Revering the Word
Romans 14 Discerning between freedom and Holy Spirit conviction.
Good morning everyone. This morning we are in Romans chapter 14, and it's an important chapter. Most of us are not struggling over the issues that are represented in this passage today, but it's because of passages like this one today that we are not struggling with these issues anymore. Now that's not to say that this is not an issue or isn't troubling some people. I have had some conversations with folks that still have not come to a clarity on this, and as a result, feel differently or have different sets of opinions, but really we should be able to come to clarity on issues that we're going to address today because the word is clear. So in Romans 14, Paul really does switch topics here, and let me get into it. He says, "Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt, the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him." The topic that Romans 14 is going to address today is regarding Old Testament Jewish laws and rules and other issues I'll mention, what is someone to do? Like as an example, in the Old Testament you were not supposed to eat pork, you were not supposed to eat shrimp as an example. There were other things as well, but what if someone were today now, whether they were formerly a Jew or whether they were formerly a Gentile, and now they've become part of the Christian church? Well, some former Jews who now have become Christians because it's in the Old Testament and because they've long followed Old Testament Jewish laws, felt like, you know, well, now that we've come to Christ, I still, you know, why would I want to eat these things? Because these are things that we never ate of before. Why should I eat them now? And sometimes they may have felt even they were being holy or they were being more right in their faith in God by continuing to observe Old Testament laws, and sometimes they could even look down then on a fellow Jew who would become a Christian or a Gentile who had become a Christian who ate pork or ate shrimp and violated what they thought were Old Testament laws, and they said, well, why would you do that? You know, why don't you be like us and not eat those things because we are honoring the Lord in continuing not to eat those things. And Paul is trying to share that, hey, we're free. We're free from Old Testament law. We're free to now live for God in a new way, and we don't have to abide by Old Testament laws. And he's basically saying, don't judge one another in these regards. Don't place a burden on one another. And he's going to go on to say that, you know what, if you really feel like, listen, God established not eating pork in the Old Testament. And again, I'm just using that as an example. And why would I eat it now? He must have had good reason. He's like, that's fine. If you want to do that, if you want to go ahead and not continue to not eat pork, then don't. But don't place that between your relationships with other people who are eating pork, because it's okay if you don't want to do it. But you can't enforce that upon someone else or judge someone else for doing it. Additionally, there were other issues that were going on. Sometimes in different faiths, they would sacrifice animals to false gods. And then after they would sacrifice animals to false gods, some of that food and meat would make it into the marketplace. And a lot of Jews would be very sensitive to that. And they would be like, I want to make sure that I don't eat any meat that was sacrificed to an idol. Now you might recall that in Acts chapter 15, when they were wrestling over these issues, they wrote a letter and made it pretty simple. But the apostles responded to some of these questions and said, for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, this is Acts 1528, for it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood, meaning eating meat with blood in it, because that was something that you weren't supposed to do in the Old Testament too. And from things strangled and from fornication, you know, sexual sin, if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well, farewell. They really didn't comment on a lot of Old Testament law stuff, but they said, listen, if you know there's an animal that was sacrificed to an idol, just avoid it because some people, whether fellows use orgentiles, if they know that you're eating meat that was sacrificed to another God, you know, they're going to be offended by that. So just if you know it, don't worry about it. But Paul actually refers to that, I believe later in this chapter and other times in the scriptures, he's like, you know what, they're not really gods anyways, it's just a false made up thing. So he's like, if you want to eat meat, don't worry about it. But I do think it's a safer play to say, you know what, if you know for sure that this meat was sacrificed to an idol, not do it. But Paul was like, some people wouldn't want to buy meat in the marketplace because it could have been sacrificed to an idol. So you wouldn't know for sure if it was or it wasn't. And some people would be like, well, just in case it was sacrificed to an idol, we don't want to buy meat from this location because we're uncertain whether it was sacrificed to an idol or not. And in Paul's eyes, that was going too far because it really didn't matter. Ultimately, it's just meat. And those gods are false gods anyway. So it just doesn't even matter. So, but if you knew, then it'd be better for the sake of your brothers and sisters in Christ, not to eat it because why trouble people thinking you're eating things that were made to honor idols. So that's part of the discussion. What he's also going to get into in this chapter is Sabbath keeping. Now, this is really important. Jesus said, you know, Sabbath was not made for man, but he is the Lord of the Sabbath. And Jesus changed and did a lot of things in the Sabbath that the Jews didn't think he should do. And he did them anyways. And Paul is going to share in this chapter that one person regards one day as special and another person regards all days alike. Don't judge one another in this regard. In fact, in Colossians, it says this, this is really important. Therefore, now that we're not under the law, but we're under Christ. Therefore, no one, this is Acts 216. Therefore, no one is to act as your judge in regard to food. We've kind of been talking about that or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon, Jewish, you know, Old Testament law holidays or a Sabbath day, things which are a mere shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Like, you got to get Jesus Christ right and make him your Lord and Savior, become born again and have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. That is the most important thing that you believe upon Jesus. And once you do, you know, whether you keep the Sabbath or not keep the Sabbath, that's not an issue anymore. Whether you keep an Old Testament holiday or not an Old Testament holiday, whether you eat pork or whether you don't eat pork, none of that matters anymore. What you got to do is you got to get your faith in the one who died for you and rose from the dead and believe in him and then receive the power of the Holy Spirit, become a new man in Jesus Christ. And then these Old Testament laws don't matter anymore, including whether you partake of a Sabbath, meaning a Saturday Sabbath or not. That's not how you get to Jesus anymore. That's not how you get to heaven is by honoring the Sabbath. And one of the reasons there was such a great change to Sabbath keeping is because the Jews so polluted it. And if you will just but research Jewish Sabbath and all the rules, they have some 120 pages of written material on what you can do and what you can't do on a Sabbath day. That's not even in the Bible. It's their extra writings that they made to define specifically from knowing to sitting from sowing to knitting to getting fire, you know, wood for the fire or whatever else. I mean, I could go on and on and on. Look it up. You can find it on the internet. And it's just so detailed and it got too far that I believe that when Jesus came, God allowed for a change to be made because they had become so legalistic about the Sabbath day. So let me carry on. But this is really what it's going to talk about. And it's going to bring an alcohol later in the passage too. And we'll talk about that when we get there. But it 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. Really, we shouldn't judge each other regarding these issues anymore. Now, listen to what it says here. One person regards one day above another. That could be a Sabbath day. It could be a Jewish holiday. Another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He observes the day, observes it for the Lord. And he who eats does so for the Lord. For he gives thanks to God and he who eats not like say you're not going to eat meat because you think it might be sacrificed to an idol or you're going to eat pork and you're not going to eat pork or chip. For the Lord, he does not eat and he give thanks to God. So see, each person does either they honor the Sabbath or they don't. They either eat meat that may have been sacrificed to an idol or they just don't worry about it. They may eat pork or shrimp or they may not eat pork or shrimp. But each person is doing it for God, whatever decision they make because we have that freedom now to not be under the law. For no one of us lives for himself and not one dies for himself. For if we live, we live for the Lord or if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end, Christ died and lived again that he might be both the Lord of the dead and the living. But since we're all living for the Lord, whether you choose to honor a Sabbath or not or you know, all the things we've been mentioned, he says that in verse 10, but why do you judge your brother? Don't judge each other regarding these issues or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt because maybe he didn't do the Sabbath the way you did or because he ate something that you wouldn't. For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God for it is written as I live says the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall give praise to God. So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. And so on these particular issues, don't worry about what someone else does. If you feel you want to do it a certain way, you can, but you can't place that burden on someone else because it's not clearly articulated in the scriptures that we need to be following those things anymore. Therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this not to put an obstacle or stumbling block in a brother's way. And this is going to begin to go into another topic and it's referring to the eating or not eating or Sabbath, but it's going to even bring in alcohol. Let me get to this. Verse 14, I know I'm convincing the Lord that nothing is unclean in itself. So that's referring to clean and unclean animals, which was part of the Old Testament law, you might recall the apostle Peter up on the rooftop in Japa in the book of Acts and God lured down on a sheet all kinds of animals, some clean and some others clean. And God told Peter, you can eat all of them. And he's like, Oh, no, never, I would never do that. And then God did it again and made it clear to Peter that now you can eat all those things that were considered unclean in the Old Testament. It doesn't matter anymore. But let me carry on, I know and then convincing the Lord that Jesus in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but to him who thinks anything to be unclean to him, it is unclean. Now, this is very interesting. So if you have a personal conviction that, you know what, you don't want to eat this or that, then to you, you shouldn't do it because God's given you a conviction not to do it. But that doesn't mean it's the same for someone else. I've confessed that, you know, many years ago, today is 2024, I have not been in a casino to gamble since around 1999. So we're talking 25 years, but I used to like to gamble. This was in my pre Christian days, but then even after I became a Christian for a few years, I still dabbled in like casino gambling. And it was an issue for me. So I had to, I gave it up and I don't do it anymore because I had an issue with it. So for me, it's sin to go to a casino for me. But for someone else, maybe once a year, they go and they, they set a limit and they only gamble $50. I don't think it's the best thing to do. But see, it's not up to me. And it doesn't really matter. That's not clearly articulate. A gambling problem would be sinful. And anyone who's got a gambling problem should stay away from gambling. But for someone who does not have a problem and very occasionally did it for entertainment, I'm not going to stand in their way and I'm not going to be their judge. But for me, it's a sin because I had a problem with it. And I feel it that way. I feel as though for me, it's a sin. So therefore, I don't gamble in casinos and I haven't for 20 some years. That's an example, whoever thinks something's unclean to him, it is. So if God's given you that conviction to stay away from something, then you should. You know, it's the same reason why, you know, one person who's been an alcoholic and has had a lot of problems with alcohol, they really should quit drinking because it creates problems in their lives and they shouldn't do it anymore. And for them, it would be a sin. But for someone else who partakes of alcohol, who doesn't drink to get drunk and has not, you know, gotten involved with problems in their marriage, their family, DWIs, whatever, they just occasionally enjoy alcohol and it hasn't been a problem for them. And they're not drinking to drunkenness. They're free to do that. That they can do that and they're free to do it. And we shouldn't judge them if you, for instance, feel, and there's a lot of Christians that abstain are abstinent from alcohol that say, you know what, I'm not going to drink at all. And I think that's the best way. And that's fine. And you can have that conviction. And if you feel that way, then you shouldn't drink at all just because maybe you've seen the problems with it in people's families or whatever the case may be. And that's totally good and right to not drink at all then. But you can't place that on someone else because it's not biblical to say that someone can't partake at all of alcohol if they've had no problem with it. So each person has to see what the Lord entails for them. But what's clearly written as an example, that drunkenness is a sin. Well, that's for all of us. So let me keep going. For if because of food, your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. This is beginning to bring in another topic. Probably the last one we'll address today. Do not destroy with food with your food, him for whom Christ died. Therefore, do not let what is for you a good thing to be spoken of as evil for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and join the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, what says you is your faith in Jesus and not adherence or not adhering to these kinds of things. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then we pursue the things which make for peace in the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. So that's an interesting concept. So what it's saying is let's just say you have a friend who has a conviction that they don't want to eat pork or shrimp. If you have them over, it would be kind of rude to serve pork or even you could serve them beef and serve yourself pork. But you know what, if they have that conviction, you could just for the sake of them being in your midst and having them over, just not have pork because it would honor them in the same way. Let's say you have a friend who struggles with alcohol and wants to quit and has quit but is tempted being around people who are drinking. It would be honorable and right for you to say, you know what, so and so is coming over tonight. We're not going to partake of alcohol or alcohol because it's been a problem for them. Now, there are some people who have quit drinking as an example or maybe in regards to pork or something of that nature where it's not an issue for them. They know that you have freedom to do what you want and they're no longer tempted. They've received mastery over their conviction. They're like, no, you know what, alcohol has no, I don't care if someone's drinking around me or not drinking around me because I'm not going to and you know, I've conquered this. Well, then that wouldn't be an issue. But let's say you have someone who is struggling, you know, it would be good and right as a brother or sister in Christ to not make it harder for them because of their struggle and you could abstain from things in their midst that are troubled to them just to honor them. So that's what it's referring to there. The faith which you have as your own conviction before God, happy is he who does not condemn himself and what he approves. So, you know, if you find yourself, we're like, you know what, I approve of how I'm living in this way and it's not unbiblical, meaning as an example, you're you and your wife enjoyed wine last night, but you didn't get drunk and you're like, you know what, I don't, that's fine. I know biblically, I can do that and I don't feel a conviction about that. Then don't condemn yourself by what you approve. Now, don't don't give yourself a permit permit to get involved in drunkenness because that sin, but but don't condemn yourself for what is allowed biblically, you don't have to condemn yourself. But listen to this, but he who doubts is condemned if he eats, and that could be drinking as well, by the way, or gambling or whatever it may be, because he is eating not from faith and whatever is not from faith is sin. So, we have to evaluate. Let's say God has given you a conviction and, you know, I think alcohol would be a really good example. Let's say someone is borderline abusive or maybe is abusing and they're like, well, I'm free. I'm using my Christian freedom. I can drink and and it's all good, you know, because we can. I'm not really getting drunk, but really, they know they are. And maybe God has given them conviction because it's creating trouble in their life and they feel a conviction, but they disguise it and they're like, I don't want to admit that I'm being convicted. But if you are, if you feel like something you're doing is wrong before God and then you continue to do it, you're actually in sin. That's what that last verse says. Let me read it again. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats because his eating is not from faith and whatever is not from faith is sin. So, if the Holy Spirit is giving you what the Holy Spirit is meant to give you and that is guidance, conviction about what is good and right for you and what is not good and right for you. So as an example, I've been under conviction about casino gambling. And as a result, I don't do it. If I did do it, I would be sinning because I know that that's not good and right for me because of my problem in the past. So, we have to honor the Spirit's conviction. And if you're feeling convicted about something, then you need to honor the Lord because it's not from faith then to just disregard that conviction that God has given you. So, I hope you found this teaching helpful in Romans 14. I think in large part, you know, many Christians are not divided over these issues or even the interpretation of them. And thankfully, you know, Paul gave us what he gave us here so that we can know what to do and what not to do and where we have freedom and where we need to follow the Holy Spirit's conviction. So, I hope this reiterated and helped you to understand what you, you know, what you should hear from God on and how you can honor your brothers and sisters in Christ and not judge where you don't need to as well. So, God's blessings and you all.