Alba 6-12-2022
PURSUE THE THINGS THAT MAKE FOR PEACE
Romans 14:1-23
I hope you’re not like the hypercritical husband who was impossible to please. He was really cranky at breakfast. If his wife made scrambled eggs, he wanted them poached; if the eggs were poached, he wanted them scrambled.
One morning his wife hit upon what she thought was a brilliant idea. She decided to poach one egg and scramble the other. When she put the plate before him, she thought for sure he would be happy.
He looked down at the plate and snorted, “Can’t you do anything right, woman? You scrambled the wrong one!”
How do you get along with difficult people? It can be really hard sometimes. Even in church you can experience times when you don't see eye to eye with others. One person can have an opinion about something that is the opposite of someone else.
The question is, how do you deal with that other person? I'm glad you asked, because the Bible has something to say about that. In fact, it is in our text for today, Romans chapter fourteen.
Romans 14:1 gives us this good advice: We are “not to dispute over doubtful things” (NJKV). Another translation says: “without quarreling over disputable matters” (NIV), and another is perhaps even more clear: “do not argue about opinions.' (NCV).
Instead, as it says in Romans 14:19, “Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.”
There are specific things referred to in this chapter that the Christians in Rome needed instructions as to how to deal with those things, and with people who held different opinions about them.
Apparently there were divisions in the church that the apostle Paul felt needed his attention. In this chapter he addresses conflicts over food, drink, and elevating one day above another.
Concerning food, there were some in the church in Rome who had come out of idol worship and paganism where they’d take the finest of all the cattle and sacrifice it to one of those pagan idols.
They would only take a little bit of that meat and burn it on the altar, and then take all the rest of that good meat and sell it in the marketplace.
So people bought this meat, took it home, and ate it. But there were some Christians who said, “Oh no, a Christian cannot eat that meat. It was sacrificed to idols.”
There were even some Jewish Christians who had come out of Judaism who said, “And you don’t know how that meat was killed. In order for that meat to be kosher, it has to be killed a certain way. So it is better if we don’t eat any meat at all.”
But there were some other Christians in the church who said, “Hey, no big deal. Those idols aren’t real, it’s good beef, it’s cheap and it’s good. What’s the issue?” This caused serious disagreements over food.
And verse five deals another disagreement. There were some who considered one day more sacred than another.
Some of these Christians had come out of Judaism and they were still observing the Jewish holy days, and insisting that everyone else do the same.
It appears that everybody had an opinion, and believed they were so right, that everyone else should believe and do as they were doing. Someone has written this satirical poem which illustrates what was happening in the church at Rome.
Believe as I believe, No more, no less;
That I am right, And no one else, confess;
Feel as I feel, Think only as I think;
Eat what I eat, And drink but what I drink;
Look as I look, Do always as I do;
Then, and only then, Will I fellowship with you.
Maybe today we don’t have as a big a problem as people in that day did with these particular issues. But that attitude sadly is not too far from the truth in many churches. Because we don’t like our personal opinions and convictions judged, do we? No! We don’t!
Steve Shepherd, now minister at First Christian Church, Chaffee, Missouri, remembered working in church camp with senior high kids. Some of the preacher faculty members wanted to serve communion, the Lord’s Supper, one evening to the young people.
He said, “Guess what? Some of the other faculty members thought that it was totally wrong to do that, saying that the early Christians observed the Lord’s Supper ONLY on the Lord’s Day and to do otherwise would be sinful.”
He made it plain that he was not in the ANTI-group! He was all for it, remembering that Jesus said, “As often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me.”
He said he thought that meant any time we wanted to remember the body and blood of our Lord, then it was ok with Him! And that in fact that it is right to remember Him at any time! The more, the better!
By the way, there is precedent that the early Christians met together on the first day of the week, and regularly partook of the Lord’s Supper at that time, which is why we do so even today. But there is no command that we only take communion on Sunday.
So disputes happen even between otherwise like-minded believers.
Remember verse one of our text? We are not to dispute over doubtful things, things which are only our opinion.
In fact it tells us that instead, we are to “Receive one who is weak in the faith.” So who is the one who is weak? And, on the other hand, who is the one who is strong?
You may think that the “strong” Christians were the ones who believed they shouldn't eat that meat. And that the “weak” Christians were the ones who spoke of their “liberty” do what the “strong” Christians would not do. But you would be wrong.
A “strong” brother or sister is one who exercises freedom in Christ with a clear conscience. A “weak” believer is one who hasn’t fully grasped the extent of his or her freedom in Christ, and whose conscience is therefore bothered by personal choices and preferences that don’t really matter in the long run.
It is the weak in faith who live their lives by rules and regulations not given in scripture, but hold them as if they were.
That phrase “one who is weak in faith” does not mean there is not enough faith in God, but that there is a weakness in the conscience with regard to what faith allows.
In any case, when there is a difference of opinion we are to pursue peace. As far as the dispute over foods is concerned, Romans 14:2-4 says: 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 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.
“4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
The unique thing in the teaching found here is that both groups are acceptable to God. And each will be welcomed into fellowship, IF what each is doing based on Faith!
Verse 22 makes that clear. It asks, “Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” And verse 23 adds, “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”
Faith is the focus. Faith is what makes any of us acceptable to God. That is the reason we are to pursue peace. Because in spite of our differing opinions about some things, if we are in Christ... we belong to the Lord and therefore to each other.
Romans 14:7-8 says, 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
Being different and having different opinions, does not mean we are not in fellowship with God. That is why we should not argue and fight with one another. We are united based upon the wonderful relationship we have with each other in Jesus.
We are able to have that relationship because, as verse nine tells us,
“For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.”
It is the cross of Jesus that reveals human depravity at its worst, and God's love at its best. Because of the cross and the empty tomb, we know that for those of us who yield to Jesus as Lord and Savior, sin is defeated and death cannot win.
In Christ we share something that the world cannot give. We are under no condemnation. We are declared “not guilty.” Jesus makes us holy. He transforms our desires. He makes us grow. He makes something of us. We develop and advance by His grace.
In order to know right from wrong, we follow the teaching of Jesus Christ and His Word. Because scripture, when taken without the manipulation and interpretation of man, clearly defines what God expects from us.
Yet, there are those “disputable matters” referring to that which is debatable or doubtful. They are matters which are not addressed specifically enough in Scripture, and don’t have a bearing on salvation.
It’s those “gray” areas of the Christian life. A disputable matter is an honest difference of opinion between Bible believing Christians on how best to apply a biblical principle.
When the Restoration Movement began and various denominations became one group under the name Christian Church or Churches of Christ, several mottoes were adopted to clarify how unity would be achieved.
One was this: “Speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where the Bible is silent.” Another was: "We have no creed but Christ, no book but the Bible, no name but the name Christian." And one more was: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.”
As Christians must we stand strong on the essentials of our faith, but allow freedom in opinions about things non-essential for salvation. And over all these things, we must exercise a loving attitude.
As far as the dispute about food is concerned, verses 14-15 tell us,
14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
So verse 21 suggests “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”
That means if we have to abstain from something for the sake of a brother or sister, then that’s what we had better do. As someone has said, “Your freedom ends where my nose begins.”
We need to ask ourselves, which do we love more, people... or being right? The question is not, “Can I do this?” But rather, “If I do this, how will it affect another believer?”
Does this mean that we can never do anything that may offend another Christian? Actually that is next to impossible because whatever we might do could offend somebody.
This text is not talking about “don’t offend anybody.” It’s talking about “don’t offend a weaker Christian.”
If someone is offended because they are spiritually young or immature, we need to consider how our action is going to affect them. And if our action is going to cause them to stumble, just don’t do it.
Since God accepts people on the basis of their faith in Jesus Christ, so should we. The problem is those lists. The lists we make that are our own opinions. The ones we assume all Christians should follow.
You’ve probably got a list that’s different than my list and, it’s a long list of things. You know, just take one example. I’ve always thought that Christians should not smoke (even though I confess that I tried it a couple of times when I was young).
Well here's something kind of interesting when you think about it. The Amish, for religious reasons, have a list.
They don’t use automobiles or electricity or anything, and are very strict in their religious adherence to those rules. But they grow and sell tobacco, and most of them smoke. That's not on their “bad” list.
So how does one decide if their list is “where the Bible speaks” or where it is just a matter of opinion? To answer that question, one must ask some more questions.
The first question to ask yourself is, “Is this prohibited in the Bible?” If it is, that settles it. Question number two, “Is this something I can ask God to bless? Can I ask God to bless this behavior?”
And question number three is this: “Would I like to be found doing this when Jesus comes back?” Because in verses 10-13 they tell us that, “we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written: 'As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.'
“12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 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 brother’s way.”
We can be far too quick to judge another person. We may see only a part of the picture of that person’s life, and criticize them in the hearing others and damage their reputation or character. And it can’t be taken back.
Are we really going to condemn one whom God has accepted? Each believer will give an account of his life before his own Master, and guess what, that isn’t you! And it isn't me!
Here are some principles that come from a sermon by Ray Pritchard called, “Overcoming a Judgmental Spirit,” (www.keepbelieving.com.) that can help us put Romans chapter 14 into action.
First, live so that no one can criticize your decisions. Live with gracious humility, kindness, compassion, love for others, integrity and trust in the midst of life’s trials.
Then if someone disagrees with something you believe about a secondary issue, they will at least know that you love Jesus.
And, be sure to get your own house in order. Some day we’re all going to stand before God and we need to be ready.
Someone has said that if we spend our time doing the “dos” of the Bible, we won’t have the time or the desire to do the “don’ts.”
And, we won’t worry so much about what others are doing (or not doing) either. Because, we will be pursuing things that make for peace.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
CONCLUSION:
This is a true story from southern California. There was a church dispute over a children’s Christmas choir program. Some of the children’s parents had the audacity and the gall to erect a Christmas tree in the church.
Some of the members of the church thought it was a desecration of the church and so they were terribly opposed to it. And so after the parents of these choir kids set up the tree, you know what they did that night? A bunch of them came in after the rehearsal, dismantled the tree and took it out.
Next morning, when they came in for the next rehearsal and they saw it was gone, you know what those parents did? They set it back up again. And that night after rehearsal, you know what the folks who didn’t like it did? They snuck in and tore it down.
The next day, the parents of the choir kids were waiting for the tree-dismantlers, and when they approached, they told them, “No you can’t take this tree down.” The other Christians said, “You are desecrating the house of God. You’ve got to take it down.”
It resulted in a fistfight. A fistfight. And then it resulted in a lawsuit. And this was all in the papers of this little local town in Southern California.
And why do you think people out there without Jesus Christ think Christianity is just a bunch of nonessential things that don’t matter? I’ll tell you why. Because most of our lives, we spend all of our time majoring on the minors and minoring on the majors and forget to pursue peace.
