Romans 14:13-23
First, let’s look at the words of our Lord Jesus found in
Luke 6:37-38 “Judge not, and you will
not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you
will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your
lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
The Greek verb that is translated as “judge” is not just an
observation about a person but instead is a negative opinion. It is easy to
observe a person in action and get the whole picture wrong. The person who
judges assumes the role of God. He or she claims to understand the inner motive
of another person. We must leave all judgment to God. If all of ue do that we
will reduce the gossip traffic to almost nothing. As we continue with our study
of Romans we should determine to never cause another person to stumble because
we passed judgment on them. You never know what’s going on in another person’s
heart. Rather than being a judgmental, unforgiving person we need to become
giving people. Jesus has assured us that when we avoid taking away another
person’s reputation through a negative opinion we should instead be givers and
God will give to us. He doesn’t just return to us what we have given up God
will give good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. As he
promised the prophet Joel, “I will
restore to you the years that the swarming Locusts has eaten, the hopper, the
destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.” (Joel
2:25). Our God is not just a forgiving God He is a Giving God as well. We need
to pattern our life like his! We must determine not to be a source of stumbling
for another person. Our God is an awesome God and he has called us to have such
an attitude that never pulls another person down. We need to lift up other
people and never be responsible for putting them down. Now, let’s return to
Romans 14 and…
Determine not to be a source of stumbling. Vv. 13–15
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. 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. 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.
Notice
that Paul admonishes us not to pass judgment on one another “any longer”! The
natural indication is judgment was being passed. In Paul’s desire was that
judgment should be replaced with freedom of hindrances in relationships. Paul
wrote to the Corinthians, “if food makes
my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (1
Corinthians 8:12). Of course, he was addressing eating meat offered to a pagan
idol. Paul was convinced both here in Romans and in 1 Corinthians that the meat
offered to the idols was not actually harmful because the idol had no ability
to bless or curse. However, if a Christian brother, or sister, believed the
meat carried with it a curse and eating the meat offered to an idol might cause
a new believer to return to pagan rituals. Therefore Paul’s freedom could lead
to spiritual destruction. We need to remember the words of the Lord Jesus found
in Matthew 18:6 whoever causes
one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him
to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the
depth of the sea. Here Jesus is talking
about children and the possibility of leading them to sin against God or
another person. Folks, this is not a simple matter! Being casual about doubtful
things must never characterize our lifestyle. While Jesus is certainly talking
about little children he leaves room for new believers. After all Jesus came
into the world so that all who received him, who believed in his name, received
the right to become children of God (John 1:12-13). So a person who is newly
born again might easily be referred to as a child in the faith. Our
relationships should be characterized by love. Our lifestyle should reflect our
new birth.
We need to be careful as we grow up as Paul told the
Ephesians in chapter 5 verse two. We are to
walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant
offering and sacrifice to God. If we are careful to walk in love, or live
in love, we will remember that he gave himself for us and calls on us to give
ourselves up for those he has chosen. If we have such a sacrificial love for
our brothers and sisters in Christ we will treat them with the greatest respect.
We may not agree with them in every matter but we will love them. Every person
we meet, dark skinned or light, is part of God’s creation. They join with us to
be a part of God’s kingdom. Every person who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior is a part of the kingdom of God.
When we see another person purposely separating themselves from
God we need to remember that except for the grace of God we could be like that
person. Instead we are to commit ourselves to live out the life of God in
Christ Jesus. All of us were brought into the world as sons and daughters of
Adam and Eve. When they fell away from God we fell with them. God did not make
us sinners we were born that way. I am not amazed that God has a plan to save
some. I am amazed that he saved me.
I see the advertisements on TV telling us to be sure that we
have gotten what we deserve. I know, they’re talking about some government
health program. But I always find my thoughts turning to what if I got what I
deserve spiritually! All mankind, you and I, along with everyone else, deserve
death — the wages of sin — and an eternity in hell! This idea may not be very
popular but it is completely, scripturally true.
If we are children of God we do not get what we deserve. We
get what he purchased on the cross for us. When Jesus spoke the words, “it is
finished”, he pronounced judgment on the sins of mankind. He paid the debt of
sin for all those who would believe in him. He would transfer them from the
kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. Therefore we should…
Live as citizens of the kingdom of God. Vv. 16–18
So do not let what
you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of
God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and
joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is
acceptable to God and approved by men.
Living as citizens of the kingdom of God is not a matter of
what we eat or drink. It is a matter of righteousness! The experience of God’s
righteousness in our lives produces an intimate longing for holiness! We have a
desire to know him better. The psalmist got it right — of course — when he
wrote: “As a deer pants for flowing
streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, or the
living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2). When we become a part of the kingdom of God we
experience a growing desire to know him and to be known by him. We tend to
observe what people do, how they dress, what they eat or drink and base our
understanding of their relationship to God on what we see. When we observe
another person we only see what is external. God sees the eternal and reminds
us that the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit. Growing out of that understanding we find the words in it…
Galatians 5:22-23 But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things
there is no law.
In the verses before this list there is a longer list of the
works of the flesh. The love that the Spirit of God puts in us shows itself in joy.
The joy overflows into peace. The love and joy and peace gives birth to
kindness. These characteristics combine to show themselves in goodness. Love
that releases joy and peace, kindness and goodness will always produce faithfulness.
Faithfulness will show itself in an attitude of gentleness. The Spirit will
take this fruit and enable us to exercise self-control. When the kingdom of God
works in our lives our spiritual freedom will allow us to stop wasting time
over the trivial day to day activities and we will…
Pursue that which brings mutual benefit. Vv. 19-21
So then let us pursue
what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
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. 21 It is good not to
eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
When we exercise our freedom we need to think carefully
about whether we are building others up rather than tearing them down. Here,
Paul comes back to the basics. Don’t cause others to stumble! Quarreling over
the benefit of food, here meat offered to idols, certainly doesn’t build up
godly relationships. Whatever we do we should do it to the glory of God.
In verse 21 the Scriptures tell us “it is good”… The root sense
of the word translated “good” is “beautiful”. So, using that meaning “It is “beautiful” to
not eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that will cause your brother to
fall. It is beautiful because it shows love in the body of Christ. It is
beautiful because it is unselfish. It is beautiful because it shows a finely
tuned sense of spiritual proportion. It is beautiful because it puts others first. Living
out the life of the kingdom is reflected throughout Paul’s writings. As Paul instructed the Colossians chapter 3
verse 12 through 14 Put on then, as
God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility,
meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one
has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven
you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on
love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
We have to take an active step in revealing the love of God
that is shown at the Christian life we are to “put on” heart attitudes that
proves we love and understand each other. Again, it looks a lot like the Fruit
of the Spirit, we are to be kind, humble, meek, and patient. We are to bear
with one another and in the case of a need we are to forgive. Everything about
the Christian life needs to be wrapped in love!
I remind you again as I often have, when we love each other
with the love of Christ we prove we are disciples of Jesus (John 13:34-35).
Living out the Christian lifestyle is not just a matter of
going through religious rituals.
We must…
Make sure that everything is done with a clear conscience. Vv. 22, 23
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. 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.
What
you believe about neutral things is between you and God. Keep it that way! You
are blessed, or happy, if you do not condemn yourself while exercising liberty
with a clear conscience.
Charles H. Spurgeon, one of the
most powerful preachers of the 19th century, at the height of his
fame, was one day walking down the street and saw a sign which read, “We sell
the cigar that Charles Spurgeon smokes,” whereupon Spurgeon gave up the habit.
He came to see that what was for him a freedom might cause others to stumble.
“Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”
R. K.
Hughes in his study on Romans summarizes these verses this way: The wise
Apostle Paul has detailed four “dos” if we are to build unity amidst our
diversity. First, we must determine never to be a source of stumbling. Second,
we must live as citizens of the Kingdom of God, concentrating on the eternals
rather than the externals. Third, we must actively pursue that which benefits
other believers. Fourth, we must do all that we do with a clear conscience.
All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English
standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
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