Romans 14:13-23 Ours to Do: Obey Freely
The Text
Romans 14:13–23 (CSB)
13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.
15 For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died.
16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.
19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.
20 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats.
21 It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble.
22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.
23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.
Our God
13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.
Freely Obey God: His burden is easy
Romans 8:19–21 (CSB) For the creation eagerly waits with anticipation for God’s sons to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to futility—not willingly, but because of him who subjected it—in the hope that the creation itself will also be set free from the bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of God’s children.
My friends, our burden is easy. Our yoke is light. We have the righteousness of God. We get to rest in Christ alone.
No need to add on burdens on other Christians that God has not done. Not only is not recommended, it is sin. Look at Christ's response to legalism and self-righteousness:
Matthew 23:13-15 (CSB) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!
The strongest language used by God against those who would preach legalism.
Post-Genesis 3 life is hard enough. Christ has come to make it easy and light.
Let me put it this way: you can't control other people. I know that might come as a shock. But the moment that you grasp the truth and the moment you know that the Spirit alone convicts us of sin, then moment you are living the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Amen.
14-15 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died.
Freely Obey God: Lay down your rights
John 21:17 (CSB) He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said.
Americans, we love our rights, right? We love our protected freedoms we have in this country. That is a sheer blessing by God.
But be sure not to let your sense of protected rights spill over into all things.
If your fellow Christian cannot do something out of conscience, be gracious and gentle. That is acceptable to God. Your hardcore stance is also acceptable to God.
Because I am American, the easiest example to use here is the consumption of alcohol. Some Christians do and some don't. Both are acceptable. But for those who don't, there is no law you can put on others. For those who do, be mindful of those who don't.
In my home, my wife abstains and I do not. While I am not mindful of my caffeine intake, she bears witness to whenever I have a beer or a spirit. And the moment I order a beer at dinner, I hand the car keys over to her. That is my way of ensuring her our safety.
What some Christians tend to forget is that we are called to be sober-minded. With marijuana use being legalized in more and more states, this debate is going to come up again. Some Christians will use and some will not. But all Christians are called to be sober-minded and not drunk. If you are blazed out every night after work, you are not sober-minded. My question is, when it comes to marijuana, video games, organization, hoarding, drinking, or cigarettes or anything: are you numbing out? What are you numbing out from? Are you dealing with unresolved trauma? You might need to seek counseling before this unresolved trauma that you experienced consumes you.
16-17 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Freely Obey God: Keep the main thing the main thing
The Christian life is not about what we don't do but rather, what we do have: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. It is all about the fact we are the children of God. It is the fact that we have the risen Christ. And that is why we worship. And that is why we praise his holy name.
Think about this: you don't praise God because you don't drink alcohol. Right? You don't worship his holy name because you can look down at other Christians who choose to do what you abstain from. Right?
We praise him for who he is.
18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.
Freely Obey God: To go with conscience is acceptable to God
So long as it is not sin, not a stumbling block, and not a pitfall, not against the local laws that don't forbid you from worshipping God, it is acceptable to God and received our approval.
I get to give the nod to half my church who don't drink alcohol. I get to approve to some in my church back in Oklahoma who use marijuana. I get to celebrate those who are vegans and those who are carnivores and all in-between. God has granted us each with a conscience and freedom in Christ. That is a grand thing to celebrate and praise God.
19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another.
Freely Obey God: Live peaceably not only with your neighbor but with your brothers and sisters in Christ
With all the talk from Paul and Christ about living peaceably with the times and cultures and kingdom of where you were born in, let us not forget to live peaceably with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Be at peace with people in your church. Don't be divisive.
Ephesians 4:10-15 (CSB) The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things. And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head — Christ.
Be united in Christ. Live at peace with one another.
20-21 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats. It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble.
Freely Obey God: What God doesn't forbid, it's permissable
Acts 10:9-16 (CSB) The next day, as they were traveling and nearing the city, Peter went up to pray on the roof about noon. He became hungry and wanted to eat, but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth. In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky. A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.”
“No, Lord! ” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.”
Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” This happened three times, and suddenly the object was taken up into heaven.
Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason-I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other-my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.
Martin Luther. 1520. Letter to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation
What God has declared to be clean, it is clean, What he has not forbidden, it is permissable. And if you are not convicted by Scripture and plain reason, then you are free to do it.
To that end, with your conscience and the word, you must know if it beneficial for you.
1 Corinthians 10:23-24 (CSB) “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.
Is what you are doing beneficial for you? Only you can be honest or dishonest with yourself.
Our Response
22-23 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.
Freely Obey God: Keep secondary things secondary
God takes it one step further. It is not only a sin to go against conscience but rather a blessing to do what you have approve of yourself.
But on those things, don't post on social media. Don't write books. Don't make podcasts. Don't go bragging. Keep that between you and God. If (and that is a strong if) people ask, "why don't you drink alcohol" or "why do you smoke weed", just give a simple answer and nothing more.
Praise our God for his grace and our consciences.