Romans 14
Used and Abused
- Part 1 -
Romans 14: Used and Abused
• Romans 14 has been abused when brethren fail to
use it at all in order to divide over every matter
including matters of opinion
• Romans 14 has been abused when brethren put
matters in the chapter that don’t belong there in
order to broaden fellowship with people in sin
• Both are wrong! A chapter in the NT that teaches
unity has become a source of division among
brethren! Let us examine the proper use of Romans
14 for all brethren today
Romans 14: Five Key Questions
1. What matters are discussed in Romans 14?
2. Who are the brethren under discussion?
3. How are these brethren to treat one another with
such matters?
4. What is God’s view of such matters and brethren?
5. What attitudes are all brethren to have?
Romans 14: Outlined
The Loving Attitude of Brethren in Matters of Opinion
• Refrain from Division (14:1-2)
• Refrain from Usurping the Lord’s Role of Judging
(14:3-12)
• Refrain from Causing a Brother to Violate His
Conscience (14:13-23)
Romans 14
1. What matters are discussed in Romans 14?
• Matters of “scruples” (v. 1; “opinions,” NASV)
• Matters of eating (vv. 2,3,14,15,20) and days
(vv. 5,6); two God-approved matters are discussed
• Matters that were practiced privately but were not
bound as conditions of salvation (Col. 2:16-23)
Romans 14
1. What matters are discussed in Romans 14?
• Summary: matters of opinion, matters of indifference
to God; matters that are neither right, nor wrong
(1 Cor. 8:8); matters that are optional, not demanded
so far as God is concerned; matters that are
practiced individually, not congregationally
Romans 14
2. Who are the brethren under discussion? THE WEAK
• “weak in faith” (v. 1)
• “he that is weak” (v. 2)
• “one man esteems one day above …” (v. 5)
• “to him it is unclean” (v. 14)
• “eats with offense” (v. 20)
Romans 14
2. Who are the brethren under discussion? THE WEAK
• Summary: his weak “faith” originates in his
conscience; one whose conscience will not allow him
to engage in a particular activity; he is not negligent
or worldly, but weak in conscience; he does not have
a particular “knowledge;” he is not “used to” a
particular activity due to his culture, family,
education, religion, etc. (1 Cor. 8:7; for eating meat
see Gen. 9:3; Mk. 7:19; 1 Tim. 4:4-5)
Romans 14
2. Who are the brethren under discussion? THE WEAK
• Summary: “faith” (vv. 1,2,22,23) in Romans 14 means
“full assurance” without any doubts
(vv. 5b,14a,22b,23; comp. Rom. 4:19,21); it does not
mean “faith” that comes from God’s word (Rom.
10:17), or “the faith” which is the gospel (Ac. 6:7;
Jude 7)
Romans 14
2. Who are the brethren under discussion? THE
STRONG
• “One man has faith…” (vv. 2,22)
• “another esteems every day alike” (v. 5)
• “I know and am persuaded…” (v. 14)
• “We that are strong…” (15:1)
Romans 14
2. Who are the brethren under discussion? THE
STRONG
• Summary: one whose conscience will allow him to
engage in a particular activity; he is “fully persuaded”
not stronger in conviction than the weak brother
not stronger in knowledge than the weak brother
Romans 14
2. Who are the brethren under discussion? THE
STRONG
• Summary: “faith” (vv. 1,2,22,23) in Romans 14 means
“full assurance” without any doubts
(vv. 5b,14a,22b,23); it does not mean “faith” that
comes from God’s word (Rom. 10:17), or “the faith”
which is the gospel (Ac. 6:7; Jude 7)
Romans 14
3. How are these brethren to treat one another with
such matters? What they are to do…
• “Receive ye…” (v. 1)
• Summary: weak and strong brethren are to be in
fellowship in matters of opinion; allow each other to
exercise his conscience
Romans 14
3. How are these brethren to treat one another with
such matters? What they are not to do…
• “Not … set at naught” [despise] (vv. 3,10)
• “not … judge” (vv. 3,10-12,13)
• “no … stumbling block” (vv. 13,21)
• “grieve” … “destroy not” (v. 15)
• “not … good be evil spoken of” (v. 16)
• “overthrow not…” (v. 20)
Romans 14
3. How are these brethren to treat one another with
such matters? What they are not to do…
• Summary: weak and strong brethren are not to…
(1) disfellowship one another in matters of opinion
(2) cause one another to sin by acting against one’s
conscience
Romans 14
4. What is God’s view of such matters and brethren?
• “God has received him” (v. 3)
• “the Lord has power to make him stand” (v. 4)
• “unto the Lord” (v. 6)
• Summary: God will accept into fellowship both the
weak and strong brother in their respective activities
Romans 14
5. What are all brethren to have?
• “fully assured in his own mind” (v. 5)
• “unto the Lord” (vv. 6-9)
• “love … righteousness … peace … joy” (vv. 16,17)
• “herein serve Christ” (v. 18)
• “peace … edify one another” (v. 19)
• “faith … before God” (v. 22)
Romans 14
5. What are all brethren to have?
• “judges not himself” (v. 22)
• no doubt; be fully assured (doubt = eat not of faith =
sin) (v. 23)
Romans 14
5. What are all brethren to have?
• Summary: everyone is to
(1) be fully assured in the activity he approves; no
doubts about what he does
(2) do his activity to please the Lord
Romans 14
Applications For Today
• In matters of “the faith” – unity (Eph. 4:13)
• In matters of personal “faith” (scruple / opinion) –
liberty (Rom. 14)
Exercise forbearance, gentleness, patience, etc.
No lordship over ones faith (2 Cor. 1:24)
Be willing to forgo a liberty (1 Cor. 8:13)
Be selfless (1 Cor. 10:24,33)
Romans 14
Used and Abused
- Part 2 -
Romans 14: Five Key Questions
1. What matters are discussed in Romans 14?
2. Who are the brethren under discussion?
3. How are these brethren to treat one another with
such matters?
4. What is God’s view of such matters and brethren?
5. What attitudes are all brethren to have?
Does Romans 14 Include Doctrinal Errors?
Romans 14
“Receive…”
Matters of opinion
Not commanded
Allowed by God
Fellowship allowed
Encouragement allowed
No fellowship, condemned
Judging is wrong
Disputing is wrong
Good
2 John 9-11
“Receive not…”
Matters of doctrine
Transgress doctrine
Not allowed by God
Fellowship is broken
No encouragement given
Fellowship is condemned
Judging is necessary
Disputing is essential
Evil works
Romans 14: Abused
• “In modern times controversy over meat sacrificed to
idols is unknown, but the principle still applies to
instrumental music, missionary societies, etc. Such
matters of indifference are not to be … set up as tests
of fellowship. As to them there is to be neither
contempt on the one part, nor judgment on the
other” (Commentary on Romans, J.W. McGarvey and
Philip Y. Pendleton, pp. 525-526)
• The differences concerning the work, worship, and
organization of the local church are the same as
those mentioned in Romans 14 (Mission Messenger,
Carl Ketcherside, Jan. 1961)
Romans 14: Abused
• Romans 14 can be used to accept homosexuality
(Time for Consent: A Christian's Approach to
Homosexuality, Norman Pittenger, 1970)
• All differences “other than the central question of
the Lordship of Christ” come within the scope of
Romans 14 (Commentary on Romans, Earl F. Palmer)
• Romans 14 establishes “the right of brethren to differ
in matters of faith” including matters related to
M-D-R (Christianity Magazine, Ed Harrell, 1988-1989)
What Does Romans 14 Regulate?
Paul’s Application
Opinions (v. 1)
God received (v. 3)
Make him stand (v. 4)
Unto the Lord (v. 6)
Nothing unclean (v. 14)
Good (v. 16)
All is clean (v. 20)
False Application
Unscriptural practices
Unity in diversity
Instrumental music
Institutionalism
M-D-R errors / adultery
Homosexuality
Misc. doctrinal errors
Romans 14: Abused
Let’s all be honest, are matters of sin and error…
• “Received” by God (v. 3)?
• “Made to stand” (v. 4)?
• Done “unto the Lord” (v. 6)?
• Done while giving “God thanks” (v. 6)?
• Not “unclean of itself” (v. 14)?
• “Good” (v. 16)?
• Done as he “serves Christ” (v. 18)?
• “Well-pleasing to God” (v. 18)?
• Pursuing “peace” and “edify one another” (v. 19)?
• “Clean” (v. 20), and done “before God” (v. 22)?
Romans 14: Abused
• Those who place matters of sin / error within the
scope of Romans 14 do so to broaden fellowship
(agree to disagree) with those who maintain a
continual practice of sin / error
• This runs contrary to what Paul did in Acts 15:1-6 and
what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 6:9-10;
Ephesians 4:11; Romans 16:17-18; Titus 3:10; etc.
• Paul made a distinction within the same book
concerning how matters of opinion and matters of
sin / error are to be handled (1 Cor. 5; 6; 8 and
Rom. 13; 14; 16)
Romans 14: Used Properly
Applications For Today
• In matters of personal “faith” (scruple / opinion) –
liberty (Rom. 14)
Exercise forbearance, gentleness, patience, etc.
No lordship over ones faith (2 Cor. 1:24)
Be willing to forgo a liberty (1 Cor. 8:13)
Be selfless (1 Cor. 10:24,33)
Romans 14: Used Properly
Applications For Today
• In matters of “the faith” – unity (Eph. 4:13)
Continue in it (Acts 14:22)
Strengthened in it (Acts 16:5)
Stand fast in it (1 Cor. 16:13)
Preach it (Gal. 1:23)
Strive for it (Phil. 1:27)
Fight for it (1 Tim. 6:12)
Contend earnestly for it (Jude 3; see Acts 13:8-10)
Romans 14: Used and Abused
• Romans 14 has been abused when brethren fail to
use it at all in order to divide over every matter
including matters of opinion
• Romans 14 has been abused when brethren put
matters in the chapter that don’t belong there in
order to broaden fellowship with people in sin
• Both are wrong! A chapter in the NT that teaches
unity has become a source of division among
brethren! Let us all use Romans 14 properly.