand there are those who walk in constant fear of becoming defiled with the contamination of the world and they live accordingly.

And both are to accept and receive one another. Believers often restrict their love and acceptance and make it conditional. If you do this or won’t do this then I will accept you. But that’s not love or Christ-like acceptance.

Romans 15:7 says to “receive one another, as Christ also received us.” And this is unconditional acceptance and love, warts and all, because that’s how Christ accepts and loves each of us.

“The faith” here is speaking of the faith revealed to the Apostle Paul for this present dispensation of grace. And so it speaks of living by the grace of God, and the liberty that we have in Christ today under grace.

Paul speaks of “one who believeth that he may eat all things.” This speaks of a believer who walks in full enjoyment of our liberty in Christ that has faith, based on the teachings of grace for today, that all foods are clean as 1 Timothy 4:4-5 says is true today.

But there are believers who feel closer to the Lord by putting restrictions on what they eat, and that they need to eat healthier, since our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.

And so the one who is weak here believes that eating only herbs or being a vegetarian is more spiritual and makes them closer to the Lord and thus they put this self-imposed rule upon themselves.

Paul’s instruction is that the believer who believes they can eat all things should not despise his brother. Despise means “to consider of little value, to look down on.”

And the one who only eats vegetables and puts restrictions on themselves, feeling that this was pleasing to God, should not judge or condemn the one who eats all things as being unspiritual, because Paul says that “God hath received” or accepted him.

Paul’s wording turns strong in verse 4. He says, “Who are you and what right do you have to sit in judgment of another man’s servant? to judge another believer’s conduct as if we were their master? That other brother is not your servant, they aren’t accountable to you, they are accountable to God. It is before our own Master that each of us stands or falls.”

It is not for the weaker or stronger brother to say what is right and what is wrong in debatable, gray areas. It is wrong for anyone to judge, criticize or interfere in the relationship between the servant and God his Master in a non-essential area. God holds up and sustains those on both sides of this question.

One should not call another unspiritual for living in their liberty and one should not look down on others as immature for trying to be closer to the Lord.

When we refuse to accept a brother or sister in Christ because they do not adhere to our personal conviction on a certain gray area, we are actually holding them to a higher standard than the Lord Himself does. God accepts us in Christ by grace; therefore we should accept one another in Christ by grace.

Romans 14:5-12: “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

“He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

“For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

Paul moves on to deal with days. The word “esteemeth” speaks of separating aside a certain day and placing a higher value on one day from another, regarding it more sacred than others. It speaks of one who would make much of a certain day as being holy and set apart unto the Lord, whereas the “other esteemeth every day alike.”

I.e., this brother would believe that every day should be dedicated to the Lord and that every day is an important day and belongs to and is to be set apart to the Lord.

But Paul says that the person who treats a certain day as sacred, does so unto the Lord to honor Him, and the person who treats every day as sacred and set apart alike, does so unto the Lord to honor Him.

And Paul says the one who eats all things gives thanks to God and does so unto the Lord. And the one who abstains from eating all things gives thanks to God and does so unto the Lord. In both cases God is honored and thanked.

The important thing in these non-essential areas is that they are done for the Lord and for His glory and that they are done sincerely with complete conviction, being fully persuaded in their mind that what they are doing is right, and not out of pride.

And very simply that is how these situations are to be left, in gray areas such as this: “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”

In non-essential areas, we all should search the Scriptures and pray for guidance in that area and become “fully persuaded in our own mind” seeking to do what you think is most pleasing to the Lord, doing what makes you grow in your relationship toward the Lord.

This principle of being fully convinced in your own mind applies only to secondary, non-essential areas. When it comes to essential, fundamental doctrines of the faith, such as salvation, the inspiration of the Scriptures, or Christ’s Deity, there is no room for individual opinions.

But in gray areas where things are neither right nor wrong in themselves, there is room for differing views, and the opportunity to show grace to others.

Paul says that none of us live or die to ourselves. Our life affects others and our life is a matter between us and the Lord. By His death and resurrection for us, when we trust Him as Savior, we belong to Him and He is our Lord. And so our ultimate responsibility always goes back to Him, because we are the Lord’s and He is Lord over us.
We don’t live to ourselves but to the Lord. We don’t die to ourselves but to the Lord. Both in life and in death we belong to Him.

Paul is emphasizing that the Lord should be the goal and focus of the lives of His people. In these gray areas we are to remember that we are the Lord’s, and therefore the decisions we make in these areas are to be made in light of the Lord’s ownership of us.

We don’t live unto ourselves, so we should not make these decisions in these areas just based on what you feel or what you would like to do, but on what you are convinced the Lord wants you to do, what the Lord’s will is.

What this is all telling us is that we are all to live for the audience of One, for the Lord.

In light of the fact that we are all the Lord’s, Paul’s next question is “Why are you judging and condemning your brother? Christ is Lord over that brother, not you, and that brother as well as yourself will have to given an account before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ.”

The motivation here is that instead of judging other believers, we had better judge our own conduct and make sure it is well-pleasing unto Him, because we will give an account for our own actions individually before the Lord.

Before His supreme authority as Lord and God, we each, with no one excluded in the Body of Christ, we will all bow before Him, we will all confess our actions before Him, and we will each give an account of our lives before Him.

Paul is saying that none of us will give an account for someone else’s actions, we’ll only give an account of our own actions at the Judgment Seat. Paul shows it is not our job to judge others, that’s the Lord’s job at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Romans 14:13-18: “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

“But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

“For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.”

Paul says here, don’t judge “any more.” Believers then and now are the same. It shows how prone they were back then and how prone we all today are to judge others.

One commentator says this about judging, “Our ability to judge has several shortcomings: We are not omniscient, so our judgment doesn’t have all the facts. We are not objective, so our judgment is tainted by self-interest. We are not perfect, so our judgment is hypocritical. We are not God, so our judgment has no jurisdiction.

In these verses the question is answered: “Can 2 believers have 2 different opinions and both be right?” And the answer is: Yes!

If a believer is fully persuaded in his own mind that a certain non-essential doctrine or godly practice is correct that conviction can be right before the Lord. As verse 14 says, “…there is nothing unclean of itself [no foods and no days are]: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”

But another can have a different opinion and be right before the Lord as well. Both opinions can be right so long as both these believers do or teach these things with a Christ-honoring spirit and motive. There is liberty in non-essentials and believers can have different, opposing views and both be right before God.

So you can say I’m never going to a movie theater because I think it’s a bad testimony and worldly and supports Hollywood’s horrible lifestyle and you are right before the Lord.

Or you can say I don’t have any problem with going to a movie theater, it doesn’t affect my relationship with the Lord at all, and I go with a clear conscience, and you are right before the Lord.

When 1 of these 2 believers is wrong is when one of them tries to judge the other and condemn their practice and force their opinions on another as being the ONLY right one. Or they can be wrong by purposely doing what the other disagrees with in front of them.

These things can then lead a believer to be a stumblingblock in a brother’s way and cause him to fall in their walk with the Lord (v. 13). It is even possible according to verse 15 to “destroy” a brother as far as his Christian experience is concerned.

Paul’s instruction is that if eating meat in front of the weaker brother will “destroy” him or really discourage and grieve him in his Christian walk it is better to refrain from eating it so as not to be a stumblingblock to him and to his faith.

And the believer is to be mindful of the fact that Christ died for that brother in Christ we have a difference of opinion with: “for whom Christ died.” Christ loves them deeply. So out of Christ’s selfless love and care we should therefore be more than willing to keep from doing something or anything that might hurt another believer in their walk with the Lord.

The “good” Paul speaks of in verse 16 speaks of a person’s stand in his liberty in Christ and understanding of God’s grace for his life.

Paul says, “Don’t let the good, the liberty in which you stand be ‘evil spoken of’ by abusing that liberty and your understanding of God’s grace as an opportunity to tear another brother down.”

In other words as an example, taking a believer to a restaurant that serves alcohol, who you know has trouble with alcohol and has a spiritual conviction against this, is wrong.

We should always keep in mind how our conduct will affect other believers.

Paul next speaks of the “kingdom of God” in its broadest sense, as it speaks of the overall kingdom of God which includes Israel’s earthly kingdom and the Body of Christ’s heavenly kingdom. And in both cases Paul says that the kingdom of God is not “meat and drink” but instead, “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Dietary regulations, what a man eats and drinks or doesn’t eat and drink isn’t what truly matters. God’s spiritual realities in our lives are what really matters.

Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit should be applied and known of believers in their lives and should be exhibited in gray areas such as this.

We should do what’s right by the Holy Spirit, what makes for peace among believers by the Holy Spirit, and this will result in joy among believers by the Holy Spirit. Living by and in these things is acceptable to our Lord, and approved of men, Paul says.

Romans 14:19-23: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

“It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

“And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

Paul says that we are to “follow [or pursue with effort] after the things which make for peace.” Self-denial, humility, grace, and thoughtfulness in non-essential areas are all needed in order for there to be unity between believers with differences of convictions.

And we are to “follow after things wherewith one may edify another.” The believer is not to be a wrecking ball, tearing down believers, but instead we are to be building each other up. It is more important to give up our rights for the good of a brother in Christ to encourage them, than to demand and assert our rights.

The word “destroy” in v. 20 is the opposite of the word “edify.” “Destroy” speaks of pulling down and “edify” speaks of building up.

We see here how the Lord is doing a “work” in the life of each one of His own. It is a sobering thought to think of hindering that work in the life of a brother over secondary matters.

By our actions and lack of love and selfishness we can actually destroy and pull down the gracious work God has done in the life of a believer up to that point.

Verse 21 teaches us how the believer is to make a definitive effort to avoid meat or drink or anything which might offend and cause a believer to stumble or be offended or weaken their faith. Any non-essential gray area that is a matter of conviction for another believer should be avoided in order to by grace build that brother up in the Lord.

Paul says to the stronger brother, “Hast thou faith?” I.e., “You have strong faith in your liberty and in God’s grace?” “Have it to thyself before God.” I.e., don’t flaunt your strong faith before others, have it before God. If you have faith that a gray area activity is right, hold that conviction privately before God and don’t parade it before others.

Just because you CAN, doesn’t mean you SHOULD. And Paul says, “Happy is the man that doesn’t condemn himself by allowing himself to exercise his liberty in Christ to purposely partake of the thing which he allows in his life before another who does not.”

And in verse 23, Paul’s thought is that if a believer does do those things in which he doubts is good before another believer who has different beliefs and which will cause that believer to fall he is “damned”, which speaks of a self-condemnation that a man is condemned by his own conscience.

And this is sin before God, because the stronger brother has not acted in faith but instead in self-will, knowingly pulling down another believer and possibly destroying the work of God in that person’s life.

There is much practical instruction here and it really shows us the great care, and thoughtfulness that needs to be taken in the Christian life to be sure we’re showing the proper respect and love for God’s people. The chapter is a call by God to grace and understanding in non-essential areas.

God in His grace, lifts us up high, and God’s grace as it works in our lives will cause us to lift others up, put them first, receive them, and treat them with God’s kindness and care.