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Romans Chapter Fourteen

                             

I. Content of the Chapter

 

Conditions that Believers Should Have Among Them

A.  We should not judge one another:

1.  Concerning food (v.1-4);

2.  Concerning the day (v.5);

3.  Everyone should be responsible to the Lord respectively (v.6-12).

B.  We should not stumble others:

1.  Though what man does is according to the truth, stumbling brothers is sin (v.13-21).

2.  Everyone should seek to have no self-condemnation in him (v.22-23).

 

II. Verse by Verse commentary

 

Rom. 14:1 “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.”

   YLT: “And him who is weak in the faith receive ye -- not to determinations of reasonings;”

   Literal Meaning: one who is weak in the faith”, according to the following text, they only eat vegetables (v.2), so it may refer to the Jewish Christians who cling to the customs of the law. And they also observe the day (v.6) and esteem one day above another (v.5).

“Receive”, it means having fellowship with each other without any obstruction.

“But not to disputes over doubtful things”, “doubtful things” referred to the matters which had not involved in the teachings of the apostles at that time (see Acts 2:42), or things of which the apostles had not reached the same conclusion (see Acts 15:28-29). In other words, it refers to things that the Scriptures have not clearly taught.

   Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The foundation of the fellowship with each other is the redemption of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:14-15) and the word of life (1John 1:1-3), not everyone has the same idea of all the truth. If so, there are never two Christians who see eye to eye. That is to say, any Christian can accept the fellowship of another Christian.

2)    If we want to accept those Christians whose opinions are different from us, we should go beyond knowledge and treat others in spirit and life.

3)    A true church of the Lord can accept various believers who hold different views on truth. Any church can not accept various Christians can not be regarded as the church that the Lord pleases.

4)    We should differentiate between men and things. We should accept men, but not all things.

5)    Dispute is unprofitable. It not only deals with nothing but also raises more controversial issues and misunderstandings, thus damaging the affections of one another and providing nothing in the establishment of faith.

6)    Doubts and disputes can only bring troubles to the church. The church can only be increasingly built, when we do not pay attention to “right and wrong”, but focus on accepting “men”.

7)    Christians should distinguish what is important and what is not, and what should be kept and what can be borne. Except for heresies, we should learn to bear various believers who hold different views instead of disputing with others.

 

Rom. 14:2 “For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.”

   YLT: “one doth believe that he may eat all things -- and he who is weak doth eat herbs;”

The Background: at that time, in the Roman market it was filled with meat and sacrifices offered to idols, from which the Jews abstained. Therefore, many Jewish believers abstained from meat, and ate vegetables only. And there were also many believers who thought they had knowledge and idols were nothing, so those sacrifices offered to the idols were also nothing (see 1Cor. 8:4, 10). They held nothing was under taboo.

Literal Meaning: for one believes he may eat all things, “one” refers to the one who is strong in faith, who is opposite to the one who is weak. “Believe”, it refers to a belief, namely, a firm conclusion drawn from the knowledge about the truth of the gospel. “He may eat all things”, no food to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving (see 1Tim. 4:4).

“But he who is weak eats only vegetables.” ---- “He who is weak” refers to the one who is weak in the faith (v.1). Since he has vague knowledge about the truth of the gospel, he has doubts as to whether some food can eat or not and has no firm assurance. “Eats only vegetables”, it refers to abstaining from meats (1Tim. 4:3, the original).

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    It runs counter to the Scriptures (see v.14; 1Tim. 4:3, the original) that one believes only vegetables are eatable, but Paul still exhorts us to accept such man (v.1). Obviously, the difference of the ideas of the truth can not be the reason of the division of believers.

2)    Christians who are weak in faith stick to the outward rules, and Christians who are strong in faith keep the inward spirit.

3)    Christians should seek the will of God from the words of the Scriptures. We need not fuss about the outward forms or methods, but shall have surpassing insight and see everything from the perspectives of God.

 

Rom. 14:3 “Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.”

   YLT: “let not him who is eating despise him who is not eating: and let not him who is not eating judge him who is eating, for God did receive him.”

Meaning of Words: “despise”: contemptible, least esteemed, set at naught; “judge”: esteem, condemn, sentence to;

Literal Meaning: “let not him who eats despise him who does not eat”, “him who eats” refers to the one who eats all things. “Him who does not eat” refers to the one who eats vegetables only.

  “Despise” refers to negatively acceptance; since God has accepted the one who does not eat, he who eats has to accept him but sees him at naught.

  “He who does not eat judge him who eats”, “judge”: to condemn the other one and cavil about him.

“For God has received him”, it also mentions the word “receive” in verse one. Therefore, believers should receive all those whom God has received.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    How the assembly and believers accept one is according to how God receives. We receive all those whom God receive, and refuse all those whom God refuses.

2)    We should not despise or judge others. He who is strong may tend to despise him who is weak, and he who is weak is inclined to judge him who is strong. Actually, we are all servants of the Lord and have equal status and are all governed by God. Therefore, we should respect each other.

3)    We shall know that Christians have no authority to decide that the lifestyle of others should be according to our own will. Only Christ has such authority. Therefore, man should not judge others wantonly.

 

Rom. 14:4 “Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. ”

   YLT: “Thou -- who art thou that art judging another's domestic? to his own master he doth stand or fall; and he shall be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.”

Literal Meaning: “who are you to judge another’s servant?” ---- “Another” refers to the Lord. Christians should not despise or judge brothers, for they are servants of the Lord.

  “To his own master he stands or falls”, he who “stands” refers to the Christian who has strong faith (see Rom. 15:1). The one who “falls” is the Christian whose faith is weak (see v.1). Both of them are not lords of each other. God is the master of each of them. Every believer should be responsible to God.

  “He will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand”, the standing power of a believer is not of himself, but of the Lord. Though it seems that one has been fallen, he is still in the Lord’s hands and the Lord will discipline, deal with and restore him. And finally, the Lord “can” and “will” make him stand, so we need not take the Lord’s job into our own hands.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    What the assembly needs is active perfecting of the saints (Eph. 4:12) instead of negative criticism or judgment. The former makes one saved and the latter makes one sorrowful and stumbled (see v.13, 15).

2)    Many times, our attitude towards brothers in the assembly has robbed the Lord’s position. We should know we are all servants. Though we can show concern to one another, we should still know how far to go and when to stop.

3)    The best help and care we can show to saints are to bring them to the Lord and let them establish direct relationship with the Lord.

 

Rom. 14:5 “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. ”

   YLT: “One doth judge one day above another, and another doth judge every day ; let each in his own mind be fully assured.”

Meaning of Words: “be fully convinced”: completely assure, fully know (persuade), make full proof of;

Literal Meaning: “one person esteems one day above another”, “one person” refers to the one who is weak in faith; “one day” refers to the Sabbath or other special days in the customs and laws of the Old Testament, e.g. the Feast of Passover, and the Feast of Tabernacles and etc. “Another” refers to the common days. “One day above another”, it means that the feasts are more important than other days.

  “Another esteems every day alike”, “another” refers to the one who is strong in faith; “alike” means they are both important. Christian should live before the face of God everyday.

    “Let each be fully convinced in his own mind”, “be fully convinced in his own mind”, it means that one has no doubt about or self-reproach for what can be done in his mind and is confident he is right. Christians should be firmly convinced of the knowledge and opinions about the truth, but should not voice one's opinions to others.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    It is not the central point whether Christians eat meat or not or whether we observe the day or not. What is really important is whether our heart is upright. Therefore, to what we have attained the truth, let us walk in the same steps (see Phil. 3:15-16).

2)    The Lord has not asked us to unify all the opinions and doings of every believer, but has encouraged everyone to have different ideas. A true spiritual man is a man who can bear various opinions of others.

3)    We need not interfere with opinions concerning spiritual things of others. However, we should always seek until we are fully convinced our own understanding conforms to the will of God.

 

Rom. 14:6 “He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. ”

   YLT: “He who is regarding the day, to the Lord he doth regard , and he who is not regarding the day, to the Lord he doth not regard . He who is eating, to the Lord he doth eat, for he doth give thanks to God; and he who is not eating, to the Lord he doth not eat, and doth give thanks to God.”

Literal Meaning: “he who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, “observe the day”, it refers to spiritual pursuit and service. “Eat”, it refers to the expression and testimonies in life. “To the Lord”, it relates to one’s heart and motive. Paul means that as long as one’s motive in his heart is right, even though his outward deeds are not utterly right, it does not matter.

“For he gives God thanks”, it indicates that he confesses that God is the origin of days and food and God bestows them to him to let him enjoy.

“And he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks”, the motive of one’s not eating is to serve God, and he thanks God that God grants him such piety to not eat.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Many times, disputes in the assembly are not for the sake of the Lord, but for some details and the so-called truth (actually, it cannot be called truth) besides the Lord.

2)    If we live for the Lord, problems that whether we shall observe the day and whether we eat meat are not difficult to be dealt with.

3)    Whatever Christians do, we should be thankful to God. Once we thank God, what we are doing is connected with God, thus what is common has become sanctified.

 

Rom. 14:7 “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.”

   YLT: “For none of us to himself doth live, and none to himself doth die;”

Literal Meaning: “none of us lives to himself”, Christ is the value of our life. We are living to please the Lord, not ourselves.

  “No one dies to himself”, even though we come to the crucial point concerning life and death, what should really be paid attention to is still our relationship with the Lord.

 

Rom. 14:8 “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. ”

   YLT: “for both, if we may live, to the Lord we live; if also we may die, to the Lord we die; both then if we may live, also if we may die, we are the Lord's;”

Literal Meaning: “if we live, we live to the Lord”, living to the Lord is to let the Lord reign in our daily life ---- the Lord has full authority over man and man has no authority of his own.

  Here, it points a great principle of Christians’ life: no matter live or die, we should always firmly believe that we are of the Lord. Christ is the lord of believers.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    After we have been saved, we are completely of the Lord. No matter we live or die, “we are the Lord’s”. Therefore, if we live, we should live to the Lord and die to the Lord.

2)    “Live to the Lord”. All the occupations and careers of Christians are subsidiary businesses. Only serving the Lord is our major occupation. We should take serving the Lord as the center and purpose of our life. We only undertake our occupations with our hands to maintain our life and supply for the need of the Lord’s work.

 

Rom. 14:9 “For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.”

   YLT: “for because of this Christ both died and rose again, and lived again, that both of dead and of living he may be Lord.”

Literal Meaning: since Christ has risen from the dead, He is worthy of being the Lord of both the dead and the living.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    For the love of the Christ constrains us, having judged this: that one died for all, then all have died. And he died for all, that they who live should no longer live to themselves, but to him who died for them and has been raised (2Cor. 5:14-15).

2)    Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. Therefore, for me to live Christ, and to die gain (Phil. 1:21).

 

Rom. 14:10 “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ”

   YLT: “And thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or again, thou, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand at the tribunal of the Christ;”

Literal Meaning: “why do you judge your brother?” “Judge” refers to the outward deeds.

  “Why do you show contempt for your brother?”, “contempt” refers to the inward deeds.

  “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ”, “we” refers to all the Christians; “the judgment seat of Christ” refers to the judgment seat of God ---- it is not the judgment before the “great white throne” (Rev. 20:11-15), but the judgment before “the judgment-seat of the Christ” (2Cor. 5:10) when Christ comes again. Since God has given all judgment to Christ (John 5:22, 27), the judgment seat of Christ is the judgment seat of God. The judgment seat of God is the judgment seat of Christ.

Controversial Clarification: many theologians give a wrong teaching that believers will never be punished by God after death. Because it is mentioned in the Scriptures that when Christ comes again, the dead shall be raised incorruptible (1Cor. 15:52) and be caught up in clouds to meet the Lord in air, and thus we shall be always with Lord (1Thess. 4:16-17). Therefore, the judgment upon believers after death is for the purpose of choosing those who have overcome and shall reign (Rev. 20:4). Christians who have failed will never be punished by God after death. In order to justify themselves, they explain the parables of the evil servant, the foolish virgin and the wicked and slothful servant and etc. (see Matt. 24:45-51; 25:1-13, 14-30) as those who believe. Here, the author lists several points in conflict with other verses for readers’ reference only:

1)     The judgment must begin from the house of God ---- it admonishes believers against sinning. And this judgment related one’s “end” (1Pet. 4:15, 17).

2)     We (believers) all may receive the things in the body, according to those he has done, whether good or evil (2Cor. 5:10). Here, it mentions not only that he who does good things shall be rewarded (reward), but also that he who does evil shall also be rewarded (punishment).

3)     If the work of any one shall be consumed, he shall suffer loss, but he shall be saved, but so as through fire (1Cor. 3:15). Here, it does not talk about the matter of being saved or not, but the matter of loss or no loss. If the work of believers in the world has failed in trial of the judgment, he shall suffer loss, and such loss is as painful as through fire.

4)     The Lord says, “He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death” (Rev. 2:11). In other words, believers who have failed shall be “hurt of the second death”. The hurt of the second death is different from “the second death” (Rev. 20:14) ---- the former is to temporarily taste the pain of burning of fire, and the latter is being cast in the lake which burns with fire.

5)     The Lord says again, “he that overcomes, I will not blot his name out of the book of life” (Rev. 3:5). In other words, the names of believers who have failed may temporarily be blotted out of the book of life. That is to say, they cannot be recognized before God the Father and all the angels.

6)     God is a righteous God. He will not ignore our walking after we have been saved (see Heb. 6:10). Otherwise, He is not righteous. Actually, in the counsel of God’s salvation, He has before ordained that we who have been saved do good works (Eph. 2:10). Then each of us shall give an account concerning himself to God (Rom. 14:12).

7)     The conclusion is that the evil servant, the foolish virgin and the wicked and slothful servant in the Lord’s parables all refer to believers who have failed (please see the commentary on the Gospel of Matthew) ---- they will be disciplined of Lord after death. Before believers’ meeting the Lord in resurrection and being with the Lord forever, there must be a period of time (about one thousand years, see Rev. 20:4-6) for the purpose of reward. But the Scriptures have not mentioned it in detail.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Judgment is of God, and man has no right to interfere with it. Therefore, Christians should not criticize or judge other brothers.

2)    Since we are “brothers”, our status is equal. If anyone thinks he can judge or despise his brothers, he has arrogantly exalted himself, hasn’t he?

3)    All that cannot be spoken out before God can also not be spoken before man, for all things God will being man into judgment (see Eccl. 11:9).

4)    If we have really know that the severity of the judgment of God that day, we shall not judge others in ourselves today.

 

Rom. 14:11 “For it is written: "As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." ”

   YLT: “for it hath been written, `I live! saith the Lord -- to Me bow shall every knee, and every tongue shall confess to God;'”

Literal Meaning: it is written”, it is quoted from the Book of Isaiah (45:23).

As I live”, there is another verse after it, “the word is gone out of my mouth righteousness and shall not return”.

“Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God”, “every knee” and “every tongue” refer to all things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth (Phil. 2:10). It indicates that all is subject to the righteousness and truth of God’s judgment.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Our criticism and judgment may often be wrong, but the judgment of God is always righteous and shall never be wrong.

2)    Man’s word is nothing, but the word of God abides forever.

 

Rom. 14:12 “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”

   YLT: “so, then, each of us concerning himself shall give reckoning to God;”

Literal Meaning: “so then each of us…”, when the Lord comes again, all of us shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Though we have been saved, we shall not thus loosen ourselves or walk wildly, but shall walk in the world in the fear of God, because when Christ comes again, we shall be judged before His judgment seat and give account of us to God.

2)    Each of us is of the Lord and shall be responsible to the Lord. Therefore, we should not be responsible to anyone, for each of us shall give account of himself to God (see 2Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:4).

3)    A hymn goes like this, “I am daily gazing at the light out of His judgment seat, That all my living and my works may stand the test of fire”. The more we live in the light of the God, and the more we are willing to let the Spirit of God search and judge us, the more we will find the lowliness and poorness of us and the less we dare to judge others.

 

Rom. 14:13 “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.”

   YLT: “no longer, therefore, may we judge one another, but this judge ye rather, not to put a stumbling-stone before the brother, or an offence.”

Literal Meaning: therefore let us not judge one another anymore, “therefore”, it draws a conclusion from the words from verse ten to twelve. Since we will be under the judgment of Christ in the last day, we shall not judge one another anymore.

“But rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way”, “a stumbling block”, it is a public attack. “A cause to fall”, it refers to the hidden trap.

“Resolve” and “judge” are the same word in the original. Therefore, this verse means that we should not judge others any more, but we should only judge whether we can “stumble brothers or cause them to fall”. In other wise, it is better to judge ourselves than to judge others, so that we shall not hurt others.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    The spiritual knowledge of us can be used in the fellowship in love, but should not be used as the proof of judging others.

2)    We have many things to do. Is there any time for us to judge others?

 

Rom. 14:14 “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”

   YLT: “I have known, and am persuaded, in the Lord Jesus, that nothing unclean of itself, except to him who is reckoning anything to be unclean -- to that one unclean;”

Meaning of Words: “unclean”: common;

Literal Meaning: “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus”, the theological idea of the apostle Paul had been transformed after he had been saved, and it was surely on account of the special revelation given by the Lord Jesus (see 2Cor. 12:1-4; Gal. 1:16; Eph. 3:3-4; Col. 1:26).

  “There is nothing unclean of itself”, for every creature of God good, and nothing to be rejected, for it is sanctified by God's word and freely addressing (1Tim. 4:4-5).

  “But to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean”, “unclean”, it is opposite to the sanctified food, so it refers to the food that is not accepted by God (see Lev. 11:1-22, 41-47). In the times of the New Testament, there is no distinction of “clean” and “unclean” of food itself. He who is weak in faith still keeps the rules concerning food in the law, so he holds that some food is unclean in his heart. If the concept of the one who eats has not been changed, he puts his consideration aside and forces himself to eat what is unclean in his eyes, he will feel be condemned in his conscience. Besides, if others eat what is unclean in the eyes of him before him, it will still make him unrest in his conscience and even hurt his spiritual life. 

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    “There is nothing unclean of itself”, obviously, Paul is utterly convinced that man can eat all things (see v.2). However, for the sake of brothers, he has not insisted on it. It is important to let everything conform to the truth, but it is more important to let brothers gain.

2)    The same food may produce different effects because of different knowledge of men. Therefore, the real problem does not lie in outside substances, but in inside hearts. What believers in the New Testament should pay attention to is inward things instead of outward things, and is spirit instead of letter (Rom. 2:28-29).

 

Rom. 14:15 “Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. ”

   YLT: “and if through victuals thy brother is grieved, no more dost thou walk according to love; do not with thy victuals destroy that one for whom Christ died.”

Literal Meaning: “if your brother is grieved because of your food”, it means that though he who is strong in faith thinks he may eat all things, if he recklessly eats the food that is “unclean” in the eyes of the one who is weak in faith, it will make him grieved.

  “You are no longer walking in love. It means that if one does not care for the feeling of others in his walking, he has run counter to “love”.

“The one for whom Christ died”, the Lord paid the highest cost to die for the one you have sinned against. Why do you not pay a little cost to make him peace?

Do not destroy with your food”, “destroy”, it carries the meaning of ruin. 

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Love is the basic principle that Christians should keep. When we Christians face ideas that are different from us, we should rather bear than destroy love.

2)    Love is the highest principle in the church. Love is the best material in building the church. Without love, there will be no true building.

3)    The basic meaning of love is not to seek one’s own gain. The positive purpose is to perfect others. This is “love”.

4)    God sees us through the blood of Christ on the cross. If we also have learnt to see brothers through the divine blood, we will have no problem towards brothers. This is walking in love.

5)    We should know every believer is precious in the Lord’s heart, for the Lord died for him. Therefore, we should take heed of it. If we make brothers that the Lord loves grieved or even destroy them because of food, how shall we not be reproved by the Lord?

6)    Food represents some insignificant details of life. However, if we are not careful, it may cause very serious result that not only makes brothers grieved but also destroy them. He who is strong in faith should look clearly before he leaps.

 

Rom. 14:16 “Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;”

   YLT: “Let not, then, your good be evil spoken of,”

Literal Meaning: “your good” refers to good things in your eyes. “Be spoken of as evil”, it means that men speak evil of one (see 1Cor. 10:30) because of not agreeing with him.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    We believers should not be too subjective in the church, but objectively consider the ideas and position of others.

2)    Though Christians have much freedom in the Lord, if we do not care for others nor love others (see v.15), we can still not glorify God nor profit men (see 1Cor. 10:31, 33).

 

Rom. 14:17 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

   YLT: “for the reign of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit;”

Literal Meaning: “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking”, “the kingdom of God” refers to the sphere where God reigns and governs. Broadly speaking, the whole universe is of the kingdom of God. However, narrowly speaking, the group gathered by those who honor the authority of God is the kingdom of God. Today, on the earth, the church is the reality of the kingdom of God.

  Christians are living in the reality of the kingdom of God. And what the kingdom of God focuses on is how to keep the will of God and how to manifest the glory of God. And as far as the rules of eating and drinking are concerned, they have no position in the kingdom of God.

  “Righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”, “righteousness” means being just and equitable to God and men. “Peace” is having peace with God and men. “Joy” is a natural result of walking according to the Holy Spirit. Righteousness brings about peace, and peace brings about joy.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Since the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, we should not despise others because of eating and drinking. Since the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, we should accept one another and have fellowship with each other, thus increasing the joy in the Holy Spirit.

2)    Righteousness is to man himself, and peace is to others, and joy in the Holy Spirit towards God. Believers should be righteous and strict to themselves, and show peace and mercy to others, and be joyful towards God in the Holy Spirit. Whenever one walks according to the Holy Spirit and lives in the Spirit, he will have joy before God. Joy proves that one has right life before God.

3)    If we walk in righteousness to God, to men and to everything, we will have peace with God, with men and with everything and will naturally be filled with joy in the Holy Spirit.

4)    The church is the vivid manifestation of the kingdom of God. Therefore, if we manifest righteousness, peace and joy in our church life, men will see the kingdom of God.

5)    This verse here shows that accepting believers who have different opinions is absolutely connected with living in the reality of the kingdom of God. Righteousness, peace and joy can only be manifested truly by our receiving others. If we refuse to receive, there will be no righteousness, or peace or joy, proving that we have not lived in the reality of the kingdom of God to be subject to God’s authority.

 

Rom. 14:18 “For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”

   YLT: “for he who in these things is serving the Christ, acceptable to God and approved of men.”

Literal Meaning: “he who serves Christ in these things”, “these things” refer to righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

  “Is acceptable to God and approved by men”, to serve Christ in this way makes both God and men rejoice.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    To serve Christ in things concerning righteousness, peace and joy (v.17) is real service. Otherwise, even though one does right outwardly, it is still vain.

2)    Actually, “righteousness, peace and joy” are manifestation of Christ. To manifest Christ is the best service to Christ and is acceptable to God and approved by men.

3)    We serve the Lord and please Him in things concerning righteousness, peace and joy, not drinking or eating (v.17). We should have clear judgment of ourselves, but should never let others be sacrifice of our judgment.

 

Rom. 14:19 “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”

   YLT: “So, then, the things of peace may we pursue, and the things of building up one another;”

Literal Meaning: “therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace”, “therefore”, it draws a conclusion from verse 17 to 18. “Peace”, it shows that the pursuit of good interpersonal relationship in the church is more important than the pursuit of knowledge in letter.

  “And things by which one may edify another”, “edify another”: be built together.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    Christians should pay more attention to “brethren’s dwelling together in unity” (Ps. 133:1) than the belief of personal practice.

2)    When we put our belief into practice, we should consider whether such action will affect the peace of brothers and our relationship.

3)    All things are lawful, but all are not profitable. All things are lawful, but all do not edify. Let no one seek his own, but that of the others (1Cor. 10:23-24).

 

Rom. 14:20 “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. ”

   YLT: “for the sake of victuals cast not down the work of God; all things, indeed, pure, but evil to the man who is eating through stumbling.”

Literal Meaning: “do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food”, “the object of the work of God is mainly believers (Eph. 2:10) and the church (2Cor. 3:9)”. Therefore, “destroy the work of God”, it on one hand means believers whose faith is weak are stumbled and on the other hand refers to the destruction to the building of the church.

  “All things indeed are pure”, it is spoken to those whose faith is strong (see v.14).

  “But it is evil for the man who eats with offense”, if he who is strong in faith eats without considering the feeling of those who are weak in faith and even makes them fall, it is evil.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    To serve the Lord is to accomplish the building with Him together, so we should never do any work to pull the building down. If any most right thing may destroy the work of God, we would rather not do it.

2)    The Lord says, “But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were profitable for him that a great millstone had been hanged upon his neck and he be sunk in the depths of the sea.” (Matt. 18:6).

 

Rom. 14:21 “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”

   YLT: “Right not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to I,                    n which thy brother doth stumble, or is made to fall, or is weak.”

Literal Meaning: “it is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything”, here, food and doing are mentioned together to represent all the walking before men.

  “By which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak”, one should abstain from things that may stumble his brothers and shall control himself.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    He who is strong in faith has the responsibility of caring for those who are weak in faith. And he should be willing to sacrifice his liberty in Christ in order to prevent his brothers from being offended.

2)    The more spiritual one is, the more he shall care for the feeling of others. The more grown one’s spiritual life is, the more he can give up himself and consider others in everything.

 

Rom. 14:22 “Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. ”

   YLT: “Thou hast faith! to thyself have before God; happy is he who is not judging himself in what he doth approve,”

Literal Meaning: “you have faith”, it means that one believes he can eat all things.

  “Have it to yourself before God”, your belief in food is a personal matter before God. You should be responsible to God, but not force others to have the same belief.

  Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” ---- “In what he approves”, it means that one holds that it has no problem to eat any food before God. “Do not condemn himself”, one has no condemnation in his conscience since he has not stumbled others. “Happy”, he is happy for he shall not be condemned because of this thing.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    We often measure others by ourselves. Actually, the portion of everyone given by God is different, and each of us has what is of our own. Therefore, we should not measure others, but keep before God.

2)    After we have been saved, our conscience is revived and we have obtained the indwelling Spirit. If there is anything wrong, there will be the feeling of condemnation in us. Therefore, if we feel no condemnation, doubt, or inappropriateness of all our words and deeds in our conscience, it proves that God has pleased us and we will be blessed.

3)    The Lord says, “For there is a necessity for the stumbling-blocks to come. Yet woe to that man by whom the offence comes!” (Matt. 18:7). Therefore, happy is he who walks carefully in the church and stumble no one.

 

Rom. 14:23 “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”

   YLT: “and he who is making a difference, if he may eat, hath been condemned, because not of faith; and all that not of faith is sin.”

Literal Meaning: “he who doubts is condemned if he eats”, he who is weak in faith has doubts of the cleanness of food (see v.1-2, 14) on one hand and on the other hand he eats when seeing that others eat. Therefore, he is condemned in himself.

  “Because he does not eat from faith”, he does not eat because he is convinced that he can eat. That is to say, he eats in spite of doubts in him.  

“For whatever is not from faith is sin”, “condemn” refers to sense of quilt, and “sin” relates to transgression.

Enlightenment in the Word:

1)    If we have doubts about anything, or we hesitate to do anything, it is better for us not do it.

2)    Any work that believer forces him to do is often not of faith, and it is sin in the eyes of God.

 

 

III. Outlines of the Spiritual Lessons

 

The Principle of the Church Life

A.   The principle of faith (v.1-5) ---- one should have faith, no matter he is weak or strong;

B.   The principle of thanks (v.6) ---- one can eat all things as long as he gives thanks to God;

C.   The principle of being for the Lord (v.6-9) ---- everyone does to the Lord and lives to the Lord;

D.   The principle of being responsible to God (v.10-12) ---- everyone shall be responsible to God and give account of himself to God.

E.   The principle of love (v.13-16) ---- if one stumbles his brothers, he has not walked in love;

F.    The principle of the kingdom:

1.    The kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, not eating and drinking (v.17-19).

2.    The work of God is man, not things.

3.    One should walk by faith, not in doubts.

 

The Oneness in Christ ---- the Attitude We Should Have Towards Those Who Have Different Opinions

A.   Why do we have different opinions?

1.    Because we have different interpretation on the Scriptures.

2.    Because we have different life background (difference in life environment and cultural tradition).

B.   We shall keep the principle of oneness of believers:

1.    We shall receive one another (v.1-3), not despise nor judge others.

2.    We shall respect one another (v.4) and keep pure faith.

3.    We shall be responsible to the Lord (v.5-12).

 

Why Should Believers Not Judge One Another?

A.   Because God has received him (v.3);

B.   Because one has his own master, and the Lord is able to make him stand (v.4);

C.   Because one is responsible to the Lord (v.6);

D.   Because one lives to the Lord, and dies to the Lord (v.7-9);

E.   Because it is God that judges him (v.10-12);

F.    Because judgment is to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our his way (v.13);

 

The Pursuit in Christ ---- the Pursuit of Peace

A.   One should no longer judge one another (v.13):

1.    One should not “judge” others ---- not consider oneself always right;

2.    One should not “judge” one another ---- not judge others to respond to others;

3.    One should “no longer” judge one another ---- one shall cast off the habit of judgment;

B.   One should not let his good be spoken of as evil (v.16-17):

1.    One should not focus only on the liberty obtained from the knowledge of truth but ignore the opinions or feeling of others and cause loss to the spiritual life of others.

2.    Firstly, one’s behavior should be guided by love.

3.    Secondly, one’s behavior should be guided by spiritual moral merits.

C.   One should not seek to please himself (Rom. 15:1):

1.    The life of Christians is not self-centered, but paying attention to the feeling of others.

2.    He who imitates the examples of Christ (Rom. 15:2-3) can live out the principle of “not pleasing himself”.

 

The Principle of Life of the Kingdom

A.   Principles in positive aspects:

1.    One shall walk in love (v.15).

2.    One shall seek righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (v.17).

3.    One shall seek to be acceptable to God and approved by men (v.18).

4.    One shall peace and the things by which one may edify another (v.19).

5.    One shall have faith. All things are of faith (v.22-23).

B.   Principles in negative aspects: (v.11):

1.    One should not judge one another for the sake of food (v.13).

2.    One should not destroy oneself because of food (v.14).

3.    One should not cause his brother to fall or destroy him (v.15, 20-21).

4.    One should not let his good be spoken of as evil (v.16).

5.    One should not destroy the work of God for the sake of food (v.20).

6.    One should do nothing in doubts (v.22-23).

 

One Shall Sympathize With the One Who Is Weak in Faith

A.   One shall not put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in his brother's way (v.13).

B.   One shall not let his brother be grieved, for it is not walking in love (v.15).

C.   One shall not corrupt his brother, for Christ has died for him (v.15).

D.   One shall not let his good be spoken of as evil (v.16).

E.   One shall establish good interpersonal relationship (v.18-19).

F.    One shall not cause his brother to fall to destroy the work of God (v.20-21).

G.   One shall not hurt the faith of others before God (v.22-23).

 

── Caleb HuangChristian Digest Bible Commentary Series

   Translated by Mary Zhou