Sep18-24: All the Rest is Commentary

Teaching Points

1.  What are the issues in Romans 14 causing division?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 14:2—Food in markets.
• Rom. 14:5, 6—days—holy days or feast days—should we keep them.
• Rom. 14—Condemning others based on what we think is right.
• Acts 15—The Church’s decision that Gentiles should not eat meat offered to idols.
• 1 Cor. 10:19-25—some of the food sold in markets may have been offered to idols.
• Paul is dealing with food that was perhaps offered to idols not clean vs. unclean meat which has already been made clear in other areas of the Bible. Paul is dealing with the fact that some people have more sensitive consciences and even though one person may be able to eat meat in the market without feeling guilty because the meat might have been offered to idols someone else may not be able to do that. What if another person who can’t do that with a clear conscience, sees you doing it?

2.  What is the heart issue that Paul is dealing with?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 14:3, 4, 10-13, —Do not condemn. God will judge us individually.

3.  Though we should not condemn, what should we remember?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 14:7—The things we do affect others.
• Rom. 14:13, 21—Don’t put a stumbling block or a occasion to fall in our brother’s way.

4.   How should we deal with something not inherently wrong but that causes another person to fall?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 14:15, 16—We are not to offend because this is not showing love to our brother or living peacefully.
•  Rom. 14:19—We should only do those things that make peace and will edify (build up or promote growth).
• Rom. 14:22—We will be happy if we don’t condemn ourselves by what we allow or approve. 

OBSERVATION:

• The issue was not so much, does sacrificing food to idols contaminate the food but does the person who eats that food cause someone else to stumble spiritually.
• Should we judge others on the amount of faith they have or do not seem to have?  
• We must leave the judgment of others to God. He reads the heart.
• Our part is if we are causing someone to sin because of our influence in any area of our life, we must change our influence. Otherwise we are guilty of not showing true love or being peaceable because we are causing others to violate their conscience. 
• Even though something may not be wrong necessarily, if it causes someone else to sin, or lose the way, we should not do it.
• We should only do those things that will make peace and build up others.
• Let us not condemn ourselves by things we allow or approve.   

5.  What is a crucial way to show true love?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 15:1—We that are strong should endure the scruple of conscience of the weak, not please ourselves.
• 1 Cor. 13:5—True love does not seek her own.
• A crucial way to show love is to look out for others and not seek to please self. Without this kind of love we can’t have unity.   

6.  What helps develop patience (cheerful endurance) so that we can have comfort and hope?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 15:1-4—Enduring the conscientious convictions of those weaker in faith to strengthen them and learning from what was written in the Bible.
• Patiently dealing with faults.

7.  What is God’s desire for His people?

ANSWER:

• Rom. 15: 5-7—For them to be likeminded: one mind.  

8.  How do Paul’s closing statements in Romans help us know his theme?

ANSWER:

• In the beginning (chapters 1, and 2) of Romans he shows how the Jews and Gentiles are divided and the Jews are judging the Gentiles.
• In the end (chapters 14, and 15) Paul addresses the key issue of judging each other and division and shows how everyone can be brought into harmony, or unity, or have one mind.
• In Rom. 15:15-24 he more clearly states his calling to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. He established the fact that the Gentiles are able to be saved as well as Jews.

OBSERVATION:

• True love guards the conscientious convictions of others even when this does not please self.
• The key to unity is surrendering self and seeking the best interest of others, not self.
• God wants His people, Jews and Gentiles, to be united as one body in Christ. God does not want them fighting or causing someone to stubble because of their influence.
• Paul closes with stating his mission for the Gentiles after establishing the fact that Gentiles have equal opportunity for salvation. 

SOP:

• But there has been among us as a people a lack of deep, earnest, soul-touching sympathy and love for the tempted and the erring. Many have manifested great coldness and sinful neglect, represented by Christ as passing by on the other side, keeping as far as possible from those who most need help. The newly converted soul often has fierce conflicts with established habits or with some special form of temptation, and, being overcome by some master passion or tendency, he is guilty of indiscretion or actual wrong. It is then that energy, tact, and wisdom are required of his brethren, that he may be restored to spiritual health. In such cases the instructions of God's word apply: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in a spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." Romans 15:1. 460 {CCh 254.2 (ch. 46)}
• "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves." Romans 15:1. No soul who believes in Christ, though his faith may be weak, and his steps wavering as those of a little child, is to be lightly esteemed. By all that has given us advantage over another,--be it education and refinement, nobility of character, Christian training, religious experience,--we are in debt to those less favored; and, so far as lies in our power, we are to minister unto them. If we are strong, we are to stay up the hands of the weak. Angels of glory, that do always behold the face of the Father in heaven, joy in ministering to His little ones. Trembling souls, who have many objectionable traits of character, are their special charge. Angels are ever present where they are most needed, with those who have the hardest battle with self to fight, and whose surroundings are the most discouraging. And in this ministry Christ's true followers will co-operate.  {DA 440.1 (ch. 48)}
• God does not want us to place ourselves upon the judgment seat and judge each other. . . . When we see errors in others, let us remember that we have faults graver, perhaps, in the sight of God than the fault we condemn in our brother. Instead of publishing his defects, ask God to bless him and to help him to overcome his error. Christ will approve of this spirit and action, and will open the way for you to speak a word of wisdom that will impart strength and help to him who is weak in the faith. {OFC 127.6 (ch. 5)}
• The work of building one another up in the most holy faith is a blessed work, but the work of tearing down is a work full of bitterness and sorrow. Christ identifies Himself with His suffering children, for He says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). . . . Every heart has its own sorrows and disappointments, and we should seek to lighten one another’s burdens by manifesting the love of Jesus to those around us. If our conversation were upon heaven and heavenly things, evil speaking would soon cease to have any attraction for us. . . . {OFC 128.1}   

CONCLUSION:

• The Jews and Gentiles were disputing about food offered to idols and keeping feast days, but this was not the issue.
• The issue was a heart issue: judging and condemning each other.
• Paul shows us that even if something is not a sin, if it influences someone else to sin, or if it offends someone’s conscience, we should not do it.
• We should not judge or condemn others but rather build up their faith in Christ.
• True love guards the conscientious convictions and does not seek to please self.
• Unity is only possible when we are surrendering self and seeking the best interest of others.
• God wants His people, Jews and Gentiles, to be united as one body in Christ, not fighting or causing someone to stubble because of their influence.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Are you daily surrendering self and seeking others’ best interest and not your own?
• Are you condemning others but doing the same thing?
• Are you judging others or building them up in Christ by faith?
• Are you guarding the convictions of others and seeking to live peaceably with them?
• Are you losing focus on Christ by getting angry or being jealous of another person?
• Is anything in your life—movies, music, jewelry, attitude, judging, selfishness, food,—that is influencing someone else to fall into sin?