Romans - Chapter 14

Individually Accountable to God

Romans – Chapter 14

Review

1. What was Chapter 1 about?

1. Gospel
2. Discusses how bad the Gentiles are (remember: “Greeks and barbarians”)?

2. What’s Chapter 2 about?
1. Judgment – God’s Judgment falls on all.
2. Jews aren’t much better than the Gentiles from Chapter 1
3. Chapter 3?
1. Justification
2. Faith through Salvation, not works
3. Works are THE FRUIT of Salvation through Faith (in Jesus Christ)
4. Chapter 4?
1. Faith
2. …Of their fathers (Abraham and David)
3. Shouldn’t be a new concept for them.
5. Chapter 5?
1. Result of Justification
2. We receive benefits.  Jesus is contrasted (mostly) with Adam
6. Chapter 6?
1. Life and Death – Believer’s Style
2. Alive in Christ, dead to sin.
7. Chapter 7?
1. Our Motivation – The Law motivates by Fear.  God-followers are motivated by Love.
8. Chapter 8?
1. Our Position with God in the Spirit.
9. Chapter 9?
1. This is God’s show.  He can, He does, He will…just because He wants to…just because He’s God.
2. Israel’s past
10. Chapter 10?
1. Salvation, how?
2. Israel’s present
11. Chapter 11?
1. God’s Grace – our ticket, Israel’s restoration
2. Israel’s future
12. Chapter 12?
1. Our Sacrifice – Our Response(s)
13. Chapter 13?
1. Love is the fulfillment of the Law

Introduction

1. What’s your opinion of Romans (thus far)?  Easy, hard, straightforward, confusing, basic, advanced, etc?
2. How did you all do this week reading Romans?
3. What is your opinion of this chapter?  Easy or lots of questions, difficult and convoluted?
1. At first pass
4. Can you group any of these chapters together?
1. 1-5 deal with justification / conversion, ie “getting” saved
2. 6-8 deal with sanctification - “living” saved.
3. Chapters 1-3:20 deal primarily with God.
4. Chapters 3:21-7 deal primarily with Jesus Christ.
5. Chapter 8 - introduces the Holy Spirit
6. Chapter 9 – talks about God’s Authority and the history of Israel
7. Chapter 10 – talks about God’s Mercy and the present Israel
8. Chapter 11 - Israel’s future and God’s grace
9. Chapter 12 – Start the “sanctification” process.  How to live as a Christian.  Overview of all the relationships involved.
10. Chapter 13 – relationships of/to Government and “neighbors”
5. J. Vernon McGee says “Romans chapters 1-8 are doctrinal.  Romans chapters 9-11 are dispensational.  Romans chapters 12-16 are duty.  The first eight chapters of Romans emphasize faith.  Chapters 9-11 emphasize hope.  Chapters 12-16 emphasize love.  There is another way to view Romans: the first section deals with salvation; the second section with segregation; and the last section with service.” (Thru the Bible, vol. 4 pp 708).
6. List common causes for church separations (both experienced and things you’ve heard):
1. Put a star next to each one that is Doctrinal (like REALLY doctrinal, not just what people THINK doctrine is – it may turn out just to be their opinion of how to express or do something in the church)
2. What things are most often debated, argued, and discussed in churches?
7. What’s the difference between a conviction (Rom 14:22) and a conscience or opinion (Rom 14:5b; uses word “convince”)?
1. Convictions are movements of the Spirit within the person that can be backed up with Scripture.
2. Conscience and Opinion are matters of the person and not necessarily Biblical (or non-Biblical).
3. Can they all be the same?  Sure.  Hopefully, in fact.
4. Are they always the same?  No.
5. Which is more important?

                                                               i.      Spiritually?  Convictions.  We all need the same basic understanding (doctrine) and beliefs to get to Heaven.

                                                             ii.      Worldly? It’s usually the opinions and preferences that separate us, in terms of “flavors” of Christianity.

6. Which are worthy of being judged or intervened on?

                                                               i.      Convictions – yes, if there’s something non-Biblical going on.

                                                             ii.      Conscience and Opinion – No. 

Lesson

1. vv. 1-4 [READ – Rom 14:1-4]
1. What’s the issue here?

                                                               i.      Judging others.

2. How is the “issue” different or similar to the actual problem that Paul states?

                                                               i.      He cites what a person eats/drinks.  What they actually eat/drink is WAY less important than the judgment issue itself.

3. What does Paul relate the “problem” to?

                                                               i.      It’s a faith and maturity thing.

                                                             ii.      Immature Christians of the day may have considered meat unclean, because it used to be.  However, the mature Christian knew that God made all meats clean after the Flood (READ: Mark 7:19, Genesis 9:3).

                                                            iii.      Also, we do not have to follow the same practices Israel had to as discussed in 1 Corinth 8:8-13 (READ: 1 Corinthians 8:8-13, Acts 10:15)

4. The point is in v 3.  Don’t judge on either side, because (if) God has accepted them.
5. Just for good measure, Paul reminds us that it’s God’s place to judge.  Further, since we are accountable to Him, others have no place in the discussion.
1. vv. 5-9 [READ – Rom 14:5-9]
1. This reads like a list of personal items that the members of the Roman church may have been bickering about.
2. Paul clearly states that it’s not the “things” that matter, but the matters of the heart that matter.

                                                               i.      If one observes a day for the Lord, good.

                                                             ii.      If one eats (or NOT eats) but does it for the Lord, good.

                                                            iii.      As McGee (pp 742) states: “It is not what is on the table [in regards to the meat/no meat discussion], but what is in the heard that is noted by God.”

3. vv. 10-12 [READ – Rom 14:10-12]
1. Its clear – God judges.  We stand accountable.  You can badger me into not performing something you think is wrong, but if in my heart I still want to, what has been accomplished?
4. vv. 13-21 [READ – Rom 14:13-21]
1. Describe this “stumbling block / obstacle” concept in your own words, living, etc.
2. How do people use this verse today?

                                                               i.      People use this verse to “validate” their own personal Biblical opinions into sounding like doctrine (convictions).

3. How is it to be used?

                                                               i.      For “weak brother” (young, immature Christian) around you that may see something you’re doing and be conflicted about it.

1.       (McGee, pp 743) – “If I am traveling in the same car with a fellow who believes he should not travel on Sunday, I’m going to have to stat with him – not because I agree with him, but for the sake of a weak brother.”

2.       Drinking alcohol – is it contra-Biblical to have a drink of alcohol?  No.  However, it IS Biblical that one should not be drunken.  It’s a fine line (for some) that a weak brother may not understand.

3.       Other ideas?

4. The crux of this set of Scripture is v 15b.  If Christ was willing to die for this person, we should be willing to refrain from doing something that would hurt his Christian walk.
5. So, does refraining mean once, always, sometimes???  When is “refraining” (in this context) hypocritical?
6. The rest of this passage (v 14-21) deal primarily with not allowing something that really doesn’t matter (eating) to offend or destroy the work of God.   Don’t do it if it affects another believer negatively.  (One may also say don’t do it if a non-believer sees it because they may not be able to tell the difference between you and the other folks in the room). 
4. vv. 22-23 [READ – Rom 14:22-23]
1. v 22.  I DO NOT like the NIV translation of this verse.  I just don’t see/hear Paul ever saying something like what the NIV has there.  What I think he’s saying (from the KJV or NASB) is that:

                                                               i.      if you have faith, you’ll be happy when you don’t condemn yourself by allowing yourself to do something that causes someone to falter.

2. V 23.  We could talk for days on this.  “whatever is not from faith is sin”.  If you’re not convinced and have faith that what you’re doing is right, it’s a sin.  If you don’t have faith that it’s right, you shouldn’t do it.

                                                               i.      Does this mean that if you don’t feel convicted (ie, you have faith) that it’s OK, that you should still do it?  No.  That’s what the previous verses stated.  If it causes a brother to falter, you should refrain.

                                                             ii.      Do you think this verse means that any lack of faith is a sin?

Summary

1. What’s your key verse?
1. v 12
2. What do you think now of this Chapter?
1. Ouch.  It steps on toes.
2. It has convicted me on a few items.
3. Do you (based on this passage) have a responsibility to other believers?  Especially young believers?
1. Yes.  We, as more mature Christians, should be examples for them.  Live our lives to their scrutiny.  It’s a tough standard.
4. How do you feel that a lack of faith is a sin?  Did you know that already?  Should we judge those that have wavering faith?
1. Of course not.
5. Do we look at other kinds of Christians and have pre-conceptions or other negative thoughts about them because they don’t think like us?  Is that OK?  Should we instead try to build those relationships on what we have in common (assuming we have the main points in common)?  Sure.
6. Are there things in our lives we should remove because they may be a stumbling block?
7. Are there things that we think are wrong that is really just our opinion and we have grudges or bad feelings towards others because of it?

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