How We Treat Each Other Romans 14

     I have been studying Romans 14 over the last week or two and came up some main points that Paul states that I wanted to meditate on and share with you.  Some may seem basic, but that doesn’t mean that we should not consider how we are acting on them to achieve them. 
1.     1.   The gospel is not about what I wear, eat, drink or what day I celebrate.  Colossians 1:16 says, “Therefore do not let anyone be your judge by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.  These are a shadow of the things that are to come; the reality is found in Christ.”   Some believers at that time recognized some days as more important than others.  To Paul, he clearly didn’t think that this was important.  Rather, he says in Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”   The truth is, where people try to pursue the law and legalistic thought tends to kill joy and peace.  While those who walk in Spirit are the ones who truly enjoy the peace and joy of the Spirit.  Paul says in Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”  The kingdom of God is not just about what we do or don’t do, but whose we are. Also see Galatians 4:10-11

2.    2.    We are under one Judge-Christ and he does not need our help.  He is able to make us stand.  People judge by external characteristics.  They may think you’re holy or good based on external standards alone.  But, God doesn’t judge us that way.  He looks at things like motives and thoughts and what is going on in the heart.  Since I don’t know what is going on in the heart of another, I am not fit to judge others.  Not only that, but the believer is not my servant but God’s servant.  Paul says that he didn’t even judge himself.  The truth is, that God knows us better than we know ourselves. 

Paul says here in Romans 14:13 “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way” In Luke 17:1-2 Jesus said that it was inevitable that stumbling blocks would come up, but the one who creates the stumbling block would be better off if a milestone was tied around his neck and he was thrown into the sea.  Sounds like the Lord took stumbling blocks pretty seriously, I don’t want to be one.  I think to me this means that our actions and words should point others to Christ and not away from him or discourage others in their walk of faith. Also see 1 Cor 8:9; Romans 14:20; Romans 9:33

3.  3.     We are to act out of love and a desire for mutually building up others.  Romans 14:19.  The Bible makes it very clear that I should consider how my actions help build up or encourage others.  Paul goes into specifics in Romans 14 here about eating meat offered to idols.  We could replace this with a lot of other rules and regulations that are more likely issues of today such as working on Sunday, going to rated PG-13 movies or smoking or whatever.   Paul says that our motives for what we do should be out of love for others  (1 Corinthians 13) and not judge thinking about ourselves.  1 Corinthians 10:25-31 “do all for the glory of God.”


4.   4.    Paul says clearly that if your conscious bothers you when you do something then you shouldn’t do it.   A key verse is verse 23 “But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”  So, if my conscious is bothering me by watching a certain movie or being in a certain place then I need to excuse myself and leave the situation because I am not acting out of faith.

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