How can we apply Romans 14?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Paul wrote Romans 14 in response to conflicts between Jewish and Gentile believers, stemming from their different backgrounds. Jewish Christians had grown up in Judaism with its many dietary restrictions and had learned that eating a restricted item was sin. Conversely, Gentile believers came from pagan backgrounds that ate many of the foods that Jewish Law forbade (Romans 14:2–3, 5–6).

The Jewish believers’ background led them to look down on the freedom Gentile Christians enjoyed whereas Gentiles looked down on the Jewish Christians for their weak consciences that prevented them from eating what God had declared clean (Mark 7:18–19; Acts 10:13–15).

We apply Romans 14 correctly when we have convictions but also live in deference to believers whose consciences lead them to different conclusions about what honors God (Romans 14:5–6). Rather than tempting someone against their conscience (14:23), we should avoid causing them to stumble (14:13; 14:21), even to the point of giving up what we believe is not sinful (14:15; 15:1). We also apply it by recognizing our own conscience may be incorrect and acting humbly toward those who have more freedom. In both cases, whether we consider our conscience strong or weak, we must submit to Scripture, allowing it to transform our thinking (Romans 12:1–2).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The background for Romans 14 is that Jewish and Gentile believers had differing opinions, particularly regarding areas where Judaism had strict requirements. Specifically, the Law forbade foods such as pork (cf. Leviticus 11:1–47) and required the observance of specific festivals and days (cf. Leviticus 23:1–44).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Romans 14 is often called the “Christian liberty” passage in which Paul tells Roman believers how to handle their differing opinions on dietary restrictions (14:2–3) and on observing days (14:5–6). He taught that on spiritually neutral matters, love trumps freedom. Believers must be willing to restrict our freedom in Christ for the sake of other believers (Romans 14:13–15; 14:21) while also not condemning other believers for doing what we feel should not be done (Romans 14:3–4; 14:10).
• The Christians brought up in Judaism still felt bound to the Mosaic Law, a circumstance that often reared its head in the early church (Acts 15:1–5; Galatians 2:11–14; Colossians 2:16). Romans 14 addresses the Jewish Christians' struggle with their conscience about eating certain foods and observing special days that the Gentiles were unconcerned about.
• For example, Jewish Christians believed eating food God had forbidden the Israelites to eat was sin. However, Jesus had declared all foods were now clean (Mark 7:18–19), and God had explicitly removed those restrictions as part of a vision to Peter that the Gentiles were to be included in receiving the gospel (Acts 10:13–16).
• Paul noted that “the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (14:17). Jews who were holding dietary restrictions as a sign of spiritual maturity were judging the Gentiles, missing the point that the kingdom was not centered on law obedience but about believers being lovingly unified in Jesus.
• So, Jewish Christians were wrong, but Paul was not harsh in correcting them. He grounded his admonition in love for others (Romans 14:3) and on God as the ultimate Judge: “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” (14:10).
• Love for God and others should guide our behavior. Paul wrote, “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” (Romans 14:15). Also, “It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble” (14:21). While Paul admitted that all food was clean (14:20), he indicated that acting in a way that causes a brother or sister to stumble turns freedom into evil by hurting other believers.
• Though the Jewish believers were technically in the wrong, Paul noted, “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” (Romans 14:14). This means that though eating pork, for example, was not sinful, if a Jewish believer felt it was sinful to eat it, then it would be sinful for them. The reason was that “whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (14:23).
• How can what is not technically sinful be sinful? Because obedience is not about law-keeping but about honoring God. If we believe something is sin but we still do it, then we are dishonoring God. Paul wrote, “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” (Romans 14:6).
• Paul summarized the right attitude toward all matters in his letter to the Corinthians, explaining, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).
  

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

An old song goes, "You like potato and I like potahto / You like tomayto and I like tomahto /
Potato, potahto, tomayto, tomahto / Let's call the whole thing off."  Sadly, some Christians want to "call the whole thing off" when it comes to minor differences among them and other believers. It's disappointing, but not surprising:  We each grew up with different backgrounds, and our different Christian traditions have shaped our view of Scripture. We can't bend on core doctrines, but many of us differ on non-essential doctrines. If you grew up with an alcoholic parent, maybe you completely abstain from alcohol and judge others who don't. Maybe you like old fashioned gospel hymns and roll your eyes when the congregation sings modern gospel songs. Maybe you differ on politics.

If so, Romans 14 was written with you in mind. Paul’s historical, contextual instruction helps us understand how we are to treat fellow believers with different preferences.

Decisions can be easier to make when we remember these truths: We're to give God glory in all our behavior, we're to love others, and God is the ultimate Judge.

Does that mean you can never drink alcohol if some in your church are against it? No. But it does mean that you don't bring a bottle of wine to their house when invited for dinner nor drink wine around them. And it means you keep the peace by not mocking other believers for their views and by not misrepresenting what they believe.

As we willingly limit our freedom and as we treat each other as true believers based on faith in Jesus, we show the world that Christ brings a unity that spans generations, people groups, and backgrounds and is grounded in love (John 13:35).

UNDERSTAND

• Christians may reach different conclusions about matters that are not inherently sinful, and Scripture calls believers to handle those differences with humility.
• Christian freedom is real, but it must always be guided by love and concern for the spiritual well-being of other believers.
• Morally neutral actions can still become sinful if they violate a believer’s conscience or lead another believer into sin.

REFLECT

• How can you respond biblically when another believer’s convictions differ from yours in areas that are not clearly sinful?
• What are the ways you might need to lovingly limit your freedom so you do not harm another believer’s conscience?
• What are your goals when it comes to convictions and Christian liberty?

ENGAGE

• What principles can help us distinguish between true moral commands in Scripture and disputable matters of conscience?
• How can we cultivate a culture where believers hold convictions seriously while still preserving unity and love?
• What practical steps can we take to ensure our exercise of Christian freedom consistently strengthens rather than weakens the faith of others?