Romans Lesson 18 with Harley Brown

Hello, and welcome to the Life in the Word, our verse-by-verse Bible study of God's Word.

My name is Charlie Brown.

I'm one of the elders here at New Life Community Church, and I have the great opportunity to talk about Romans 14 with you.

If you would, bow your head with me for the opening prayer.

Our Father in Heaven, I thank you for this great opportunity to talk about your word.

I pray that through this study we will learn how to be united in the body, to love one another as you call us to, and to love you with every fiber of our being.

We love you, and we pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

So over the last several months, we've heard Pastor Luis telling us to how to be united in the body of Christ.

Sadly, due to our sinful nature, disagreements happen in the body, and even divisions can happen.

There are times where division is necessary, especially when it comes to sub epic issues, and other times where it's not necessary.

I have not personally experienced any major church division in my life, and I pray that I'll never have to go through one of those.

Because I have not experienced anything like that in my life, as any good millennial would do, I went to the internet for examples of ridiculous church divisions.

I found an article titled 25 Silly Things Church Members Fight Over.

And here are some examples from that article.

Two different churches reported fights over the type of coffee they had.

In one of the churches, they moved from Folgers to a stronger Starbucks brand.

In the other church, they simply moved to a stronger blend.

Members left the church in the latter example.

Another example is an argument over the appropriate length of the worship pastor's beard broke out.

And then my personal favorite, a major conflict when the youth borrowed a crock pot that hadn't been used for years.

You may think that these silly arguments may only happen today, but as we are about to read, even Paul had to struggle with this foolishness.

Through the book of Romans, Paul speaks to both the Jewish and Gentile believers about being saved through the power of Christ's blood, and that both Jew and Gentile can be united because of Jesus' atoning work on the cross.

However, in this chapter, we will see that despite that there is a clash of cultures between the Jewish and Gentile believers, causing unnecessary division.

If you would, please turn to me to Romans 14, verse 1.

Romans 14:1

Verse 1.

Accept other believers who are weak in faith and don't argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.

Verse 2.

For instance, one person believes it's alright to eat anything, but another believes with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.

We see Paul calling the believers in Rome to accept the Christians who are weak in faith.

But who are the weak in faith?

GotQuestions.com has a great answer to that.

GodQuestions says, weaken weak in the faith characterizes believers who whose understanding of Christian liberty is limited or their application is underdeveloped.

Here Paul is referring to the Jewish believers as weak in faith.

Because of the background of the Jewish people, they were expected to only eat certain foods, observe certain holidays, and perform certain religious actions in order to be in right relationship with God.

And sadly, they have brought those beliefs over into the Christian faith.

This most likely hit particularly close to home for Paul since he came from the same background.

Just like the early church, we still see this today.

Whether it's someone who's new to the faith and doesn't understand the liberties God has given us, or someone who has come from a lifestyle of certain sins, like alcoholism, or someone who has come from a background of works-based religion, like Mormonism or Jehovah's Witnesses, we still must accept them as brothers and sisters if they have repented of their sins and placed their faith in Jesus for salvation.

While there is a whole range of secondary issues Paul can go after in regards to unity, in verse 2, Paul decides to target eating habits that are causing divisions.

Nowadays you may ask, well, why is that a big deal?

But back then it was huge.

For the Jewish people, they were commanded by God in Leviticus chapter 11 and Deuteronomy 14 to only eat certain types of foods.

Leviticus 11 · chapter mention

This was done to separate Israel from its neighboring nations and protect their holiness.

However, this law was completed by Jesus during his earthly ministry.

While the Jews had these laws, the Gentiles had no such rules in place, thus creating unnecessary division in Rome.

Verse 3.

Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don't.

And those who don't eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.

Here Paul expands on verse 11 by calling the weak in faith not to judge the ones who have such have no such issue with eating any type of food.

Paul also calls the strong in faith to not look down on those who only eat certain foods due to their conviction.

The key to this verse is the very end of it, for God has accepted them.

Because of the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, all who believe in Jesus are accepted by God.

As a result, we should not judge other believers on secondary issues.

Verse 4 Who are you to condemn someone else's servants?

Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall, and with the Lord's help, they will stand and receive his approval.

Paul continues on by asking the Roman believers, Who are they to judge another person's servant?

Who is the master in this instance?

It's God.

When we're born again, we are no longer slaves of sin, but slaves to God.

Because he is our master, God is the one who gives us what we need to not fall into sin.

Verse 5.

In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike.

You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.

Paul now turns his attention from what the believers are eating to what days they observe for worshiping God.

For the Jewish people, it was important to observe important holidays, like the Passover, for God commanded them to do so in the Old Testament.

We even see this within the Ten Commandments, with the fourth commandment, thou shalt keep the Sabbath, for it is holy.

Just like with eating food, the Jewish believers tried bringing this into the church.

For the Gentile believers, they had little to no knowledge of these important days, and so did not observe them, thus creating more division in the body.

Sadly, even to this day, there is a debate about what day corporate worship should happen.

We see examples of this with the Seventh-day Adventists that say we must worship God on Saturday because it is the Sabbath.

And doing corporate worship on any other day is sinful.

While most other denominations observe corporate worship on Sundays because that is the day Jesus rose from the grave, and we even see Paul doing it in Acts chapter 20, verse 7.

Acts 20:7

If you are wondering where I stand in this debate, I believe every day of the week is a good day to worship God.

For you, it might be different.

One thing that I recommend is examine your heart regarding this issue.

Read the word and be in prayer about it, as Paul says at the end of verse 5, and be fully convinced of what you believe.

Now, with this talk about what we can or can't eat, or what day we observe, it can be natural to wonder what laws from the Old Testament must we observe?

Well, we have to break down the Old Testament law.

There are three types of laws found in the Old Testament: ceremonial law, the civil law, and the moral law.

The ceremonial law are laws that pertain to religious activities that God gave the Jewish people to set them apart from the pagan nations around them.

This would include things like circumcision, observance of certain holidays, and what foods they can eat.

Next is the civil law, and these laws were given by God to the Jewish people when it comes to executing punishment for crimes.

These laws were only meant for Israel, but if another culture applied it, then it would be very beneficial.

We see this with God calling the Israelites to stone rapists and murderers, to s to stone ox that kill other people.

And the very last set of laws is the moral laws.

These laws were given by God to everyone, and this includes the Ten Commandments.

And you may be wondering what's the importance of knowing this?

One is to go along with the theme of Romans 14, unity.

Sadly, there are two extremes that have impacted the church.

Free grace, which says you can live however you want, how sinful you want, and still be in right standing with God.

And then the other extreme, legalism, that says you must obey every law God has given you.

You have to wear certain type of clothes, eat a certain type of food, worship on a certain type of day, and if you don't, then you are in wrong standing with God.

Both of these ideologies are wrong and can cause major hurt in the church and division.

Verse 6.

Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him.

Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they gave thanks to God before eating, and those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.

Here, Paul says that the people who observe certain days as special and eat all kinds of food do so in honor of the Lord.

And those who do not do these things are doing them for the honor of the Lord as well.

As it says in 1 Corinthians chapter ten, verse 31, so whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

With the liberties we have been given, we should do all things in honor of the Lord.

And if we don't, then it can become sinful.

Verse 7.

For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves.

Verse 8.

If we live, it's to honor the Lord, and if we die, it is to honor the Lord.

So whether you live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Verse 9.

Christ died and rose again for this very purpose, to be Lord both of the living and the dead.

So what does Paul mean that we do not live or die for ourselves?

The end of verse 8 tells us that we belong to the Lord.

When we are born again, we are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to God.

By being a slave to God, we are called to do all things to glorify Him.

We should want to please God in all our actions, whether it is in what we eat, what job we have, or what hobbies we participate in?

This should get us to self-reflect and ask ourselves, is what I'm doing glorifying God?

Am I doing this in honor of the Lord?

If what you're doing is not glorifying God, bring it to the altar and give it to God.

Verse 10.

So why do you condemn another believer?

Why do you look down on another believer?

Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

Verse eleven.

For the scriptures say, As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bend to me and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.

Verse 12, yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

With Paul reminding the Roman believers that God is the Lord over us all, he goes on to ask them why they are condemning each other.

If God is our Lord, we all will have to stand before him on judgment day and take account for what we did with the time he's given us.

And Paul uses Isaiah 45, 23 to support what he is saying.

If you are wondering, yes, believers will be judged on judgment day.

However, it will not be like the judgment of those who do not place their faith in Jesus.

Instead of being judged on the state of our souls, we will be judged for heavenly rewards.

Now, don't take what I'm saying and think that we are to never judge.

When it comes to things that are clearly marked as sin, Jesus calls us to judge righteously, as we see in Matthew chapter 7.

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

But in regards to secondary issues, we should not judge others.

We don't know what God has placed on another person's conscience, and that person will have to answer to God for what they did or did not do in this life.

And with this talk of secondary issues, you may be wondering, what are secondary issues?

Well, secondary issues are things that don't affect our salvation.

So that includes things like should Christians drink alcohol?

Are they allowed to get tattoos and piercings?

What kind of clothes should Christians wear?

It can also include theological debates such as how old is the earth?

Where were the dinosaurs at in the Bible?

And how often should we take communion?

These issues don't affect our salvation, and we can still be united as one under Christ if we disagree with any of those things, or have disagreement with any of those things.

Verse 13.

So let's stop condemning each other.

Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

What does Paul mean by saying you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall?

Well, he means to lead other people to sin.

An example of this would be alcohol.

There are many Christians who believe alcohol to drink alcohol is a sin, while other believers say it's okay to drink alcohol.

But if the one who thinks it's okay causes the other to drink alcohol, whether it is by drinking in front of them, by judging them, or pressuring them to participate in drinking, the strong in faith have caused the weak in faith to violate their convictions and fall into sin.

Not only that, the strong in faith have also sinned by leading another to sin and by not loving their brother or sister.

Verse 14.

I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food in and of itself is wrong to eat.

But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.

Verse 15.

And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it.

Don't let your eating ruin someone from whom Christ died.

Verse 16.

Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good.

Now we see Paul doing something that many of the Jewish people were probably shocked to see, saying that it is okay to eat any kind of food.

Remember, Paul used to be a Pharisee, so he is he was known for strictly following the law, and that included the food laws.

So by Paul saying that, that so by Paul saying that it shows the transformative work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Now you may be wondering, did Jesus really speak on what a person can or can't eat?

Well, he did in Mark chapter 7, verses 14 through 19.

Mark 7:14–19

Again, Jesus called the crowd to him and said, Well, listen to me, everyone and understand this.

Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them.

Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.

After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.

He asked, Don't you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?

For it doesn't go into their heart, but into their stomach, and then out of the body.

In saying this, Jesus declared all food clean.

In these verses, Jesus explains that it is not what a person puts into the body that defiles them, but what comes from the body that does.

How we act and speak shows the condition of our hearts.

Because of the authority Jesus has over the living and the dead, Paul has been convinced it is okay to eat anything, thus fulfilling what he said in verse 5 of this chapter.

However, despite this, Paul recognizes that even though it is okay to eat whatever we please, it is not okay to do it that if it brings another brother or sister in the body distress.

In fact, through this action, you are not fulfilling 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verses 4 through 7.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7

Let me read it for you.

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

So if we cause someone to stumble by eating something we think is okay, but they do not, are we fulfilling this?

By causing distress to another, are you being patient and kind to them?

Are you showing that you are boastful, envious, and proud?

Are you dishonoring others, being self-seeking, showing anger, and keeping records of wrong?

Are you delighting in evil, protecting others?

Are you seeking the truth, showing hope, and preserving for the sake of the gospel?

I would say not.

What does Paul mean by do not destroy the one from whom Christ died?

Well, it means to destroy or weaken another believer's faith.

As followers of Christ, we should be known for our devotion to Christ and our love for one another.

But if we show no concern for another believer's convictions, it can cause them to question the integrity of Christ.

This is a big deal for Jesus.

We know this because Jesus warns us about this in Matthew chapter 18, verse 6.

Matthew 18:6

And in Matthew chapter 5, verse 30, he tells us what to do in regards to avoiding sin in our own lives.

Matthew 5:30

I believe this can also be applied in situations like this as well.

If someone is convicted about eating meat, don't eat meat while around them.

If someone believes it is wrong to drink alcohol, do not drink alcohol around them.

Be willing to set aside your pride and your comfort so that you do not lead another into sin and destroy their faith.

And it's not just the faith of people inside the body.

The whole world watches what we do as followers of Christ.

And if they see us destroying each other's faith with what we eat and how we act, they'll call into question who Jesus truly is, and may lose the opportunity to get to know Jesus.

Verse 17.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Verse 18.

If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you too.

Here Paul reminds that here Paul reminds the believers of Rome that the kingdom of God is not about earthly matters, but of eternal matters, and reminds the people to be led by the Spirit.

If we allow the Spirit to guide us, we will please God and get the approval of others.

Now that doesn't mean everyone will approve.

Remember, the world hates Jesus and thus hates the way of Jesus.

Verse 19.

So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

Verse 20.

Don't tear apart the works of God over what you eat.

Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble.

Verse 21.

It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.

Verse 22.

You may believe there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God.

Blessed are those who don't feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right.

Verse 23.

But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it.

For you are not following your convictions.

If you do anything, you believe it is not right, you are sinning.

In these verses, Paul summarizes what he talked about in the last 18 verses of this chapter.

So, in case you forgot, all food is acceptable to eat because of the authority of Christ.

But you must have full faith in this.

Eating food without faith is a sin, and leading others to go against their convictions is leading them to sin.

As followers of Christ, we are called to defend the weak in our society.

But how often do we defend the weak in faith?

This does not come solely down to what we eat and drink, but the hobbies we do, where we stand on certain theological topics, or even if the youth kids are allowed to use the church cockpot, is something we should take into consideration and contemplate.

Are these things important enough to cause division in the body?

This is the end of chapter 14, and I thank you for listening in on this Bible study.

If you would bow your head with me for the ending prayer.

Father, I thank you for this convict message, for showing us what it means to be united as one.

Because of what Jesus did in his earthly ministry, you've given us so many liberties, but we must not abuse those liberties you have given us.

Help us live out the love you call us to, Father.

And to reflect Christ to not just the world, but also to each other.

We love you, and we pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Thank you for listening in, and I hope you have a blessed week.