ROMANS CHAPTER 14

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OBSERVATION STAGE

The purpose of the observation stage is to maintain focus on the text at hand within the normative rules of language, context and logic which limits the observer to the content offered by the book of Romans. This will serve to avoid going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere; and more importantly, it will provide the framework for a proper and objective comparison with passages located elsewhere in Scripture.

Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.

Romans chapter 14 continues to provide particulars which fulfill the commands to believers in Romans 12:1-2 and 13:8-10:

*** EXCERPTS FROM CHAPTERS 12 & 13 ***

Or skip to verse 14:1

IN VIEW OF GOD'S MERCY BESTOWED UPON THEM, PAUL AUTHORITATIVELY EXHORTS GENTILES WHO ARE FELLOW BELIEVERS, TO OFFER THEIR BODIES - THEIR THOUGHTS, WORDS & DEEDS - AS A LIVING / DAILY SACRIFICE, HOLY AND PLEASING TO GOD AS THEIR SPIRITUAL ACT OF WORSHIP

BELIEVERS ARE TO OWE NO ONE ANYTHING EXCEPT TO EXPRESS AGAPE / GODLY LOVE TOWARD ONE ANOTHER. A LIFESTYLE CHARACTERIZED BY AGAPE LOVE TOWARD OTHERS QUALIFIES AS FULFILLING THE RIGHTEOUS STANDARD OF LAW, I.E., RULES GOVERNING HUMAN CONDUCT - SPECIFICALLY THE MOSAIC LAW. THE HOUR FOR BELIEVERS TO AWAKEN FROM THEIR INACTIVE FAITH IS NOW, FOR THE COMPLETION OF THEIR SALVATION IS NEARER THAN WHEN THEY FIRST BELIEVED. THEY ARE TO LAY ASIDE THE DEEDS OF DARKNESS, (SIN), AND PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT, I.E., CLOTHE THEMSELVES WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST - HIS STANDARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND NOT THINK ABOUT HOW TO GRATIFY THE DESIRES OF THE SINFUL NATURE

*** END OF EXCERPTS FROM CHAPTERS 12 & 13 ***

I) [Ro 14:1-4]:

A) BELIEVERS ARE TO ACCEPT WEAKER BELIEVERS INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM BUT NOT TO JUDGE / DISPUTE WITH THEM OVER PRACTICES WHICH ARE (1) NOT CRITICAL TO ETERNAL LIFE AND (2) NOT CLEARLY PROHIBITED OUTRIGHT OR NOT EVEN SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED IN SCRIPTURE - MATTERS OF PERSONAL OPINION

1) Compare Ro 13:13 NKJV

B) BELIEVERS ARE TO ACCEPT WEAKER BELIEVERS INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH THEM BUT NOT TO JUDGE / DISPUTE WITH THEM OVER PRACTICES WHICH ARE (1) NOT CRITICAL TO ETERNAL LIFE AND (2) NOT CLEARLY PROHIBITED OUTRIGHT OR NOT EVEN SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED IN SCRIPTURE - MATTERS OF PERSONAL OPINION SUCH AS WHAT FOODS TO EAT. PAUL SAYS, 'WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE THE SERVANT OF ANOTHER? TO HIS OWN MASTER HE STANDS OR FALLS, AND HE WILL STAND, FOR THE LORD IS ABLE TO MAKE HIM STAND,' VIA THE GRACE OF GOD BECAUSE OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD'S SON BEING CREDITED TO ALL BELIEVERS

II) [Ro 14:5-8]:

A) ON MATTERS THAT ARE (1) NOT CRITICAL TO ETERNAL LIFE AND (2) NOT CLEARLY PROHIBITED OUTRIGHT OR NOT EVEN SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED IN SCRIPTURE - MATTERS OF PERSONAL OPINION, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT TO EAT AND THE OBSERVANCE OF SPECIFIC DAYS WITH A VIEW TO SERVING THE LORD; A BELIEVER IS FREE TO MAKE UP HIS OWN MIND - WITHOUT INTRUSION, DISPUTE OR CONDEMNATION FROM OTHERS. FOR NO ONE LIVES OR DIES UNTO HIMSELF, BELIEVERS ALL BELONG TO THE LORD IN DEATH AS IN LIFE

III) [Ro 14:9-13]:

A) THE REASON THAT ALL BELIEVERS BELONG TO THE LORD IN LIFE AND IN LIFE AFTER DEATH IS THAT "CHRIST DIED AND LIVED AGAIN" VIA HIS ATONING SACRIFICE FOR THEIR SINS AND HIS RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD. SO WITH BELIEVERS SHOWING CONTEMPT TOWARD ONE ANOTHER OVER PERSONAL MATTERS IN MIND, PAUL WARNS THEM OF THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF GOD THAT BELIEVERS WILL FACE TO JUDGE THE MERITS OF THEIR LIVES BEFORE THE LORD RELATIVE TO TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL REWARDS / DISCIPLINE. PAUL HAS REPEATEDLY STIPULATED THAT BELIEVERS ARE NOT TO JUDGE / SHOW CONTEMPT TOWARD ONE ANOTHER OVER PERSONAL MATTERS. THEY ARE INSTEAD TO MONITOR THEIR OWN LIVES RE: AGAPE LOVE TOWARD OTHERS SUCH THAT THEY DON'T CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE AND FALL INTO SIN

1) [Cp Ro 10:12 NKJV ()]:

2) [Compare Isa 45:17-23]:

IV) [Ro 14:14-18]:

A) BASED ON HIS KNOWLEDGE WHICH EVIDENTLY CAME BY THE PERSUASION OF THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF, PAUL PROVIDES AN EXAMPLE OF THE NEED TO RESPECT THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF FELLOW BELIEVERS. HE CONCLUDES THAT THERE IS 'NOTHING [TO EAT] THAT IS UNCLEAN IN AND OF ITSELF;' BUT IF A BELIEVER REGARDS A PARTICULAR FOOD AS UNCLEAN, HENCE PROHIBITS HIMSELF FROM EATING IT IN ORDER TO FAITHFULLY SERVE THE LORD, HE MUST NOT BE GRIEVED / DESTROYED BY ANOTHER BELIEVER DISPUTING OVER OR CONSUMING THAT FOOD OR DISPUTING ANY PERSONAL OPINION THAT IS (1) NOT CRITICAL TO ETERNAL LIFE AND (2) NOT CLEARLY PROHIBITED OUTRIGHT OR NOT EVEN SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED IN SCRIPTURE. THAT WOULD NOT BE DEMONSTRATING AGAPE / GODLY LOVE FOR THAT WEAKER BELIEVER FOR WHOM PAUL STIPULATES CHRIST DIED

B) IN CERTAIN CASES PARTICULAR ACTIONS WHICH ARE PERSONAL AND NON-CRITICAL TO ETERNAL LIFE WHICH ARE "GOOD," I.E., GODLY, IN AND OF THEMSELVES, BECOME "EVIL" WHEN THEY OFFEND A WEAK BELIEVER WHO MISTAKENLY THINKS THEY ARE UNGODLY AND CAUSE HIM TO STUMBLE AND FALL INTO SIN THROUGH DOUBT AND/OR MISDEEDS WHEN THEY ARE DISPUTED BY / OBSERVED IN OTHER BELIEVERS. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT DEFINED BY SUCH PERSONAL THINGS AS EATING AND DRINKING, I.E., TEMPORAL ACTIVITIES PER SE; BUT IT IS COMPRISED OF THOUGHTS, WORDS AND DEEDS WHICH REFLECT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY OF GOD "IN THE HOLY SPIRIT," I.E., AS DIRECTED IN THEM BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. CONSIDER THE BELIEVER WHOSE ACTIONS ARE FOCUSED ON SERVING THE LORD IN SUCH A GODLY MANNER SUCH THAT THE WELFARE OF OTHERS IS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT: HIS ACTIONS ARE STIPULATED AS 'ACCEPTABLE TO GOD,' I.E., RIGHTEOUS AND 'APPROVED BY MEN'

1) [Compare Ro 14:20 NIV]:

V) [Ro 14:19-23]:

A) BELIEVERS IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH FELLOW BELIEVERS ARE TO PURSUE: (1) PEACE, NOT CONFLICT (2) BUILDING UP, NOT TEARING DOWN (3) SUPPORTING THE WORK OF GOD IN EVERY BELIEVER, NOT DESTROYING IT FOR THE SAKE OF FOOD OR ANY PERSONAL MATTER. SO IT IS WRONG TO EAT ANYTHING - OR DO ANYTHING - IN MATTERS OF PERSONAL OPINION - WHICH OFFENDS ANOTHER BECAUSE IT MIGHT CAUSE HIM TO STUMBLE AND FALL INTO SIN THROUGH DOUBT AND/OR MISDEED OR CAUSE HIM TO BECOME A WEAKER BELIEVER

B) PAUL ASKS A RHETORICAL QUESTION TO BE ANSWERED YES: 'DO BELIEVERS HAVE BELIEFS ON PERSONAL MATTERS OF OPINION RE: HOW TO LIVE THEIR LIVES BEFORE THE LORD?' THIS IS FOLLOWED BY PAUL'S ANSWER / COMMAND FOR BELIEVERS TO BE FAITHFUL TO THEIR BELIEFS ON PERSONAL MATTERS OF OPINION BEFORE THE LORD AND TO KEEP THEM PRIVATE SO AS NOT TO CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE. FOR BLESSED IS THE BELIEVER WHO DOES NOT CONDEMN HIMSELF BY DOUBTING HIS BELIEFS THAT MOTIVATE HIS ACTIONS BEFORE THE LORD. HE WHO DOUBTS BRINGS GOD'S TEMPORAL CONDEMNATION UPON HIMSELF BECAUSE HE IS IN EFFECT DOUBTING THE SOVEREIGNTY AND CHARACTER OF GOD UPON WHOM THE BELIEVER'S BELIEFS ARE TO BE CENTEREd

1) [Cf Ro 14:5-8]:

ROMANS CHAPTER 15