Chapter 14 deals entirely with an issue that created serious difficulties in the early church. Jewish believers naturally brought with them strong opinions about food, drink, holy days, customs, and similar matters. Their views were shaped partly by the law of God and partly by the traditions of their elders — but in any case, their convictions were deeply felt. Gentile believers had no such concerns and tended to view all this as stubborn nonsense on the Jews’ part. This produced constant friction. Here, the whole problem is raised and resolved with the beautiful simplicity that marks the wisdom of God.
We must not think, “Those issues don’t exist today. This is only of academic interest.” Not at all. It is bothhighly relevantandurgently needed. The exact issues may have changed, but modern equivalents are everywhere, and serious harm results when this chapter’s teachings are ignored. Rather than commenting verse-by-verse, we can summarize the chapter by noting that it presentsthree principlesandthree corresponding exhortations— one exhortation for each principle.
1. The Principle of Christian Liberty(v. 4)
Believers are free from the lordship of other believers because we all live under the higher Lordship of Christ. In matters of personal behavior and private devotion to the Lord, our Master is Christ, not one another. We may be right or wrong in our conclusions, but the essential thing is that each of us acts with a single desire to please our own Master.
The exhortation connected with this principle: “Let each person be fully convinced in his own mind.”
God intends each of us to be personally exercised before Him about such matters. If Scripture gives a direct command, there is no room for “exercise” — obedience is the only response God accepts. But in the countless areas where Scripture does not give explicit instructions — “Should I go here or there? Should I eat this or that? May I participate in this recreation? Should this service or practice be done in this way or that way?” — these issues have caused bitter arguments from the first century to our own day.
And God’s answer is simple:Stop arguing. Stop trying to control each other. Let each person go to his own Master in prayer and seek, as much as possible, to knowhis Master’s will.
Once we have honestly sought the Lord’s mind, let us act in simple faith. But it must truly befaith, not stubborn self-will. We must not run ahead of or fall behind our faith. If we do, we bring condemnation — not eternal judgment, but self-condemnation — into our own consciences, as the last verses of the chapter show.
Some may object, “But this principle of liberty will surely be abused.” Yes, it can be — but note how God guards it with the next principle.
2. The Principle of Individual Responsibility to God(vv. 10–12)
No believer may act as lord over another, and no believer is required to submit to another as if that person were master. Buteach one of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Christ died and rose so that He might assert His rights in both the realm of the dead and the living. Whether we live or die, everything we do is to be done in relation to Him, and giving account to Him is giving account toGod.
This truth is meant to sober us. It should make us cautious about what we allow and what we practice.
The exhortation connected with this principleappears in verse 13: “Let us not judge one another any longer.” That is the negative side. The positive side is: “Instead, judge this — not to put a stumbling block or trap before your brother.”
We are to keep our eyes on the judgment seat forour ownconduct, and when it comes to our brothers and sisters, our concern should be to avoid leading them into sin or spiritual harm. This is developed practically in verses 15, 20, and 21. The language is strong: Paul speaks of “destroying” the one for whom Christ died, and of destroying “the work of God.” God’s sovereign work cannot be undone eternally, and Christ’s sheep will never perish — but the work of God can bedamaged in practical experience.
The situation Paul describes is that of a strong Gentile believer — free from Jewish scruples — flaunting his liberty in front of a Jewish believer who, though strong in his love for the law, is weak in his understanding of the gospel. The weaker brother is pressured into doing things that violate his conscience and later torment him, perhaps darkening his spiritual life for years.
You and I can cause exactly that kind of spiritual damage if we behave carelessly. So let us be watchful and remember the judgment seat.
3. The Principle of Christian Brotherhood(v. 15)
This principle is stated clearly: “Your brother… for whom Christ died.” If Christ died for that weak brother — however awkward or irritating he may seem — then he must be precious to Christ. Should he not also be precious to us? And we must remember that you and I may appear awkward and irritating to him at times. May God give him — and us — the grace to remember that we are those for whom Christ died.
The exhortation based on this principleis in verse 19: “Let us pursue the things that lead to peace and to mutual edification.”
We are to build up — not tear down. We are to aim for peace, not conflict. When tempted to act otherwise, let us remember Moses’ words: “Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong one another?”
It is tragically possible to get things so twisted that, when we see a weak believer, we think, “Here is a frail one — let’s push him and see if he falls.” He does fall, poor man. Then we say, “We always suspected he would. Good riddance.” But when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ — who died for that brother — what will He say to us? If we could hear it now, our ears would burn. There isloss, as well as reward, at that judgment seat.
A Closing Caution
All of these instructions concernpersonal conduct, conscience matters, and individual service. We must not twist them to excuse indifference toward vital truths of God. Verse 17 lifts our thoughts higher. God has established His rule in the hearts of His saints — and this kingdom is not about details like food and drink. It is about the moral and spiritual character that pleases Him:righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The principles governing life in that kingdom areLiberty,Responsibility, andBrotherhood— liberty in Christ, responsibility to God, and loving fellowship toward one another.
Late in the seventeenth century, France rallied around the cry, “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” — the “equality” being man-centered. What tragedies followed! And soon the nation produced conditions that contradicted all three ideals. Let us instead uphold our three words — Liberty, Responsibility, Brotherhood — which lead to righteousness, peace, and joy.
Romans 14 – Liberty and Responsibility in Doubtful Matters
Chapter 14 deals entirely with an issue that created serious difficulties in the early church. Jewish believers naturally brought with them strong opinions about food, drink, holy days, customs, and similar matters. Their views were shaped partly by the law of God and partly by the traditions of their elders — but in any case, their convictions were deeply felt. Gentile believers had no such concerns and tended to view all this as stubborn nonsense on the Jews’ part. This produced constant friction. Here, the whole problem is raised and resolved with the beautiful simplicity that marks the wisdom of God.
We must not think, “Those issues don’t exist today. This is only of academic interest.”
Not at all. It is both highly relevant and urgently needed. The exact issues may have changed, but modern equivalents are everywhere, and serious harm results when this chapter’s teachings are ignored. Rather than commenting verse-by-verse, we can summarize the chapter by noting that it presents three principles and three corresponding exhortations — one exhortation for each principle.
1. The Principle of Christian Liberty (v. 4)
Believers are free from the lordship of other believers because we all live under the higher Lordship of Christ. In matters of personal behavior and private devotion to the Lord, our Master is Christ, not one another. We may be right or wrong in our conclusions, but the essential thing is that each of us acts with a single desire to please our own Master.
The exhortation connected with this principle:
“Let each person be fully convinced in his own mind.”
God intends each of us to be personally exercised before Him about such matters. If Scripture gives a direct command, there is no room for “exercise” — obedience is the only response God accepts. But in the countless areas where Scripture does not give explicit instructions — “Should I go here or there? Should I eat this or that? May I participate in this recreation? Should this service or practice be done in this way or that way?” — these issues have caused bitter arguments from the first century to our own day.
And God’s answer is simple: Stop arguing. Stop trying to control each other.
Let each person go to his own Master in prayer and seek, as much as possible, to know his Master’s will.
Once we have honestly sought the Lord’s mind, let us act in simple faith. But it must truly be faith, not stubborn self-will. We must not run ahead of or fall behind our faith. If we do, we bring condemnation — not eternal judgment, but self-condemnation — into our own consciences, as the last verses of the chapter show.
Some may object, “But this principle of liberty will surely be abused.”
Yes, it can be — but note how God guards it with the next principle.
2. The Principle of Individual Responsibility to God (vv. 10–12)
No believer may act as lord over another, and no believer is required to submit to another as if that person were master. But each one of us will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Christ died and rose so that He might assert His rights in both the realm of the dead and the living. Whether we live or die, everything we do is to be done in relation to Him, and giving account to Him is giving account to God.
This truth is meant to sober us. It should make us cautious about what we allow and what we practice.
The exhortation connected with this principle appears in verse 13:
“Let us not judge one another any longer.”
That is the negative side. The positive side is:
“Instead, judge this — not to put a stumbling block or trap before your brother.”
We are to keep our eyes on the judgment seat for our own conduct, and when it comes to our brothers and sisters, our concern should be to avoid leading them into sin or spiritual harm. This is developed practically in verses 15, 20, and 21. The language is strong: Paul speaks of “destroying” the one for whom Christ died, and of destroying “the work of God.” God’s sovereign work cannot be undone eternally, and Christ’s sheep will never perish — but the work of God can be damaged in practical experience.
The situation Paul describes is that of a strong Gentile believer — free from Jewish scruples — flaunting his liberty in front of a Jewish believer who, though strong in his love for the law, is weak in his understanding of the gospel. The weaker brother is pressured into doing things that violate his conscience and later torment him, perhaps darkening his spiritual life for years.
You and I can cause exactly that kind of spiritual damage if we behave carelessly. So let us be watchful and remember the judgment seat.
3. The Principle of Christian Brotherhood (v. 15)
This principle is stated clearly: “Your brother… for whom Christ died.”
If Christ died for that weak brother — however awkward or irritating he may seem — then he must be precious to Christ. Should he not also be precious to us? And we must remember that you and I may appear awkward and irritating to him at times. May God give him — and us — the grace to remember that we are those for whom Christ died.
The exhortation based on this principle is in verse 19:
“Let us pursue the things that lead to peace and to mutual edification.”
We are to build up — not tear down. We are to aim for peace, not conflict. When tempted to act otherwise, let us remember Moses’ words: “Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong one another?”
It is tragically possible to get things so twisted that, when we see a weak believer, we think, “Here is a frail one — let’s push him and see if he falls.” He does fall, poor man. Then we say, “We always suspected he would. Good riddance.”
But when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ — who died for that brother — what will He say to us? If we could hear it now, our ears would burn. There is loss, as well as reward, at that judgment seat.
A Closing Caution
All of these instructions concern personal conduct, conscience matters, and individual service. We must not twist them to excuse indifference toward vital truths of God. Verse 17 lifts our thoughts higher. God has established His rule in the hearts of His saints — and this kingdom is not about details like food and drink. It is about the moral and spiritual character that pleases Him: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The principles governing life in that kingdom are Liberty, Responsibility, and Brotherhood — liberty in Christ, responsibility to God, and loving fellowship toward one another.
Late in the seventeenth century, France rallied around the cry, “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” — the “equality” being man-centered. What tragedies followed! And soon the nation produced conditions that contradicted all three ideals. Let us instead uphold our three words — Liberty, Responsibility, Brotherhood — which lead to righteousness, peace, and joy.
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