Romans 14
COMMENTARY:
: 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. (326 “revived” [anazao] means be alive again, recover life, regain strength and vigor, or return to life.)
DEVOTION: Jesus Christ wanted to be Lord of both the living and the dead. Those who had died before HE came to this earth were looking forward to HIS coming, so that, they could have eternal life with HIM. HE went to Paradise to bring the Old Testament saints to be with HIM. Some of them came out of their graves after HIS resurrection and walked the streets of Jerusalem. It had to be quite a sight for some to see. They were waiting for HIS resurrection from the dead to ascend with HIM to heaven.
Now we have those who are alive after HIS resurrection looking back at that time with joy. It is because HE rose from the dead that we can realize our resurrection from the dead. HE is our example. HE is our Lord. HE had a purpose for HIS resurrection. The purpose was hope for us who were born after HIM and have become followers of HIM. The hope is that we will see HIM one day after we die. There will be a time of resurrection for all those who die in the LORD.
Those who are dead now since HIS resurrection are promised that their soul and spirit will be with HIM at the point of death. The bodies will join the soul and spirit when the trumpet sounds for all the dead in Christ to meet HIM in the air. Those of us that are alive when the trumpet sounds will also meet HIM in the air.
CHALLENGE: Christ is the resurrection and the live of all those who believe. That gives hope. We are not HOME YET!!!
: 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you set at nought your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. (1848 “set at nought” [exoutheneo] means look down, contemptible, despise, least esteemed, or to make of no account.)
DEVOTION: Here is a main problem in the church. We see people practicing something that we think is wrong and therefore say that they can’t be Christians. There are many legalistic churches that set down rules that seem good but they cause problems for new believers. If a new believer struggles with a habit that is considered bad and in some cases sin by those who attend these churches, it can cause problems.
We have a tendency to look at other people. Sometimes we like to look at other people to find fault in them. We like to compare ourselves with other Christians. If we find that another Christian is sinning or practicing something that we think is sin more than we are, we think we are better than them. We have a tendency to make others of no account, so that, we can make ourselves account. We can think of some as second class citizens, if not altogether out of the kingdom. One of the things we need to remember is that all of us are still totally depraved even after we have chosen to follow the LORD. We are not here to condemn our fellow believers. We are here to edify our fellow believers. We are not here to judge the choices of another believer. If there are poor choices we can pray for them. We can instruct those who will listen to us regarding their choices.
One of the main things that we have to remember is that all Christians are going to report to the judgment seat of Christ. We are not going to be judged for our sins but for our works after we followed the LORD. This “judgment seat” is a bema seat. The bema seat was the place where those who won at the Olympics received their rewards.
If we let the Holy Ghost led us, HE will direct us to right actions without others hounding us. Our personal convictions will ALWAYS be different from some other Christians. No two of us agree fully on personal convictions. We must agree on the basics of the faith. We must agree on the fundamental doctrines of the faith. If there is disagreement in these areas, then we can hold those individuals in question.
CHALLENGE: Make a distinction between basic beliefs and personal convictions. If you have any questions regarding the difference, contact us or a strong mature believer you know.
: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (5479 “joy” [chara] means gladness, the emotion of great happiness and pleasure, bliss, merry, or rejoicing.)
DEVOTION: Too often we can get hung up on what people eat and drink. Our Christian life should be concerned with living a life that would bring joy to ourselves and others.
This passage of Scripture deals with the fact that all Christians are at different stages in their spiritual growth. Some are baby Christians. Some are young men or above baby stage but not to maturity yet. Others are mature in the faith. Each group has their own convictions regarding what they can eat and drink and what days are important and what days are not important.
We have a tendency to judge people by our standard rather than by the LORD’S standard. I don’t have a problem going into a place that serves alcohol such as a Pizza Hut. One of my men in my second church would not go into a place that served alcohol. It was his conviction. So when we went out together we would go to a place that didn’t serve alcohol. I didn’t want to be a stumbling block to him.
Young children have things they like to do as believers and so we need to be sure that we establish good convictions in their life at a young age. We also need to teach them that Christians are different. Some have never established the same convictions that the Bible establishes for believes.
CHALLENGE: We need to let believers grow at their own pace and make sure that we are not doing things that offend them or their growth.
: 22 Have you faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he that condemns not himself in that thing which he allows. (1381 “allows” [dokimazo] means approves, discerns, scrutinize, deem worthy, to judge to be right or commendable, judge as good, discern, or put to proof.)
DEVOTION: Once we become believers we have to be sensitive to the working of the Holy Spirit in our life. Growing as a believer brings times that we have to make personal decisions regarding what we will do as a believer and what we will not do as a believer.
Once we make decisions regarding our convictions we have to stick with our convictions until we know that the LORD wants us to change our convictions. At different stages in our growth things might change as we increase our knowledge of the Word of God and what the Holy Spirit convinces us is right or wrong for us.
The phrase “let your conscience be your guide” can be true in our life. If our conscience tells us it is wrong for us then we should listen to our conscience. God has given every man/woman a conscience to help him understand what is expected of him/her.
CHALLENGE: Our true happiness depends on us making Biblical decisions regarding what we should and shouldn’t do in our life.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Give God thanksverse 6
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Godverses 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 17, 18, 20, 22
Lordverses 6, 8
Kingdom of Godverse 17
Acceptable to Godverse 18
Work of Godverse 20
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Christverses 9, 10, 15, 18
Lordverses 9, 11, 14
Diedverses 9, 15
Resurrectedverse 9
Revivedverse 9
Lord of the dead and livingverse 9
Judgment seat of Christverse 10
Every knee shall bow to HIMverse 11
Every tongue confess to HIMverse 11
Jesusverse 14
Lord Jesusverse 14
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Holy Ghostverse 17
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Approved of menverse 18
All things are pureverse 20
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Doubtful disputationsverse 1
Despiseverses 3, 4
Judging fellow belieververses 4, 10, 13
Look down on fellow belieververse 10
Stumbling blockverses 13, 21
Occasion to fallverse 13
Uncleanverse 14
Grieve a brotherverse 15
Destroy a brotherverse 15
Evilverses 16, 20
Eat with offenseverse 20
Condemn by what is allowedverse 22
Doubtverse 23
Eating not in faithverse 23
Sinverse 23
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Faithverse 1, 22, 23
Weak in the faithverse 1
Different beliefsverse 2
Servantverse 4
Fully perswaded in own mindverse 5
Thank Godverse 6
Live to the LORDverse 8
Bow down to LORDverse 11
Confess to Godverse 11
Give accountverse 12
Walk charitablyverse 15
Goodverse 16
Righteousnessverse 17
Peaceverses 17, 19
Joy in the Holy Ghostverse 17
Serve Christverse 18
Acceptable to Godverse 18
Approved of menverse 18
Edify one anotherverse 19
Happyverse 22
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Judgment Seat of Christverse 10
Give account of self to Godverse 12
Kingdom of Godverse 17
Damnedverse 23
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