Verse By Verse Through Romans

Chapter Fourteen

Romans 14:1 “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.”

• The one weak in the faith stands in contrast to someone such as Abraham, who was not weak in the faith (Romans 4:13-22).
• The specific is defined in the next verse (Romans 14:2).
• There are two things revealed later in the context that we have to understand. First, it is the strong receiving the weak. Secondly, the “weak” one has “infirmities” also meaning “scruple of conscience” [ἀσθένημα; Strong’s # 771] (Romans 15:1).
• The issue is not the strength of the person's trust in God, but weakness in understanding the liberty granted by the faith (Romans 14:2; 14:14; 14:20). We live under the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25 and James 2:12). The Law of Christ (cf. Galatians 6:2) is not burdensome (I John 5:1-3). The overscrupulous conscience can cause one to place burdens upon himself and others that the Law of Christ does not impose. This can easily become sinful as one goes from overly conscientious to a law maker. There is only one law maker (Isaiah 33:22 and James 4:12). We cannot redefine good or evil (Isaiah 5:20). At the same time, Romans 14 does not say every weak brother becomes a lawmaker. The sinful step occurs when the weak brother judges others or binds his scruples upon them, as the context will bear out.
• Note a contextual qualifier to receiving (Romans 15:7).
• This does not mean that we are to receive people erring in the faith (Romans 16:17-18, I Corinthians 5:1-13, Ephesians 5:6-11, II Thessalonians 3:6, II Thessalonians 3:14-15, II John 1:9-11, and Jude 1:3-4).
• Even if a person is a babe in Christ, sin cannot be ignored (Acts 8:12-24).
• The weak in faith can be received provided the matter does not involve doubtful disputations (I Corinthians 14:33, I Timothy 1:3-7, I Timothy 6:3-5, II Timothy 2:14, II Timothy 2:23, and Titus 3:9-11).

• The Scriptures do not limit what we may eat to herbs (Genesis 9:1-4 and I Timothy 4:1-5).
• Having said that, the conscience plays a role in this matter (Romans 14:14 and Romans 14:23).
• Understand that, a person converted to Christ after having lived under the Law of Moses, would easily have a conscience issue with eating certain meats. The reason being, the Law of Moses was restrictive on what could be eaten (Leviticus 11:1-47).
• Another's conscience can affect what the strong choose to do (I Corinthians 8:1-13 and I Corinthians 10:25-33), though there are limits (see notes on Romans 14:1).

• See the notes on Romans 14:1-2.
• See also: Colossians 2:4-23
• More will be said about these principles later in the context (Romans 14:10ff.).

• Who art thou to judge… (I Corinthians 4:4-5 and James 4:11-12)? The previous verse concluded with “for God hath received him” (Romans 14:3).
• Ultimately, there is one Judge before whom we must all stand (John 12:48 and II Corinthians 5:10). The context gets to this point (Romans 14:9-12).
• The Lord is able to make us stand (Jude 1:24).
• This context must not be used to forbid all judgment. There are matters wherein Christians must judge (Matthew 7:15-20, Matthew 18:15-35, John 7:24, Romans 16:17-18, I Corinthians 5:1-13, I Corinthians 6:1-8, I Timothy 5:19-20, and I John 4:1-6).

• Here is authority for saints to differ regarding the observance of days in matters of personal liberty. This is not permission to create "holy days" (Galatians 4:9-10; cf. Mark 7:1-13).
• In matters of liberty, the decision is left to the individual. Even then, one must be fully persuaded in his own mind (I Corinthians 8:4-7).
• Whatever liberty one chooses, be thankful to God for it whether it be days or foods (I Timothy 4:4-5 and I Thessalonians 5:18).
• God, not man, determines what belongs in the realm of liberty. This chapter does not authorize individuals to make optional what God has made mandatory or to make mandatory what God has left optional (again; James 4:12).

• Those who are in Christ no longer live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them (Romans 6:3-13 and II Corinthians 5:14-17).

• This point parallels Paul’s statement in Philippians 1:21-24, where life and death are both viewed in relation to Christ.
• Saints belong to the Lord, having been bought with a price and no longer living unto themselves (I Corinthians 6:19–20 and Galatians 2:20; cf. Matthew 16:24).
• Christ is our life (Colossians 3:1-4).

• The immediate point of this context is that Christ's death and resurrection established His Lordship over both the dead and the living. This should not be understood as the only purpose of His death. The Lord Jesus Christ died for multiple reasons (Romans 7:1-6, Ephesians 5:25, Hebrews 9:15-17, Hebrews 10:1-18, etc.).
• Here, Jesus is identified as being Lord over all as a result of His death and resurrection (Acts 2:36, Romans 5:14; 5:17, Ephesians 1:17-23, Philippians 2:5-10, Hebrews 2:9-14, Hebrews 12:1-2, and I Peter 3:18-22).

• This is not a prohibition of all judgment among brethren as we covered when we looked at verse four (cf. Matthew 7:15-20, Matthew 18:15-17, John 7:24, I Corinthians 5:1-13, I Corinthians 6:1-8, and I Timothy 5:19-20).
• Within the context of authorized liberties, Paul returns to his earlier instruction not to judge or despise one another over matters of personal conviction (Romans 14:1-4).
• Furthermore, the judgment seat belongs to Christ, before whom all shall stand (Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:22-29, and II Corinthians 5:10).

• As it is written… (Isaiah 45:22-23).
• …And it is written again (Philippians 2:10-11).

• Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, John 5:28-29, Acts 17:30-31, II Corinthians 5:10, and II Timothy 4:1.

• As the context has already pointed out, don’t judge your brethren in areas of liberty (Romans 14:3-4 and Romans 14:10).
• Don’t act in such a way that your liberty causes a brother or sister to stumble (I Corinthians 8:1-13 and I Corinthians 10:25-33).
• For the sake of clarity, this DOES NOT mean that causing someone to stumble by taking a righteous stand is wrong (I Corinthians 1:23 and I Peter 2:5-8).

• Nothing unclean of itself (Acts 10:9-16 and I Timothy 4:1-5; cf. Titus 1:15).
• Be persuaded before you act (Romans 14:5 and Romans 14:23).
• Make sure, like Paul wrote by inspiration, that you are persuaded by the Lord and not yourself or someone else (Proverbs 3:5-7, Proverbs 16:2, Proverbs 16:25, Ephesians 5:10, and I Thessalonians 4:1-2).

• This circles back to the point made in Romans 14:13.
• If you love your brother, your liberty should not matter more to you than he or she does (Galatians 5:13; cf. I John 4:20-21).

• Regarding authorized liberties, don't exercise your liberty in such a way that your good can be evil spoken of (I Corinthians 10:23-33).
• In general, live above reproach (II Corinthians 8:20-21, Philippians 2:14-16, I Peter 3:8-17, I Peter 4:12-16, and II Peter 3:14).
• Christians are presently, on earth, part of the kingdom (Colossians 1:12-13 and Hebrews 12:28).
• The Lord's people should think spiritually (Romans 8:4-8).
• We should be about righteousness (Matthew 6:33) and peace (Philippians 4:6-8).
• The kingdom is spiritual in nature. Food is carnal in nature. Common meals and social activities are not part of the work of the kingdom/church (John 6:26-27, I Corinthians 11:18-34, and Hebrews 13:9). So, we should not be so entangled with such affairs that others may speak evil of us.
• The joy they experienced came through the Holy Ghost (Acts 13:52, Romans 15:13, and I Thessalonians 1:6) whom they had received by the laying on of the Apostles' hands (Acts 8:12-24 and Acts 19:1-7). For those who had not received spiritual gifts, Paul wanted to come and impart such unto them (Romans 1:11).

• “In these things” points immediately back to righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17), within the larger context of properly handling authorized liberties (Romans 14:1-6).
• We are supposed to serve our Lord (John 12:25-26, Romans 6:22, Romans 12:11, Colossians 3:24, and James 1:1).
• Doing all things in the name of the Lord keeps our focus where it belongs (Colossians 3:16-17).
• Christians should conduct themselves in a manner approved of men (II Corinthians 4:1-2 and I Thessalonians 2:10), but never compromise the truth to gain man's approval (Acts 5:14-29, Galatians 1:10, Galatians 2:1-5, and Galatians 2:11-17).

• “Let us therefore…” shows continuation of thought from the previous points. Saints are to be a people who are focused on peace (Matthew 5:9, Mark 9:50, I Corinthians 14:33, II Corinthians 13:11, Galatians 5:22-23, Ephesians 4:1-3, Hebrews 12:14, and I Peter 3:10-11).
• At the same time, there are times when peace is not possible (Luke 12:51-53, Acts 13:40-51, Acts 14:1-4, and Jude 1:3-4).
• Additionally, peace cannot come through unlawful compromise (I Kings 18:17-21, Proverbs 23:23, Ephesians 5:6-11, and II John 1:9-11).
• Even in matters of liberty, peace cannot be achieved by compromising the truth. The strong could refrain from exercising a liberty for the sake of the weak, but they could not teach that an authorized liberty was sinful (Romans 14:1; Romans 14:14-15; Romans 14:20).
• In the pursuit of peace there is to also be the work of edifying one another within the body of Christ (Romans 15:1-3, I Corinthians 14:20-26, Ephesians 4:15-16, and Ephesians 4:29).

• I Corinthians 8:8 and I Timothy 4:1-5
• Man is not defiled by what he eats (Mark 7:1-23).
• Again (Romans 14:14), all things are indeed pure.
• However, one Christian's conscience concerning an authorized liberty can differ from another’s (Romans 14:1-6).
• We will see more about eating with offense at the end of this chapter (Romans 14:23). Think about how the one with the weak conscience makes it harder on himself/herself. The Law of Christ is not intended to be burdensome (I John 5:1-3).

• We cannot say it is good to drink wine in its intoxicating form (Proverbs 20:1, Proverbs 21:17, Proverbs 23:20-21, Proverbs 23:29-35, Proverbs 31:4-5, Isaiah 5:11, Isaiah 5:22, Isaiah 28:7-8, Hosea 4:11, Habakkuk 2:15, Romans 13:13, I Corinthians 6:9-10, I Thessalonians 5:7-8, Titus 2:1-6, I Peter 4:1-5, and I Peter 5:8).
• Remember, “wine” is not always intoxicating (Isaiah 65:8).
• The point of these two verses is that, though something may be pure, if it is a liberty and causes offense to your brother, you are to abstain from it (Romans 14:15, I Corinthians 8:12-13, I Corinthians 9:11-12, and I Corinthians 10:23-33).

• The faith that is under discussion here is contextually related to liberties and one being fully persuaded in his own mind (Romans 14:1-5 and Romans 14:14).
• A clear conscience does not necessarily mean one's actions are right (Acts 23:1 and Acts 26:9-11; cf. I Corinthians 15:9).
• “Alloweth” [δοκιμάζω] means: “to test (literally or figuratively); by implication to approve: - allow, discern, examine, X like, (ap-) prove, try” (Strong’s # 1381). This Greek word is also translated “proving” (Ephesians 5:10) and “prove” (II Corinthians 13:5 and I Thessalonians 5:21).

• Faith originates from God’s word (Romans 10:14-17). The conscience does not determine what is good; what is good is revealed in the Scriptures (II Timothy 3:14-17).
• Contextually, eating without faith causes one’s weak conscience to be defiled (I Corinthians 8:1-13).
• We should know that what we are doing is acceptable to God before we act (Leviticus 10:1-2, I Samuel 15:1-28, II Samuel 7:1-7, Proverbs 3:5-7, Proverbs 20:25, Matthew 7:21-23, Luke 6:46, I Corinthians 4:6, Ephesians 5:10, I Thessalonians 5:21, and James 2:10-12).