<< Previous | Index | Next >>"THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS" Admonitions To The Strong And Weak (14:1-15:7) INTRODUCTION 1. An important part of the Christian life is getting along with brethren... a. Jesus prayed for unity among believers - Jn 17:20-23 b. Paul condemned division among Christians - 1Co 1:10-13 c. Jesus died to make Jew and Gentile one new man and one body - Ep 2:14-16 2. Unity did not come easily in the early church... a. Jewish Christians were reluctant to accept Gentile Christians - cf. Ac 15:1-5 b. Knowledgeable Christians were not always considerate - cf. 1Co 8:10-12 3. Unity does not come easily in the church today... a. People come into the kingdom from all sorts of religious backgrounds b. Their level of knowledge, their rate of spiritual growth, varies widely [To ensure that brethren receive one another as they should, Paul wrote a lengthy discourse in which he provides "Admonitions To The Strong And Weak" (Ro 14:1-15:7). As we consider these admonitions, let's do so in the form of answering some key questions...] I. WHO IS A 'WEAK' BROTHER? A. ONE WHO IS 'WEAK' IN THE FAITH... 1. Who has doubts about certain things - Ro 14:1 2. One who eats only vegetables - Ro 14:2 3. One who esteems one day above another - Ro 14:5-6 4. One who stumbles over meat and wine - Ro 14:21 -- E.g., a new Jewish Christian whose conscience had been trained by the Law to abstain from certain foods, to observe certain holidays B. NOT ONE 'IGNORANT' IN THE FAITH... 1. The weak brother was certainly not ignorant after reading this epistle a. He is told that God accepts the other brother - Ro 14:3 b. He is told that God declares all foods clean - Ro 14:14,20; cf. Mk 7:18,19; 1Ti 4:4 2. But his conscience was not yet ready to accept what the Lord allows a. There are still lingering doubts - Ro 14:1 b. He is not yet fully convinced - Ro 14:5b c. He is grieved by certain foods - Ro 14:15 d. He cannot eat without offense - Ro 14:20 e. He is prone to stumble and become weaker - Ro 14:21 f. He cannot eat with faith (a strong conviction) - Ro 14:23 -- E.g., a Jew or Muslim who becomes a Christian, yet still struggles with their newfound liberty in Christ [The weak brother knows what is right, but his conscience has yet to be sufficiently retrained to partake in that which for so long had been a sin for him. On the other hand, consider...] II. WHO IS A 'STRONG' BROTHER? A. ONE WHO IS STRONG IN 'THE' FAITH... 1. He knows that God has received him - Ro 14:3 2. He knows what the Lord has revealed - Ro 14:14,20; cf. Mk 7:18,19; 1Ti 4:4 -- I.e., a Christian who is well taught in the ways of the Lord B. ONE WHO IS STRONG IN 'HIS' FAITH... 1. Who believes he may eat all things - Ro 14:2 2. One who observes every day alike - Ro 14:5-6 3. One who does not condemn himself in what he approves - Ro 14:22 -- I.e., a Christian who can enjoy God-given freedom without qualms of conscience [In any congregation, you are likely to find both strong and weak brethren as described in this passage. What is expected of those who are weak...?] III. ADMONITIONS TO THE WEAK A. DO NOT JUDGE (CONDEMN) YOUR BROTHER... 1. For God has received him - Ro 14:3 a. God has revealed that what he does is acceptable - cf. Mk 7: 18,19; 1Ti 4:4 b. The weak brother knows this; by reading this epistle, if not before - Ro 14:14,20 2. He is Christ's servant, not yours - Ro 14:4 a. We cannot judge or condemn another servant whom God has accepted - Ro 14:4 b. Such judgment belongs to Christ, before whom we will all stand - Ro 14:10-13a; cf. also Jm 4:11-12 -- The weak brother is not told to accept a brother whom he believes to be in error; rather, he is not to condemn a brother who is doing what God has revealed B. DO NOT VIOLATE YOUR CONSCIENCE... 1. Do that which you are able to do with full conviction - Ro 14:5b 2. Refrain from doing anything about which you have doubts - Ro 14:22-23 3. Serving the Lord with a clear conscience is important a. Jesus shed His blood to cleanse our conscience - He 9:14; 10:22 b. The goal is to have a good conscience - 1Ti 1:5,19; 2 Ti 1:3 c. The conscience can be rejected, seared, and defiled - 1 Ti 1:19; 4:1-2; Tit 1:15 -- Paul would not have the brother whose faith is weak to do anything to weaken his conscience [Paul's concern for the weak is evident elsewhere (cf. 2Co 11:29), and in our text by noting that the bulk of this passage is actually directed toward the strong brother...] IV. ADMONITIONS TO THE STRONG A. RECEIVE YOUR WEAK BROTHER... 1. Not for the purpose of disputing over what he has doubts - Ro 14:1 2. Don't despise your brother - Ro 14:3 3. Don't show contempt for your brother - Ro 14:10 4. Bear with their scruples - Ro 15:1 -- A strong brother must be careful not to be arrogant, but considerate B. DON'T PUT UP STUMBLING BLOCKS... 1. Don't put up occasions for him to fall - Ro 14:13b 2. Don't grieve your brethren with your liberty - Ro 14:15a 3. Don't destroy your brother with your liberty - Ro 14:15b,20a 4. Don't let your good be spoken of as evil - Ro 14:16 -- A strong brother must be careful lest his abuse of liberty lead to his own downfall C. PURSUE PEACE AND EDIFICATION... 1. For the kingdom of God is not about food - Ro 14:17-18 a. It is about righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit b. He who serves Christ in such things is acceptable to God, approved by men 2. Strive for that which brings peace and edifies one another - Ro 14:19 a. Blessed are the peacemakers - cf. Mt 5:9; 2Co 13:11; 1 Pe 3:10-11 b. Our goal should be one of building each other up - cf. Ro 15:2 -- A strong brother must care more for his brother than for himself - Ro 15:1-3 CONCLUSION 1. What is the goal of such admonitions to the strong and weak...? a. That brethren be like-minded toward one another - Ro 15:5 b. That brethren might glorify God with one mind and one mouth - Ro 15:6 c. That brethren might receive one another to the glory of God - Ro 15:7 -- Is this not sufficient motive to take Paul's admonitions seriously? 2. Thus we are to receive one another as Christ received us... a. He received us in our weakness - Ro 5:6 b. His longsuffering works toward our salvation - 2Pe 3:15 -- Should not we who are strong extend the same courtesy to our weaker brethren? Speaking of Christ having received us...have we received Him in faith and baptism? - cf. Jn 1:12; Ga 3:26-27<< Previous | Index | Next >>
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