Romans 14: Bible Study, Commentary and Summary

Romans 14: Bible Study, Commentary and Summary May 26, 2016

Here is a Bible study on Romans 14 with commentary and summary.

Romans 14:1-4 “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

I can remember when I was a young Christian I joined a church that was very legalistic. They forbid certain foods and you couldn’t even play cards or dance at a wedding without someone judging you. Later, after reading and studying Romans 14, I discovered that were not to judge one another over non-essentials. Who cares what one person eats. If I don’t eat something in particular, I have no business judging someone who does. We don’t have to stand before others on Judgment Day but before Christ alone. It is by our Master whom we stand or fall, not another believer. If someone doesn’t eat pork, I’m not going to insist they do or if I don’t, I can’t expect others to not eat it. We are in no position to judge others over meat or drink. That’s not our call. That’s God’s call.

Why did Paul have to write this to the Roman church?

Is smoking and drinking forbid in the Bible?

Has anyone ever judged you for doing something that the Bible doesn’t clearly say are sins?

Have you judged another over food, drink, other things not specifically mentioned in the Bible?

Romans 14:5-6 “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.”

This may refer to some of Jews who were still keeping the Holy Days under the Mosaic Law, so I believe Paul is telling us, again, not to judge someone over the days in which they observe or don’t observe. Some keep the Sabbath on Saturday while others observe Sunday as the Lord’s Day, but “none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself” (Rom 14:7) so “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (Rom 14:10). The fact is “each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Rom 14:12). We will not have to give an account to others.

Why does Paul keep repeating that we will have to give an account to God?

Were some of the believers apparently judging other believers by what foods they ate?

Is there anything wrong with worshiping God on Saturday or Sunday or even Wednesday?

Why-do-you-pass-judgment

Romans 14:13-14 “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.”

This chapter is much about passing judgment on others and creating a stumbling block or a hindrance before a brother or sister. Paul was convinced that nothing in itself is unclean but if someone thinks pork is unclean don’t force your conscience on others and put it before them at a meal. They have liberty to eat what they want or abstain from it and we’re not to cause them to stumble over things such as food or drink. Paul’s point is “if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died” (Rom 14:15) because “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

Did Paul declare all foods clean?

Who do you know that’s been creating stumbling blocks over non-essentials?

Have we ever done this?

Romans 14:20-21 “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.”

If someone doesn’t drink alcohol, either by a moral conviction, or if they’ve battled with alcohol before, by all means don’t set a drink in front of them, but at the same time, don’t you yourself drink before others if they feel it is sin. Even though drinking is not sin, but only drunkenness is, don’t pass your judgment on others who may not feel as you do. They have had a different upbringing than you did. Paul’s point is that if it causes someone to be offended, just don’t do it. It’s not worth proving you’re right if it creates a stumbling block for someone. The key for Paul was, “whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23).

What does Paul mean by saying “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin?”

If we feel it’s wrong for us, is it sin for us?

Have you had times of doubt before by eating or drinking or smoking?

Does this guilt mean its sin for you?

Summary

There is a great danger in the tension between liberty and licentiousness (or a license to sin). Some people are not comfortable with eating or drinking certain foods so honor their preferences and don’t shove your values down their throat. We must leave judgment up to God because “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17). Each one of us will have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and it’s a one-seater. We have no business sitting in judgment over others when they feel something is not sin for them.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.


Browse Our Archives