Romans 14 Judge - For The Glory of Jesus

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Judge

Paul is giving advice about our differences. We are all made in God’s image and must not judge other people for the way they worship.

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Romans 14 GNT NASB

1. “Paul was addressing those who were ‘strong in the faith,’ that is, those who understood their spiritual liberty in Christ and were not enslaved to diets or holy days.” (Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. [Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004], 558)

“One group of believers is not to sit in judgment upon another group of believers about questionable matters of Christian conduct. Some things are not expressly condemned in Scripture, but some believers separate themselves from these things. And if they want to do this, that’s their business. These things are not to separate believers.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV. [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 740)

2. One believes [NKJV]. “This refers to the strong believer, whose mature faith allow him to exercise his freedom in Christ by eating the inexpensive meat sold at the pagan meat markets—inexpensive because a worshiper had first offered it as a sacrifice to a pagan deity.” (MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. [Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005], 1551)

3. “Because God has received us, we must receive one another. We must not argue over these matters, nor must we judge or despise one another.” (Wiersbe, 558)

“The strong hold the weak in contempt as legalistic and self-righteous; the weak judge the strong to be irresponsible at best and perhaps depraved.” (MacArthur, 1551)

Days

5. “Let every man see to it that he is really doing what he does for the Lord’s sake, and not merely on the basis of some prejudice or whim.” (Wiersbe, 559)

“Each Christian must follow the dictates of his own conscience in matters not specifically commanded or prohibited in Scripture.” (MacArthur, 1551)

“What the other person does is a matter of that person’s conscience. Each believer must be convinced for himself whether or not to regard some days as more sacred that others.” (Mounce, Robert H, The New American Commentary, Volume 27, Romans. [Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995], 252)

6. “The important thing to note is that the day is to be ‘regarded’ or observed unto the Lord. It is the heart attitude that conditions Christian conduct.” (McGee, 742)

7. “The focus of Christian living is never oneself. Everything we do should be to please our sovereign Lord (1 Corinthians 6:20; 10:31).” (MacArthur, 1551)

8. Our first responsibility is to the Lord. If Christians would go to the Lord in prayer instead of going to their brother with criticism, there would be stronger fellowship in our churches.” (Wiersbe, 559)

9. “Christ died not only to free us from sin, but to enslave us to Himself (6:22); to establish Himself as Sovereign over the saints in His presence and those still on earth (cf. Philippians 2:11; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16).” (MacArthur, 1551)

Judge

10. “There is no room in the family of God for one group to pass judgement on another. (Matthew 7:1)” (Mounce, 254)

“Every believer will give an account of himself, and the Lord will judge the decision he made—including those concerning issues of conscience. That verdict is the only one that matters (MacArthur, 1552)

11. “Every knee will bow before God, and every tongue will acknowledge him as God.” (Mounce, 255) (Isaiah 45:23; Philippians 2:6-11)

12. “Paul explained that they did not have to give an account for anyone else but themselves.” (Wiersbe, 560)

Love

13. “It was time for the believers in Rome to stop criticizing one another. If they felt they must reach a decision about something, they were not to place a stumbling block or an occasion to sin the path of a weaker brother in Christ.” (Mounce, 255)

14. “No foods are unclean, no days are unclean, no people are unclean. What something does to a person determines its quality.” (Wiersbe, 569) Acts 10

15. “Is it really worth it to harm a brother just so I can enjoy some food? No!” (Wiersbe, 569)

“Love will ensure that the strong Christian is sensitive and understanding of his brother’s weakness (1 Corinthians 8:8-13).” (MacArthur, 1552)

Destroy [NKJV]. “This refers to complete devastation. In this context, however, it refers to a serious devastation of one’s spiritual growth (cf. Matthew 18:3, 6, 14).” (MacArthur, 1552)

16. “The believer is to use his liberty, not abuse it. We are always to keep in mind how our conduct will affect weaker Christians.” (McGee, 745)

17. “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteous living.” (Mounce, 256)

God’s “kingdom has to do with righteous living. Its concerns are significantly broader and relate to issue as peace and joy, which come from our relationship to the Holy Spirit.” (Mounce, 257)

18. “If each believer would yield to the Spirit and major in a godly life, we would not have Christians fighting with each over minor matters. Spiritual priorities are essential to harmony in the Church.” (Wiersbe, 561)

Peace with others

19. “Believers are to make every effort to do those things that lead to peace and to mutual upbuilding. The peace he spoke of here was peace withing the family of believers (cf. Psalm 34:15).” (Mounce, 257)

20. “We are not to tear down the work of God in the heart of some weak believer for the sake of some physical gratification.” (McGee, 744)

21. “Anything that is questionable and is a matter of conscience for a weak brother becomes wrong for the strong one.” (McGee, 744)

22. “If you have a sincere conviction from God about a matter, keep it to yourself and do not try to force everybody else to accept it.” (Wiersbe, 561)

“The strong believer maintains a healthy conscience because he does not give a weak believer a cause to stumble.” (MacArthur, 1553)

23. “Those who doubt do not have the assurance that what they are doing is acceptable.” (Mounce, 258)

“Whatever is done without the conviction that God as approved it is by definition sin. God has called us to a life of faith. Trust is the willingness to put all of life before God for his approval. If it is gray to you, it is wrong—not in itself necessarily but for the one who is considering it.” (Mounce 258)

References

In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.

McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005
Mounce, Robert H, The New American Commentary, Volume 27, Romans. Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995
Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004

Government Strong Believers

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