- What are the issues mentioned here and where do they come from?
- Vegetarian
- Possibly to avoid meat sacrificed to idols, which would be an OT Law stipulation
- Pre-law commandment to Adam and Eve. Therefore some who believe that the OT is abrogated might still believe pre-law rules are not
- Special days, i.e., Sabbath, feasts, and new moon celebrations. These are clearly OT law. The new moon is important because it determines the start of a new month, which then determines when holidays occurs
- Who is the person with the weak faith?
- The individual who believes he is still under these rules
- This does not mean if you are a vegetarian you are weak in faith. The weak person is the one who thinks he must eat vegetables because of an OT law or rule
- How are we to treat the person?
- Not to judge for convictions (or even convictions based on weak faith)
- It is a matter of conscience, between the person and God
- When is it okay to judge other believers?
- In matters on sin (1 Cor is very clear)
- Raises a particularly difficult point. If we think something is sin, then we will judge others on that point
- Clearly OT laws are not issues upon which we can be judged
- We can judge (or rather raise the issue to the person, not gossip about them) on sins that a clearly taught in the NT to avoid (eg. sexual immorality)
- Additionally we are not to judge unbelievers
- So four key principles
- Don't judge others
- Don't be a stumbling block
- Everything is clean (foodwise) but it may not be helpful
- We are to pursue peace and mutual upbuilding
- So even though we can't judge others by our convictions or force our convictions upon others, we are still affected by their convictions but for a different reason. What are we told to do?
- Don't make an issue of a conviction
- Don't cause another to stumble because of your knowledge
- We made need to sacrifice for others. That may seem unfair but that is the definition of sacrificial love (Jesus' death was not fair either but thankfully he did do it for us!)
- (And even more clearly) while we are not under OT law, we are under NT principles where "love for your neighbor" is the overriding principle
- This passage makes it clear that the reason we adjust our behavior is not because we are under the law, but because?
- Someone may respond: then what is the purpose of the law if we are not under it? What is Paul's response?
- The OT law teaches us
- Specifically it teaches us endurance (by watching OT saints suffer and remain true)
- and encouragement (by watching God deliver his people)
- and it teaches us hope (because we have a future)
- God gives endurance and encouragement (he uses the OT), but Paul is praying for unity, why?
- That will bring praise to God
- It is a fulfillment of all that God began in the Jews, that Gentiles are now experiencing
- What do the next four passages emphasize and why?
- The next four passages are exhortation to the Gentiles to praise God
- Disunity affects our worship, it hurts our praise, it hurts our witness, and it shows a lack of understanding of all that went into our salvation
- APPLICATION: Disunity happens when we put emphasis on convictions (rules) over love
- Paul has never visited the church at Rome. He has met various members of the church from Rome. He has heard of their witness. What is his conclusion?
- They are full of goodness (they want to do right)
- They have the knowledge and are competent to teach (I think many feel that they need to know more before they can teach. A funny thing about teaching, you never really are ready when you start, but you learn so much from the discipline of being forced to be ready to teach)
- Paul felt the maturity was strong enough that he could challenge them on some points
- Where is he heading? Jerusalem
- Why is he going to Jerusalem? To carry a gift to the poor
- What is his concern as he goes to Jerusalem?
- Deliverance from unbelievers
- That the gift will be acceptable (he probably has not received it all yet and hopes to get the rest on the way back)
- What is his plan?
- To visit Rome on his way to Spain
- Did things go the way Paul hoped?
- No. Although whether he visited Spain is not really known
- He spent some time in Rome under house arrest
- Some unverified stories suggest he was released and went to Spain
- Whatever was the case, he was recaptured and later killed by Caesar
- APPLICATION: Even when you are perfectly in the will of God things do not always go well
- Observations:
- Phoebe will be visiting
- Priscilla and Aquila, former members of the church at Rome, will be visiting
- Apparently, Epenetus, his first convert, is a member of the church
- Mary, not clear the relation, but sounds like a member
- Paul has a number of people he knows in the church as well as relatives who live in Rome
- His last warning:
- Watch out for those who cause division
- Teach contrary teachings
- Serve their own appetites
- Deceive with smooth talk and flattery
- More observations:
- Timothy is with Paul (and others)
- Tertius wrote the letter down
- The church meets at Gaius' house and Paul is probably spending the winter there
Rom
14:1-12 (ESV) As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to
quarrel over opinions. 2 One person
believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3
Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who
abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant
of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will
be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day as better than
another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully
convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in
honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives
thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and
gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to
himself.8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.
So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this
end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of
the living.
10 Why
do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother?
For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,
"As I live, says the Lord, every knee
shall bow to me,
and
every tongue shall confess to God."
12 So
then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Rom
14:13-23 (ESV) Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer,
but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a
brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean
in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your
brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what
you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be
spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom
of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace
and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God
and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for
mutual upbuilding.
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the
work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make
another stumble by what he eats. 21 It
is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother
to stumble. 22 The faith that you have,
keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass
judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is
condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does
not proceed from faith is sin.
Rom
15:1-4 (ESV) We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of
the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2
Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For
Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of
those who reproached you fell on me." 4 For whatever was written in
former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and
through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
We
are concerned about the weaker brother
Rom
15:5-13 (ESV) May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in
such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together
you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7
Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of
God.
8 For
I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's
truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and
in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
"Therefore
I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and
sing to your name."
10 And
again it is said,
"Rejoice,
O Gentiles, with his people."
11 And
again,
"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and
let all the peoples extol him."
12 And
again Isaiah says,
"The
root of Jesse will come,
even
he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him
will the Gentiles hope."
13 May
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the
power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Rom
15:14-21 (ESV) I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you
yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to
instruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly
by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister
of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God,
so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy
Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for
God. 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has
accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed,
19 by the power of signs and wonders, by
the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around
to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and
thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already
been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, 21 but as it is
written,
"Those who have never been told of him
will see,
and
those who have never heard will understand."
Rom
15:22-33 (ESV) This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from
coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these
regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to
see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by
you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however, I
am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia
have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at
Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For
if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought
also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have
completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will
leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come
in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
30 I
appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the
Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,
31 that I may be delivered from the
unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to
the saints, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be
refreshed in your company. 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Rom
16:1-27 (ESV) I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at
Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the
saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a
patron of many and of myself as well.
3
Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their
necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the
Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my
beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary,
who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my
fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ
before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our
fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is
approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11
Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of
Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet
the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in
the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. 14 Greet
Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with
them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all
the saints who are with them. 16 Greet
one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
17 I
appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create
obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18
For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by
smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. 19 For your
obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be
wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under
your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
21 Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do
Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.
22 I
Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.
23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole
church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus,
greet you.
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you
according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now
been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all
nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the
obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus
Christ! Amen.
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