Romans 15

Monday, 6 January 2014

For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.”  Romans 15:3

To give us an explicit example of how we should act in “disputable matters” Paul refers to the example of Christ Himself. He has just shown that we should “bear with the scruples of the weak” and not attempt to merely please ourselves. In essence, “Is our temporary gratification worth bringing discord between saved believers?” Rather, we should be willing to let these things rest and to instead serve for the sake of Christ and not self.

In substantiation of this, He cites the 9th verse of the 69th Psalm –

“Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.”

John 2:17 refers directly to this same verse and applies it to the time when Jesus cleared the temple. He was interested in the honor of God, not pleasing Himself. And this is seen throughout the rest of His ministry. When He was tired, He still served others. When He was hungry, He never failed to make sure others were fed. When He faced the agony of the cross, He asked that His Father’s will, not His, would be done.

And throughout it all, He received reproach and contempt. If He was doing the will of the Father, then the contempt was directed ultimately toward the Father, but it instead fell on Him. This then is our example. If our actions and conduct are correct and in line with Scripture and yet someone finds fault in them, then ultimately they are finding fault in the One who authored Scripture. But in order to glorify the Lord, we should let the reproaches of those who reproach Christ fall on us.

By doing this, Christ was able to change hearts and minds. And that is exactly what we are asked to do. Through our willingness to not argue over these disputable matters, we will ultimately be able to change the weaker brother to understand what is right and acceptable. Paul will show us this in the coming verses. Our actions are to be with the intent and purpose of bringing the body to a place of harmony, agreement, and of being of one mind, even in disputable matters.

In Hebrews 10, we read the following –

“Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:
‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come— In the volume of the book it is written of Me— To do Your will, O God.'” Hebrews 10:5-7

Christ Jesus came in a body of flesh to do the will of God. And it was this will of God that was His driving purpose and sole aim. Where “sacrifice and offering” (things mandated under the law) failed to please God, Christ was able to be pleasing. And this is what is expected of us. We can exercise our liberties in Christ and yet not be pleasing to God because of how it affects others.

Life application: Christ is our example. If we can continuously remember this in every thing we do, then we can know how to properly conduct our affairs. Jesus never sacrificed doctrine in order to accommodate others. Nor did He excuse a violation of the law in others. However, He worked within the framework of the law to show us the heart of His Father. This is what we are asked to do within the framework of our Christian liberties.

Lord Jesus, when it seems like the battle is lost, that is when You shine through all the more gloriously. When it seems like there is no hope, I suddenly find safety. And when it looks like only disaster is in my path, You always show something better is ahead. I see that time and again and it proves to me that my trust in You is never futile. Help me to keep my faith in such low times because I know it will be greatly rewarded. Amen.

Sunday, 5 January 2014

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. Romans 15:2

To edify means to build up. Paul just introduced chapter 15 with a statement that the strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak; not to please themselves. Bearing with the weak is to tolerate their weakness, not find fault in it. Rather than following a course which picks away at their already weak foundation, we are admonished to work with them. And so, speaking to the body of believers, he asks that “each of us please his neighbor for his good.”

A neighbor can be defined in the broader sense of our fellow man, and we should strive for the good toward all men it is true, but based on the context, he is asking us to evaluate our conduct towards our neighbors in Christ. It is to them that we should endeavor to be pleasing in a way which will lead to edification.

The idea is to build up the body, promoting harmony within the faith and to bear the burdens of the weaker without finding fault. The world at large is watching and evaluating Christ based on His servants. It’s true that some profess Christ who aren’t really in Christ, but to weed them out is where right belief and right practice are to be defined. We can’t do this if we don’t know our instruction manual. But by knowing the word and defining the parameters, we can then endeavor to bear with those who are weak within those confines.

Life application: Doctrine does matter. Once we have right doctrine, then we need to accommodate those whose practices are weak within that context. By doing so, we will build up, not tear down, our fellow believers.

Blessed be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle! Thank You Lord that I am ready to face the day. You have prepared for me the armor of God to defend against the enemy and you have covered my feet with the gospel of peace. I am ready to face this day. Thank You for the chance to serve You. Amen.

Saturday, 4 January 2014

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Romans 15:1

Chapter 15 begins with a note admonishing those who are strong in the faith – “We then who are strong…” This obviously includes Paul himself and he is speaking out in plea to those who are like him. Being strong in the faith is described in the previous chapter and he now brings the thought of those words into a request for harmony within the church.

Those who understand their freedoms and who aren’t challenged by the “disputable matters” that arise should “bear with the scruples of the weak.” Matters of diet and days of observance are not to be treated as if they were to be the end of fellowship and a source of division. Rather, the stronger in the faith have the onus on them to accept those who practice differently or who fail to see the complete freedom found in the finished work of Jesus. Instead of lording their knowledge and freedom over the weak, they are to bear with their habits and not merely please themselves. This is the heart of love which he writes about elsewhere, such as 1 Corinthians 13.

And as a case demonstration of this, Paul writes these words to the Corinthians in his first letter to them –

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” 1 Corinthians 9:19-22

Throughout Acts, Paul is shown to be empathetic to those who were lesser informed or who were weaker in the faith. However, he also stood against heresy and those who would put confusion into the minds of believers. He had a balanced approach to his handling of such matters. When someone was not following the faith in a proper manner because of a lack of knowledge, he stooped down to their level and worked within their state to edify them and also instruct them. However, when someone wasn’t following the faith in a proper manner but who should have known better, he challenged them openly (see Galatians 2:11-16 where he confronts Peter head on).

This is the proper way to conduct affairs and this is what Paul appeals to today

Life application: Determine the situation concerning a challenge to right doctrine and act accordingly. If the person is ignorant of a matter, handle them as you would your own child – with love and instruction. If the person is aware of what is right and acts contrary to the truth, handle them as a trouble-maker, with bold determination to not let them harm others’ faith.

Lord, what does it profit me to have all the knowledge in the world and to not have love? Help me to use Your word as an implement of instruction to those who are lacking knowledge, as a guide to those who have lost their way, and as shining light to those who grope in darkness. I know it has the power to open eyes, minds, and hearts. Give me the wisdom to use it sensibly. Amen.

Monday, 30 December 2013

Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Romans 14:19

And yet again, Paul begins with “therefore.” This is actually a combination of two conjunctions which mean “so then.” As always, such a statement requires a review of the previous thoughts for the sake of proper context. Going back to verse 14 is enough to get a good hold on this “therefore.”

“I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”

If “there is nothing unclean of itself,” but the conscience can make something unclean, then the conscience needs to remain undefiled. This is because anything which is not of faith is sin. If we cause someone to work against their conscience in a disputable matter, we cause them to sin and we have become the cause of their sin. What Christ allows should never be brought to this state “because the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking.” How clear Paul is; how easily we dismiss it!

Instead of robbing a fellow of a clear conscience over such trivial matters, instead “let us pursue the things which make for peace.” The concept of pursuing is an on-going process. We don’t just pursue until we reach a set point and then stop. Instead, we keep on pursuing, never tiring of chasing after those things “which make for peace.” And the things which make for peace can be considered under two broad areas –

1) Ensuring that those things which are prescribed in Scripture are accomplished. In other words, pursuing proper doctrine. Conscience is not a consideration in this instance; God speaks; we obey.

2) Ensuring that the things which are doubtful are not improperly handled as if they were prescribed; if the Bible makes no prescriptive statement on the matter, then let others pursue it according to their conscience.

Adhering to these two broad categories will certainly make for peace. And at the same time, they will allow for “the things by which one may edify another.” To “edify” means to “build up.” One cannot be built up in the faith if they are allowed to violate something prescribed by God. Likewise, one cannot be built up in the faith if they are coerced to act against their conscience in a matter which is not prescribed in Scripture. The goal for Christians is harmonious living within God’s standards, not finger pointing, backbiting, gossiping, personal vendettas, or unauthorized judgments.

As noted in previous verses. Paul has discussed this matter for the entirety of Romans 14 thus far. This should be so immensely clear that we should never miss the point. He has come at it from every angle imaginable, and sometimes with repetition. Let us keep our fingers out of the lives of others in disputable matters… and yet we fail. Knowing the Bible and properly applying it will keep us from sinning against our fellow believers and it will keep us from being the cause of sin in them.

Life application: Romans 14 asks us time and again to know our Bible. Why? Because we cannot make right judgments on “disputable matters” unless we know what are and what are not disputable matters. We therefore sin when we don’t read, study, and remember our Bible. It really is that simple.

O God, giver of Your word – You have told me not to judge others in disputable matters. When I do, either I sin or I may cause them to sin or both. And yet, unless I know what matters are not-disputable, I can’t know which are disputable… How can I know unless I read and remember Your word? It gives me a whole new state of mind to realize this. Help me Lord to take this to heart. Help me to set aside time to read and know what You expect of me. Amen.