Romans 14

SUMMARY.--Differences Concerning Food and Holy Days. We May not Condemn One Another for Things Indifferent. Let Us not Judge One Another. Let Us be Charitable to Each Other. The Kingdom Higher than Meats, Drinks, or Days. Do Nothing Doubtful in your Mind.

      1-4. Him that is weak in the faith. Not firmly established; "not rooted and grounded in the faith;" not fully instructed in Christian knowledge. Receive ye, etc. Take him into your fellowship, but not to discuss and pass judgments on any doubts he may entertain. "Literally, not acting so as to make distinctions about disputatious reasonings."--Conybeare and Howson. The idea is that disputes over doubtful questions must not be in the way of Christian fellowship. 2. For one believeth, etc. The apostle now names one of those differences of opinion that had made trouble. Differences had risen over food. The flesh of animals offered in idol sacrifices was offered in the markets, and one buying could not always be sure that he did not get it. Others, Jewish Christians, or of Judaizing tendencies, believed it wrong to eat any food forbidden by the law. Perhaps others believed, like the Essenes, that the regenerate man should eat only vegetables, like the primitive race in Eden. Hence, for one or all of these causes, some thought meat ought to be abstained from entirely. Disputes arose over the difference. 3. Let not him that eateth despise, etc. Look with contempt on what he considers the weakness of the other. Let not him that eateth not judge, etc. Condemn as guilty of sinful practices. For God hath received him. God hath taken him into his church without making conditions concerning meats. Hence, you have no right to reject him. 4. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? Since God has received him, he is God's servant, and his accountability is not to you, but to God. God is able to make him stand. In spite of what some of you think is an error, he shall stand, for God is able to keep him. This conduct shall not cut him off from the grace of God in which we all stand.

      5-9. One man esteemeth one day above another. A second difference of opinion is now cited. Some, Jewish converts or Gentiles who did not understand that the old covenant was ended, believed that the Jewish Sabbaths and new moons should be kept sacred. Compare Col. 2:16 and Gal. 4:10 . Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Let each act as he thinks right. If he thinks he ought to observe the days, let him do as his conscience demands. If he thinks otherwise, let him not observe them. 6. He that regardeth the day, etc. It is regarded unto the Lord if he keeps it, because he thinks it is the Lord's will. If another refuses to keep it, because he believes it is the Lord's will that he should not, his non-keeping is to the Lord. He that eateth. Meats. See verse 2 . He who obeys what he regards the Lord's will in this, either eating or abstaining, does it with reference to the Lord. 7. For none of us liveth to himself. No Christian lives to please himself, but with the conscious aim of pleasing the Lord. 8. We are the Lord's. While living, the aim must be to do the Lord's will, and even when we die we will be fully resigned to his will. We are not at our own disposal. 9. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, etc. The life of the Christian is a new life that springs out of Christ's death ( Rom. 6:4 ); we die with him; we rise with him; hence, since our life comes from him, and springs from his death and resurrection, these make him our Lord, whether we be living or dead.

      10-13. Why dost thou judge thy brother? Christ, the Lord of all, is his Lord. He shall judge him and us alike. We are not the judges, for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. 11. For it is written. In Isaiah 45:23 . The passage quoted declares that the whole world will yet make humble acknowledgment of the sovereignty of Jehovah. 12. So then every one of us shall give account. God's universal sovereignty gives him the right to call every mortal to account. Hence, we should leave judgment to God. 13. Let us not therefore judge one another. Since God is to judge us all, brethren should not condemn each other for differences of opinion over some untaught question. But judge this rather. Rather condemn severely throwing a stumbling-block in a brother's way. A stumbling-block is anything which might cause a brother to fall.