Romans 14
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Romans 14:1-6:
1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. |
 Raphael Nyarkotey
Paul taught that "every crea-ture of God is" good for food (1 Timothy 4:1-5), and Jesus himself had made "all meats clean" (Mark 7:19). The nature of the weakness of those brethren is thus inherent in the fact that, either through ig-norance or prejudice, they had not received the teaching of Christ and his apostles on the matters in ques-tion. This was a serious weakness; but, in fairness, it must be noted that the apostles themselves had difficulty receiving the full light on this question. Peter, for example, long after Pentecost, still insisted that he had never eaten "anything common or unclean," indicating that be still kept to the scruples of Judaism (Acts 10:14). It has always been an easy error for people to fall into the notion that they might attain heaven on the basis of a certain kind of diet. -Raphael Nyarkotey; Ghana: Not Everyone Can Be Vegan or Vegetarian 12.5.21
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Romans 14:5-8:
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. |
If you want to celebrate Christmas, you are free to do so. If you want to boycott the holidays, you are free to do so. If you are a Christian, you are not free to criticize or condemn those whose views may be different than yours! |
Raphael Nyarkotey
We believe that pastors, and the church in entirety, should start preaching and advocating for Nature cure. They should not look down on natural medicine. It is the deal now. We must not form little cliques within the healthcare industry that shut out people from accessing natural medicines or with people who have different view-points on healthcare.
We must not think of one group as being set free while this group over here is very narrow and we have nothing to do with them. This is wrong, and Paul clearly says so. In fact, he implies that if any of the so-called strong exclude weaker brothers, look down on them, treat them as though they are second-class Christians, they have simply proved that they are just as weak in the faith as the ones they have denied. Strength in the faith means more than understanding truth.
It means living in a loving way with those who are weak: The truly strong in the faith will never put down those who are still struggling. On the other hand, the apostle goes on:
The man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has ac-cepted him. (Romans 14:3b NIV). Here is the other side of it. Those who believe in mainstream medi-cine must not look down on those who believe in natural medicine. Those who believe in Traditional Naturopathy or what others also refer to as original medicine should not be at loggerheads with pro-ponent of modern Naturopathic Medicine which employs modern scientific methods in handling pa-tient as described in the dictionary of occupational titles, USA.
Those who think it is morally wrong for a Christian to drink wine or beer must not look down on those who feel free to do so. They must not judge them. The word "condemn" means "to sit in judgment" on them and it involves several things. --Raphael Nyarkotey; Ghana: Not Everyone Can Be Vegan or Vegetarian 12.5.21
We must not think of one group as being set free while this group over here is very narrow and we have nothing to do with them. This is wrong, and Paul clearly says so. In fact, he implies that if any of the so-called strong exclude weaker brothers, look down on them, treat them as though they are second-class Christians, they have simply proved that they are just as weak in the faith as the ones they have denied. Strength in the faith means more than understanding truth.
It means living in a loving way with those who are weak: The truly strong in the faith will never put down those who are still struggling. On the other hand, the apostle goes on:
The man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has ac-cepted him. (Romans 14:3b NIV). Here is the other side of it. Those who believe in mainstream medi-cine must not look down on those who believe in natural medicine. Those who believe in Traditional Naturopathy or what others also refer to as original medicine should not be at loggerheads with pro-ponent of modern Naturopathic Medicine which employs modern scientific methods in handling pa-tient as described in the dictionary of occupational titles, USA.
Those who think it is morally wrong for a Christian to drink wine or beer must not look down on those who feel free to do so. They must not judge them. The word "condemn" means "to sit in judgment" on them and it involves several things. --Raphael Nyarkotey; Ghana: Not Everyone Can Be Vegan or Vegetarian 12.5.21
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Romans 14:7-9:
For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. |
The statement of v.7 is proclaiming a rhetorically obvious truth (in the context of being judged); we will not judge our lives and our death. Another will judge them for their lives and deaths, that is "the Lord" (here with the definite article). They are judged of the Lord because they belong to the Lord (v.8), and so will be judged by Christ (v.9-10).
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The indulging believer does not live by his own agency (ἑαυτῷ), because this believer is in fact dead to sin; nor does he die by his own agency (ἑαυτῷ), because this believer is in fact alive to God. These statements represent the nuance of apparent opposites that provide clarity, and which are common to the writings of the Apostle Paul (as the two examples above illustrated).
In summary, the apparent intent of Paul was to convey these fine nuances of apparent opposites, so that believers in Rome would be less apt to judge fellow believers.
In summary, the apparent intent of Paul was to convey these fine nuances of apparent opposites, so that believers in Rome would be less apt to judge fellow believers.
Romans 14:10-16:
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
14 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.
15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;
But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
14 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.
15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;
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Romans 14:17:
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost |
October 15, 2022:
A Lifeway Research study of U.S. Protestant pastors found 52% say the current economy is having a negative impact on their churches. For 40%, the economic circumstances aren’t having any effect. Fewer than 1 in 10 pastors (7%) say the current economy is a positive factor for their churches. Just at face value I would hope that all pastors would be in the 47% that arent having an impact or it is positive. The 52% suggest to me that there are churches where the vision is off target. The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17). Not money...or even things that money can buy. Granted, I do not know all the situations are because of being "off vision," but I struggle to mentally to think of another reason. It is the Christian's privilege to have righteousness, peace, and joy--a righteousness which if of God by Faith (Rom 3:21-22); a peace that passes understanding (Phil 4"7), which the world can neither give nor take away; and a joy that rejoices evermore (I Thess 5:16; Phil 4:4) |
Peter J Bellini
Christ becomes the beginning and end of our identity and our salvation. The Athanasian idiom claims that “God became human that we may become like God.” The Incarnation is the grounds and goal of our sanctification, theosis. Humanity is made in the image of the Logos, and the Logos became human in Christ Jesus. The God-man defines the image of God and reforms the shape of that image in us. The image of God in Christ is revealed to us through him that we may become like him. The Incarnation, the image of God in Christ, is understood relationally. It is a hypostatic union between God and humanity, divinity and humanity in a person. The Incarnation defines who Christ is and why he came to save us. The Incarnation defines our image in creation and redemption, our genesis and our end. In creation, God identified with us by making us in his image. In salvation, Christ identified with us, so that we can identify with him. We begin to learn and practice his righteousness. For the Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
“Whose image and inscription are engraved on that coin?”
“Caesar’s!”
“Well, give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s! And whose image and inscription are engraved on your soul?”
“God’s!”
“Well, give unto God what is God’s!” -Peter J Bellini; Firebrand Magazine; Giving Unto Caesar: Thoughts on Power and the Church in a Day of Politicization 9.5.23
“Whose image and inscription are engraved on that coin?”
“Caesar’s!”
“Well, give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s! And whose image and inscription are engraved on your soul?”
“God’s!”
“Well, give unto God what is God’s!” -Peter J Bellini; Firebrand Magazine; Giving Unto Caesar: Thoughts on Power and the Church in a Day of Politicization 9.5.23
Derek Prince
“For the most part, the people who are currently in Satan’s kingdom don’t realize where they really are, because it is a kingdom of darkness, and they can’t “see” it. In contrast, the kingdom of God is the kingdom of light; therefore, those who are in His kingdom know where they are.”
― Derek Prince, Pulling Down Strongholds (pocket size): Mighty Weapons for Spiritual Warfare
― Derek Prince, Pulling Down Strongholds (pocket size): Mighty Weapons for Spiritual Warfare
Romans 14:18-21:
For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.
21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.
21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
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Romans 14:22-23:
Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin |
“Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don’t impose it on others. You’re fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you’re not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe — some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you’re out of line. If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe, then it’s wrong.”(Romans 14:22-23 MSG). |