Romans

Doubtful things

There is power in unity.  But power used outside of righteousness, peace, joy, clear conscience, for the purpose of the mission, is not rooted in love.   It is not consistent with a living sacrifice. 

They say if you tie two alley cats together by the tails and hang them over a clothesline, you will see an example of being united without being unified!   Paul must have heard of some of this in Rome.  He had surely seen examples of it everywhere else he had been.  It has been described as a local problem that only exists when there are people.

King David said:

¹           Behold, how good and how pleasant it is

For brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

The ideas of this chapter fall under the over-arching idea of being a living sacrifice.  We've seen we are called to be good corporate citizens.  We are called to love our neighbors.  Paul added some intensity to it late in chapter 13 by saying it was time.  The idea is it's late, we shouldn't put these things off as something to deal with later.  We are called to put on Jesus and make no provision to fulfill the lust of the flesh.

(You can almost hear someone from the back yell, "Yea but I have rights!"

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Romans 14:1-4

Paul gets us to think of God's kingdom like a house where God is the master, we are the servants. The goal of the house is peace and joy, united in service to the master.  The master sets the standards, and each servant finds peace with the master.  When each finds peace, there is peace in the house.  However, if one of the servants usurps the role of master and implements standards for the other servants, discord erupts.   Chaos ensues, division occurs and unity and peace is destroyed.  Servants must remember their place.

God's people have trouble getting along sometimes.  It's fascinating and very telling of our nature that God had to include a chapter about this very topic in His eternal word.  What's the matter with us that our God has to tell us to get along and have forgiveness and mercy and act with grace toward each other?  With all that is going on in the world, all the suffering, pain and persecution, why would God's people be taking part in creating more?

Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker were two very prominent, widely known preachers in the mid to late 1800's in England.  These two guys fellowshipped together from time to time and exchanged pulpits occasionally.  Somewhere along the line they had a disagreement and the reports of this made its way into the Newspapers.  Spurgeon felt that Parker was being unspiritual because he attended the theater.  Now Spurgeon smoked cigars, and even in a time when they didn't understand all the health implications, Christians looked down at this.  Parker felt Spurgeon should give up his cigars.  Which of these men were right?  Were they both right?  Both wrong?  Or, is this just another petty squabble that becomes a distraction from important things while damaging relationships?

Sometimes we are surprised to learn that Jesus loves and blesses people, even when they disagree with us.   

Paul saw many of these disagreements in many places and that's why he's dealing with it in this letter.  Look at Galatians 5:15 where Paul was dealing with this very thing. 

¹⁴ For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!

If we bite and devour, we can expect to be consumed by others.  It's almost as though your biting and devouring is consuming yourself.  In the sense that we are all the body of Christ, this would be true.

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Paul begins addressing this by describing another who is 'weak in the faith'.  This weak individual east only vegetables, abstaining from any meat.  The on who is implied to be strong in the faith understands that there is liberty to eat and that there are no restrictions on diet as a follower of Christ.  Let's set aside the reason for this weak position for now and focus only on Paul's direction. 

1. Receive this one.
   1. We aren't called to qualify our brothers and sisters with any criteria.
2. Not to dispute doubtful things.
   1. We are not to be focusing on the things that are different about us.
   2. We are likeminded in Christ, saved by His blood.
      1. These are important and glorious things, not to be offset by 'doubtful things'.
3. Don't despise the weak
   1. It seems a weak position to despise the weak.  Why are we threatened by those who don't act the same as us?

The weak also has some instruction.

1. Don't judge those who eat.
   1. Your position does not make you more righteous or holy in God's eyes.  You were made holy by Christ, no abstaining from food.
   2. It is a position of liberty that also allows you to abstain.

These doubtful things we tend to use to divide us come from the traditions of men, denominations, generational legalisms, our conscience and more.  They are the 'gray areas' of the faith.  We have the unique ability of taking almost anything and using it to cause division.  Some examples:

1. Bible translation
2. Musical instruments
3. Liturgy
4. Clothing
5. Makeup
6. Smoking
7. Drinking
8. Attending theater
9. Playing cards

Can you imagine meeting someone at the door and asking a serious of questions to figure where in the congregation you ought to sit when in fellowship? 

Why did this weak person choose to be vegetarian?  In Paul's time, some people ate only vegetables because they didn't want to eat meat that was sacrificed to idols.  It's not hard to imagine a gentile having sacrificed to these other gods are the pagan temples on main street.  They knew the meet was then sold on the street.  Now, as a believer, it bothered their conscience to eat this meet and they chose to abstain.  The Jews grew up in their faith spending their life concerned about diet, knowing what is clean and unclean.  Gentiles never had restrictions.  Both groups as Christians had liberty.  In this liberty, some ate meat and some didn't.

Remember, Paul calls the weaker position, the one maintained with legalism and rules the bible doesn't speak of.  The weak were refraining from eating out of legalism, traditions and fear.   But note that Paul isn't critical of this 'weaker' person.  He's speaking to protect them, to have compassion and respect for their decision.  You can't coerce and beat someone to accept a liberty.  In love and respect, as they grow, the Lord can deliver them from that weakness (as He can deliver you from yours).

"Who are we to judge another man's servant?"  Each man will stand before God and answer for his actions.  We have no right to pass judgment on them.  We should be able to rise above these petty differences in the name of Jesus Christ as a fellowship of believers.  Simply put, we are not supposed to major in minors. 

 

Romans 14:5-6

Another thing that caused division among the saints in Paul's time was the esteeming of days.  Mostly Paul is using the esteeming of days as an extension of talking about food.  He's showing that there really is broader application to this principle than just one eating meat or not.  At that time some of the Jews were still keeping the Jewish holy days.  They felt it necessary to honor all the Sabbaths and feasts and they held these days above others.  This was traditions for the Jews, it was how they were raised, and the transition to Christianity was difficult for them. 

Yet, imagine their gentile brothers and sisters who had no idea what Passover was.  As a gentile, it had no meaning.  Then the feast of Pentecost celebrated the giving of the law to Moses on Mt Sinai.  The Jewish law meant nothing to these gentiles.  They must have looked at all these elaborate feasts and celebrations with an eye roll.

Nearly every church experiences the rumblings of celebrating days at Christmas each year.  Some see pagan symbolism in Christmas trees and are adamantly opposed.  Some don't celebrate Christmas at all and look down on others who do.  The liberty to celebrate Christ's birth bothers some.

The underlying tone of what Paul is saying is that we are to have grace.  We would all do well to keep Jesus at the center of all we do.  Each person should be fully convinced in his own mind about these 'doubtful things'.  And part of that thought process is that we aren't going to all come to the same conclusions.  You should not condemn those who don't do things exactly as you do.        

It is said that there is nothing worse than a reformed smoker.  I try not to be that guy but I certainly understand why this saying came to be.  As an unbeliever I smoked for years.  When I was saved I came to know this was a sin for me.  I was fully convinced it was an issue and had to go.  The bible doesn't speak to this specifically but in my own mind I came to understand this as a sin.  When I was finally free from that addiction I look back and can't understand how or why I ever did such a thing.  In my mind I consider it a sin, but I have to use caution not to apply that to others.  It is a 'doubtful thing'.  There is no basis for looking down my nose at other Christian that may smoke.

Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, loved a fine cigar.  But this brought much criticism from Christians.  On one occasion a young man came to Spurgeon for advice; he wanted to know what he should do with a box of cigars that he had been given.  Spurgeon replied, "Give them me and I will smoke them to the glory of God!"

Each of us should know what we believe about doubtful things and why we believe them.  We don't have to explain them to everyone else.  However we should be fully convinced what we are doing is right in the eyes of the Lord.  We shouldn't be doing it out of tradition or compulsion.  Whatever we do, we should make sure we are doing it for the Lord

 

Romans 14:7-13

None of us lives and dies solely to our own benefit or detriment.  After all, we are part of a body; this spiritual entity where each part relies on another.  We are divinely interconnected with each other.  But more importantly we are the Lords.  If we live, we live to the Lord.  If we die, we die to the Lord.  We've been bought with a price.  From beginning to end our lives are dedicated to the Lord; He is Lord of our life from first to last.  He is Lord of the living and the dead.  We are His to be spent as He sees fit. 

When Peter met with Jesus on the seashore, his relationship was restored after the three denials.  Jesus said to Peter to feed his lambs, tend his sheep and feed his sheep.  Then Jesus spoke of the of death that would come to Peter someday. 

²⁰ Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?" ²¹ Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"

²² Jesus said to him, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." (John 21)

It seems that Peter would have had plenty to think about in his own relationship with the Lord.  If we'd all admit it, we are all like Peter; we have plenty to do keeping our self out of trouble and our foot out of our mouth.  It's a fine line of loving our brothers and sisters and meddling in their life or judging their actions.  Since we are so connected and since we serve the Lord, what is the purpose of judging or showing contempt for our brothers in Christ?  As Christians we will all be judged for our works.  Are we building and working at eternal things?  Or, are our efforts spent on manmade rules and traditions that have no eternal significance.

 

Why do you judge your brother?  Why do you show contempt?

Try to answer the questions.  It's not hard for us to think of a time where we offered our judgment of someone's actions.  Or, we showed contempt for someone's behavior in some way.  Did our judgment edify them or me?  Is my contempt the guide to bring someone into alignment with the principles as I see them?  Will others appear before you at judgment?  No, we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 

In Paul's time the strict Christian passed an easy judgment on the unspiritual meat eater.  They were labeled a compromiser and not nearly as dedicated as those that ate just vegetables.  And the free Christian showed contempt to the uptight, legalistic, 'holier than though' vegetarians.  While we should worry about our brothers and sisters, this isn't the kind of concern we are to have.  Each is accountable to the Lord, not us.  Each of us has enough to answer for before Jesus.  We will all stand before the judgment seat.  This judgment seat is the Bema seat.  The Roman Christians would understand the Bema seat as a judgment based on performance.  The Bema is the Greek word for the judge in the Olympics.  After the contest was over the judge would sit in the bema seat and make a judgment.  He would give out the crowns for position; awarding first, second, third places and so on.

Paul is talking about the Christian Bema seat.  This is a judgment seat for Christians only.  This is where our works as Christians will be judged.  This has nothing to do with our sins.  Our sins were forgiven from the beginning never to be mentioned again. 

Christ is the Bema.  He will sit in judgment of what we did with the Christian life granted to us.  Second Corinthians 5:10 says……….. 

⁹ Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

We will receive according to how we've run our race.

In verse 11 Paul quotes Isaiah 45:23, this reinforces the fact that each one of us will have to stand before the Lord and give an accounting.  I think it's interesting that it says we will all stand before the judgment seat yet it says every knee will bow.  We will all stand in the sense that we will be present but each of us will bow to the Lord.  I can't imagine that any of us will be able to stand when we are present before Him.  All our works will seem to meager, so incomplete. 

As we stand at the Bema seat of Christ, It's at that time when all these words of Paul will make the most sense.  It's then that each of us will wish we had done things a little differently. It's then we will realize how many times we passed judgment on our brothers.  We won't want to think of the times we judged another or put someone in their place.  We don't want to think of the countless hours spent gossiping about others compared to the countless few hours used sharing the gospel.  What will be we bring to that judgment?  I don't think we'll bring our own resume' or offer our own accolades.  The Lord will give us a report.  What will this report include:

1. The cup of cold water for a stranger.
2. A meal shared with someone hungry.
3. The shoes you put on another's feet.
4. The Christmas shoebox unpacked by a child in a far-away place.
5. The dying hand you held.
6. The tear you shed on behalf of the hurting
7. The fervent, sincere prayer offered for healing.

Will we be surprised at how far-reaching Christ was as He sued our life?  Or will we be surprised at how much we suppressed this as we bit and devoured? 

We will all give account to the Lord.  Will this be an accounting of investing your life in the life of others? 

Therefore, Paul says, we need to be careful to not judge in these 'doubtful things'.  We need to be resolved in this.  We need to make a firm decision that we won't put a stumbling block before our Christian brother.  Stumbling blocks are when we discourage our Christian brothers or beat them down over some legalism.  This is using our strength to strong arm them to accept our way. 

But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. (1 Cor 8:9)

We should remember that we are talking about 'doubtful things' between believers.  We are to be resolved not to pass judgment on these 'doubtful things' and cause a brother in Christ to stumble.  This isn't saying we should never make judgments.  We make judgments all the time.  We should be firm in our convictions and unwavering in the essentials.  In all things, full of grace.

 

Romans 14:14-18

Paul's testimony was that he was fully convinced there was no food that unclean because of what it was or where it came from.  However, another Jew might feel bacon is unclean and if that bothers his conscience, for him it is unclean.  If Paul were eating bacon that grieved his brother, he is not walking in love.  Even though he had the liberty to eat the bacon, it was unloving to do so in a way that grieved his brother.

It's not hard to imagine, in Paul's time or ours, a Christian saying "I have liberty, I'll eat whatever I want.  I don't care what my brother says."  Paul agrees with the liberty, eat that ham sandwich.   Yet, if your brother is grieved by your diet then you aren't considering him; you aren't walking in agape' love.  Paul doesn't want us to destroy our brother in Christ over a ham sandwich.

It may be something that simple.  Jews didn't eat pork because it was unclean.  The followers of Christ come along and say God has declared all things clean.  The Jewish Christian might say that's fine but I'm still not eating pork because he still finds it offensive.  Why should they force their ham sandwich on this person?  There is nothing to be gained in degrading that person or speaking badly about them because they keep a dietary restriction.  It's a doubtful thing.

The Christian should be considerate of that doubtful thing.  In Christian love they should be respectful of the others belief.  It's okay to ask about it.  It's okay to offer advice.  It's okay to explain why you don't see it that way.  Then you have to let it go.  Christ died for that person and you don't have the liberty to harm them.  We are called to edify other believers.  We can't do that while being at odds with anyone that doesn't believe exactly as we do.  Paul said, "Don't let your good be spoken of as evil."  Don't take the good thing that you have and beat someone over the head with it.  Don't take the grace given to you and defile it before men. 

The only good we really have is Christ in us.  We can't allow that to be spoken of as evil.  Don't act in such a way that others see you as evil.  To do this is to drag the name of Christ and your Christianity through the muck of the world and allow folks to say, "And he calls himself a Christian.  If that's what a Christian is then no thank you."  It doesn't take much to get that response today.

The kingdom of God is so much more than eating & drinking.  Paul might say the Christians today that the kingdom of God is much more than having the right bible translation; going to the right denomination; wearing the right clothes; singing the right worship music and having a really cool and entertaining pastor.  It's not about having the right habits, friends and family.  It's not about wealth, prestige or style.  It doesn't take us long to make it about self-righteousness, happiness and circumstances of the world. When in reality, it's about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

• Righteousness – why?  Because we are filthy sinners, saved by grace.  We were a mess and still would be if it were not for Christ.  We have not risen to some spiritual high ground.  We have not attained or accomplished anything by our power or goodness.  We would do well to remember this.
• Peace – why?  To be carnally minded is death, to be spiritually minded is peace (8:6).  Our peace is not based in this world, this flesh or life.  It is peace with our make first and foremost.  We are no longer at enmity with Him.  We will be in His presence for all time.
• Joy – why?  It surpasses understanding, rooted in the spiritual, not the temporal.  It's not based on feelings, emotions or circumstances in this life.  It is a fruit and byproduct of righteousness and peace.  There is no debt or shame hanging over my head.  I am no longer running, trying to keep peace, or outpace the things that threated carnal happiness.

Anything we put before righteousness, peace and joy can't be pleasing to God.  We've got our priorities messed up if we spend our time judging others over doubtful things and putting these minor things in front of the righteousness, peace and joy.  Our lives are to be spent seeking that righteousness; pursuing God through Jesus Christ.  The grace that made our righteousness possible should give us a peace and security.  There is no work that is required from us to please God.  We can relax from our work.  Instead of required work, we find that it is our joy to serve Him, seeking after Him and edifying other believers.

If there is an issue with a new believer over doubtful things, we need to learn to trust God to deal with that other believer.  Christ died for them also, and he wants the best for their life.  None of us are self-appointed to straighten everyone else out.  

 

Romans 14:19-23

If we coerce or shame a brother into eating a ham sandwich when he cannot do so in faith and his conscience bothers him, we are causing him to sin and we are sinning against them.  Our actions are evil.  You used your liberty to trump their conscience.  You have stumbled your brother. 

Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.  (Romans 14:22)

Charles Spurgeon, known to nearly everyone, was one day walking down the street and saw a sign which read, "We sell the cigar that Charles Spurgeon smokes."   Spurgeon cam to understand what was freedom for him could stumble others.  He gave up the habit right then and there.

Paul instructs us to be in pursuit:

1. Things with make for peace
2. Things by which one may edify another.

These two pursuits ought to keep us fairly busy.  Have faith, enjoy your faith; but don't use your faith to harm another in Christ.  If they lack that faith, give them room.  God gave them grace, you must do the same.  Maybe they will grow in time and change.  That's God's business and not yours.  So much of this seems to be recognizing when we've crossed a line into God's business of dealing with other people's conscience and sin and faith as it pertains to doubtful things. 

Someone described this as a local problem that only shows up where there are people.  Which means we can control this as it pertains to our life and walk.  It's also been noted, it's not nearly the problem when there was persecution and suffering.  We don't tend to pick each other apart when we are hurting and dying.  That's something to think about.

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Let's end with one more Spurgeon story.  Dwight Moody, the great American preacher, went to London and visited the great British preacher.  Moody asked Spurgeon when he was going to give up his awful cigars.  "When you get rid of this," Spurgeon said, poking at Moody's midsection, "I shall get rid of these," referring to his cigars.  Moody could clearly see that Spurgeon's smoking was a problem, but failed to see his midsection as any kind of problem.

 

I wonder what the conversation was like after that.  I hope these brothers in Christ had a good laugh and then went out and shared the gospel with others. 

A religious spirit will not tolerate dissent. The idea must be all right or all wrong. There is no room for a discussion. Groups, institutions and people are either enemies or friends, evil or good. The religious spirit delights in standing in judgment, controlling the dialogue.

 - Doug Bursch (pastor, writer, evangelist)

Amen.

©2008, 2014, 2022 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater