New York UBF - NY University Bible Fellowship

Romans Lesson 26 (2008)

MUTUAL EDIFICATION

Romans 14:1-15:13
Key Verse: 14:19

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

Recently, I read an interesting story: One day a man was about to jump off the bridge, and his attempt was interrupted by a passerby who told him, “Don’t jump. I can help you.” “How can you help me?” asked the man on the rail. The passerby replied with a question, “Are you a Christian?” “Yes, I am.” “That’s wonderful. So am I. Are you Catholic or Protestant?” “I’m Protestant.” “That’s great, man! So am I. What sort of Protestant are you? Are you Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, or something else?” “I’m a lifetime Baptist,” said the man. “Praise the Lord! So am I. Let me ask you this. Are you Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?” “I’m Northern Baptist.” “Wow, so am I. Are your Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?” “I’m Northern Conservative Baptist.” “Amazing, so am I. Are you Northern Conservative Baptist Fundamental or Northern Conservative Baptist Reformed?” The man on the rail thought for a moment and answered, “My father raised me as a Northern Conservative Baptist Reformed.” “So am I. This is a miracle of miracles because I don’t often meet a brother who shares my own heritage. It’s really exciting. But one final question: Are you Northern Conservative Baptist Reformed Council of 1885 or Council of 1872?” The man on the rail replied, “Since the days of my great-grandfather, we have always been Northern Conservative Baptist Reformed Council of 1872.” Then the passerby gave him an awkward look and cried out, “Die, you heretic!” and he pushed him off the bridge. Of course, you know that it’s not a real story. But it illustrates one of the most chronic and serious problems among Christians, which is disagreement over disputable matters. In fact, for the last 2,000 years in history, the Christian churches have been struggling with this issue.

Last week, we heard from Apostle Paul that we should love our neighbors as ourselves and our love should extend to every person in the world. We were also reminded that we should love one another especially when it is most difficult to do. The Bible says that we should love our neighbors and also love our enemies. Why? Perhaps it’s because often they are the same people. Paul gives even more instructions here concerning how we as Christians should get along with each other. Paul devoted almost two chapters to deal with this difficult issue.

There was a problem even from very beginning of the church history. When the gospel of Jesus was first preached in Israel, there were only Jewish believers. When we read the book of Acts, we see that the first church in Jerusalem grew very fast, but not without problems. Some Greek speaking Jewish believers complained that their Greek-speaking widows were neglected in food distribution in the church. Apostles quickly dealt with the problem by choosing seven deacons. As the gospel began to spread into the Gentile world, many people from different racial, religious and cultural backgrounds began to form a culturally and racially diverse Christian community. Indeed, the diversity of culture and race within the Christian community reflects the beauty of the church of God. On the other hand, it can cause disunity and disharmony among the believers unless they are constantly transformed through the work of the Holy Spirit. Even in Paul’s time, there were already serious divisions happening in the many growing churches, particularly in bigger congregations in big cities, like Corinth, Colosse, Philippi and Ephesus. Although some of them were divided due to the confusion over fundamental truths of the gospel, most of them were having trouble because of differences in trivial and disputable matters, such as eating meat, drinking wine or observing certain religious holidays. Some Christians today still fight over small things. It’s definitely a sign of immaturity. Perhaps, we can never become completely free from this kind of problem in the community of believers. However, as we study this passage, the fact that we are vulnerable does not mean that we should be fatalistic about ourselves. Instead, we can see it as an opportunity to grow mature and even glorify God by learning to deal with some of these issues and be united even when we are so different from each other. Paul is saying that we should cultivate good relationships among fellow believers. Let’s see what Paul has to mean by this.

FIRST, CHRISTIANS SHOULD ACCEPT FELLOW BELIEVERS WHO DON’T SEE THINGS THE WAY THEY DO. (14:1-12) Look at verses 1-2. “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.” What does it mean to be weak and strong in faith? It seems very clear here that it has to do with eating meat. I personally like meat, especially red meat. Why didn’t some of them eat such delicious meat? It’s not just because they were born vegetarians or because they chose to eat only vegetables for health reasons. They had some sincerely noble reasons, like Daniel and his three friends who refused to eat certain food in Babylon. (Dan 1) For example, some of the meat sold in stores might have been dedicated to idols before it came to the market. So some Christians, perhaps those who had Jewish background, considered that meat unclean and didn’t want to contaminate themselves by eating it. Ann when they saw their fellow believers eating meat, they didn’t feel comfortable about it. They condemned them as unspiritual and compromising. However, those who ate meat did so because they understood that they had freedom in Christ and were no longer bound to Jewish dietary rules and regulations. Even though they knew that some of the meat were from pagan altars, it didn’t bother their conscience because they thought that the idols were nothing anyway. And they looked down upon those who didn’t eat meat. Perhaps, when they were having meals they had different section, meat-eater’s section and vegetarian’s section.

We notice that the issue Paul brings here is not who is right or who is more spiritual or better. The issue is how they should get along, accepting one another even though they don’t agree with each other about certain things, which Paul calls “disputable matters.” Those are the things which the Bible does not explicitly point out which people may view differently than others.

What are some of today’s disputable matters? There are lots of them. Some people think that Christians should not drink or smoke or watch movies, especially R-rated ones. But we know that these days that even PG-13 movies are not restricted enough. Some people think that Christians shouldn’t date at all. Some people think that Christians should be allowed to date under certain supervision or guidelines. I used to think that Christians should not work, study or buy anything on Sundays. But not any more. Under certain circumstances, you still have to work, study and even buy stuff on Sundays. Some churches don’t allow women wearing jewelry. These are matters of conscience. It depends on our Christian freedom. So there is no point in arguing over who is right or wrong about those disputable matters and passing judgment on one another. Instead, we should accept one another. One of the main reasons for this is because God has accepted us as His beloved children whether we eat meat or eat only vegetables. If God says, “It’s okay and leave him alone”, why should we be so fussy about that person? If God said “It’s all right”, who are we to pass judgment on any person? Look at verse 4. “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”

Look at verse 5. Obviously, there were arguments among them on what day they should worship God. Probably, Jewish Christians insisted that they should worship God on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, while Gentile Christians might have insisted that they should worship God on Sunday since Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday. Still others insisted that they should worship God everyday. What shall we do with all these conflicting views and ideas? Of course, there are certain truths concerning the basic fundamentals of Christians faith, which all Christians must agree upon, such as salvation by faith in Jesus alone. But on the other minor and disputable matters, not everyone has to agree. What is Paul’s answer to this argument? Look at verse 5. “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” According to Paul, instead of arguing or trying to convince others, each of them should act based on his or her personal conviction in this matter. St. Augustine puts the matter in the best way: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, grace.”

Look at verses 6-9. “He who regards one day as special does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and give thanks to god. For none of us lives to him alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.” Here, the phrase “to the Lord” (or “to God”) is repeated nine times. Look at verse 10. “You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.” Look at verse 12. “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” What is Paul trying say here? He is saying, “Mind your own business. Make sure that you don’t judge or look down on other Christians simply because they don’t do things the way you do. They are still God’s servants.” Instead of passing judgment or looking down on other Christians, we are to welcome and respect one another. There must be mutual respect and acceptance among us as brothers and sisters in Christ even though we might not agree with each other about everything, especially disputable matters. We should always remember the principle: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, grace.”

SECOND, WE SHOULD USE OUR FREEDOM IN CHRIST FOR MUTUAL EDIFICATION. (13-23) Look at verse 13. “Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.” What does it mean “not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way”? It’s another way of saying “don’t be judgmental.” Of course, we know that when we criticize or are judgmental of others who might have different views of certain things, there is a great danger of hurting them. But the problem is that we might not realize we are judgmental especially when we think we are trying to encourage others with our good intentions, or tell them the truth. But it may not be encouraging to them at all. It’s also very easy to say right things at the wrong time, if we don’t really know what’s going on in their lives. We can’t know what their real motives are, and we don’t know how God is working in the complexity of their lives. It’s easy for us to assume things, and too little knowledge can be very dangerous. Perception can be very deceptive. Only God knows everything perfectly. Therefore, if we are not sure, it’s better to shut up and pray for them quietly as brothers and sisters in Christ. That’s why Paul said, “Make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.”

Look at verse 14. “As one who is in the Lord, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.” How easy it is for us to insist that we are right and others are wrong. Paul was fully convinced that there was absolutely no problem with eating any kind of food. Yet, he didn’t push his conviction on those who had different ideas or understanding of these disputable matters, even though he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ. He didn’t exercise his spiritual authority to force his own conviction on others. Why not? It’s because he didn’t want to hurt them in any possible way.

Look at verses 15-16. “If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.” Paul himself was a meat eater. He probably enjoyed big steaks for dinner. Paul was a strong Christian who could enjoy his freedom in Christ. However, if his freedom of eating meat could distress his brothers, he was willing to sacrifice his freedom and didn’t eat meat at all. He used his freedom to build others up in Christ because he believed that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of living a life of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Look at verse 19. “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification.” Since there are so many different kinds of people in the church, different ages and races, and different socioeconomic, cultural and religious backgrounds, we can expect some level of disharmony and disunity in the church. Sometimes, we just don’t know how to get along with one another, because we are so different and not willing to make peace. Some people want a certain type of worship, don’t like a certain type of music, some people like to pray loudly, some like to pray quietly. People are all different. If different people get together, it has potential for disaster, full of conflicts, disharmony, constant disputes and arguments, and painful divisions. It happens everywhere. In fact, many churches are divided while in the process of building a new church building or appointing new elders. This is a very shameful and painful experience.

What is Paul’s instructions? Look at verse 19 again. Paul didn’t say that the church can have unity through a very charismatic leader who can control everyone in the church. He wasn’t talking about church hierarchy either. Instead, he says that everyone in the church must make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification, beginning from top leaders to members of the church. In other words, the foundation of a healthy church is the attitude of each member toward one another, which leads them to peace and mutual edification. Each person is accountable. Everyone contributes to the harmony and unity of the church. This is a very high level of society under the grace of God.

THIRD, A STRONG CHRISTIAN MUST BEAR THE FAILINGS OF THE WEAK (15:1-13) Look at verses 1 and 2. “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, and build up.” Here, Paul is saying that those who are strong ought to serve and help those who are weak. You can be strong in many ways. You can be strong because of your position, wealth, knowledge, skills, etc. If you know how to cook well, you are also very powerful. Some people may think that a person is weak because he is either young, or old, or inexperienced, or poor. But no one is absolutely weak or absolutely strong. We are all weak and strong in different way. Yet, Paul said that whether we are weak or strong, each should please his neighbor for his good and build up one another. He is say that we are interdependent. In other words, if one person is failing, the entire body can fail. So no one is unimportant. We need to support each other. We cannot afford to argue and tear down each other. We should have a strong support mechanism among us. If someone is having trouble, we should encourage them and share in their sufferings and sorrows. If someone is having a good time, we should share the joy with them.

Simply speaking, we are to be good friends to each other. Friendship, a genuine friendship in Christ! That’s a very healthy foundation of the body of Christ. Sometimes, I watch “Friends.” Even though I don’t agree with all what they do, I can tell that they are friends because they really support one another. Friends are those who accept you as you are, with whom you can relate and share everything. In fact, Jesus called his disciples friends. He said in John 15:13-15, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Look at verse 3. ‘For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” Jesus is God. But when he came to this world, he became our friend, and took all the troubles, insults, pain and humiliation we should have taken, and gave his life for us, so that we may be forgiven of all our sins and be restored to be God’s children. What a wonderful friend we have! We didn’t have to change anything and we didn’t have to do anything to deserve his sacrifice, love and friendship. Jesus loved us and accepted us just as we are. If Jesus accepted us just as we were, why can’t we accept one another? We should accept one another, bearing the failings and weakness one another.

These days, we see that our foundations are being shaken from the root. We don’t know what to expect today and tomorrow. But we know that the foundation of God’s kingdom is unshakable, because it stands on the rock of Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. God raised Jesus from the dead and built the church of God. However, many people are saying that they don’t trust any organized church. A lot of churches lost credibility because of too many divisions and conflicts. What shall we do? If we follow Paul’s instructions, conflicts and differences among believers can be new opportunities of growth and maturity for each of us and the community of faith. Consequently, we can bring glory to God and restore people’s approval.

The church of God is not a building. It is the body of believers in Christ. It does not matter whether you are Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox, Episcopalian, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Conservative, Liberal, Reform or Fundamental, ‘UBF’ers. If you believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins and rose from the dead, and confess that Jesus is Lord, you are saved and a member of the body of Christ. Yet, if we cannot get along with each other, we have no message to give to the world. May the Lord help us have unity, liberty, and diversity among us as we make every effort to do that which leads to peace and to mutual edification.