True love would make us tender of their peace and purity, and beget a regard to their consciences as well as to our own. Paul reminds the Roman Christians that No man is an island.. Not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brothers way: We might stumble or cause our brother to fall in two ways. Romans xiii. Of guilt to our brother. There are things God may challenge us to give up, but we go on approving them in our life thus we condemn ourselves. The advantages of it. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. But why do you judge your brother? The business of our lives is not to please ourselves, but to please God. Thus the apostle takes part with the weakest, and condemns the defect in love on the one side more than the defect in knowledge on the other side; agreeably to his principles elsewhere, that the way of love is the more excellent way, 1 Cor 12 31. Luke-Acts GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point God is well pleased with such a one, though he be not in every thing just of our length. Some make it a reason why, in case of offence likely to be taken, we should refrain the use of our Christian liberty; but it seems directed in general against that heat about those things which he observed on both sides. You are no longer walking in love: The issue now is not my personal liberty; it is walking in love towards one whom Jesus loves and died for. You think that he who eateth will fall by his presumption, or that he who eateth not will sink under the weight of his own fears and scruples; but if they have true faith, and an eye to God, the one in the intelligent use of his Christian liberty and the other in the conscientious forbearance of it, they shall be held upthe one in his integrity, and the other in his comfort. Whereas they should have pitied them, and helped them, and afforded them meek and friendly instruction, they trampled upon them as silly, and humoursome, and superstitious, for scrupling those things which they knew to be lawful: so apt are those who have knowledge to be puffed up with it, and to look disdainfully and scornfully upon their brethren. Real happiness is found being closer and closer to Jesus, and by not being condemned by what we approve. The apostle seems willing to let the ceremonial law wither by degrees, and to let it have an honourable burial; now these weak Romans seem to be only following it weeping to its grave, but those Galatians were raking it out of its ashes. (1-2) Receiving the weaker brother. Shall we despise those whom Christ valued at so high a rate? He did not seek to be among his disciples as a king is in the midst of his troops, guarded and protected in the time of strife; but he exposed himself to the fiercest part of all the conflict. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. See 1 Cor 1 10; Phil 3 15, 16. (1.) (2.) The Old Testament Prophets We find Jews at Rome believing, Acts 28 24. Paul reminds us that it isnt our place to pass judgment on any fellow Christian. You have enough to answer for before Jesus., ii. Receive the one who is weak in the faith: These are words to take seriously. Particularly, he gives rules how to manage our different apprehensions about indifferent things, in the management of which, it seems, there was something amiss among the Roman Christians, to whom he wrote, which he here labours to redress. Poetical Books But the reproof is here given to the stronger and more knowing Christian: Now walkest thou not charitably. i. Romans 14:1-4. For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. There it is, I have sworn by myself; here it is, As I live. First, Drawing a soul to sin threatens the destruction of that soul. Nor will it be asked, "Who was conformist and who was non-conformist?" The meaning is sufficiently plain. In either case, the attitude is wrong because we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Nothing more destructive to true Christianity than placing it in modes, and forms, and circumstantials, which eat out the essentials. Secondly, Confessing to himacknowledging his glory, grace, and greatnessacknowledging our own meanness and vileness, confessing our sins to him; so some understand it. It is goodpleasing to God, profitable to our brother, and no harm to ourselves. Weak and strong Christians are indeed our brethren, but they are not our servants. "Hast thou clearness in such a particular? There is a lot of useless, harmful division among Christians over silly, bigoted things. [1.] i. 6. Romans 14 - God Likes it When We Think About Others A. Don't judge each other in doubtful things. 14. Probably from Corinth, about A. D. 58. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select an Ending Point As to ourselves, it is joy in the Holy Ghostthat spiritual joy which is wrought by the blessed Spirit in the hearts of believers, which respects God as their reconciled Father and heaven as their expected home. Please see Blue Letter Bible's Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. Paul isnt telling these Christians to erase their differences; he tells them to rise above them as Christian brothers and sisters. Prophets Whatever they are, and whatever they do, they must give account to their own master, and not to us; if we can in any thing be helpers of their joy, it is well; but we have not dominion over their faith. a. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Several kinds of meat were forbidden to the Jews, that in that, as in other things, they might be a peculiar and separate people, Lev 11 44; Deut 14 2, 3. b. 22 Hast thou faith? For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself: We must understand that from beginning to end our life is connected to other lives. Christianity gives no rule in that case, either in one way or another. God help us to carry it out. When you were under the law, sin did get dominion over you; that law which was ordained to life, worked towards death. We have learned to deny ourselves; this was our first lesson: None of us liveth to himself. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The doctrines of the book are considered and discussed under four main propositions: (1) All men are guilty before God (Jews and Gentiles alike). Every knee and every tongue, either freely or by force. Because both the one and the other must shortly give an account, v. 10-12. This, which had been bred in the bone with them, could hardly be got out of the flesh, even after they turned Christians; especially with some of them, who were not easily weaned from what they had long been wedded to. So that now there is nothing unclean of itself, every creature of God is good; nothing common: so the margin, ouden koinon; nothing which is common to others to eat, from the use of which the professors of religion are restrained: nothing profane; in this sense the Jews used the word common. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: He is as much the Son of God as he was the Son of man. Or why do you show contempt for your brother? General Epistles b. Next to our compliance with God, the life of religion consists in our complacency in him; to delight ourselves always in the Lord. End every tongue shall confess to God.. Major Prophets Presented here is a verse by verse exposition of the New . We live to glorify him in all the actions and affairs of life; we die, whether a natural or a violent death, to glorify him, and to go to be glorified with him. They may be malnourished (by lack of good teaching). CHILDREN are expected to bear some likeness to their parent. Thirdly, It is in these things to serve Christ (v. 18), to do all this out of respect to Christ himself as our Master, to his will as our rule and to his glory as our end. or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? It is grounded upon Christ's absolute sovereignty and dominion, which were the fruit and end of his death and resurrection. 14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Romans 15 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. Receive him, proslambavesthetake him to you, bid him welcome, receive him with the greatest affection and tenderness; porrigite manum (so the Syriac): lend him your hand, to help him, to fetch him to you, to encourage him. Those who know most in this imperfect state, feel their own weakness most. [2.] If he be a good Christian, he does not, he dares not, do it from such a principle; and therefore we charitably conclude that to the Lord he does not regard it. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. The persons and things which are acceptable to God should be approved of us. It is seldom that any such contention exists but there is a fault on both sides, and both must mend. Because God hath received them; and we reflect upon him if we reject those whom he hath received. I have broken away from its thralldom; the new law, the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, the law of grace has set me free from the domination of the law of sin and death. So that whenever God saith As I live, it is to be interpreted as swearing by himself; for it is God's prerogative to have life in himself: there is a further ratification of it there, The word is gone out of my mouth. See to what degrees of mortification and self-denial a tender conscience will submit. The works of peace and comfort are destroyed by such an offence given; take heed of it therefore; do not undo that which God hath done. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. In doubtful things, it is good keeping on the sure side of the hedge. First, Bowing to himthe understanding bowed to his truths, the will to his laws, the whole man to his authority; and this expressed by the bowing of the knee, the posture of adoration and prayer. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. How Can We All Use Our Creative Talents to Glorify God? Site by Mere. General Epistles Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. he makes no such difference of days only because he knows God hath made none; and therefore intends his honour in endeavouring to dedicate ever day to him. i. Trapp on I know and am convinced: Many, on the contrary, are persuaded before they know; and such will not be persuaded to know.. The Gospels If a thing be indifferent, so that it is not in itself a sin not to do it, if we really think it a sin to do it it is to us a sin, though not to others, because we act against our consciences, though mistaken and misinformed. This was that name above every name which God gave him as the reward of his humiliation, Phil 2 8, 9. Sin is the transgression of the law. The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. First, The work of grace and peace is the work of God; it is wrought by him, it is wrought for him; it is a good work of his beginning, Phil 1 6. We shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, 2 Cor 5 10. Secondly, But to the Lord (v. 8), to the Lord Christ, to whom all power and judgment are committed, and in whose name we are taught, as Christians, to do every thing we do (Col 3 17), with an eye to the will of Christ as our rule, to the glory of Christ as our end, Phil 1 21. Now in this chapter we are furnished with the sovereign balm of Gilead; the blessed apostle prescribes like a wise physician. Qui credit, vescatur quibusvis: qui autem infirmus est, olera edit. Yet most people today have never heard of John Gill. Undoubtedly these weak ones did not see themselves as weaker. Observe here. These words are not spoken to those who are dead in sin, but , Concern for Other Men's Souls When we admonish or rebuke, we do it over clear Scriptural principles, not over doubtful things. If we are troubled by something, it likely isnt of faith and likely is sin for us. This is a wonderful check on our tendency to justify ourselves in the things we permit. Each of us must ask: God what is there in my life hindering a closer walk with You? Romans 4:3. This is a will to do evil; for, if it appears to us to be sin, there is the same pravity and corruption of the will in the doing of it as if really it were a sin; and therefore we ought not to do it. (Romans 14:19-21) Use your liberty to build each other up, not to tear each other down. Because the stress of Christianity is not to be laid upon these things, nor are they at all essential to religion, either on the one side or on the other. Every knee shall bow: The quotation from Isaiah 45:23 emphasizes the fact that all will have to appear before God in humility, and give account of himself before God. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. The apostle having, in the former chapter, directed our conduct one towards another in civil things, and prescribed the sacred laws of justice, peaceableness, and order, to be observed by us as members of the commonwealth, comes in this and part of the following chapter in like manner to direct our demeanour one towards another in sacred things, which pertain more immediately to conscience and religion, and which we observe as members of the church. Pentateuch Whedon's Commentary Clarke's Commentary Verse Romans 14:23. Johannine Writings Do you have faith? By these wounds the life and soul of religion expire. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? Individual instructors or editors may still require the use of URLs. I. They may lack exercise (needing exhortation). Secondly, The consideration of the love of Christ in dying for souls should make us very tender of the happiness and salvation of souls, and careful not to do any thing which may obstruct and hinder them. The Old Testament 11 14. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Given to hospitality. It would also be easy for those who did not eat meat to judge those who did. We have an account of our own to make up, and that is enough for us; let every man prove his own work (Gal 6 4), state his own accounts, search his own heart and life; let this take up his thoughts, and he that is strict in judging himself and abasing himself will not be apt to judge and despise his brother. Eum vero qui fide est imbecilla, suscipite, non ad disceptationes quaestionum. The gospel is your good; the liberties and franchises, the privileges and immunities, granted by it, are your good; your knowledge and strength of grace to discern and use your liberty in things disputed are your good, a good which the weak brother hath not. No thanks to thee if they be not destroyed; by doing that which has a tendency to it, thou dost manifest a great opposition to Christ. And, Secondly, We have the more to do to judge ourselves. Pauline Epistles Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Every creature of God is good, 1 Tim 4 4. Whatever we do in religion, it will not turn to any good account, except we do it from a principle of faith, with a believing regard to the will of Christ as our rule, to the glory of Christ as our end, and to the righteousness of Christ as our plea. He is not clear that it is lawful for him to eat swine's flesh (suppose), and yet is drawn, notwithstanding his doubts, to eat it, because he sees others do it, because he would gratify his appetite with it, or because he would not be reproached for his singularity. Romans 10:10-14. Now walkest thou not charitably. We reckon it a piece of ill manners to meddle with other people's servants, and to find fault with them and censure them. 2018 David Guzik No distribution beyond personal use without permission, The Whole Bible Thus, while both have an eye to God in what they do, and approve themselves to him in their integrity, why should either of them be judged or despised? For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Righteousness, peace, and joy, are very comprehensive words; and each of them includes much, both of the foundation and the superstructure of religion. He that duly observeth these things, First, Is acceptable to God. Even the Pope, when he takes to cursing, as at least the former one used to do very liberally, seems as if he could hardly be the vicar of God on earth. Me apollye. If this is the case, we should let God deal with our brother. But have your strong faith before God, not before a brother who will stumble. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. (wpe), The Leading of the Spirit, the Secret Token of the Sons of God. Wisdom Literature 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. It was not only from the revelation made to Peter in this matter, but from the tenour and tendency of the whole gospel, and from the manifest design of Christ's death in general, that Paul learned to count nothing common or unclean. It is seldom that any such contention exists but there is a fault on both sides, and both must mend. 14. At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. 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