Sunday, February 12th, 2012
Romans 14:13-23; 1 Cor 8-10; Mt 18:1-9; Mk 7:14-23; Lk 17:1-3
“Powerful Love”
Bible Memory Verse for the Week: Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. — 1 Corinthians 8:9
Background Information:
- When the Jew came into Christianity he found that all the petty rules and regulations were abolished at one stroke, and the danger was that he might interpret Christianity as a freedom to do exactly as he liked. We must remember that Christian freedom and Christian love go hand in hand; we must hold fast to the truth that Christian freedom and brotherly love are bound up together. (William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series: Romans, 191)
- The one who has scruples is described to the Apostle as being the weaker brother, and it is interesting to bear in mind that usually when we hold tenaciously to traditions and feel deeply about the things that scripture may treat with silence, we regard ourselves as strong on that point. By the Apostle’s definition the strong person is the one who is free in areas of God-given freedom and sees no need to build regulations around his freedom, while the weak brother is the one who feels that he needs help in the area of freedom and adds principles which of themselves may be quite right but which are not biblical in origin. (D. Stuart Briscoe, Mastering the NT: Romans, 248)
- The strong were those who were able to grasp the significance of Christ’s death for daily living; that is, for eating and drinking, etc., the weak were not. (William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary: Romans, 452)
- The Kingdom of God is the realm in which God rules. (James Montgomery Boice; Romans: Vol. 4, The New Humanity, 1774)
- Freedom from the dietary laws is a “good” thing, a legitimate implication of the coming Jesus Messiah and the New Covenant.” (Douglas Moo; NICNT: The Epistle to the Romans, 855)
- Freedom is to never to be license (Galatians) (1 Pet 2:16)
- Freedom is to never lead to abuse (mastered by none) (1 Cor 6:12)
The question to be answered is . . . What cautions does Paul give the strong in faith in regard to expressing their Christian liberties in the presence of their weaker brother ?
Answer: Even though the strong have a right to their Christian liberties, it is not always prudent, righteous or beneficial to express one’s Christian liberties. If, in the process of expressing our Christian liberty, you cause a weaker brother in Christ to fall, you have in reality made your desire to make use of your liberty more significant than the death of Christ for that individual. For if your actions cause a weaker brother to fall and miss Christ, then you have nullified the work of Christ for that one you have offended. Heed the warning of Jesus and “Watch yourselves!”
The Word for the Day is . . . abnegate
Abnegate: Webster’s Def. = “1- to give up or surrender (as a right or privilege): relinquish, 2- To deny to or reject for oneself.”
If we have righteously made up our mind to stop judging one another on disputable matters, what does Paul tell us in Romans 14:13-23 we should do instead?:
I. Watch that your liberties are never a stumbling block for the spiritual progress of others. (Rom 12:18; 14:7, 13, 21; Lev 19:14; Mt 18:1-14; Mk 9:42-48; Gal 6:2; 1 Cor 8:1, 8-13; ch 9; 10:23-33; 2 Cor 6:3; 1 Pt 2:16)
One of Jesus’ most somber warnings was against anyone who “causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble.” It would be “better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! (John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary: Romans 9-16, 275)
We do not live in a vacuum; everything we do affects others. We need to consider our responsibility to others. We can demand freedom for ourselves, but we must also allow other believers that same freedom. If demonstrating our freedom causes us to act in an uncaring, hurtful way towards other believers, we are not yet free. (Bruce B. Barton, Life Application Bible Commentary: Romans, 264)
Both strong and weak Christians can cause their brothers and sisters to stumble. The strong but insensitive Christian may flaunt his or her freedom and intentionally offend others’ consciences. The scrupulous but weak Christian may try to fence others in with petty rules and regulations, thus causing dissension. Paul wants his readers to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because we are all strong in some areas and weak in others, we need constantly to monitor the effects of our behavior on others. (Tyndale House Publishers, Life Application Study Bible, 2054)
Believers should be stepping stones to maturity, rather than hindrances. (C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Romans, 366)
“Love does no harm to its neighbor,” Paul said (Rom 13:10). But if this is so and we do love, then we will not harm our Christian brothers or sisters for so slight a matter as what we eat or drink. To insist on our own way at this point would be selfish at best and most likely be wicked. (James Montgomery Boice; Romans: Vol. 4, The New Humanity, 1769)
Paul dealt with a similar problem in 1 Cor 8-9, where the question was, “Should Christians eat meat that has been offered to idols in heathen temples?” There he pointed out that knowledge and love must work together. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor 8:1, NIV). The strong Christian has spiritual knowledge, but if he does not practice love, his knowledge will hurt the weak Christian. Knowledge must be balanced by love. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Right, 157)
Sin is not just a private matter. Everything we do affects others, and we have to consider the impact of what we do. God created us to be interdependent, not independent. We who are strong in our faith must, without pride or condescension, treat others with love, patience, and self-restraint. Nothing like food should be so important to us that we insist on having it even at the risk of harming another. (Bruce B. Barton, Life Application Bible Commentary: Romans, 269)
Let me say that you have neither right nor privilege to act (as you please), if you cause your brother grief, for in that case these things are no longer your private affairs; but, regarded from the spiritual viewpoint, they do concern your brother, who, because of his doubts and scruples of conscience, is troubled by them. So, then, you act contrary to what is right, if you so act that your brother is grieved. Today everyone regards only what is his and what he may do according to his “right”; but he does not consider what he owes to others and what edifies both himself and his neighbor. (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, 203)
For meat destroy not the work of God (14:20). The Apostle calls the Christian brother “the work of God,” just as he says in 1 Cor 9:1: “Are not ye my work in the Lord?” In 1 Cor 3:17 he writes: “If any man defile (destroy) the temple of God, him shall God destroy.” To destroy the work of God for food means not only to insult God, but also to fight against God and to tear down that which He builds up. It thus means to war against God without ceasing. (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, 206)
On this issue Paul is thoroughly indebted to the teaching of Jesus. “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves” (Lk 17:1-3). Paul Achtemeier is right, “The question at issue in this passage is the relationship between the right of Christians to use their freedom and their commensurate responsibility to use that undoubted freedom in a way that is constructive rather than destructive of Christian fellowship” (Romans, 219). (James R. Edwards, New International Biblical Commentary: Romans, 326-327)
This exhortation echoes the teaching of Jesus (Mt 7:1-5; 17:27; Mk 9:42), as well as the apostle himself (9:30-32; 1 Cor 8:9-13), and it may have been influenced by an oft-quoted passage in Judaism, “Do not put a stumbling block in front of the blind” (Lv 19:14). A proskomma (stumbling block) is a static metaphor of a stone in the road which causes one to stumble, whereas skandalon (obstacle) is a more dynamic metaphor, meaning an allurement or enticement to sin, and hence a temptation or entrapment. The words are close synonyms, but there is this difference: a proskomma is something that happens by chance, whereas a skandalon is intentional and thereby more serious. The meaning, obviously, is that believers are to avoid those circumstances in which, either unknowingly or intentionally, they might injure fellow Christians. The issue is again that of freedom and love. (James R. Edwards, New International Biblical Commentary: Romans, 327)
Those who pride themselves on being strong should display their spiritual maturity by doing everything they can to avoid bringing spiritual downfall to a brother or sister. (Douglas J. Moo, The NIV Application Commentary: Romans, 459)
In this context, the work of God clearly refers to believers, all of whom “are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:10). It is therefore not only a serious offense against a weaker brother to cause him to stumble but a serious offense against the purposes of God.
We would consider it an appalling crime for someone to deface a Rembrandt painting, to shatter a sculpture by Michelangelo, or to smash a Stradivarius violin. How infinitely worse it is to tear down a work of God, a man “for whom Christ died” (Rom 14:15). (John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary: Romans 9-16, 299)
Therefore, it is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, which are in themselves good, or to do anything else that is good in itself, by which your brother stumbles, because such stumbling hinders the work of God in and through that believer. God is endeavoring to build that believer up (Eph 4:11-15) while we are tearing him down. That is unthinkable! (John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary: Romans 9-16, 300)
There is a play on words in the Greek sentence, which contains a double use of the verb krinein, ‘to judge’. ‘Let us therefore cease judging one another, but rather make this simple judgment…’ (NEB). The judgment or decision which we are to make is to avoid putting either a hindrance (proskomma) or a snare (skandalon) in our brother’s path and so causing him to trip and fall. (John Stott, Romans–God’s Good news for the World, 364)
Charles Spurgeon, 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. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word–Romans, 273)
Having just a moment ago encouraged the work of building up, the apostle now warns against engaging in its very opposite, namely, tearing down or destroying (cf. Matt. 5:17; 24:2; 26:61; 27:40; 2 Cor. 5:1; Gal. 2:18). Such tearing down is all the more wicked because it concerns the work of God in the heart and life of the weak brother, and doing this for the sake merely of something material, namely, food! (William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary–Romans, 466)
II. Understand that everything God made is clean. It is when it is used by our sinful hearts that we corrupt God’s good gifts (Rom 14:14, 20; Gen 1:31; 2 Sam 6; Jer 17:9; Mt 15:10:20; Mk 7:17-23; Acts 10:9-23; 1 Cor 6:12; 10:23-26; 1 Tim 4:3-5; Ti 1:15)
If it is not what goes into a person’s mouth that defiles the person but what comes out, then we should exercise even more care than the ancient Jews did to get, have, and keep a pure heart. Our hearts are not pure naturally. Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jer 17:9). But because “with God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26), my heart and your heart can be changed. They can be changed by Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. That is what we should be concerned about. If we had any idea how impure our own hearts were and were concerned about them, we would be far less inclined to scorn and judge other believers. (James Montgomery Boice, Romans, Vol. 4, The New Humanity, 1735)
Because God’s creation is essentially good, we have every right to enjoy it to the fullest measure. However, we should keep our right from becoming a stumbling block to those who are less mature in the faith. Love commands that we limit our liberty, when necessary, for the sake of others. (Charles R. Swindoll, Relating to Others in Love: Romans 12-16, 39-40)
III. Make sure your convictions are kept between you and God and that your liberties on disputable matters don’t end up condemning you rather than edifying you. (Rom 14:22; 1 Cor 8:9-13; 1 Tm 4:2; 1 Pt 3:18; 1 Jn 3:21)
If each Christian had kept his convictions to himself, there would have been no problem, but they began to criticize and judge one another. The one group was sure the other group was not at all spiritual. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Right, 151)
Paul wants the “strong” to receive the “weak” into full and intimate fellowship, something that could not happen if the “strong,” the majority group persist in advancing their views on these issues, sparking quarrels and mutual recrimination. (Douglas J. Moo, The New International Commentary on the NT: Romans, 836-37)
It is only when one tries to enforce one’s views on others that one violates the Spirit of the community. (Abingdon Press, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX, 620)
If the weaker Christian, for example, sees his stronger brother enjoying something he won’t allow himself to enjoy, he not only judges him for it, he also becomes exasperated with him to the point of bitter feelings. Such feelings are deadly. . . . A Christian who causes his brother to have such feelings is destroying his progress in the Christian life. (C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Romans, 367)
And it is indeed a most cruel crime to murder a brother. Again (and this also far surpasses all cruelty and ingratitude) you disregard the death of Christ for your brother: for certainly He died also for him. See, then, what a great evil he does who despises his brother and so fails to walk charitably! So also we read in 1 Cor 8:12: “When ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.” And in the preceding verse (v. 11): “Through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?” The Apostle (thus) compares food and the death of Christ with each other. He means to say: Take care that food may not please you so greatly that you prefer it to the death which Christ suffered for the brother. (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, 203-204)
If you use your freedom, says Paul, so as to cause someone to stumble or fall, then love has been forfeited to (self-serving) freedom, and your fellow believer’s salvation is imperiled. There is a telling parallel to this verse in 5:6 that speaks of Christ dying for the “powerless.” The word for “powerless” (Gk. asthenos) is the same word employed throughout 14:1-15:13 for the weak! The fact that Paul introduces the cross of Christ at the point of eating reveals that this is not an incidental issue but a matter of salvation. Even “right” theology becomes very wrong when it violates love! (So Gaugler, Der Römerbrief, vol. 2, 347). Absurd, says Barth. “Christ died for him, and I—eat against him!” (Romans, p. 519). Or as Bengel said, “Do not value thy food more than Christ valued his life” (Gnomon, vol. 3, 179). The problem is compounded by the fact that the greater one’s conscience has been violated, the more difficult it is to induce repentance. In an impassioned judgment Luther calls such a Christian “a cruel murderer, because…you despise, in your brother, the death of Christ, for he died certainly also for him” (Lectures on Romans, 398). Lest it seem that Luther overstates the case, it may be noted that the Greek word for destroy, apollynai, suggests, among other things, spiritual ruin and loss of eternal life. (James R. Edwards, New International Biblical Commentary: Romans, 328-329)
Does a truly brilliant man seek to make an offensive display of his learning? No. The same should be true of the Christian who has strong convictions concerning his liberty in the Lord. It is right for him to have those convictions, but wrong from him to parade them. There are two reasons why a believer should not make a conscious display of his liberty: (1) He could easily tempt or offend a weaker brother, as we have already learned. (2) He could become careless and indulge in things which would take him beyond his convictions. That is, he could carry his freedom too far. For these two reasons, we should make our liberty a matter between ourselves and God. (C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Romans, 374)
The strong believers’ flaunting of their freedom to eat all food may so offend conservative Jewish Christians that they are driven from their faith altogether. Verse 16 perhaps supports this idea, since the “good” likely refers to the freedom believers enjoy. That freedom, Paul claims, can be considered an evil (lit., it will be “blasphemed”) when it is abused and others are harmed because of it. Whatever the case, the strong are not acting out of love. Christ has given his life for these weak believers, and the strong are unwilling even to give up some food. (Douglas J. Moo, The NIV Application Commentary: Romans, 460)
What Paul said of himself should be true of every believer. “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor 6:12). Later in the same epistle, he added, “All things are lawful, but not all things edify” (10:23). A habit or practice that may not be sinful in itself can easily become sinful by gaining control over and injuring the person who engages in it. What is begun as an exercise of legitimate freedom can turn into a form of bondage and self-destruction. Careless and selfish exercise of a God-given freedom often results in loss of freedom, in our becoming “mastered,” as Paul said, by the very things we are freely using—a danger the apostle himself was determined to avoid. Instead of serving and honoring the One who gives it, freedom that is carelessly used can undermine the work of God, dishonor His name, and wreak havoc among His people. (John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary: Romans 9-16, 289)
Neither Paul nor Luther was espousing what I call Jiminy Cricket theology. Jiminy Cricket said, “Always let your conscience be your guide,” but unless your conscience is shaped and ruled by the Word of God, we dare not let it be our guide. There are psychopathic murderers and others who commit the most vicious of dastardly deeds who feel no remorse for their actions. If they were to plead “not guilty” in court because they do not feel guilty, they would not be mounting a very strong defense. (RC Sproul, Romans, 482)
Do not allow what you consider good (i.e. the liberty you have found in Christ) to be spoken of as evil (16), because you flaunt it to the detriment of the weak. (John Stott, Romans–God’s Good news for the World, 366)
The good is naturally understood as the liberty to eat, since all foods are regarded as clean. This liberty, however, if resented because it has been flaunted in the face of the weak, can be regarded as an evil thing on account of its unloving misuse. (Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary–Volume 10, 148-49)
The fact is, the man who feels he must demonstrate his emancipation on every possible occasion is a slave in spite of his apparent freedom, for the need to prove his liberty has become a tyranny. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word–Romans, 271)
Inwardly happy is that person–namely, that “strong” believer–who avoids bringing God’s judgment upon himself by insisting on the exercise of his “liberty” even though such insistence results in harming his “weak” fellow-believer. (William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary–Romans, 467-468)
The liberty we claim is a good thing because Christ has won it for us. But if we abuse it by selfishly insisting on it as our right, we shall bring it into discredit. If we exercise it in a hard and inconsiderate way, the lovelessness of our conduct will give our freedom a bad name, and men will recoil from what apparently brings harm to others. The tragedy of good things falling into contempt because they are so unworthily represented is repeated generation after generation. The outward pattern may vary, but in every age the Christian message suffers most from those who think they are commending it to their contemporaries. (George Arthur Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Bible, 626)
Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. The original Greek has greater voltage, “Do not allow your good to be blasphemed.” Why might the apostle use such incendiary language here? Several commentators suggest that good is the spiritual freedom of the strong, and that Paul admonishes them not to bring it into disrepute. This is quite possible in light of the fact that Paul appears to have been addressing the strong since 13b. But in conjunction with the latter half of verse 15 where he speaks of spiritual ruin, and with the mention of blasphemy in this verse, it is more likely that good refers not to Christian freedom, but to the gospel of salvation itself. If that is so, then he here addresses both the strong and weak. If Christian freedom is employed to the detriment of a believer’s salvation, then the work of God in the life of the believer is itself spoken of as evil and blasphemed. The weak may thereby attribute to Satan what is actually of God, and this borders on the sin against the Holy Spirit (Mk 3:23-30). (James R. Edwards, New International Biblical Commentary: Romans, 329)
IV. Realize that whatever you do that is not from faith is sin (Rom 14:23; 2:15; 13:5; Acts 24:16; 1 Cor 8:7-13; 10:23-33; 2 Cor 1:12; 1 Tm 1:5, 19; 4:2; 2 Tm 1:3; Ti 1:15; Heb 9:14; 10:22; 13:8; Jas 4:17; 1 Pt 3:15-16)
He does insist, however, that “each one be fully convinced in his own mind” that what he is doing is right. No one must do what is contrary to the dictates of his own conscience as illumined by the Word! (William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary: Romans, 458)
Everything that is not of faith is sin, because it goes counter to faith and conscience; for we must beware with all possible zeal that we may not violate our conscience. Therefore we must not incite the (weak brother) to act according to the weakness of his faith, but we must rather strengthen him and build him up, in order that he may grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we read in 2 Pt 3:18: “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, 206)
A good general rule concerning the conscience is this: when there is any doubt-DON’T DO IT! If a person elects to do it anyway, i.e., ignore the voice of his conscience, it will soon condemn him and he will know he has displeased the Lord. To violate one’s conscience is to go against the voice of God in his soul. He will get no relief until he confesses his willfulness and fellowship is restored between him and the Lord. It’s no small thing for a Christian to go against his conscience. That’s why it is so awful when we use our liberty to cause a weaker brother to violate his. (C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Romans, 375)
Anything a Christian does when he is not absolutely sure that God approves of it, is sinful. Now it is clear that the Lord has set us free from every ceremonial and religious observance. We don’t have to keep days, avoid certain foods, indulge in religious rites or rituals, or submit to other people’s doctrines. We’re free from every religious burden others would put on us. Why? “Nothing is unclean of itself.” To the extent that we BELIEVE the Lord has set us free from these, to that extent we have no scruples. To the extent we’re not sure how far He means for us to carry it, to that extent we DO have scruples. Therefore the only limit on a man’s liberty is his FAITH in what the Lord approves. If he believes the Lord approves what he is about to do, he can go ahead with a clear conscience. If he does NOT have that faith (uncertain of the Lord’s will in the matter), it will be sinful for him to proceed. He is then acting out of self-will. He is putting his own desires ahead of the Lord’s by overruling the voice of God in his soul. When a man acts out of doubt (not sure of the Lord’s approval), he is not acting in faith. Since faith is the basis of our life in Christ, anything done apart from faith, is done apart from Christ. This is why we break fellowship with the Lord when we go beyond the limit of our faith in what he would approve. If we act out of selfishness, or according to public opinion, customs, or what we see other Christians do, rather than follow the voice of conscience, our action is not of faith. (C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Romans, 375-76)
Paul has advice for the man who is weak in the faith, the man with the scrupulous conscience. It may be that this may disobey or silence his scruples. He may sometimes do something because everyone else is doing it. He may do it because he does not wish to be different. He may do it because he does not wish to court ridicule or unpopularity. Paul’s answer is that if, for any of these reasons, a man defies his conscience he is guilty of sin. If a man in his heart believes a thing to be wrong, if he cannot rid himself of the ineradicable feeling that it is forbidden, then, if he does it, for him it is sin. A neutral thing only becomes a right thing when it is done out of faith, out of the real, reasoned conviction that it is the right thing to do. The only motive for doing anything is that a man believes it to be right. When a thing is done out of social convention, out of fear of unpopularity, to please men, then it is wrong. (C.E.B. Cranfield, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, Volume 2, 712)
This person is sinning because he is trying to silence the voice of his conscience. He is convinced that what he is about to do is wrong, yet he does it. Accordingly, he is sinning. Says Paul: and everything (that does) not (spring) from faith is sin; that is, whatever thought, word, action, etc. does not spring from the inner conviction that is in harmony with a person’s faith in God; or, stating it differently, whatever action is contradicted by one’s Christian conscience, is sin. To be sure, a person’s conscience is not the Final Judge of his actions, whether past, present, or contemplated. That Final Judge is God, or, if one prefers, the Word of God. But this does not alter the fact that even for that individual who may not have become fully informed about the will of God as revealed in his Word it is wrong by means of his actions to oppose the voice of his Christian conscience. (William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary–Romans, 468)
CONCLUSION/APPLICATION: What cautions does Paul desire for us to heed to properly reflect the nature of the Kingdom of God?:
A. What God created is good and should not be communicated to others as otherwise (Gen 1:31; Acts 14:17; Rom 14:14, 16; 1 Cor 10:25-26; 1 Tm 4:4; 6:17; Ti 1:15)
There is no biblical basis for regarding some aspects of the creation as evil. All things were created good, and they are still good in themselves. On this foundational truth rests Christian freedom. However, not every Christian has accepted this fact. (Charles R. Swindoll, Relating to Others in Love: Romans 12-16, 39)
Paul’s dual message was, in effect, “Don’t apologize for or renounce your freedom in Christ, and don’t let your own conscience be bothered. Take advantage of your liberty with joy and gratitude, because it is a precious gift from God. But, on the other hand, be willing at any time to forfeit the exercise of your freedom if it might cause spiritual harm to a believer or become an unnecessary offense to an unbeliever. (John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary: Romans 9-16, 297)
B. The Kingdom of God and the Gospel are righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Not food and drink. Tobacco and alcohol. Earrings and tattoos. Etc. (Mt 15:10-20; Lk 17:21; Rom 14:17; 15:13; Gal 5:6; 1 Cor 4:20; 8:8-13; 1 Pt 2:16)
The Kingdom of God is God reigning in us.— John Calvin
Paul is saying that the Kingdom of God is present and is seen in whatever God does in the lives of Christians. And what God does is bestow righteousness, grant peace, and bring joy in the Holy Spirit. This has nothing to do with what we eat or drink (or what we do not eat or drink) or whether, to use Paul’s first example, believers observe certain days. God is not concerned about these things, which is why we are not to be concerned about them, except to the extent that our conduct may hurt others. What we must be concerned about are the three items Paul mentions: “Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirt.” (James Montgomery Boice; Romans: Vol. 4, The New Humanity, 1774)
Not the externals, but the eternals must be first in our lives: righteousness, peace, and joy. Where do they come from? The Holy Spirit of God at work in our lives (See Rom 5:1-2). If each believer would yield to the Spirit and major in a godly life, we would not have Christians fighting with each other over minor matters. Spiritual priorities are essential to harmony in the church. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Right, 158-59)
This principle was consistent with the teachings of Christ who had likewise said, ‘the kingdom of God does not come with outward display…the kingdom of God is within you’ (Lk 17:21). What is most characteristic of the kingdom is not meat and drink but righteousness, peace and joy. Right standing before God, peace resulting from reconciliation, and joy in a heart set free from sin and guilt, are marks of a citizen of God’s kingdom. (RC Sproul, The Gospel of God: Romans, 238)
The apostle has added another reason why the stronger Christian should be careful in the use of his liberty. If outsiders see believers fussing over such things as food and drink, they could conclude that these were the essentials of the Christian life. They might assume that being godly had to do with externals when such thins have absolutely nothing to do with God’s kingdom. They’re physical, having to do with the flesh, whereas the kingdom has to do with the heart. The delights of the kingdom are internal having to do with a man’s spirit, and consist of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. These bring a greater and deeper satisfaction than anything the flesh has to offer. Since the richest pleasures of the Christian life concern the heart rather than the stomach, the stronger Christian should be willing to forego the lesser pleasures of food and drink. In other words, he can afford to give them up for the sake of his weaker brother, since he enjoys the riches of the soul. What’s more, says Paul, the man who seeks his satisfaction in the pleasures of the Spirit (God’s kingdom) not only pleases God with his life, but wins the approval of men. Most men admire a person who attempts to live godly and helps others. (C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Romans, 370)
Righteousness is misunderstood in the church today, where the goal of so many is to be pious or spiritual. The goal of the kingdom is not spirituality. The goal of our Christian life is not spirituality. Spirituality is a good thing, but it is not the goal; it is a means to the goal. The goal of the Christian life is righteousness, and we are to seek it. We are to strive to be righteous people. The Pharisees majored in the pursuit of righteousness, but true righteousness is not a pharisaical parading of a holier-than-thou attitude. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Mt 6:33). Our first priority is to pursue God’s kingdom and his righteousness. Jesus also said, “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20). We know, however, that all our righteousness is filthy as rags. The epistle of Romans was written to show that the only way we can stand before God is if we are clothed not in our own righteousness but in the righteousness of Christ. (RC Sproul, Romans, 483)
The Queen Mother was at home because her banner was flying. When joy flies as the flag over our lives, the world knows the King of Heaven is in residence in our hearts. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word–Romans, 271)
The overall principle here is this: whether we be “weak” (limited in freedom) or “strong” (more liberated), we make a great mistake if we focus on externals. The weak shrivels his Christianity by seeing the externals as a road to greater righteousness. The strong trivializes his faith by insisting on his rights to the externals. If we flaunt our freedom, we are far less emancipated than we imagine. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word–Romans, 271)
The essence of God’s royal reign, the evidence of that blessed reign in your midst, says Paul, as it were, is not affected by the kind of food a person consumes, whether ceremonially clean or unclean, whether only vegetables or also meats, but is attested by one’s possession of the state of righteousness before God, consciousness of peace with God, a peace resulting from reconciliation with God (5:1, 10). It is characterized by the experience of Spirit-wrought joy, a joy inexpressible and full of glory (1 Pt 1:8). (William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary–Romans, 464)
This does not mean, however, that we can take this peace for granted. On the contrary, here in 14:19 we are being reminded that it is our duty to “pursue the things that make for peace.” This is in line with the thinking of Peter (1 Pt 3:11), of the author of the epistle to the Hebrews (12:14), and, much earlier, of the Psalmist (34:14). (William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary–Romans, 465)
We can state, with all the authority of the Bible behind us, that God simply does not care what we eat or drink, or when we eat or drink, or how we eat or drink, so long as our eating and drinking does no damage to ourselves or to anyone else. Therefore, since God does not care, these simply cannot be regarded as important. The Kingdom of God does not and never will consist of such things as these. (Donald Grey Barnhouse; God’s Glory: Expositions of Bible Doctrines Taking the Epistle to the Romans as a Point ofDeparture, 11)
He has pointed out that we can serve Christ either by observing or by disregarding the rules which govern marginal issues; but we cannot be indifferent to the essential qualities of the triumphant life. We do not have the option of ignoring righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (George Arthur Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Bible, 627-28)
C. When you limit your freedoms and liberties to serve others your service is acceptable both to God and man. (Rom 12:9-10, 17; 13:9-10; 14:18; Lk 2:52; 1 Cor 6:12; 9:23-27; 10:23-24; Gal 6:2; Phil 2:1-11; 3:9-14; 1 Pt 2:16; 4:8; 1 Jn 4:8)
The essence of Christianity is not found in externals but in eternals. — Chuck Swindoll
Buddha abandons his desire; Christ surrenders his will. It is no small difference. (John Eldredge, The Journey of Desire, 194)
Both the strong believer and the weak believer need to grow. The strong believer needs to grow in love; the weak believer needs to grow in knowledge. So long as a brother is weak in the faith, we must lovingly deal with him in his immaturity. But if we really love him, we will help him to grow. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Right, 159)
The weak, as long as he is weak, can only do one thing, namely, abstain. If he acts freely, without the inner certainty, he sins. But the strong can do two things: he can exercise his freedom or refrain from doing so. In either case he is free. It is for that reason that it is he who must make the accommodation of conduct to the other. The strong must be strong enough to bear the burden of the weak. (Anders Nygren, Commentary on Romans, 449)
You may be sure that if nobody thinks you are strange and out of step, you are not a good Christian. If everybody thinks you are strange and out of step, you are not a good Christian. (James Montgomery Boice; Romans: Vol. 4, The New Humanity, 1784)
Now the very first thing that is due to a fellow man in the Christian life is sympathy and consideration; the moment we become a Christian the feelings of the other man become more important than our own; Christianity means putting others first and self last. We cannot give a man what is due to him and do what we like. (William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series: Romans, 191)
Why, then, should anyone want to serve his stomach and palate, which are bound to perish, rather than the brother who will live forever (with him in glory)? (Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, 202)
In certain circumstances, therefore, a Christian will be willing to refrain from doing something that is permissible in faith because it is not responsible in love (also 1 Cor 10:31-33). Paul himself practiced such behavior on several occasions, often to the surprise of his contemporaries (Acts 16:3; 21:20-26; 1 Cor 9:20). His rationale was not simply that he did not want to offend a weaker believer; rather, he did not want the behavior of the strong to encourage the weak to do something which in the latter’s eyes was wrong; or worse yet, he did not want to carry his new-found liberty to excessive and destructive lengths. (James R. Edwards, New International Biblical Commentary: Romans, 331)
To refuse to do what we have a right to do, for the sake of others, is the highest expression of godly love. But does this mean that we are to limit our liberty to the brother’s weakness? Is his legalism to be the boundary of our freedom? That’s a tough question. Love has to dictate what we do. If we can see that it would cause a brother to stumble or fall, the answer has to be a definite YES. (C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Romans, 369)
This kind of self denial is more precious in the Lord’s sight than insisting on the free exercise of our liberty. Why? The Lord would rather see us care for that weaker brother than to see us enjoy our liberty by faith. (C. S. Lovett, Lovett’s Lights on Romans, 369)
Having explained how food can bring spiritual downfall to a person, Paul moves on in verse 15 to show that this is just what the strong are doing to the weak. Their eating food that weak believers feel convinced is unclean “distresses” (lypeo, to cause pain) them. More than that, it may even “destroy” (apollymi) them. This language is very strong. Some interpreters want to mitigate its strength by suggesting that apollymi refers to the weak Christian’s own self-condemnation. But when Paul uses this verb with a personal object, it always means “bring to ultimate spiritual ruin” (Rom 2:12; 1 Cor 1:18; 8:11; 10:9, 10; 15:18; 2 Cor 2:15; 4:3, 9; 2 Thes 2:10). In other words, the cavalier attitude of the strong may lead to the weak believer’s damnation. (Douglas J. Moo, The NIV Application Commentary: Romans, 460)
A Christian man is a most free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian man is a most dutiful servant of all, subject to all. (Douglas J. Moo, The NIV Application Commentary: Romans, 469)
Our Christian liberty is vertical, before the Lord. But the exercise of that liberty is horizontal, because it is seen by and affects others. To rightly understand and use our freedom in Christ brings great satisfaction. But that satisfaction is multiplied when we willingly surrender the exercise of a liberty for the sake of other believers. More importantly, it greatly pleases our Lord and promotes harmony in His church. (John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary: Romans 9-16, 288)
The paradox, then, which faces the strong, is that some foods are both clean and unclean simultaneously. On the one hand, the strong are convinced that all foods are clean. On the other, the weak are convinced they are not. How should the strong behave when two consciences are in collision? Paul’s response is unambiguous. Although the strong are correct, and he shares their conviction because the Lord Jesus has endorsed it, they must not ride roughshod over the scruples of the weak by imposing their view on them. On the contrary, they must defer to the weaker brother’s conscience (even though it is mistaken) and not violate it or cause him to violate it. Here is the reason: If your brother is distressed (feels grief and even pain) because of what you eat, not only because he sees you doing something of which he disapproves, but because he induced to follow your example against his conscience, you are no longer acting in love (15a), no longer walking the path of love. For love never disregards weak consciences. Love limits its own liberty out of respect for them. (John Stott, Romans–God’s Good news for the World, 365)
Surely ‘for the sake of a plate of meat’ (JBP) we are not going to wreck God’s work! Already three times Paul has used a little irony to expose the incongruity of valuing food above peace, the health of our stomach above the health of the community; this is the fourth. Are you strong really prepared, he asks, to distress a brother because of what you eat (15a), to damage him spiritually by your eating (15b), to prize your eating and drinking above God’s kingdom (17), and now to demolish God’s work for the sake of food (20)? There must have been some red faces among the strong as they listened to Paul’s letter being read out in the assembly. His gentle sarcasm showed up their skewed perspective. They would have to re-value their values, give up insisting on their liberties at the expense of the welfare of others, and put the cross and the kingdom first. (John Stott, Romans–God’s Good news for the World, 367)
The coins were comparatively soft, and of course many people shaved them closely. In one century, more than eighty laws were passed in Athens to stop the practice of whittling down the coins then in circulation. But, some money-changers were men of integrity, who would accept no counterfeit money; they were men of honor who put only genuine, full-weight money into circulation. Such men were called dokimos, and this word is used here for the Christians as he is to be seen by the world. His life is to contain no counterfeit, it is not to be lightweight. The believer is never to shortchange another. (Donald Grey Barnhouse; God’s Glory, 18)
D. We should do all we do to promote peace and encouragement for others so they don’t stumble. (Mt 18:6; Mk 9:42; Lk 17:2; Rom 12:18; 14:13, 15, 19-21; 15:2; 1 Cor 8:9; 9:22; 10:32; 2 Cor 6:3; 1 Jn 2:10)
As God receives us by grace, we must receive one another by grace. Love covers a multitude of sins as well as a multitude of misunderstandings and weak theology. One who is weak ought not to despise one who manifests liberty, and one who manifests liberty ought not to despise one with a scrupulous conscience. (RC Sproul, St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary: Romans, 474)
The weak in faith are not necessarily lesser Christians than the strong. They are simply those who do not think their faith allows them to do certain things that the strong feel free to do. What Paul wants the strong to do is not simply extend grudging tolerance to the weak, but to welcome them (the verb proslambano, used here, means to receive or accept into one’s society, home, circle of acquaintance). They should not allow differences over “disputable matters” to interfere with full fellowship in the body of Christ. (Douglas J. Moo, The NIV Application Commentary: Romans, 448)
One of the marks of the church should be cordial relations even between groups of distinctly different character. Segregation has no place within the life of the fellowship; least of all should it follow the lines of special interest or limited concern. The phrase Paul uses presupposes a community sufficiently inclusive to have a place within it for those who differ widely in insight and in attainment. (Abingdon Press, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX, 615)
The atmosphere which controversy engenders is always harmful to the Christian society. A difference of opinion imperceptibly leads to the contentious spirit which does not recoil from quarrelling, and finally hardens into the antagonism which breaks the bond of peace. (Abingdon Press, The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX, 616)
If we stopped with the first admonition, it might give the impression that Christians were to leave each other alone and let the weak remain weak. But this second admonition explains things further. The emphasis is not on “master-servant” but on “brother.” It is the principle of brotherly love. If we love each other, we will seek to edify each other, build each other up in the faith. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Right, 157)
The older Christians must exercise love and patience and be careful not to cause them to stumble. But the younger Christians must “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pt 3:18). As they mature in the faith, they can help other believers to grow. To gear the ministry of a Sunday School class or local church only to the baby Christians is to hinder their growth as well as the ministry of the more mature saints. The weak must learn from the strong, and the strong must love the weak. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Right, 159)
A man is always in some sense his brother’s keeper, responsible, not only for himself, but for everyone who comes into contact with him. (William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible Series: Romans, 194)
The strong can accommodate their faith to the weak without harming their faith, but the weak cannot accommodate their faith to the strong without harming theirs. (James R. Edwards, New International Biblical Commentary: Romans, 332)
In the Arthur Conan Doyle story “Silver Blaze,” Sherlock Holmes comments to Dr. Watson that the behavior of the dog is the key to the mystery. But, Watson responds, the dog didn’t do anything. Precisely, Holmes responds, and the dog’s silence reveals that the intruder must have been known to the animal. Silence can be significant. One of the most important points in Romans 14 is something that Paul does not say: that the weak in faith must change their view. He makes clear that he does not agree with them, and by labeling them weak he implies also that they have room to grow on these matters. But he does not tell them to change their mind; he does not berate them for being “immature”; he does not tell them to “get with the program.” (Douglas J. Moo, The NIV Application Commentary: Romans, 466-67)
God’s people are called to “be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality” (Rom 12:10-14; cf. Jas 3:17). (John MacArthur, The MacArthur NT Commentary: Romans 9-16, 298)
Christ came not to destroy us but to destroy the works of the Devil. He came to build for himself a people that will manifest his image. That is what we are to pursue in the church. We are not to be known for being critical, for attacking each other and gossiping. Slander is the principle work of Satan, which is why his title is Slanderer. He is the destructive one who brings false claims to tear people apart. We are called in the name of Jesus to build up, not tear apart. (RC Sproul, Romans, 487)
It is our Christian duty, when exercising our freedom, not only to think about how our actions affect us but others. We must always remember that it is not our display of Christian freedom that commends our faith to the world, but our demonstration of agape love. Jesus said, “All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (Jn 13:35). The strong, mature Christian voluntarily limits his freedom out of love for his weaker brothers and sisters. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word–Romans, 269)
CONCLUSION/APPLICATION:
A. Be considerate (v. 21). When we are in the company of another Christian who regards certain good things as evil, we should care enough to avoid those things.
B. Be convinced (v. 22a). If we are engaged in certain activities that are not clearly prohibited by the teaching of Scripture, then we should be confident in our thinking that they are right. If we entertain any doubts about the goodness of these actions, then we should give them up.
C. Be consistent (vv. 22b-23). When we arrive at the conclusion that something is right, unless we receive solid confirmation to the contrary, we should not waver in our conviction. For doubts concerning our beliefs will yield internal condemnation, but consistency in belief will bring us happiness. (Charles R. Swindoll, Relating to Others in Love: Romans 12-16, 40)
Worship point: As we begin to apply the teaching of the Apostle Paul here in Romans chapters 12-15, we can’t help but think about all of the privileges and liberties that Jesus abnegated as the Son of God so as not to be a stumbling block or obstacle for our faith. As Jesus’ sacrifice becomes apparent to us, we not only have a heart of gratitude and praise for His voluntary sacrifice and surrender of much that made Him God; but we also gain a deep sense of worship that He loved us so much that He was willing to give it all up for us. That is a powerful love that is worth emulating.
Spiritual Challenge: Endeavor to never allow any liberty or freedom to negate the faith of him for whom Christ died. Ask Jesus to make you like Himself . . . a powerful lover.
Paul is not introducing a new subject. He is pointing out that God is looking for a living, vital faith, not legalism. Legalism contributes to the pride of the flesh, because whenever we measure up to some moral code of our own or some other person’s devising we think of ourselves as being better than people who do not measure up to it. Jesus is not served in that way or with that kind of thinking. He is served when we understand that we are accepted by God though the work of Jesus Christ alone and are therefore able joyfully to accept and love all others for whom Jesus died. (James Montgomery Boice; Romans: Vol. 4, The New Humanity, 1780)
Mutual edification implies that the strong, despite their tendency to look down on the weak, may actually learn something from them. It may be that they will come to appreciate loyalty to a tender conscience and begin to search their own hearts to discover that they have cared more about maintaining their position than about loving the weaker brethren. Through the fresh manifestation of love by the strong the weak will be lifted in spirit and renewed in faith and life. (Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary–Volume 10, 149)
Quotes to Note:
Happy is he who does not find himself divided as between what he approves and what he knows as a Christian he ought to be able to approve; or perhaps the meaning is, as Moffatt renders it, “He is a fortunate man who has no misgivings about what he allows himself to eat.” Faith in these verses seems to mean something like “assurance as to the leading of the Spirit.” (George Arthur Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Bible, 630-31)
The chief purpose of the passage 14:1-15:13 is to evoke in the congregation a considerate treatment of “the weak” in his solicitude, even though it is objectively seen to be uncalled for. It is interesting to note that it is particularly on “the strong,” whose freer course is entirely justified, that Paul calls for protection of “the weak.” He knows very well that, in issues between the strong and the weak, the latter is by no means always the wronged party. On the contrary it often happens that in his very weakness he has an effective weapon for making the circumstances comply with his view. Not infrequently it is the weak who is the real tyrant. In his judgment of others he finds a compensation for his weakness. Therefore Paul turns to “the weak” first and says, “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls.” (Anders Nygren, Commentary on Romans, 445)
We walk a very thin line. The weaker brother is not to destroy the freedom of all in the church. At the same time, we can forego our freedom for a time out of consideration for our weaker brother. Paul is opposing a spirit of arrogance that leads us to insist on our rights to do whatever we please no matter what. That is the wrong approach. The stronger brother has to be willing to forego his strength for the sake of the weaker brother, yet the church must never allow the weaker one to establish his weakness as law for the Christian community. (RC Sproul, St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary: Romans, 475)
Everyone knows the difference between the joy of falling in love and the joy that is quiet and deep, that continues to the golden wedding anniversary. Our present paragraph is talking about the things that make for this utmost in oneness; this satisfaction of daily growth, this emerging conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ that comes from His dwelling within us. (Donald Grey Barnhouse; God’s Glory, 24)
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