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).
-Christ is the Lord of the dead and the living (9) - we accept one another because our common hope is to please the Lord!
Paul once again calls attention to the coming of the Lord!
-We will all be judged by God - every knee will bow (weak and strong!)
-We give account of ourselves - not account of what others think.
The basis of accepting one another is our common focus on living for the Lord - even if our understandings on some matters differ.
3. Accept One Another and Avoid Offending (14:13-16)
Romans 14:13-16 "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil."
Another reason to accept one another is that in judging each other we may cause someone to stumble in their faith. In this case stumbling is acting outside of our conscience. Paul says nothing is unclean but if because of our insistence someone acts against what they believe, we have caused them to sin. We are not acting in love, and it results in evil.
We do not have to correct everyone who thinks differently than we do. Sometimes I have come to know that the other person is actually closer to the truth than I was! Accept one another!
4. Accept One Another for the Kingdom’s Sake (14:17-23)
Romans 14:17-23 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. 19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. 22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin
The Kingdom isn’t about being exactly alike in all of our opinions. Therefore we shouldn’t spend so much time trying to get others to think like we do.
What is the Kingdom Emphasis?
-Righteousness - being right with God through the work of Christ - the Gospel! 30 times in Romans Paul writes about righteousness.
-Peace
*With God. 11 times in Romans Paul writes of peace and attributes it as coming from God. Romans 8:6 “The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
*With one another. In the last chapter he encouraged us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at
peace with everyone.”
*Joy - 4 times in Romans - only in chapters 12-15.
Make every effort to do what leads to mutual upbuilding! (19)
Don’t destroy the faith of others.
Don’t do things that cause them to ignore their faith (23)
5. Accept One Another Because Christ Accepted You (15:1-7)
Build up others - that’s your focus. (1-3)
Romans 15:1-3 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
“Everything written in the past” - for them, OT. (4)
Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
-Written to teach us
-Written to produce endurance
-Written to give us hope
-Let that be the example of how we treat one another - to encourage one another with hope and to glorify God (5-6)
Romans 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Conclusion
Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Without arguing
In honor of our life in the Lord
Avoid offending
For the Kingdom’s Sake
Because Christ accepted you
2. Whether weak or strong, you are a part of God’s Family. Whether weak or strong, always consider how you treat brothers and sisters in the Lord.
3. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Discussion Questions
1. What does God consider "disputable matters" (14:1)?
2. Is it ever ok to criticize an idea or teaching? (14:4)
3. Will believers face judgment (14:10)?
4. What is a stumbling block (14:13)?
5. Must Christians agree on everything? (15:5-7)
6. What is the most perplexing part of this teaching?
7. What else would you like to talk about today?
