For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself: We must understand that from beginning to end our life is connected to other lives. Prophets When we come to die actually, neither is that to ourselves; it is not barely that we would be unclothed, and eased of the burden of the flesh, but it is to the Lord, that we may depart and be with Christ, may be present with the Lord. Thus, while both have an eye to God in what they do, and approve themselves to him in their integrity, why should either of them be judged or despised? This is laid down v. 5, Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind; that is, "Practise according to your own judgment in these things, and leave others to do so too. Wake Up! b. The Whole Bible Perhaps they refused it because they feared it was meat sacrificed to a pagan god (as in 1 Corinthians 8). All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. Children of God, born of the grandest of all parents, regenerated by the almighty energy of , THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE AND OF ADOPTION. Clearness in doubtful matters contributes very much to our comfortable walking, as it frees us from those scruples, jealousies, and suspicions, which those who have not such clearness are entangled in endlessly. Secondly, We must be very careful to do nothing which tends to the destruction of this work, either in ourselves or others. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. This is unfortunate, since his works contain priceless gems of information that are found nowhere except in the ancient writings of the Jews. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat: It would be easy for a Christian who felt free to eat meat to despise others as hopeless legalists. Amen. If of the particular determination of the efficacy of his death to the elect, then, though none that were given to Christ shall perish (John 6 39), yet thou mayest, as much as is in thy power, destroy such. (2.) One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike: By bringing in the aspect of observing certain days, Paul lets us know that he is talking more about principles than specific issues. (Romans 14:5-6) Judging our brother is inappropriate because these are matters of conscience. We are apt, in such a case, to lay all the blame on that side. THIS chapter contains Paul's loving salutation to the various Christians dwelling at Rome. It is seldom that any such contention exists but there is a fault on both sides, and both must mend. Blue Letter Bible is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. This seems to be the meaning of that aphorism, which sounds somewhat darkly (v. 22), Happy is he that condemns not himself in that thing which he allows. Every knee and every tongue, either freely or by force. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. Luke-Acts Romans 14 - God Likes it When We Think About Others A. Don't judge each other in doubtful things. What is it to be sanctified, but to be of God's mind? Blessing the creatures in the name of God before we use them, and blessing the name of God for them after, are both included; for eulogein and eucharistein are used promiscuously. Many do for meat and drink destroy the work of God in themselves (nothing more destructive to eh soul than pampering and pleasing the flesh, and fulfilling the lusts of it), so likewise in others, by wilful offence given. It is goodpleasing to God, profitable to our brother, and no harm to ourselves. The Gospels It is indeed their sin who do speak evil of that which is good for the sake of any such circumstantial errors, but it is our folly if we give any occasion to do so. b. We must not give account for others, nor they for us; but every one for himself. The end of such knowledge is that, being satisfied in our liberty, we may have a conscience void of offence towards God, and let that content us. That which for the matter of it is good and unexceptionable may sometimes, by mismanagement, be rendered liable to a great deal of censure and reproach. 5001 North Oak Trafficway Kansas City, Missouri 64118 Visit Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. Our rule is, to walk as far as we have attained, not further, Phil 3 15, 16.For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. 15, 16. It will be good for us to put this question to ourselves, when we are tempted to behave scornfully towards our brethren, to disdain and censure them: "Hast not God owned them; and, if he has, dare I disown them?" The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Romans viii. True love would make us tender of their peace and purity, and beget a regard to their consciences as well as to our own. Commentary on Romans 13:11-14 (Read Romans 13:11-14) Four things are here taught, as a Christian's directory for his day's work. Spurgeon left this earth for his heavenly hope in 1892. Nay, and thou mayest utterly destroy some whose profession may be so justifiable that thou art bound to believe, in a judgment of charity, that Christ died for them. We may apply it more generally. Concerning meats (v. 2): One believeth that he may eat all thingshe is well satisfied that the ceremonial distinction of meats into clean and unclean is no longer in force, but that every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused; nothing unclean of itself, v. 14. So that whenever God saith As I live, it is to be interpreted as swearing by himself; for it is God's prerogative to have life in himself: there is a further ratification of it there, The word is gone out of my mouth. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. When we are ready to reproach and reflect upon the name and memory of those that are dead and gone, and to pass a censure upon them (which some the rather do, because such judgments of the dead are more likely to pass uncontrolled and uncontradicted), we must consider that Christ is Lord of the dead, as well as of the living. First, The work of grace and peace is the work of God; it is wrought by him, it is wrought for him; it is a good work of his beginning, Phil 1 6. Prophets Yet there was nothing that could justify the destruction of a Christian brother over food. It is explained by the word akatharton, Acts 10 14, nothing common or unclean. Wisdom Literature Observe, The same for whom Christ died (v. 15) are here called the work of God; besides the work that is wrought for us there is a work to be wrought in us, in order to our salvation. We should manage all our good duties in such a manner that they may not be evil spoken of. We have learned to deny ourselves; this was our first lesson: None of us liveth to himself. Luke-Acts If a thing be indifferent, so that it is not in itself a sin not to do it, if we really think it a sin to do it it is to us a sin, though not to others, because we act against our consciences, though mistaken and misinformed. Historical Books 2. Wake Up! Wisdom Literature Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Luke-Acts I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Here is a proof of Christ's Godhead: he is the Lord and he is God, equal with the Father. (1.) a. . b. And therefore, First, We have little to do to judge others, for they are not accountable to us, nor are we accountable for them (Gal 2 6): Whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me, God accepteth no man's person. In face of our common responsibility to Him, how dare we judge each other?" Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves: Not every Christian knows this happiness. Observe here. Historical Books Remember that it is an inspired passage: although it consists of Christian courtesies addressed to different individuals, yet it was written by an apostle, and written not as an ordinary letter but as a part of the inspired volume. There is a lot of useless, harmful division among Christians over silly, bigoted things. Major Prophets Let us not judge one another: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus helped us to understand what this means it means judging others according to a standard that we would not want to have applied to ourselves. 11 14. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point To illustrate this (v. 11), he quotes a passage out of the Old Testament, which speaks of Christ's universal sovereignty and dominion, and that established with an oath: As I live (saith the Lord), every knee shall bow to me. Taking it in general, it is the same with that of the apostle (Heb 11 6), Without faith it is impossible to please God. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and . He that regards the daythat makes conscience of the observance of the Jewish fasts and festivals, not imposing it upon others, nor laying a stress upon it, but willing to be as he thinks on the surer side, as thinking there is no harm in resting from worldly labours, and worshipping God on those daysit is well. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the This rash judging is reproved, Jam 3 1, under the notion of being many masters. 2. Take heed of acting contrary to the dictates of a doubting conscience. But why do you judge your brother? He grants that all things indeed are pure. So that now there is nothing unclean of itself, every creature of God is good; nothing common: so the margin, ouden koinon; nothing which is common to others to eat, from the use of which the professors of religion are restrained: nothing profane; in this sense the Jews used the word common. The Old Testament The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord, and it is a dangerous thing to debauch and put a force upon conscience, though it be under a mistake. Qui credit, vescatur quibusvis: qui autem infirmus est, olera edit. Receive the one who is weak in the faith: These are words to take seriously. The judgment seat of Christ is only concerned with a Christians rewards and position in the kingdom, not with his salvation. (Smith). Because God hath received them; and we reflect upon him if we reject those whom he hath received. Bishop Sanderson, in his 34th sermon, upon 1 Tim 4 4, justly makes this observation: It appears by this that saying grace (as we commonly call it, perhaps from 1 Cor 10 30) before and after meat was the common known practice of the church, among Christians of all sorts, weak and strong: an ancient, commendable, apostolical, Christian practice, derived down from Christ's example through all the ages of the church, Matt 14 19; 15 36; Luke 9 16; John 6 11; Matt 26 26, 27; Acts 27 35. For it is written: As I live, says the LORD, i. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a "While thy brother's cause is before thy judgment, it is coram non judicebefore one who is not the judge; the court of heaven is the proper court for trial, where, and where only, the sentence is definitive and conclusive; and to this, if his heart be upright, he may comfortably appeal from thy rash censure.". Think what thou destroyestthe work of God, whose work is honourable and glorious; think for what thou destroyest itfor meat, which was but for the belly, and the belly for it. When to awake; Now; and to awake out of the sleep of carnal security, sloth, and negligence; out of the sleep of spiritual death, and out of the sleep of spiritual deadness. i. 5. It is not meant of justifying faith (that must not be hid, but manifested by our works), but of a knowledge and persuasion of our Christian liberty in things disputed. It is paid to God through him as Mediator. Take this for a general rule; spend your zeal in those things wherein you and all the people of God are agreed, and do not dispute about matters that are doubtful. GenesisExodusLeviticusNumbersDeuteronomyJoshuaJudgesRuth1 Samuel2 Samuel1 Kings2 Kings1 Chronicles2 ChroniclesEzraNehemiahEstherJobPsalmsProverbsEcclesiastesSong of SongsIsaiahJeremiahLamentationsEzekielDanielHoseaJoelAmosObadiahJonahMicahNahumHabakkukZephaniahHaggaiZechariahMalachiMatthewMarkLukeJohnActsRomans1 Corinthians2 CorinthiansGalatiansEphesiansPhilippiansColossians1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians1 Timothy2 TimothyTitusPhilemonHebrewsJames1 Peter2 Peter1 John2 John3 JohnJudeRevelation, Select a Beginning Point have it to thyself before God. Pauline Epistles i. This arises from that unchangeable law of our creation, which is, that our wills, in all their choices, motions, and directions, should follow the dictates of our understandings. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. Secondly, Confessing to himacknowledging his glory, grace, and greatnessacknowledging our own meanness and vileness, confessing our sins to him; so some understand it. Grace is the soul's cheerful, entire, and avowed subjection to Jesus Christ. Several kinds of meat were forbidden to the Jews, that in that, as in other things, they might be a peculiar and separate people, Lev 11 44; Deut 14 2, 3. We live to glorify him in all the actions and affairs of life; we die, whether a natural or a violent death, to glorify him, and to go to be glorified with him. Romans xvi.1 16. This chapter, rightly understood, made use of, and lived up to, would set things to rights, and heal us all. By these wounds the life and soul of religion expire. But it will be asked, "Who feared God and worked righteousness, and who did not?" To the same purport (v. 21) he recommends it to our care not to give offence to any one by the use of lawful things: It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine; these are things lawful indeed and comfortable, but not necessary to the support of human life, and therefore we may, and must, deny ourselves in them, rather than give offence. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. What he says has application to more than just eating meat. Observe his description of true Christians, taken from their end and aim (v. 7, 8), and the ground of it, v. 9. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. The New Testament Such gentle methods does he take, with such cords of a man does he draw them together; not by excommunicating, suspending, and silencing either side, but by persuading them both to a mutual forbearance: and as a faithful daysman he lays his hand upon them both, reasoning the case with the strong that they should not be so scornful, and with the weak that they should not be so censorious. 14 23) that it were evil to ask his father's blessing, that mispersuasion would make it become evil to him: but, if he should be as verily persuaded that it were good to curse his father, this would not make it become good. Divine honour is due to him, and must be paid. (4.) Let all these differences be referred to the arbitration of Christ at the great day. (1-2) Receiving the weaker brother. See Matt 18 6, 10. All his friends do it freely, are made willing in the day of his power. The world's eye saw the outside of Christ the flesh of the man Christ, but the true Christ the ungodly eye could not discern. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto , The Leading of the Spirit, the Secret Token of the Sons of God Observe the motives to enforce this caution. Why so? Romans 13 He preached in the same church as C. H. Spurgeon over one hundred years earlier. Romans 4:4. Pentateuch They judged them as breakers of the law, contemners of God's ordinance, and the like. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. That healing method is not the less excellent for being common: in things necessary let there be unity, things unnecessary let there be liberty, and in both let there be charity, then all will be well quickly.Have it to thyself before God. A believing regard to the judgment of the great day would silence all these rash judgings: Why dost thou that art weak judge thy brother that is strong? And all between is full of grace and truth. Receive him: not to quarrel with him, and to argue about uncertain points that are in controversy, which will but confound him, and fill his head with empty notions, perplex him, and shake his faith. Do not let your good be spoken of as evil: Our liberty in Jesus and freedom from the law is good, but not if we use it to destroy another brother in Christ. As to our brethren, it is peaceto live in peace and love, and charity with them, following peace with all men: Christ came into the world to be the great peace-maker. (Romans 14:13) Summary: dont make it an issue of judging, but dont use your liberty to stumble another brother. 1. Now let not this be evil spoken of. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth, 1 Cor 8 1-3. Thirdly, It is in these things to serve Christ (v. 18), to do all this out of respect to Christ himself as our Master, to his will as our rule and to his glory as our end. We must not pin our faith upon any one's sleeve, nor make the practice of others our rule; but follow the dictates of our own understanding. None know but those that experience it how great both the restraining and the constraining power of conscience is. conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy In either case, the attitude is wrong because we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ( Romans 14:19-21) Use your liberty to build each other up, not to tear each other down. The doctrines of the book are considered and discussed under four main propositions: (1) All men are guilty before God (Jews and Gentiles alike). Nor will it be asked, "Who was conformist and who was non-conformist?" Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in mine heart. See 1 Cor 1 10; Phil 3 15, 16. Our end and aim: not self, but the Lord. They may be sick or diseased (by legalism). c. Acceptable to God and approved by men: Serving God with a heart for His righteousness and peace and joy is the kind of service that is acceptable in His sight, and will be approved by men. To this end he both died, and rose, and revived (he, having risen, entered upon a heavenly life, the glory which he had before) that he might be Lord both of dead and livingthat he might be universal monarch, Lord of all (Acts 10 36), all the animate and inanimate creatures; for he is head over all things to the church. "Romans 16:24 Charity to the souls of our brethren is the best charity. To clear this argument against rash judging and despising, he shows how essential it is to true Christianity to have a regard to God and not to ourselves, which therefore, unless the contrary do manifestly appear, we must presume concerning those that in minor things differ from us. Well, this was the disease, and we see it remaining in the church to this day; the like differences, in like manner mismanaged, are still the disturbers of the church's peace. The beginning of sin is as the letting forth of water; we are not sure that it will stop any where on this side of eternal destruction. i. The gospel is your good; the liberties and franchises, the privileges and immunities, granted by it, are your good; your knowledge and strength of grace to discern and use your liberty in things disputed are your good, a good which the weak brother hath not. i. 23. 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