By
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study, we looked
at verses 1-12 of chapter 14.
1.1.1. We saw that
in Paul’s day there were enormous problems in the churches that had been
planted in that first century of the church due to the various backgrounds and
baggage that people brought with them into the church after coming to Christ.
1.1.1.1. Jewish brethren
in the church in Rome had come to recognize Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and
believed upon Him for salvation, however because of their Jewish upbringing and
training they still held onto and practiced many things from their Jewish
heritage, and they had a hard time understanding why everyone did not practice
these same things. Plus, they had a hard
time befriending and accepting Gentile brothers and sisters as equal heirs of
God, especially because many of the practices of the Gentiles were in violation
of their Jewish Law.
1.1.1.2. Likewise,
Gentile brethren in the church in
1.1.2. We saw that
in Christ we have been given a great amount of freedom for Paul even wrote, “all
things are lawful but not all things are profitable.”
1.1.3. We saw that
Paul referred to two kinds of brethren within the church, “weaker brothers”
and “stronger brothers.” We saw
that contrary to what we might have initially thought would be the case that
the “weaker brothers” were those who were more sensitive to certain
kinds of conduct and behavior as being sinful.
The “stronger brothers” more correctly understood their freedom
in Christ and didn’t have as many rules and regulations that they imposed upon
themselves.
1.1.4. We saw that
in our world today that there are often problems that arise in the church due
to the fact that some people think that if a person is truly a Christian that
he/she ought to be living a certain way and forsaking certain types of worldly
behavior that they believe is a compromise of their faith and a denial of their
Lord. There is a lot of judging and
criticism of each other in the body of Christ today. Many times in the church we are disjointed
and don’t work together or particularly like each other, and, cliques often
form within the church based around holding to certain types of convictions.
1.1.5. We saw that
there are several areas of conduct which Christians in
movies; ratings, going at all;
TV;
makeup;
dress
women wearing pants or dresses, or even
hats in church
electric guitars or pipe organs used for
worship, or even no instruments at all
schools we send our kids to
tobacco;
alcohol;
cards & dice;
dancing;
Bible translations;
sports;
music;
1.1.6. Christians who
are genuinely and seriously following the Lord sometimes disagree about what is
right and wrong behavior in certain situations, and we saw that there is a time
and place when Christians in love need to agree to disagree with each other
about certain things.
1.2.
In our study today, we are going to look at verses
13-23 of chapter 14.
1.2.1. In the New
Testament we see that the Lord teaches us that we need to be particularly
careful not to judge others, for instance :
1.2.1.1. Jesus taught
us in Matthew 7:1-3 that if we judge others that we ourselves will be judged by
that same standard that we judge others by, 1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
2 “For in the way you judge, you will be
judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3
“Why do you look at the speck that is in your
brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
1.2.1.2. James
4:11-12, “11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who
speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges
the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of
it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who
is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?”
1.2.2. In other
places in scripture, we are told that we are to make judgments, for instance :
1.2.2.1. 1
Corinthians 2:15, “15 But he who is spiritual appraises all
things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.”
1.2.2.2. 1
Corinthians 5:12-13, “12 For what have I to do with judging
outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? 13 But
those who are outside, God judges. Remove
the wicked man from among yourselves.”
1.2.2.3. 1 John 4:1,
“1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to
see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into
the world.”
1.2.3. The judgment
that we are told not to make involves a critical judgment of another, or acting
as a judge and jury and condemning a person for his/her actions. We are to be discriminating in our thinking
regarding our conduct as well as the conduct of others. We just are not supposed to hold a critical
opinion of someone, especially when they are a brother or sister in Christ and
we haven’t even gone to them and verified the situation and found out their
side of the story regarding what act they allegedly have committed.
1.2.4. Lets face
it, we as Christians must make judgments every single day in which we
live. However, we must also be careful
by what standard we judge another person, and thus Jesus taught us the
following in John 7:24, “24 “Do not judge
according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”” We must judge all things by the word
of God, otherwise we will be like the Pharisees to whom Jesus said in Matt.
22:29, “You do error because you do not understand the scriptures.” We must also not be hypocritical and judge
others by one standard and ourselves by another, and we must not be harsh in
our judgments. We must imitate our
Father in heaven in all that we do and think.
1.2.5. Paul is
going to tell us today that instead of judging our brother or sister in Christ
that we ought instead to seek to not do anything to cause them to stumble.
1.2.6. Paul will
tell us that if we consider anything to be sin that it will be sin to us.
1.2.7. Paul will talk
about the importance of doing all that we do in the body of Christ in such a
way that we are building up one another instead of tearing down each other.
1.2.8. Paul will
tell us that each of us need to be persuaded in our own minds about areas of
conduct we allow in our life and that whatever we do that is not of faith will
be accounted as sin to us.
1.2.9. H.A. Ironside has written the following story concerning the
folly of making snap judgments. It’s a
story Bishop Potter of
Bishop Potter was sailing for
The purser accepted the responsibility
of caring for the valuables, and remarked; “It ’s all right, Bishop, I’ll be
very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left
his for the same reason.”
2. VS
14:13 - “13 Therefore let us
not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle
or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.” -
Paul tells us that because of what he has stated so far in this chapter that we ought not to judge each other
any more but rather determine not to cause a brother or a sister to stumble
2.1.
In this verse, Paul gives the exhortation that though
we as Christians have freedom in Christ, we should walk in love and determine not
to allow our use of our freedom in Christ in such a way as to cause a brother
or a sister in Christ to stumble.
2.2.
The stumbling block referred to here by Paul would be
any action that a believer might undertake which although it may not be sinful
in and of itself, might cause another brother/sister to be tempted and to fall
into sin. A couple of examples of what I
am I am saying constitutes causing a brother/sister to stumble in their faith
might help :
2.2.1. In Paul’s
day, a brother might believe that he has the freedom to eat meet regardless of
whether or not it had been sacrificed to an idol, since he understands
correctly to eat meat bought in the market placed that he knew had been
sacrificed to an idol would not be the same as worshipping an idol, however if
a Gentile brother who had come out idolatry saw him, a Christian, do such a
thing he might be tempted to follow his example however this could cause him to
be tempted to get back into the worship of idols.
2.2.2. Though we as
Christians have the freedom to have a drink of alcohol, (though drunkenness is
forbidden as sin in the scriptures) we should not invite our recovering
alcoholic friend to go to a bar with us where people are drinking alcohol. This would not be walking in God’s agape
love, for this action could cause a brother or sister in Christ to stumble in
sin.
2.3.
If we are to be careful not to cause anyone to stumble
in their walk with Christ by the things we allow in our own, then we must make
it a point to always consider the weaknesses of the brothers/sisters that we
find ourselves in contact with. We must
consider what may cause each person to stumble.
We must take this admonition to not make a brother or a sister to stumble
in his/her walk in Christ very seriously, for Jesus told us the following in
Mark 9:42, “42 “Whoever causes one of
these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a
heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.”
2.4.
In order to encourage unity and love in the body of
Christ it is important for us as Christians that we do not stir up arguments
and contentions unnecessarily about things that aren’t of real importance. For instance, Paul tells us in his writings
to avoid speculations and arguments about minor doctrinal points in verses such
as :
2.4.1. 2 Timothy
2:23, “23 But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing
that they produce quarrels."
2.4.2. Titus 3:9, “9
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and
disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.”
2.5.
We Christians must also realize that how we treat
others is actually more important than that we get them to agree with our
opinions. We must act in a Christ-like
manner in all that we do because we might win an argument with a person but lose
a relationship with a brother or a sister in Christ in the process, or worse
yet cause the person to stumble in his/her walk with Christ. Therefore, we need to pray for the leading of
the Holy Spirit in our conversations and that God gives us godly tact with
which to discuss the truth of God’s word with others who may disagree with
us. The apostle Peter expresses the need
for using godly tact while you defend your faith in 1 Peter 3:15-16, “15 but
sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a
defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in
you, yet with gentleness and reverence; 16 and keep a good
conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile
your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”
3. VS
14:14 - “14 I know and am
convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who
thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” - Paul tells us that he is convinced from the
Lord that nothing is unclean in and of itself unless you think that it is
unclean
3.1.
Paul writes in this verse, that if a Christian thinks
that any conduct is a damning sin, then to him it is a damning sin. In other words, if we are convinced that for
instance smoking will keep us from
fellowship with the Lord, and then we start smoking, then our smoking will
drive us away from the Lord.
3.2.
Since what we believe to be a damning sin will become
one if we then give in to it, we are going to be very wise if we are careful
about what we believe in these areas. We
Christians must likewise be careful what we tell people is a sin, for if we
believe what we are condemning as sin and then go and get involved in that
activity ourselves, we will probably fall away from the Lord.
4. VS 14:15 - “15 For if because of food your
brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy
with your food him for whom Christ died.” -
Paul tells us that if we hurt a brother or a sister because of eating
some sort of food then we are not walking according to love
4.1.
Again, as I have previously mentioned regarding this
chapter, Paul tells Christians in this chapter that they should do nothing that
would cause a brother or a sister to stumble, for doing this is not walking in
God’s agape love.
4.2.
God loved the people of this world enough to send His
only-begotten Son into the world to die for them, and therefore Paul exhorts us
as Christians not to do anything that will ‘destroy’ the faith of the
one who is so loved by God.
4.3.
We Christians must never violate God’s agape love in
our life, for in so doing people will be damaged and potentially stumble in
their faith, and we shall be to blame.
5. VS
14:16-18 - “16 Therefore do
not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom
of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit. 18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and
approved by men.” - Paul
admonishes us that we must not let what is a good thing for us be spoken of as
evil, for the kingdom of God does not consist of eating and drinking but
righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
5.1.
In verse 16,
what Paul is saying in essence I believe is this: If you think that the Lord has given you
freedom to do some things that might cause others to stumble, don’t do them if
they might cause a brother to stumble, and thus your actions will be labeled as
evil and you an evil-doer.
5.2.
Paul compares the relative worth of various things in
a Christian’s life in verse 17. He says
in essence that the really important and worthy aspects of a Christian’s life
are not his ‘eating and drinking,’ but rather ‘righteousness and
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’
The implied exhortation found in this verse then is that if curbing your
freedom regarding what are really trivial matters in your life as a Christian
has to be done in order for you to enjoy and be blessed with the deeper and
more fulfilling aspects of your Christian walk, namely ‘righteousness and
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,’ then
your sacrifice is more than worth it.
Living righteously and having peace and joy in the Holy Spirit are a
much greater blessing that expressing your freedom in Christ and ‘eating and
drinking’ and living like the people of this world.
5.3.
Then, Paul writes in verse 18 that if a person does
curb his freedom out of love for his brother whom he does not want to stumble,
then he will be accepted by God as well as looked up to and esteemed highly by
men, for it is a worthy goal to obtain.
5.4.
We Christians must dedicate ourselves to not placing
too great of importance on the wrong things in our life. We must not live in a selfish way not caring
who may stumble because of our use of our freedom, nor whom we may hurt by our
criticism and rejection of people because they disagree upon areas of conduct
in their life.
6. VS
14:19-21 - “19 So then let us
pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. 20
Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are
clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. 21 It is good
not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother
stumbles.” - Paul tells
us to pursue the things that make for peace and the building up of one another,
and never tear down the work of God
6.1.
In verse 19, Paul repeats his exhortation to pursue ‘peace’
as a Christian, in so far as is possible and that you can do this without
sinning. Then, he says that the
Christian is to be one who pursues ‘building up’ in the faith those who
are around him. He does not want in any
way to “tear down” a brother or a sister in Christ, for he knows he
should walk in God’s agape love.
6.2.
In verse 20, Paul writes ‘All things indeed are
clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense,’ and this
is what I meant when I said that the Christian has been given freedom in
Christ, and all things are lawful, however if a person really believes that
certain activities will cause him to be separated from God, then these things
will separate him from God if he does them.
6.3.
In verse 21, Paul writes that a Christian should not
participate in any activity or express his freedom in Christ in such a way that
might cause a brother to stumble in his walk in the Lord. Paul uses not eating meat or not drinking
wine as examples of freedoms which a Christian might want to curtail so as to
not cause a “weaker brother” or sister to stumble in his/her faith.
6.4.
Let’s build up our brothers and sisters in Christ, and
do nothing to tear them down. If for
instance you feel that you have freedom in Christ to drink alcohol but your
brother whom you are with believes that it is a sin or he is a recovering
alcoholic who could be tempted to drink, then do not drink when you are with
that brother. Express your freedom later
when your brother is not around.
6.5.
There are some Christians who are never content unless
everyone around them holds every one of their convictions, whatever they may
be. They can’t accept a brother or sister
who does not hold to their personal convictions in these “grey” areas,
however they are just a thorn in our side and trouble the church greatly.
7. VS
14:22-23 - “22 The faith which
you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not
condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he
eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is
sin.” - Paul tells us that the faith
that we have we are to have as our own conviction before God and that the man
who does not condemn himself in what he approves will be happy, for whatever is
not from faith is sin
7.1.
In verse 22, Paul says in essence that if a Christian
has convictions about not doing certain things, then he should basically just
keep quiet about it and walk before God with his ‘own conviction.’ In other words, don’t bug anyone else about
the things that you happen to have a conviction about doing or not doing. Then, Paul says that a Christian will be ‘happy’
and blessed if he follows his own convictions and avoids the things that he
feels that the Lord has told him not to do.
7.2.
Rom. 3:33 & 4:5 told us that righteousness and
salvation itself came by faith. Now, in
verse 23 Paul tells us that whatever we do in our life that is not of faith is
sin. This principle has universal
application in our lives as Christians, and this verse is often used in Bible
teaching to make that point. As I have
mentioned many times before, our lives are in every sense to be lived in faith
for faith is sort of like the conduit within which the Lord works in our lives.
7.3.
In his writings Paul often mentions the fact that
whatever a Christian does must be done in faith, and in verse 23 Paul writes
that if a person does things which his conscience tells him not to do, that he
will be ‘condemned,’ and that his not doing what he does in ‘faith’
will then cause him to sin. Whatever a
Christian does that is not done in ‘faith’ therefore is sin.
7.4.
Concerning these grey areas of the Christian life
which a person may convictions about, we saw previously in verse 5 that Paul
wrote the “grey” area convictions we might have saying, "Let
every one be fully convinced in his own mind." Phillips translation renders verse 5 like
this, "Your personal convictions are a matter of faith between yourself
and God, and you are happy if you have no qualms about what you allow yourself
to eat." We Christians can and we will have convictions that go beyond
what is black and white in the scriptures, however we must not impose those
convictions upon others. Since the
scripture is not black and white on the issue we should be resigned that God
knows we are right even if some brethren may not think so. We must never act against our personal
conviction however, for to do so is rebellion against God and will be counted
as sin to us.
7.5.
I would like to leave you with a final exhortation
from Paul in the book of Ephesians, chapter 4 verses 1-3, “4:1 I, therefore,
the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling
with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with
patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, 3 being diligent to
preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
8. CONCLUSIONS:
8.1.
Longfellow wrote, “We judge ourselves by what we
feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.”
8.2.
In the book, “The Imitation Of Christ,” Thomas
A Kempis wrote the following about how to avoid making rash judgments :
TURN your attention upon yourself and beware of
judging the deeds of other men, for in judging others a man labors vainly,
often makes mistakes, and easily sins; whereas, in judging and taking stock of
himself he does something that is always profitable.
We frequently judge that things are as we wish them to
be, for through personal feeling true perspective is easily lost.
If God were the sole object of our desire, we should
not be disturbed so easily by opposition to our opinions. But often something
lurks within or happens from without to draw us along with it.
Many, unawares, seek themselves in the things they do.
They seem even to enjoy peace of mind when things happen according to their
wish and liking, but if otherwise than they desire, they are soon disturbed and
saddened. Differences of feeling and opinion often divide friends and
acquaintances, even those who are religious and devout.
An old habit is hard to break, and no one is willing
to be led farther than he can see.
If you rely
more upon your intelligence or industry than upon the virtue of submission to
Jesus Christ, you will hardly, and in any case slowly, become an enlightened
man. God wants us to be completely subject to Him and, through ardent love, to
rise above all human wisdom.
8.3.
There is a saying that is worthy of always keeping in
mind, it goes like this, “Never judge a man by what he says; try and find
out why he said it.” Use conflicts
that arise as opportunities to get to know a brother or sister better. Inquire of them as to why that they do or do
not hold to certain convictions. You
will find after doing this that there is much more that you agree with them
about than you disagree about.
8.4.
Lets be committed to the principle that concerning the
black and white areas of scripture that we as Christians should be in agreement,
however concerning the grey areas that there are times when we must agree to
disagree with those who do not hold our convictions, nor we their’s.