Found in Him
Advanced Member
Member # 7596
|
posted
Romans Chapter 14
7. In chapter 14, Paul makes a point that unfortunately sounds strange even to many who today profess Jesus, even as it must have back then—accepting a brother when there are differences in judgment.
JUST WHAT IS AN OPINION ANYWAY (v. 1)?
1. Consider the following translations:
a. KJV “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.”
b. NKJV “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful
things.”
c. ASV “But him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet not for decision of scruples.”
d. NASB “Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.”
e. RSV “As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions.”
2. Literally, the Greek carries the idea of “judgments about thoughts”—meaning that
a weak brother is not to have his thoughts called into question on unnecessary, personal religious scruples (i.e. matters of conscience).
SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF SUCH SCRUPLES (vv. 2-6).
1. Foods (vv. 2-4).
a. A man of weaker faith has more objections of conscience in such things.
b. The full liberty found in Christ is not realized (Col. 2:16-23).
c. But, as long as these scruples are not bound on others, there is to be nothing done to interfere with fellowship—God accepts the person.
2. Days (vv. 5-6).
a. Religious days also fall into this same principle.
b. A Jew, for instance, who had been accustomed to keeping various days might
find his conscience to weak to allow him to abandon their observation.
c. As long as theses “days” were not pushed on others (note Gal. 4:8-11), the weak
brother could observe them, and God would receive the offering.
d. In Christ, as opposed to Moses, there are many fewer scruples that are matters
of necessity, but a brother or sister might still self-impose limitations to Christian freedom and yet not be rejected by the Lord.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES GIVEN FOR SUCH CONCERNS (vv. 7-12).
1. The relationship that matters most is the one we have with the Lord.
2. In concerns where Christ grants liberty, and where judgment ultimately has to do
with a person’s heart, we are not to judge.
3. We dare not find ourselves holding in contempt a brother or sister whom Jesus
accepts.
THEREFORE (vv. 13-23).
1. We are not to put a stumbling block in front of a brother in things relating to
individual scruples that are not wrong in themselves—such scruples are dealt
with by God as though they were matters of faith.
2. If we force a person to violate their conscience, we cause them to sin and endanger
their salvation.
3. Remember, self-imposed scruples limit freedom, but they do not in themselves
constitute sin.
4. Conversely, freedom exercised without suitable restraint is reckless (I Cor. 10:23).
5. But objections to an aspect of our enjoying Christian liberty must be of a serious
nature so as to actually be something that could cause a sincere brother to be lost
(cf. I Cor. 8:9-11).
6. Otherwise, Christian liberty could either be held hostage by every whim and fancy
entertained by even the most insincere of brethren, or it could be compromised to
actually encourage immature behavior in those of weak faith.
7. Jesus’ example is most instructive in such cases (Matt. 12:20; Mk. 3:1-6; Jn. 5:8-11,
16; 9:13-16; Mk. 7:14-23)—He never made ruin of a sincere person’s faith, but neither would He bow to the hypocritical scruples of the self-righteous, nor refrain from challenging people to mature in their understandings.
8. And lastly, viewing this whole chapter, we must conclude that there is much more
liberty in the private expressions of religion than in those of a corporate nature.
Let us, therefore, be careful not to misuse principles of liberty to either attack a
weak brother’s scruples, or to recklessly flaunt our own freedom.
Edwin S. Jones
--------------------
~To Him That is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy...to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.~ Jude 24
Posts: 1503 | Registered: Jan 2009
| IP: Logged | 
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
