Author: Charlie Garrett

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.

Friday, 3 January 2014

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. Luke 14:23

To complete the chapter, Paul finishes with this notable and to-the-point statement. The “but” is given as a contrast to what he just said in verse 22 –

“Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.”

If you have faith, exercise your faith before God. Don’t lord it over others and don’t cause others to stumble. Use your faith as a tool for sanctification, not destruction. If you have faith, eat without conscience and be grateful for what you have been provided.

On the other hand, where faith is lacking, there is doubt. As we are limited beings, we cannot know everything perfectly. There will always be areas where we are unsure. Therefore, doubt cannot be sin. However, doubt can be the cause of sin. This is what Paul will show us now. “But he who doubts is condemned if he eats.” The clear understanding of this is that if someone feels that they shouldn’t be eating something, pork for example, and they eat it in order to fit in or because they feel coerced, then they sin. Not because eating pork is wrong (as is clearly shown in chapter 14), but because they are in a state of doubt concerning what they are eating. And the reason for this is “because he does not eat from faith.”

If you are eating something under any type of compulsion, then it can’t be from faith. Faith, by its very definition, involves doing something which isn’t forbidden, with a clear conscience, and without coercion. Calling on Jesus as Lord implies the exercising of faith in the fact that Jesus is Lord. If one is forced to call on Him, then they haven’t really called on Him. The same is true with something as simple as having certain foods for dinner.

A Christian who has pork chops for dinner and who eats with a clear conscience, implies that he believes Christ has fulfilled the Levitical laws prescribed in the Old Testament (because these laws forbid the eating of pork). If one believes this, as the Bible demonstrates is true, then Jesus must be Lord. Why? Because if the law is fulfilled in Him, then it died with Him. If we are calling on Jesus as Lord and accepting His work, then we must believe that He rose again because one cannot call on a dead Lord. If the law was fulfilled in Him, and then He died under the law, then the law died with Him. If He rose again, then a New Covenant must be in place. If a New Covenant is in place which says that nothing is unclean of itself (Romans 14:14), then accepting that by faith implies that Jesus is Lord.

But… if one eats pork because he feels coerced, then he is not eating from faith. And “whatever is not from faith is sin.” If someone doesn’t understand the work of Christ in the manner described above concerning the law, then they may feel that dietary restrictions still apply. However, to fit in or for whatever other reason, they may feel pressured to eat pork. If they do so, even though there is nothing wrong with eating pork in and of itself, they are not eating from faith and thus they sin.

Pork has been the example here, but Paul says “whatever” is not from faith is sin. If one violates their conscience in a matter in order to be pleasing to others, they are not acting in faith. Is it better to be a man-pleaser or one who pleases God? God is pleased with faith. That is the lesson of the Bible.

As a final thought on this, although it is acceptable to not eat pork, it is not acceptable to teach that it is not acceptable to not eat pork. And there is a difference. The Bible has shown that eating it (or any other food) is now all right. Therefore, to teach that it is not okay is to violate what the Bible teaches. This then no longer is a matter of conscience, but a matter of doctrine. To violate doctrine through incorrect teaching is sin. Be careful to know the difference.

Life application: Romans 14 has shown that eating all foods and drinking anything one wishes is acceptable. To teach otherwise is sin. And to eat any food apart from conscience is also sin. However, to abstain from any food or drink is not sin. Know the difference and be prepared to defend your knowledge.

Lord God, the day is brightening and the heaviness of sleep is fading away. Once again, the day is set before me and my hands are ready for accomplishing the many tasks of life. I look forward to them and am excited to get out and get going. But first, please allow me just this… Allow me to tell You how much I love You. Ok Lord, out I go. Praising You along the way! Amen.

Thursday, 2 January 2014

Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. Romans 14:22

Paul is speaking to believers, therefore he is speaking to people of faith. Because this is so, the logical conclusion is that his question, “Do you have faith?” Is not speaking of saving faith. Instead, it is speaking of the faith which is implied in verses 14-21. This is faith to act in disputable matters. For example, the person who has “faith” to eat all things as opposed to those who lack the faith to eat certain foods. In such an instance, when it will obviously harm another to exercise your faith, then restrain from doing so.

Many Jewish believers don’t eat pork. Whether you feel that is right or wrong, would it be right to invite such a friend to your house and serve ham along with the other food? No! Nor would it be right to invite them over and, even without serving ham, argue the point that ham is ok thus insinuating that they aren’t acting like mature Christians. These are the kinds of things that can only lead to unhappiness in them. In turn it will lead to unhappiness in you. Instead of such an attitude, exercise your faith before God, exercise your freedoms when they won’t harm, and don’t cause an air of animosity to arise over such disputable matters.

And Paul explains why – “Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” By acting in this manner you are actually bringing condemnation on yourself. Again, this is not speaking of condemnation from salvation, as if such a matter could cause the loss of salvation. Rather it is speaking of condemning thoughts. Such thoughts are, as will be revealed in the next verse, what leads to sin. This is also revealed to us by John in his first epistle

“Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.” 1 John 3:21

Life application: Just because we have the right to do certain things, and just because we have the faith to exercise that right, it doesn’t make it right to follow through with that thing if it will cause another to violate their conscience. By causing others to sin, we sin.

Gracious Lord God, it’s the beginning of a new day with unlimited possibilities ahead. I pray that I will use this day to Your glory and with all of the abilities You have granted me. Help me to not waste my time or the chances that come up, but to meet each challenge and opportunity with boldness. Thank You for the day ahead. Amen.

Wednesday, 1 January 2014

It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Romans 14:21

Again, as Paul has done on several occasions in this chapter, he gives a very short, concise, and clear statement. If your brother is offended by your eating habits or by your wine drinking then don’t do them around him. Instead, that is what you have a house for. If we cause another to “stumble” or be “offended” or “made weak” we have sinned against a person for whom Christ died. Is it worth causing this type of disruption in another’s life just to engage in eating and drinking? No.

The kingdom of God is not about meat and wine, but about righteousness, holiness, and glorifying God. He has given us these things during this life to enjoy but not at the expense of fellowship and harmony within the body of believers.

Life application: Use empathy towards those around you. Don’t have a belligerent attitude over “doubtful matters” but rather live at peace with those who are of the faith. We’ll be spending eternity together, so why should we be fighting about these things now?

Lord Jesus, here we are at the beginning of a new year. Please help me to live out this year in a way which is honoring to You and helpful to those around me. Thank You for the life You have given me. May I use it to faithfully serve You. Amen.

Tuesday, 31 December 2013

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, butit is evil for the man who eats with offense. Romans 14:20

“Do not destroy the work of God…” What is this referring to? It is the work of God in Christ Jesus, fulfilling the law and its requirements so that we can live in newness of the Spirit. Jesus Christ is now building a temple with His followers as “living stones” in that building. The word Paul uses for “destroy” signifies to tear down a structure. When we use something such as dietary restrictions (which have been set aside in Christ) as a standard of judgment toward others, we in essence “tear down” portions of His temple. We either make believers ineffective or we keep people from becoming believers. Who would want to participate in a legalistic, finger pointing religion?

And so, “for the sake of food” we sin against our fellow man and diminish the glory of the Lord and “the work of God” in others’ eyes. What a terrible price to pay over something which isn’t even prescribed in His word! And this is absolutely certain because Paul continues, “All things indeed are pure…” That statement could not be any clearer. He is talking about foods and then, even in the exact same verse, he makes this proclamation. And yet there are denominations by the score who put unscriptural burdens on their followers, “Don’t eat, don’t touch!” Instead of God’s word as the standard, they promote their agenda. Instead of the freedom which is found in Christ, there is bondage and harsh rule.

And because of a mishandling of the word, the result then is that it becomes “evil for the man who eats with offense.” If a Christian is told that drinking soda is wrong and then another Christian says that soda drinking is fine, there is now a dilemma in their mind. “Which do I believe?” If they go ahead and drink a soda when they feel it may be wrong, they have now committed evil because they are consuming the soda with a guilty conscience. This is the sad state of the neurotic believer who is swayed by every form of doctrine which blows their way. They actually sin through their own lack of knowledge and their guilty conscience over a matter which is really not an issue that should have ever arisen.

Life application: It is the word which prescribes what we can and cannot do. By knowing the word and understanding the work of Christ on our behalf, we will remain free from sinning against our guilty conscience. Don’t ever stop reading and learning your Bible.

Lord God, as the year is ending, I want to take a moment and thank You for all You have done for me in the past year. There were many joys and blessings. There was abundance and delight. Along with them, there were some trials and setbacks… but You never left my side and You carried me through each one. Thank You, O God, for this wonderful life You have blessed me with. Amen.