The Kingdom Of God: "The Kingdom Way Of Life”

The Kingdom of God

“The Kingdom Way of Life”

Romans 14:17

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Throughout our series on the Kingdom of God, we’ve been considering that the Kingdom of God and its message differs from everything humanity has ever known, and because of this there has been a misunderstandings that accompany its teachings.

Today, as we end our series, I’d like to look at what Kingdom Living looks like, and in doing so, look at how easy it is for people to confuse the Kingdom of God with religion and being religious.

“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. 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. 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. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” (Romans 14:14-19 NKJV)

The Apostle Paul is instructing those who are strong in their faith not to go about judging or running roughshod over those who are weak or new to the faith of Jesus Christ. And even though they may be correct in their doctrinal position, this is no excuse to judge, stumble, or cause distress for those who are still trying to figure it out.

The overall premise is that those weak in the faith matter to God, and we see this throughout this chapter

· First, they matter to God because He has accepted them.

“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.” (Romans 14:3 NKJV)

· Next, it’s because Jesus died and rose to be everyone’s Lord.

“For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:9 NKJV)

· Third is because we are all in God’s family and are brothers and sisters in the Lord.

“But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother?” (Romans 14:10a NKJV)

· And, if the first three weren’t enough, all of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Romans 14:10b NKJV)

Paul confirmed this doctrine, saying that no food is unclean. He said, “I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself.” (Romans 14:14a NKJV)

We see this same truth brought out through Jesus’s controversy with the Pharisees. He said, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him.” (Mark 7:14-15 NKJV)

And then Jesus goes on to say, that what defiles someone comes out of their heart (Mark 7:20-23).

We see this when in a vision where the Lord told Peter not to call unclean what He has cleansed. “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” (Acts 10:15)

And so, Paul is telling believers not to use their liberty or freedom to eat or drink whatever they want at the expense of those who are still struggling over these issues. And the same can be said in reverse, and that is, not to judge those who eat or drink what the law forbids.

As I end this point, there is an interesting Proverb that speaks directly to it.

“Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.” (Proverbs 26:27)

What this is saying is that we need to be careful and how we judge others, because with the same judgment, we’ll be judged. Therefore, let’s judge with the righteous judgment, and always remember, to take the beam out of our own eyes, before we start taking the speck of dust out of someone else’s.

For our time today, I’d like to focus on verse 17, which is our signature verse, and then the misunderstanding that Paul must clear up about the Kingdom of God. And he does so by first telling us what Kingdom living isn’t about, then then what it is about.

“The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17 NKJV)

You might say the difference between the Kingdom of God and religion is the practice of religion, and a person can be very religious and still not be a citizen of the Kingdom of God.