Romans 14 :1-12 – Diversity Or Division – Love Is The Key
Intro: We have been winding down our study in the
book of Romans - looking at the final Chapters - Practical Christian living
A) CH. 12 - Functioning w/ in
the body - Ch. 13 Functioning in
Society / last wed. Ch. 14 -15a Functioning in controversy
B) Now on Sunday we began to
look at that section there in Ch. 12 where Paul is talking about the Church as
a body - in which Unity
1) One body in Christ - Christ
is the Head !
Bb) And there is no doubt the importance which God’s
word places on the unity of His People.
Psa. 133 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For
brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head,
Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his
garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending
upon the mountains of Zion; For there
the LORD commanded the blessing; Life forevermore.
B) And in John Ch. 17 when Jesus was praying for His
disciples & then He added us into when He said in v. 20 20 "I do not pray for
these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21 "that they all may be one, as You,
Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the
world may believe that You sent Me.
C) So Unity is there -
connected under - Christ - and that unity is maintained when we keep our eyes
on Christ !
D) But there
is also diversity - Many members & the members don’t all have the same
function & gifts
1) And within this diversity
there is going to be a diversity of perspective over certain things
E) When we all come together it
is foolish to believe that we are somehow going to agree on everything
1) And the early Church despite
it’s great unity - had trouble w/ it’s diversity
F) Subsequently - they began to
engage in that favorite Christian indoor sport Of judging one another & seeking to Change each other
That is the
situation that Paul is dealing w/ here in Rom. 14 - 15a
A) The Controversy in the
Church at Rome had to do w/ 2 main things the eating of meat & the keeping
of days
B) See the Church that God had
assembled in Rome consisted of 2 very different groups of people
C) On the one hand were the
Gentiles who had been saved out of their gross paganism / idolatry &
immorality .
1) And on the other hand were
the Jews who had been saved out of their rules & ritualism
D) The Controversy centered
around the fact that many of the Jewish believers - because of their dietary
laws - had chosen to become vegetarians
E) While the gentiles believers
who were not reared w/ those customs & laws - thought it was silly not to
eat meat.
1) In fact in those days there
were these outdoor markets ( Shambles)
where they would sell choice meat - that had been offered to idols
F) You could get the best cut
of meat - at an awesome price ! That
was another controversy that Paul wrote to address in 1 Cor. 8-10
1) Is it ok to
eat meat - offered to idols ? Some said if you did you were participating in the
idolatry
G) That is not what Paul is
dealing w/ here - but no doubt the same practice was conducted - shambles -
1) in both sections Paul shares
some similar insights & points dealing w/ Christian liberty .
H) But the main issue in Rome
was should we eat meat period !
So Paul begins v.1
14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but
not to disputes over doubtful things.
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.
A) Paul begins by saying don’t
get hung up over doubtful things . We
still do this type of thing today. Disputes over gray areas /
1) Things which are not clear
in the word -
B) A Christian from the south -
Bible belt area - might be appalled by the fact that some was holding a
swimming party where men & women attendance
1) Or at the sight of a
Christian woman wearing pants - especially to Church.
C) They in turn would shock -
believers from other parts of the country by lighting up a cigarette.
D) Conflicts over going to the
movies - watching videos / wearing makeup / Christians in America - look down
on drinking Alcohol
1) Because it is associated w/
a partying worldly - rebellious lifestyle
yet in
certain parts of Europe - pubs after Church - lunch & beer
E) Card Playing - because of
it’s association w/ gambling - some church groups strongly forbid it .
1) My wife & I love to play
cards / in Oregon - families who had come
The point is
there are always going to be controversies over doubtful things - The question
is how do we deal w/ them rightly?
A) Paul says the answer is in
having a genuine acceptance of one another
Receive one who is weak in the faith.
B) This is something I find really interesting that Paul makes this
distinction between those who are weak & those who are strong.
1) Which category would you
fall into ?
C) This might be surprising but
Paul labels those who are more rigid - more strict - those who said could only
eat Veggie’s as the weak brothers
1) 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but
he who is weak eats only vegetables.
D) Paul is saying that the
person who doesn’t know or understand and enjoy their liberty is really the
weaker brother
E) Paul makes the same
distinction in 1 Cor. 8 describing those who had a problem eating that meat
which had been sacrificed to an idol as weak
7 However, there is not in everyone that
knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a
thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither
if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of
yours become a stumbling block to those who
are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge
eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?
F) I think our tendency is to
look at those who make such a fuss over these seemingly gray areas bound up in
cannots as being - “ Super spiritual “
1) Paul says they are weak .
TURN BACK TO
ROMANS
Now here is
what is really interesting - Paul does not even discuss the rights or the
wrongs of eating meat or not eating meat.
A) He doesn’t seek to try &
argue the issue concerning how healthy eating only veggies would be - nor does
he defend meat eating.
B) He leaves it as an open
question - it has nothing to do w/ salvation or sanctification
C) What Paul does address
however is the attitudes that both groups would have toward the other.
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.
D) The strong brother is not to
despise the weak one as being superstitious & narrow minded
1) Nor is the weak brother to
adopt a bad attitude toward the stronger brother - by labeling him as carnal
& worldly
E) Paul says to both understand
that God has received that person.
In other words
- what your brother does or doesn’t do really isn’t your problem . V. 4 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.
A) What Paul is essentially
saying here is it is not your responsibility to change your brother - for he is
not your problem
1) He is not your servant - but
he belongs to God
B) Who knows that brothers
heart way better - than you do - and loves that brother - way more than you
ever will.
1) And the Father is committed
to the work that he has begun in that brother or sisters life .
C) And what you might see as a
problem - presently is not a problem w/ the father because he is working on
other areas of that persons life.
Pastor Ed Rey
was sharing at our family camp yesterday - he told this story about when Alan
Redpath -came to speak at the Redlands
A) During his message he made a
statement that - just rocked Ed’s whole world - turned his Christianity upside
down
B) Redpath - who had been
walking w/ the Lord - for 50 yrs said I
am no better a man today - than I was 50 yrs ago when I was first saved.
C) The saying - bugged Ed -
because - he looked at his own life & could pinpoint - a lot of changes
that had taken place in the 12 yrs - been saved
1) He thought - How could
Redpath - who Ed looked at as a spiritual giant - say he was no better a man .
D) Three yrs later he had the
opportunity to ask him when Alan Redpath came back to the church in Redlands -
dinner
1) In that 3 yrs Redpath had
suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed from the neck down for a period of
time
E) Ed asked him at that dinner
what he meant by that statement - I am no better a man …..
1) Redpath explained by telling
this story
He said that during that time when He was paralyzed
that - he was extremely frustrated . One particular day - after wife Margaret
Changed his diaper fort he 3rd time that she told him she was going
to the store / back shortly
He said he laid there waiting as he heard the door
close - waiting as he heard the car drive down the street - and when he knew
she was definitely gone - he back to curse & swear & use profanities
that hadn’t in 5o yrs
Then he began to weep bitterly - said Lord where did
that come from -
The Lord quietly responded Alan that came from the
part of you that I haven’t killed yet.
Suddenly it made sense - that what the Lord is doing
w/ each one of us - is He is killing off the flesh - Justification is miracle
of a moment - Sanctification is the process of a lifetime
Process of killing off who I am and replacing me w/
himself - conforming me into the image of his own son. ( We are all in that process of
Change )
Makes sense what Jesus said that unless a grain of
wheat falls to the ground remains alone - dies - bears much fruit
To follow Jesus means I daily take up my cross -
other words I die daily
A) Now this can be so freeing
in dealing w/ my brothers & sisters when I see areas in them wear - they
need to grow & Change -
1) they are God’s servants and
He is committed to doing that work in them - when I see areas hung up - know
they haven’t died yet - there
B) But God is faithful to work
in His servants / in His kids !
1) I’m not going to be worried
about what your kids are doing - they are your kids - in the same way - fellow
Christians - God’s kids
C) So Paul says don’t judge
another’s - servant - because to their own master they will stand or fall
1) But then he adds those who
are God’s servants He will make him to stand .
D) I love that - The person I don’t understand - God makes to stand - The person I want to put down, God Himself will hold up !
E) Others might look at a
person & think they are not going to make it - but they fail to factor in
God’s grace - mercy & faithfulness which sees us through
So Paul’s
first point is to say - we need to genuinely accept each other despite our
differences in perspectives - gray areas
A) Realizing that the person whom I might disagree w/ is God’s servant -
they are His child - therefore His responsibility
B) And God will Change -them or
change me - if He sees it as something that is necessary - He will address it!
The next thing
Paul goes on to explain is something we so often forget is that individual
Christians can disagree on certain things yet still be perfectly right w/ God
! V.5-8
5 One person esteems one day above another;
another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it to the
Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.
He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not
eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 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.
A) This controversy wasn’t just
over diets it was over days. There were some who suggested that the proper day
to worship was on Sat. /
1) The traditional Sabbath .
B) Others said worship should
take place on the first day of the week - Resurrection. Day - Sunday / Still debated today - 7th day
Adventist - those who worship on Sunday are in danger of losing their
salvation.
Paul again doesn’t deal w/ the issue but
says - let every man be persuaded in His own mind !
A) The vast majority of issues
which cause division in the body of Christ are those which are not clearly
spelled out in the word . They are opinions
B) They are perspectives which
can be solid and excellent - but we always need to be mindful of our Brothers
& sisters w/ great Latitude
1) Need to allow them the space
& time to be persuaded in their own minds !
C) We need to give our brothers
& sisters room as it relates to their own convictions as long as it is
doesn’t conflict directly w/ the Word/
1) Realizing they can be
perfectly right w/ the Lord - even though they have a liberty that I don’t feel
like I have !
Two of the most famous Preachers during the Victorian
area in England were Charles Spurgeon
& Joseph Parker - early in their
ministries they fellowshipped &
even preached at each others pulpits
But then they had a disagreement - that really dealt
w/ some gray area’s. Spurgeon accused Parker of being unspiritual because he
attended the theater
Now what was interesting was that Spurgeon - who was
against - going to the Theater - smoked cigars / a practice many believers
would condemn
But Spurgeon argued that he did not smoke to excess
- but when someone asked him what he meant by excess - he responded - No more than two at one time
A) So this conflict brewed between these two that
ruined their fellowship & tainted their - ministries - as reports of the
Dispute got into the Newspapers
1) Who was right ? Perhaps
neither - perhaps both
B) I tell you this it would
have been far better if they had disagreed agreeably & remained in
fellowship -
1) Realizing that in their
hearts both were right w/ the Lord .
C) It is interesting though
that yrs later - Spurgeon - did abandon his cigar smoking because - he opened
the newspaper one day & saw an ad that one of the cigar stores had placed
in there
D) The add was for a particular
- cigar they sold in their shop - and the slogan read - THE CIGAR THAT SPURGEON SMOKES
E) Seeing that - Spurgeon
realized that his liberty - might cause another t stumble - so he abandoned it
altogether
1) Which is exactly the way
that Paul deals w/ the situation in 1 Cor. 8
Now remember
the controversy here is should we eat meat that has been offered to idols -
Should we or should we not .
A) Those who were weak in the faith - argued no way - if you do you are
participating in idolatry.
B) Those who were strong said
it really - didn’t matter because an idol is not a god anyway there is only one
God - idol just a piece of stone or wood
C) Paul says - Love is the Key V. 1 Now
concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge.
Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
Love is the
Key - You who have the knowledge to understand that an idol is nothing more
than a piece of wood can become prideful in that Knowledge.
A) Especially if you are seeking to force your liberty upon your weaker
brother or sister - by trying to get them to join you.
B) Knowledge puffs up - but
love Edifies or Love builds up - that is the key .
Skip down to v. 7 7 However, there is not in everyone that
knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a
thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
8 But food does not commend us to God; for
neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
Paul says not
everyone has that understanding - has that knowledge - some had perhaps seen
some pretty horrid things in pagan days
A) Thus they wanted no part of
that ! / Caeth ( Skate board
outreach) - reminded of worldly days - young in the Lord - be sensitive to
that.
B) SO Paul says
9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of
yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.
10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge
eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be
emboldened to eat those things offered to idols?
11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak
brother perish, for whom Christ died?
12 But when you thus sin against the brethren,
and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
C) When you insensitively
flaunt your liberty - in such a way that wounds someone else- you are really
hurting Christ - Heavy
1) Causing someone else to
stumble for whom Christ Died - Worst thing you can do - totally unloving –
unChrist-like
D) Who commissioned us to lay
down our lives for our friends ! To lay down our lives - for our Bros. &
Sisters
1) So
Paul concludes - Love is the Key -
13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble,
I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
IF MY LIBERTY CAUSES SOMEONE ELSE TO STUMBLE I WILL
FORFEIT MY LIBERTY - AT THEPRICE OF LOVE !!!!!!!! Back to Rom.
So first of
all we see that we need to have a genuine acceptance of our Brothers &
Sisters even though diversity in gray areas
A) And we need to realize that even though my brother of sister might
differ from me / might have a different conviction than I have
1) Their hearts are can still
be right w/ the Lord
B) Therefore I must exercise
love - and seek to not lay trips on them in areas where I don’t have liberty -
nor stumble them in areas where I do
C) The next thing that Paul
explains is that it the whole issue boils down to this Christ is the Judge
& we need to all be submitted to Him.
9 For to this end Christ died and rose and
lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 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.
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.
A) Every Christian will one day
stand before the Judgment seat of Christ - not to be Judged for sin but to be
given reward for what they have done .
1) For the Lord in obedience to
Him / and w/ the right motives & heart
( 1 Cor. 3:10-15 / 4:9 / 2 Cor. 5 )
B) Now until that day you don’t
know what is going on in the hearts of people
you don’t
know what the motives of others are .
C) Guys listen - guess who you
are going to be given an account of ? Yourself and that is all .
1) You don’t have to give an
account for that person - in front of you - or behind you
D) Every one of us is going to
give an account for himself - not for our sins but for what we did w/ what the
Lord gave us .
1) The Possessions the Lord
gave us materially - the finances He blessed us w/ .
E) The gifts & talents that
He gave - the ministry opportunities -that He opened the door for .
So the Lord is
the Judge ! - We will all give an account - so instead of being focused on what
my brother is doing or not doing - lets be about what the writer of Heb.
Encouraged
Stir up each
other to Love & good works !
Now some might ask - Does this mean - I can never
confront - another Christian- No if a brother is taken in sin - you who are
spiritually - go to Him
A) Focus is restoration.
B) If Clear black & white
issue - in other areas - love is the Key pray - realize God is working .
C) Examine yourself - first - splinter - when you
have a beam.