Sermon Series “The Gospel of God – A Study of Romans”
Week #7 “The Application of Unity”
Sermon Text: Romans Ch. 14
Opening Text: Ch 14:1-4
INTRODUCTION: Welcome to our eighth week of studying through the doctrines found in the book of Romans
You will remember that the first 11 chapters of Romans dealt with doctrines of sin, righteousness and sanctification while from chapter 12 and on we are given the practical applications of these doctrines
***Tonight we are going to continue with our application and I would like to begin with a question:
When was the last time you really felt a spirit of unity with other believers in Christ?
Chapter 14 of Romans deals with Satan’s attack on the unity of the church where he uses mature (strong) believers against immature (weak) believers
Let’s look to God’s Word concerning this topic:
I. RECEIVE WEAKER BROTHERS
Read 14:1 “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.”
1. We are called to accept those who may not be as strong in faith as we are and to not squabble over things that are uncertain
a. Keyword: ‘Doubtful things’ actually could be translated ‘opinions’
b. When someone has a difference of opinion with us, we are not to deny fellowship with them, but accept them
2. Later we will discuss this further, but this is really warning us against being judgmental
a. This seems contrary to Paul’s letter to the Corinthians where he says, “Do you not judge those who are inside?” (I Corinthians 5:12) Where he encourages the church to “not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner” (I Corinthians 5:11)
3. The difference is in the type of judgment
a. When we judge based on feelings, traditions or personal preferences we are wrong (These are the ‘doubtful things’)
b. But when we judge according to God’s Word and allow it to be our discerner or arbiter of what is right and wrong, we are not doing the judging, God’s Word condemns the person
4. Many might use this verse to say, “Homosexuality is OK because it is a ‘doubtful thing’ – but this is not true
a. The Word of God shows on multiple occasions (Exodus 18:22, Romans 1:27) that this is not a question of opinion, but a sin
5. An example of a ‘doubtful thing’ would be to stop your fellowship with someone because of their preference of worship music
a. The Bible does not give us a type of music to worship with, it just says that we are to offer a ‘joyful noise’
b. Joke: Now most of what is passed off as music today is just noise, but that’s another sermon!
c. To argue that southern gospel, contemporary or hymn style music is wrong is a ‘doubtful thing’ or an ‘opinion’
d. I just remind you all that at one time even ‘Amazing Grace’ was a contemporary song!
14:2 “For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.”
1. Keyword: Weak
a. These brothers who are considered ‘weak’ in faith because they have refused to let go of religious ceremonies, not because they are vegetarians
i. Remember Daniel (the one in the Lion’s den) was a vegetarian
ii. Daniel 1:12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.”
b. The weak Jewish convert still felt compelled to comply with the dietary laws of the Old Covenant
c. The weak gentile convert still felt that eating meat would taint him with sin because this was taught by many pagan religions
2. The One who eats all things recognizes his liberty in Christ and in such displays a greater faith
a. History lesson: Pagan worshippers would offer animals to idols and, because they could not eat the meat, would sell it cheap in the market
b. The Christian believers, who were strong in faith and recognized their liberty to eat what they wanted, would buy the inexpensive meat for their homes
c. A former pagan would never do this because of his previous teachings
II. RESPECT OTHER OPINIONS
14:3 “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.”
1. Keyword: Despise
a. This means to “take no account of”
b. This means that simply because you may be of a stronger faith than another does not give s you the right to not take their opinions into account
c. We are to respect even the ‘babe’ in Christ
2. Keyword: Judge
a. To separate from or pronounce judgment on wrong doing
b. This is the command to the weaker believer that his opinion of traditions should not cause him to pronounce judgment on someone who does not share his opinions
14:4 “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.”
1. God is the ultimate judge, who will not judge according to opinions but on His Word
a. Quote: C.I. Scoffield said, “The church has no authority to decide questions of liberty in things not expressly forbidden in Scripture”
b. The Word of God is our ‘end-all for discernment
2. The Latin phrase ‘sola-scriptura’ (scripture only) should be the model for the church
a. Many of you have heard me say this, and I try to live by it: I try not to have any opinions that we cannot back up in God’s Word
b. Too many people allow their own traditions and opinions to usurp God’s Word
14:5 “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.”
1. Keyword: Persuaded
a. This is the same word where we receive the word conviction
b. Conviction is the Holy Spirit bearing witness with our conscience to encourage us to do good and shun evil
2. Example: “Sunday Church”
a. I feel conviction that Sunday should be the day I gather with the Lord’s people
b. Others say that Saturday should be the Lord’s day
c. Scripture says let us both be convicted in our own mind
14:6-9 “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”
1. Whether we eat meat or not, go to church on Sunday or Saturday or express any other of our liberties in Christ, when we do it for God we are showing our allegiance to Him
a. The focus of the Christian life should never be oneself
b. Everything we do should be to please the Lord and when it is, He is able to receive it
III. REMEMBER OUR ACCOUNTIBILITY
14:10-12 “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.”
1. Keyword: Your brother
a. This phrase always refers to other believers, or the brethren
2. All Christians, both weak and strong, will give an account of there works before Christ
a. Those who were weak in faith perform works of ‘wood, hay and stubble’
b. This who are strong do works of gold, silver and precious jewels (I Corinthians 3:11-15)
c. Christ will give the result of these works at His ‘Bema’ or judgment seat
3. Note: None of the good works we do, even gold works, will determine salvation as it is granted only by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)
a. So because all who are in Christ share a ‘common salvation’ we are not to judge those whose faith is weaker, but remember that only for ourselves must we give account
14:13 “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.”
1. Keyword: Therefore
a. Remember from last week, we need to see what this is ‘there for’
b. This basically says, “In light of all I have said prior, let us not judge one another anymore…”
2. The word judge is used twice in this passage
a. It is also the same Greek word ‘krino’
b. But much like our language, one word in Greek can carry a double meaning, as does this word
3. (a) Let us not ‘judge’
a. This refers to ‘separating from’ or being of a ‘negative attitude’
b. Another translation may be, “Let us not be negative toward each other…”
4. (b) But ‘judge’ rather
a. This context means to ‘resolve’ or ‘determine’
b. Another translation may be, “…but instead let’s determine”
5. ‘Determine what?’
a. To not be a stumbling block for someone else
i. Remember: This passage is directed at those who are of strong faith (v.1 receive one who is weak)
ii. So the responsibility of not becoming a stumbling block falls on the more mature believer first
b. This is not saying that the weaker in faith has no responsibility to not judge (14:4), but that the stronger in faith has more knowledge and so has more responsibility in the body
14:14 “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.”
1. Keyword: “Nothing unclean of itself”
a. Christ gives us liberty from the dietary laws for purity in the Old Covenant because His action on the cross makes us pure by His blood
b. Through Him we were made clean
c. We no longer have need to use outward works for purifying
2. Keyword: “but to him that considers”
a. This person may not be correct when he says something is unclean
b. But because he considers it wrong it becomes wrong to him
3. If he continues in that which he feels is wrong he will experience guilt because hye is violating his conscience
a. Example: Secular music
b. Now some music is, of course, against God’s Word because it either denies Him or tramples His values
c. But there is some vary good secular music that does not violate God’s Word
d. Some people still however feel conviction to not listen to any secular music, and they shouldn’t if it violates their conscience
e. I don’t feel that conviction so I, in liberty, can listen to other music than just Gospel
4. The simple rule is, “If it doesn’t violate God’s Word, we are to then obey our conscience”
14:15 “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.”
1. This verse gets more personal about our actions toward one another
a. ‘You are no longer walking in love’ when you deny someone’s convictions by intruding on them with that which you know offends them
2. Keyword: “Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died”
a. Some of us so powerfully desire to be right that we forget what our words and actions can do to a weaker brother
b. This verse is again speaking of those who eat only vegetables – when you are with that person, you too should eat only vegetables because it is more important not to offend than it is to prove your liberty
c. Application: If I do listen to secular music on occasion and I know that you are convicted about it, I have the responsibility to honor your convictions when you are with me
d. Even if I do not feel it is improper to listen to, because you do I must deny myself
14:16-17 “Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
1. Keyword: ‘Your good’
a. This refers to your strong faith in your liberty as a Christian
b. This liberty can become evil to a weaker brother who may not be as mature as you and experienced the same liberty
2. Keyword: ‘Kingdom is not’
a. God’s kingdom is not concerned with our ‘opinions’ or our ‘doubtful things’
b. God’s kingdom is about righteousness, peace and joy
14:18 “For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”
1. Keyword: ‘These things’
a. This again refers to the previous ‘righteousness, peace and joy’
b. These are the marks of a true believer
c. Not whether he shares your opinions on country music or not
2. Keyword ‘Approved by men’
a. This phrase would be the same as a jeweler would use to affirm the quality of a diamond
b. He approves the piece based on its quality
3. When we live in righteousness, peace and joy, regardless of our opinions concerning liberties, be should be acceptable to one another
CONCLUSION: Ultimately we are not to judge each other because Christ will judge all
In times of obvious sin (Sexual immorality, homosexuality, adultery, hatred) we are to reprove one another in love
At these times it is God’s Word that brings judgment, not our opinions
And even then we must remember to never beat people in the head with God’s Word as if it were a club, but simply open it to them and “reprove…with patience” (II Timothy 4:2) and allow the double edged sword to cut deep into their heart
Remember: A mature believer should not sit in judgment on the sincere, but underdeveloped opinions that govern a weak believer’s conduct
Just remember “in all things, love”
(Let us pray)
