It is certain that nothing is more threatening, nor more often fatal, to Christian societies, than the contentions and divisions of their members. We find Jews at Rome believing, Acts 28 24. Poetical Books Daniel and his fellows were in better liking with pulse and water than those were who ate the portion of the king's meat. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. In either case, the attitude is wrong because we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It is goodpleasing to God, profitable to our brother, and no harm to ourselves. No separation: that is the end of the chapter. (1-2) Receiving the weaker brother. An account of the unhappy contention which had broken out in the Christian church. All things indeed are pure: Paul will concede the point that there is nothing impure in the food itself; but he likewise insists that there is nothing pure in causing a brother to stumble. Let us not judge one another: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus helped us to understand what this means it means judging others according to a standard that we would not want to have applied to ourselves. They may be a babe in Christ (babies are weak). Is made weak, that is, takes occasion to show his weakness by his censures and scruples. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation. Do you have faith? Receive him into your company, and converse, and communion, entertain him with readiness and condescension, and treat him with all possible endearments. Because both the one and the other must shortly give an account, v. 10-12. Probably from Corinth, about A. D. 58. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Observe, Whether we eat flesh, or eat herbs, it is a thankful regard to God, the author and giver of all our mercies, that sanctifies and sweetens it. Thus the apostle takes part with the weakest, and condemns the defect in love on the one side more than the defect in knowledge on the other side; agreeably to his principles elsewhere, that the way of love is the more excellent way, 1 Cor 12 31. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat: It would be easy for a Christian who felt free to eat meat to despise others as hopeless legalists. Weak and strong Christians are indeed our brethren, but they are not our servants. Its likely they thought they were the strong ones, and the meat-eaters were the weak ones. On the other hand, he that regards not the daythat does not make a difference between one day and another, does not call one day holy and another profane, one day lucky and another unlucky, but esteems every day alikehe does not do it out of a spirit of opposition, contradiction, or contempt of his brother. (Romans 14:3-4) Judging our brother is inappropriate because we are not their masters. If , Romans, but not Romanists Receive him: not to quarrel with him, and to argue about uncertain points that are in controversy, which will but confound him, and fill his head with empty notions, perplex him, and shake his faith. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. To the same purport (v. 21) he recommends it to our care not to give offence to any one by the use of lawful things: It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine; these are things lawful indeed and comfortable, but not necessary to the support of human life, and therefore we may, and must, deny ourselves in them, rather than give offence. Historical Books 1. Thus, while both have an eye to God in what they do, and approve themselves to him in their integrity, why should either of them be judged or despised? Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. We live to glorify him in all the actions and affairs of life; we die, whether a natural or a violent death, to glorify him, and to go to be glorified with him. Yet there was nothing that could justify the destruction of a Christian brother over food. He that will venture to do that which his own conscience suggests to him to be unlawful, when it is not so in itself, will by a like temptation be brought to do that which his conscience tells him is unlawful when it is really so. First be persuaded that what you do is lawful, before you venture to do it." First, Not to self. Concerning meats (v. 2): One believeth that he may eat all thingshe is well satisfied that the ceremonial distinction of meats into clean and unclean is no longer in force, but that every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused; nothing unclean of itself, v. 14. 5. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. This was Paul's own clearness, and he practised accordingly. By these wounds the life and soul of religion expire. Compare this with 1 Cor 8 10, 11. We must deny ourselves in many cases for the preservation of our credit and reputation, forbearing to do that which we rightly know we may lawfully do, when our doing it may be a prejudice to our good name; as, when it is suspicious and has the appearance of evil, or when it becomes scandalous among good people, or has any way a brand upon it. 2. Whedon's Commentary Clarke's Commentary Verse Romans 14:23. He grants that all things indeed are pure. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. As the particular end specifies the action, so the general scope and tendency specify the state. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Use semicolons to separate groups: 'Gen;Jdg;Psa-Mal' or 'Rom 3-12;Mat 1:15;Mat 5:12-22', There are options set in 'Advanced Options', The Whole Bible Why should you spend your zeal either for or against those things which are so minute and inconsiderable in religion? Romans 15 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. It is proclaimed before our Joseph, Bow the knee, Gen 41 43. This epistle is supposed to have been written some time before that to the Galatians. Wisdom Literature Secondly, But to the Lord (v. 8), to the Lord Christ, to whom all power and judgment are committed, and in whose name we are taught, as Christians, to do every thing we do (Col 3 17), with an eye to the will of Christ as our rule, to the glory of Christ as our end, Phil 1 21. Several kinds of meat were forbidden to the Jews, that in that, as in other things, they might be a peculiar and separate people, Lev 11 44; Deut 14 2, 3. You have enough to answer for before Jesus., ii. Happy is the free man who is thus liberated by the . Why so? God help us to carry it out. "Nay, God doth not only receive him, but hold him up, v. 4. a. b. But the rules are general, and of standing use in the church, for the preservation of that Christian love which he had so earnestly pressed in the foregoing chapter as the fulfilling of the law. Bishop Sanderson, in his 34th sermon, upon 1 Tim 4 4, justly makes this observation: It appears by this that saying grace (as we commonly call it, perhaps from 1 Cor 10 30) before and after meat was the common known practice of the church, among Christians of all sorts, weak and strong: an ancient, commendable, apostolical, Christian practice, derived down from Christ's example through all the ages of the church, Matt 14 19; 15 36; Luke 9 16; John 6 11; Matt 26 26, 27; Acts 27 35. For example, when some Christians from a Jewish background were offended that Gentile believers were not circumcised, Paul didnt cater to their legalistic demands. You should work together with God, do not countermine his work. Romans 8. General Epistles 14 23) that it were evil to ask his father's blessing, that mispersuasion would make it become evil to him: but, if he should be as verily persuaded that it were good to curse his father, this would not make it become good. Luke-Acts Those who were weak, and durst not use their Christian liberty, judged and censured the strong, who did, as if they were loose Christians, carnal professors, that cared not what they did, but walked at all adventures, and stuck at nothing. Site by Mere. "While thy brother's cause is before thy judgment, it is coram non judicebefore one who is not the judge; the court of heaven is the proper court for trial, where, and where only, the sentence is definitive and conclusive; and to this, if his heart be upright, he may comfortably appeal from thy rash censure.". Those who are weak must be received, but not to doubtful disputations, v. 1. Do not let your good be spoken of as evil: Our liberty in Jesus and freedom from the law is good, but not if we use it to destroy another brother in Christ. "If thy weak brother, purely by thy example and influence, without any satisfaction received concerning his Christian liberty, be drawn to act against his conscience and to walk contrary to the light he has, and so to contract guilt upon his soul, though the thing were lawful to thee, yet not being so to him (he having not yet thereto attained), thou art to be blamed for giving the occasion." 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. If this is the case, we should let God deal with our brother. (Romans 14:16-18) Pursuing the higher call of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lords. The better to insinuate the exhortation, he puts himself in; Let us not; as if he had said, "It is what I have resolved against, therefore do you leave it: but judge this rather, instead of censuring the practice of others, let us look to our own, that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall, in his brother's way,"proskomma, e skandalon. Brethren, my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might he saved. 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. Particularly, he gives rules how to manage our different apprehensions about indifferent things, in the management of which, it seems, there was something amiss among the Roman Christians, to whom he wrote, which he here labours to redress. It is seldom that any such contention exists but there is a fault on both sides, and both must mend. Take heed of acting contrary to the dictates of a doubting conscience. Commentary on Romans 14:7-13 (Read Romans 14:7-13) Though some are weak, and others are strong, yet all must agree not to live to themselves. i. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. according to the flesh: who are Israelites; to whom , The Pastor's Parting Blessing Think what thou destroyestthe work of God, whose work is honourable and glorious; think for what thou destroyest itfor meat, which was but for the belly, and the belly for it. 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? He also knew well the terrible joy that comes only through suffering as he lived quite afflicted (both by illness and slander). c. Nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak: However, we shouldnt think that Paul would permit this kind of heart to cater to someones legalism. for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Romans 12:2. i. It will be good for us to put this question to ourselves, when we are tempted to behave scornfully towards our brethren, to disdain and censure them: "Hast not God owned them; and, if he has, dare I disown them?" 1. Let not the reproach arise from any default of ours; as 1 Tim 4 12, Let no man despise thee, that is, do not make thyself despicable. What is it to be sanctified, but to be of God's mind? Prophets Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. He is happy that has peace and quietness within, for the testimony of conscience will be a special cordial in troublesome times. Compare Gal 6 4, Let every man prove his own work, that is, bring it to the touchstone of the word and try it by that so exactly as to be well satisfied in what he does; and then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, (Hebrew/Greek Search by English Definition), * 'Number Delimiters' only apply to 'Paragraph Order', Search verses, phrases, and topics (e.g. (1.) Observe, The same for whom Christ died (v. 15) are here called the work of God; besides the work that is wrought for us there is a work to be wrought in us, in order to our salvation. The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water; we are not sure that it will stop any where on this side of eternal destruction. 23. "Why then is not the hurt of the daughter of my people recovered," but because his directions are not followed? "Who kept holy days, and who did not?" Not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brothers way: We might stumble or cause our brother to fall in two ways. The Old Testament b. Well, this was the disease, and we see it remaining in the church to this day; the like differences, in like manner mismanaged, are still the disturbers of the church's peace. It is for God's sake, because he is afraid of offending God by eating that which he is sure was once prohibited; and he giveth God thanks too that there is enough besides. The Pharisees taught people to plead conscience, when they made corban an excuse for denying relief to their parents, Matt 15 5, 6. 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 brothers way. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. Essentially, Pauls answer is Stop worrying about your brother. Romans 8:28. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. We have proper directions and suggestions laid down for allaying this contention, and preventing the ill consequences of it. We reckon it a piece of ill manners to meddle with other people's servants, and to find fault with them and censure them. Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. It is a generous piece of self-denial, for which we have Paul's example (1 Cor 8 13), If meat make my brother to offend; he does not say, I will eat no meat, that is to destroy himself; but I will eat no flesh, that is to deny himself, while the world stands. The Gospels as a Christian by seeking the welfare of his wife and family only, for these are only a sort of greater self." (Spurgeon) . His own clearness in this matter. The end of such knowledge is that, being satisfied in our liberty, we may have a conscience void of offence towards God, and let that content us. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? He took the most trying place in the whole field of battle; he stood where the fray' was hottest. After each game, the winners came before the judges seat to receive crowns for first, second, and third places. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth unto God. This is reasonable. Every knee shall bow: The quotation from Isaiah 45:23 emphasizes the fact that all will have to appear before God in humility, and give account of himself before God. (Romans 14:1-2) Receiving the weaker brother. Observe, The approbation of men is not to be slighted; for we must provide things honest in the sight of all men, and study those things that are lovely and of good report: but the acceptance of God is to be desired and aimed at in the first place, because, sooner or later, God will bring all the world to be of his mind. Secondly, He is approved of menof all wise and good men, and the opinion of others is not to be regarded. Because the stress of Christianity is not to be laid upon these things, nor are they at all essential to religion, either on the one side or on the other. In these indifferent things, though we must never contradict our persuasion, yet we may sometimes conceal it, when the avowing of it will do more hurt than good. And, Secondly, We have the more to do to judge ourselves. Given to hospitality. c. 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