A. In 1904, this large statue of Christ, that you see on the screen, was erected high in the Andes, on the border between Argentina and Chile – called “Christ the Redeemer of the Andes.”
1. The statue symbolizes a pledge between the two countries.
2. As long as the statue stands, there is to be peace between Chile and Argentina.
3. Shortly after the statue was erected, the Chileans began to protest that they had been slighted, because the statue has its back turned to Chile.
4. Just when tempers were at their highest, a Chilean newspaper writer saved the day.
5. In an editorial that not only satisfied the people but made them laugh, the newspaper writer simply wrote, “The statue of Christ faces Argentina because the people of Argentina need more watching over than the people of Chile.”
B. Isn’t it amazing how prone to conflict we human beings are?
1. We can find an excuse or reason for conflict about almost anything!
2. If you or I pick up a daily newspaper, we will read of multiple stories of conflict.
3. In the daily news you will find there is always conflict between nations.
4. In the daily news you will always find conflict in our own nation over all kinds of things; including politics.
C. Sadly, Churches, the so-called “families” of God, whose places should be most-noted for Christ’s peace, are often marked by conflict.
1. We hear reports regularly of denominational disputes and divisions.
2. And who of us here has not observed, or been a part of a fight within a local church?
3. The conflict may have been over something simple and silly, like the color of the carpet.
4. Or the fight may have been over something important and significant, like the removal of someone in leadership, or the boundaries of a practice.
D. Equally tragic, in addition to all the kinds of conflicts I’ve already mentioned, we experience conflict in our families and homes.
1. We know from experience that our personal families are often fraught with hurt feelings, broken relationships and even divorce.
E. So where can we turn to find help in managing and overcoming the many conflicts that face us in our world, our families and in the church?
1. For one thing, we can turn to Scripture, and especially to the book of Romans.
2. “To the book of Romans?” someone might ask, “Isn’t Romans just a theological treatise of the apostle Paul?”
3. If you have been present and paying attention to our sermon series on Romans, then you know that my answer to that question is that the book of Romans is so much more than a theological treatise.
4. You know that I believe the book of Romans is an occasional letter written specifically to the church at Rome to address a specific problem that threatened the Roman congregation.
F. In the first 11 chapters of Romans, Paul laid a foundation of our need for the Gospel because all of us are sinners, Jews and Gentiles, we all have fallen short of God’s glory and deserve God’s wrath.
1. Thankfully, God sent His son as a Savior and that we can access God’s grace through faith and we can receive the righteousness of Christ through faith.
2. As forgiven sinners, redeemed by Christ, we are called to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.
3. In chapters 12 and 13, Paul pointed us toward the basic components of Christian discipleship, which is primarily guided by the law of love.
G. Now, as we turn to chapters 14 and 15, we will see how Paul addressed more directly the cause of the conflict in Rome and how love in action can lead to peace and harmony in the church in Rome.
1. We will learn that the church in Rome was divided into two groups: those who are “weak” and those who are “strong” (in faith).
2. In a minute, I will describe what I mean by those categories of “weak” and “strong.”
3. Although we don’t know all about what was dividing the church at Rome, Paul will be mentioning conflicts over eating meat, observing some kind of holy days, and drinking wine.
4. At the core of the conflict appears to be the question of observance of the Jewish law.
a. The “weak” were those – mainly Jewish Christians – who could not bring themselves to abandon the requirements of the law that they had observed all of their lives.
b. The “strong” were those – mainly Gentile Christians – who felt no need to observe the law.
c. The “strong” likely also included people like Paul, who was a Jewish Christian, but did not believe that he was obligated to follow the Jewish law.
d. In other words, the “weak” are ones who conservatively think something is wrong when it is not actually wrong, and the ones who are “strong” know that something is not wrong and therefore is free to partake in it.
5. Unfortunately, the Christians in Rome were criticizing and condemning each other over these issues.
a. The weak were condemning the strong for cavalierly dismissing God’s laws.
b. The strong were looking down on the weak for clinging to old ways when the new had come.
6. As we will see, Paul sides with the strong on the basic issues involved, but his goal is to get both groups to stop criticizing the other and to accept each other in a spirit of love and unity.
H. With that introduction and foundation, let’s work through the first 12 verses of Romans 14 and see how Paul addresses these issues and how we can apply them to the relationships in our lives.
1. Paul begins chapter 14: 1 Accept anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. (Romans 14:1-3)
2. While Paul wants both groups in the church to accept each other, he is clearly most concerned about the attitude of the strong because he starts by correcting them in verse 1.
a. This probably reflects the fact that the strong, mainly Gentile Christians, are the dominant group in the church at Rome.
3. If we are to understand the point of this section, we must recognize that the phrase “who is weak in faith” does not mean they don’t have enough faith in God, but that they are weak in conscience with regard to what their faith allows them to do.
a. In other words, they are not lesser Christians, they simply do not think their faith allows them to do certain things that those who are strong feel free to do.
4. Paul’s first cure for the conflict is to accept those with whom you differ, and to not allow differences over “disputed matters” to interfere with full fellowship.
a. Paul doesn’t want the strong to simply extend a grudging tolerance to the weak, rather he wants them to welcome them and the word he uses for “accept” is one that means to receive into one’s society, home or circle of acquaintance.
5. Let’s talk for a minute about “disputable matters”?
a. Obviously, Paul is not suggesting that we accept each other regardless of what is believed or practiced, for there are certain false beliefs and practices that must be rejected, and a person may need to be disfellowshiped because of them.
b. But Paul’s point here is that disputable matters should not be used as a basis for non-acceptance into fellowship.
c. So what are disputable matters? They are matters which are not addressed specifically enough in Scripture and don’t have a bearing on salvation.
6. In verse 2, Paul identifies one of these “disputed matters” and it is eating meat.
a. Paul distinguishes between those who “eat only vegetables” and those who “eat everything.”
b. In verse 21, Paul gives additional information that helps us conclude that it is the weak in faith who eat only vegetables, while it is the strong who eat meat as well.
7. But in verse 3, Paul urges both groups to change their attitude toward the other.
a. The strong (who eat meat) should not look down on the weak (who eat only vegetables).
b. The word Paul used for should not “look down on” describes rejection with contempt.
c. But the weak are also at fault, and Paul says they should not judge the strong.
d. The word Paul used for “must not judge” means to pronounce doom on someone, or to deny someone salvation – it means to condemn.
8. Paul is going to have more to say about why we shouldn’t judge others, but here Paul concludes verse 3 pointing out the fact that God has accepted the strong believer.
a. If God has accepted someone, then who are we to reject them?
b. How can we reject from our fellowship someone whom God has accepted? We can’t!
I. In Verses 4-9, Paul is going to elaborate on that fundamental principle.
1. Let’s read those verses: 4 Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living. (Romans 14:4-9)
2. Paul asks a very important question: “who are you to judge another’s servant?”
a. This “you” may include both the weak and the strong, but it is more likely the weak.
b. Paul is basically asking: “who do you think you are?” or “who died and made you boss?”
c. By condemning others, we are in effect, claiming to be that person’s master.
d. But the Christian has only one “master” and He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. So Jesus is each of our individual Masters and He is our judge, and we stand or fall before Him.
a. The ideas of “stand” and “fall” are a short hand for “stand in favor with” and “fall out of favor with.”
b. Because Jesus is my master and is your master, each of us should be primarily concerned with pleasing our master – to stay in favor with Him and to not fall out of favor with Jesus.
J. After clarifying the primary issue of whom is our judge, Paul addressed a second disputed matter that was creating a tension between the weak and the strong – the issue of holding certain days to be “more sacred” than other days.
1. These special or sacred days are likely Jewish holy days, including various festivals and the Sabbath.
2. Notice that Paul doesn’t try to specifically address the issue of the days, but instead, challenges every believer to be firmly convinced in their own mind.
3. In other words, he gives the Christians in Rome the right to follow their own consciences.
4. Since each of us are trying to please our personal master, and if we are acting out of sincere regard for the Lord and our desire to please Him, then who is someone else to judge us?
5. Paul was telling the Romans that they may differ over specific practices, whether it be special days or eating meat, but each group needs to recognize the sincerity of the other.
K. In verses 7-9, Paul underscores and elaborates on our relationship with our master.
1. Paul points out that having a right understanding of our relationship with Jesus means that each of us understands that Jesus, our master and our Lord, owns us and expects us to act in obedience to Him.
2. Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected from the tomb so that He could be the Lord of all.
3. And if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and made Him our Lord, then we must do everything to His glory and good.
4. The Roman Christians, and the Christians here at Wetzel Road, must not presume to dictate to each other what their behavior should be – what we should eat or not eat, and what days to observe or not observe, because only the Lord Jesus has that right.
L. Paul now concludes this section of Romans 14, by asking two rhetorical questions to effectively rebuke the weak believer for condemning the strong and the strong for looking down on the weak.
1. Paul wrote: 10 But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.” 12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Rom. 14:10-12)
2. See how Paul corrected both parties – the weak who judge, and the strong who look down?
3. Paul’s conclusion is: God is the one who sits on the judgment seat, and we will appear there.
4. In verse 11, Paul underscores the unique role God plays in judgment by citing Isaiah 45:23 where through Isaiah, God declares His sovereignty.
a. Every knee will bow to God and every tongue will give praise to God.
b. In the verse before in Isaiah 45:22, God declares “I am God, and there is no other!”
c. And in the verse that comes after, in Isaiah 45:24, God declares “In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength.”
5. So, it is before the Sovereign God, who is the only God and in who alone is righteousness and strength, that we all will appear and have to give an account.
6. There is no need for any of us to set ourselves up as judge and jury, because God has got that covered and under control – God is on the throne!
M. So how do we apply some of these principles to our own lives in our time and culture?
N. I want us to begin by acknowledging that life contains somethings that are cut and dry; that are black and white, but that there are also many gray areas.
1. It seems to me that life would be so much simpler if everything were black or white, but unfortunately, it will never be that way.
a. Life is filled with grays.
b. As Christians we want to do what's right, what honors the Lord.
c. We want to do what the Bible tells us to do.
2. But the Bible doesn’t specifically address every issue, and we’re just not sure whether some things are right or wrong.
a. And to complicate matters, some Christians are convinced some things are right and other Christians are just as sure they’re wrong.
3. Let me give you an example of one dilemma that one preacher I heard about was facing.
a. A member of his church bought him a membership at an exclusive club in a local hotel.
b. It entitled him to use the swimming facilities as well as the excellent members-only dining room which served outstanding lunches at reasonable prices.
c. The church member told him it would be a good place for him to take guests for lunch when he needed time with them.
d. Here is the dilemma: Every evening in that hotel, the same dining room hosted inappropriate live entertainment: nearly nude exotic dancers.
e. Now obviously, that preacher was not going to use his membership at night, but the question was, should he even use it in the daytime?
f. Everybody in his town knew what went on in that place at night.
g. Would it jeopardize his Christian testimony if someone saw him coming out of there, even though it was in the middle of the day?
h. What do you think? How many of you think it would have been wrong for him to have used his membership in that club during the day?
i. How many of you think it would have been perfectly acceptable for him to use it?
j. Looks like trying to please everyone at the Wetzel Road would not have been a very good way for that preacher decide that issue.
4. So, we all face ethical and moral decisions daily, and for many of them the Bible gives us clear-cut guidance.
a. For example, it is never God’s will for us to get drunk.
1. None of us have to pray about that question: it isn’t His will that we get drunk; the Bible makes that very clear.
2. It’s not God’s will for us to be controlled by any kind of food, drink or drug.
3. We are not to be controlled by outside substances, but by the Holy Spirit.
b. But the Bible does not give us clear commands to guide us in every decision we face.
1. And good Christians disagree about what might be right and wrong about certain questions.
2. And some feel very strongly about their opinion and if you or I step outside their boundaries, they may come down hard on us!
c. Back to our example, we know that drunkenness is clearly wrong, but is it right or wrong for Christians to use alcohol in moderation? See how that moves us into a gray area?
d. What about other disputable matters: can we go to movie theaters? Go to dances? Listen to secular music? Work on Sundays?
e. Is it right or wrong to live in an elegant house and drive an expensive car when that money could be used to take the gospel to the lost and feed starving multitudes?
f. What about things that happen right here in church? Is it necessary for men to wear coats and ties to church? Is it permissible for a woman to wear pants?
g. These are all things that Christians have strongly disagreed about over the years.
O. In the verses we studied today, we see that Paul gave the Christians at Rome some principles to help them navigate their conflicts over disputable matters. Let’s review them again:
1. First, he recommends we welcome each other – accept one another – God has accepted you.
2. Second, he recommends that we resist looking down on and judging each other.
3. Third, he recommends that we let God be the judge.
4. Fourth, he recommends that each of us seek to please our Lord and Master, Jesus.
P. Let me conclude by encouraging each of us to do a little bit of introspection.
1. First, let’s examine ourselves and see if we have been looking down on or condemning others in our hearts over some kind of disputable matter.
a. Do we need to repent and stop trying to play God by playing Master over those Christians?
b. Can we give those Christians the freedom to respond to God’s leading in their lives, even if they decided to choose a different course for ours?
2. Second, let’s examine ourselves and see if we are doing anything in our lives where we have not applied the question: “Is this something my Lord wants me doing? Is this something I can be involved in and bring honor and glory to God?
a. This thing may have to do with how we spend our time, or how we spend our money.
b. This thing may have to do with what we do for recreation or entertainment or occupation.
Q. All of us who are Christians have Jesus as our Savior and Lord.
1. All of us will have to appear before His judgment seat and we certainly don’t want God to be displeased by the way we looked down on others or were condemning toward them.
2. And none of us want God to be displeased by the fact that we did not apply His lordship to every area of our lives.
3. One of the best cures for conflict is to let God be God; to let God be the judge of His servants.
4. And as we let God be our own personal judge, we make it our goal to do what pleases Him.
R. If you are wondering what decision the preacher with the dilemma about the private club membership that I was telling you about made, here it is: He did use his private club membership on one occasion.
1. He had the freedom to do that, and nobody had the right to criticize him for it.
2. But he never used it again, because of another principle that Paul gives us to help us determine how we should navigate the gray areas.
3. Lord willing, next week, as we continue in Romans 14, we will explore that principle.
S. This sermon has been about how Christians should treat each other so that we receive God’s rewards in heaven, but it has not been about how we become a Christian and get into heaven.
1. So let’s spend a minute talking about how a person receives salvation.
2. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the only way to get into heaven.
a. Jesus came to earth to die for our sins and to pay the penalty that we deserve.
b. Through Jesus we have access to God’s grace and are covered by the righteousness of Christ.
3. But each of us must receive this gift of God’s love by being born again as we express our faith and repentance in baptism.
4. That is how a person begins their relationship with Jesus, our Savior and Lord.
Resources:
Romans, The NIV Application Commentary, by Douglas Moo
Color it Gray, by Richard Strauss
The Cure for Conflict in the Roman Church, by David Owens
