Romans Part IV Lesson 6 Romans 14 The

Romans Part IV Lesson 6

Romans 14 • The weak and strong brothers • In CONTEXT with Romans 12 and 13 – Your only debt is to love your neighbor – Serving and loving your brother – Serving the Lord

Romans 14: 1 -4 • Accept the one who is weak IN FAITH • That’s the instruction to the stronger brother • Weak described: eats only vegetables and is not to judge his brother who eats all things • Strong brother: – – Accept the one weak in faith Don’t pass judgment Described as the one who has faith to eat Don’t regard your weak brother with contempt

Contempt • Eksoutheneo – to cast out as nothing, to regard something as lacking any standing value. To despise, treat with scorn • “Do not regard your brother as nothing, with no standing value in your eyes and treat him with scorn” • Do YOU do that? HAVE you done that?

Romans 14: 1 -4 • Weak? Probably the Jewish believers keeping the dietary restrictions of the Law • Strong? Probably the Gentile believers keeping NO dietary laws, eating meat offered to idols with a clear conscience • Why are they not to judge? • Both God’s servants • God has accepted them both

Romans 14: 5 -9 • One regards one day of the week above others • One regards all days of the week the same • Solution? Each brother is to be fully convinced in his OWN mind (being transformed) that what he is doing is right before the LORD • Matter of conscience • Observing a certain day, eating or not • Both give thanks to the Lord

Romans 14: 7 -8 • Die: apothnesko – to die off, focusing on the separation that goes with the dying off; it stresses the significance of the separation that always comes with divine closure. The ending of what is former to bring what naturally follows. • Zodiates: “To be dead to the Law, to have no more dependence upon mere legal righteousness for justification and salvation than a dead man would have, as being self-crucified and dead together with Christ”

Romans 14: 10 -12 • • How do verses 11 -12 relate to verses 3 -4 and 7 -9? God has accepted both (vs. 3) We are the Lord’s (vs. 8) (same Lord) Each one will give an account (vs. 12)(All are accountable before God) • The Lord is master and judge, no one else (vs. 11) (Same Lord and Master)

2 Corinthians 5: 10 • The Judgment Seat of Christ • A time when believers are recompensed for the deeds done in their physical bodies whether they be good or bad • Not a place that deals with salvation • Is a place where believers will give an account for the deeds done in the body – Their “walk of faith”

Romans 14: 13 -23 • • Instruction for weak and strong brother: Don’t judge one another Determine not to be an obstacle/stumbling block Romans 12: 2 -3 …. so YOU can prove what the will of God is… • Paul determined in his own mind that nothing was unclean in itself (14: 14)

Romans 14: 15 -20 • • Don’t hurt a brother Christ died for Walk in love The kingdom of God is NOT food or drink The kingdom of God IS righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit • Outcome: Peace Brother is built up

Romans 14: 20 -23 Warnings • Don’t tear down God’s work for the sake of food • Work: ergon – a deed that carries out (completes) an inner desire (intention, purpose) • Work of God = salvation! Work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2: 12)

Romans 14: 22 -23 • EACH believer has his own conviction before God (vs. 22) • The weak brother is the one who has doubts • Whatever is not from faith, is sin…but within the context of Romans 14 • Romans 14 deals with the “externals”, nonessentials regarding the faith

Application • Can YOU seek peace and not judge? • Do YOU have rules or laws which are not God’s rules or laws? • How can you build your brother up?