Accept One Another Series

Accepting One Another

Romans 14-15

Introduction

Summary of our Romans Study

-The Good News is God’s Power to Save Everyone 

-Everyone needs saving - all have sinned.

-We cannot overcome the power of sin on our own.

-Salvation is a matter of God’s grace, accessed by faith/trust.

-When we trust, God credits us with righteousness.

-Only the power of grace can overcome the power of sin.

-Despite the war within, we are more than conquerors & remain uncondemned because of Jesus Christ.

-God has a plan to save every believer - don’t reject it!

-We are called to live a transformed life of love for brothers and enemies. In relation to the government and neighbors. In light of the coming day of Christ.

In Chapters 14-15 Paul turns his attention to a problem faced in every church in all time - including the Roman church.

-He spent Twelve chapters sharing the Gospel, the realities of salvation, the attitudes we should have in receiving the Good News.

-But it is always true that there is a struggle among Christian people in regard to disputable matters.

-“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.”

-Paul distinguishes between the weak and strong in faith and encourages the strong to accept the weak and not reject them. I imagine we all feel both weak and strong - strong in some areas, weak in others.

-Some of the areas of faith that Paul has in mind are:

*Faith decisions about eating (2)

*Faith decisions about special days (5)

His message: Accept one another. Principles to remember:

1. Accept One Another Without Quarreling (14:1-4)

Romans 14:1-4 "Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand."

Paul doesn’t deny there are different understandings and convictions - but he does tell us not to argue. His first example is that some people make a faith decision about what they eat. Likely the Jewish kosher menu - so do not argue with them about it nor look down on them about it!

AMP 14:1 As for the man who is a weak believer, welcome him [into your fellowship], but not to criticize his

opinions or pass judgment on his scruples or perplex him with discussions.

Paul classifies this believer as “weak” - this is not a term of derision - but a recognition that a stronger faith would answer the brother’s dilemma. Bell: “Because of disparity in natural capacity, age, mental development, social and religious background … differences in any congregation of Christians are inevitable.” In disputable matters - matters of opinion - we are not to criticize, pass judgment, or despise those who think differently than we do.

Two Reasons why:

-The weaker brother is a servant of Christ, not you!

-God has accepted and welcomed them, so should we!

Quarreling / badgering people wearing them down - the opposite of accepting them.

2. Accept One Another Because We Live for the Lord (14:5-12)

Romans 14:5-12 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” 12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

A second example of disputable matters is treating one day more sacred than the other. (Jewish special days?)

-Paul’s perspective is that whichever approach you take, you are doing it for the Lord (6-8).