9/8/24 “Are You Gonna Eat That?”
“Are You Gonna Eat That?”
Romans 14:1-23
There’s been a good deal of baby talk in our family lately…
Not the “whose a good boy?”…kind of baby talk…
…Rather, it’s the kind of baby talk surrounding the excitement of a brand-new human life currently on track to invade the home of our daughter and her husband sometime after the New Year.
When we talk to our daughter, the conversation generally revolves around the upcoming baby.
When Lisa & I go shopping, we find ourselves once again walking down baby aisles…a place we haven’t dared to trod for over 2 decades now.
I have, however, enjoyed looking at some of the new baby-related inventions that have come out over the past couple of decades:
Here are a few of them:
Suction cup baby bottle holder
Windi Gas & Colic Reliever – some of these inventions might also work in the senior adult departments as well!
Baby diaper bag backpack with changing station. Whaaat? Probably the coolest thing I’ve seen since 80’s stonewash jeans!
Hipseat baby carrier – Where was this thing 25 years ago?
It’s all baby these days – we even picked up a stroller at a garage sale a few weeks back that has huge, monster wheels on it…They remind me of monster truck wheels.
Apparently, Lisa thinks we’ll be doing some off-roading with our granddaughter…
or just in case we encounter a line-up of old beat-up cars sitting side-by-side, we now have the option of going straight over the top of them.
As much as I’m wrestling with soon having the title of grandpa...or ‘Papa-J’.... I’m also very excited about having a grandchild in my life.
It’s been a long time since our daughters were babies, but I do remember one thing about newborns – they are really, really weak.
I remember holding Lindsay for the first time and Lisa telling me to make sure to support the baby’s head with my hand....
as any parent knows, a baby’s neck muscles aren’t yet developed enough to support the weight of their own head.
Babies are weak. They need help from those who are stronger and more mature - just to be able to survive.
Chapter 14 of Romans deals with a different form of weakness and strength – spiritual weakness and strength.
When someone accepts Jesus and becomes a Christian, they are like a newborn baby…
Even though the Holy Spirit is now indwelling them - and they are now positionally justified before God – new believers still have much to learn about living the Christian life.
It is to this topic of spiritual maturity and Christian liberty that Paul now turns our attention to in chapter 14.
Verse 1 (Romans 14:1) begins, “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.”
Essentially, the entire chapter is summed up in this first verse.
We are being told that in disputable matters - that is to say those things that DO NOT INVOLVE SALVATION OR CENTRAL TRUTHS OF THE FAITH, that we ought to – as believers – acknowledge each other’s views in a spirit peace and acceptance with one another.
One of my favorite passages in the entire Bible is Ephesians 4:2-3 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Aren’t those beautiful words?...Oh, how effective the church could be if ALL Bible-believing Christians lived according to those instructions!
One reason why we sometimes see a measure of disunity within evangelical circles is because within the church, you have an assortment of people along a wide spectrum of spiritual maturity.
Some of you here this morning have been walking closely with the Lord for quite some time…spiritually, you’re like that solid oak tree in the back yard that has endured many seasons of stress, drought, wind, and rain
….and you’ve gained wisdom after enduring those many trials of life.
While others of you are relatively young in the faith – you’re a sapling that is still establishing its root system in the fertile soil of God’s truth and grace.
I must also point out – however - that one’s chronological age does not always determine a person’s level of spiritual maturity.
…sometimes the tree becomes stunted – the growth slows down…or even stops altogether.
I know individuals who have attended church their entire lives and have not matured in their faith beyond that of a sapling – evidenced by their actions, words, choices, and decisions…
…they’re genuinely saved, but for one reason or another, they haven’t developed in spiritual maturity over the years.
..I also know individuals who have displayed an incredible amount of spiritual maturity within a very short time of coming to Christ….like they’ve been given spiritual miracle-grow!
Paul tells us in verse 1 (Romans 14:1) that those who are stronger – more mature – in their faith need to accept those who are weaker – or less mature – in their faith
…and to resist the temptation to want to single-handedly speed up their growing process when it comes to those disputable matters of the faith.
Another factor that plays into disunity in the church has to do with matters of personal preference and historical tradition that we tend to carry with us as we go through life.
Some of you were raised in churches that utilize a very formal and liturgical worship style…and maybe you still feel comfortable worshipping in that style.
Some of you have experience in very free-flowing worship environments where if you aren’t swaying and raising your hands during the praise songs – people wonder what’s wrong
….and perhaps you continue to feel most at home with that worship style…
Some of you come from absolutely no faith tradition whatsoever – and over the years you’ve develop your own preferences as to worship style…
Like me, some of you were raised in churches that lean toward fundamentalism – where the long list of do’s and don’ts goes beyond what scripture actually prescribes.
When different people with different faith backgrounds come together, it can be a recipe for tension and disagreement...IF we allow human tradition and personal preference to eclipse love and acceptance for each other.
Praise God, even though we have a wide variety of faith backgrounds in this congregation, I haven’t seen this become an issue here
…I haven’t witnessed any of you attempting to impose your personal preferences upon others.
That’s a testament to all of you – and your individual decisions to choose grace over tension…peace over conflict…love over rigidity….in these disputable areas.
So….what ARE some of these disputable matters?...and why does Paul spend an entire chapter of this letter talking about them?
Verse 2 begins to answer some of those questions (Romans 14:2) “One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.” ..... I appreciate that verse on numerous levels...😊
In verse 3, Paul reminds his readers that those who were placing self-imposed dietary restrictions upon themselves were not to look down on those who chose to exercise their freedom in Christ to eat anything.
For some context here, the early church was made up of both believing Jews… who were still accustomed to following the dietary requirements of the Mosaic law...
…and believing Gentiles….who were coming out of cultic traditions where meat would be sacrificed to false gods – and then eaten.
Believers who Paul calls ‘weak’ were hesitant to live by the scriptural truth that God had declared all food to be clean and profitable for consumption.
...they found it difficult to forget the traditions of their past.
Colossians 2:16 reminds us of that truth when it says, “Therefore, do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink…..”
1 Timothy 4:3 echoes that truth (Talking about false teachers) “They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.”
Lastly, Acts chapter 10 includes the account of Peter receiving a vision from God containing all kinds of animals...
One of the lessons Peter was to learn from this vision was that God had now declared all food to be suitable for consumption.
The problem going on in the church at Rome was that some of the immature – or ‘weak’ – believers were projecting their personal, unscriptural sensitivities regarding food onto everyone else in the church.
Paul’s message to these ‘weak’ believers was that they must not think of themselves as superior to believers who chose to live in their Christian liberty to partake in all foods…
...and that they were not to expect other believers to abide by their personal preferences.
Paul also had a similar message to the more mature (Strong) believers...
It was that they were not to look down upon those who choose to restrict themselves as to what foods they consume.
Today, we generally don’t see food & dietary restriction becoming an issue in the church - except for certain Christians who observe the season of Lent.
Paul has some interesting instructions to mature believers as how to navigate a situation with a believer who ascribes to dietary restrictions…
Look at verse 15 (Romans 14:15) “If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.”
I remember one Friday night during the season of Lent almost 3 decades ago now....
Lisa & I went out to eat with her family at the Chaparral restaurant for the famous Friday night seafood buffet…
At the time, Lisa’s entire family followed a faith tradition of not eating meat on Fridays during Lent...
Well, I still remember walking through that buffet line - and at the end of it was big, juicy chunk of ribeye that was just calling to me....”eat me”...”eat me”
…and, to my everlasting shame, It ended up on my plate.
By partaking in that steak, I was being extremely insensitive to Lisa’s family...I was flaunting my Christian liberty in front of all of them….
Here I was enjoying a juicy ribeye when everyone else was restricting themselves to fish.
I was not showing love toward other Christians.
I learned from that experience, and I’ve made it a point to never let it happen again.
Paul tells us that we are not to hinder other believers through the exercise of our Christian liberty.
Verses 20 & 21 (Romans 14:20-21) speaks directly to this truth when it says, “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.”
Even though consuming a ribeye on a Friday night before Resurrection Sunday is not a sin in itself....
I had committed a sin by acting in an inconsiderate and unloving way toward other Christians who voluntarily restricted themselves from doing so.
We who are mature in the faith must remember to have compassion and love for those fellow believers who choose to live within extra-scriptural boundaries.
Paul reminds us in verse 4 that the strong Christian is not to judge the weaker Christian – God will judge every man – that is His job, not ours.
Another disputable topic that Paul brings up in Romans chapter 4 is that of The Sabbath…
Some believing Jews were convinced that Saturday was the only day in which the church could gather together for worship – this was a carryover from the Mosaic law that was ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
In verse 5 (Romans 14:5) Paul says, “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike….”
If it violates your conscience to worship God in community on any other day of the week but Saturday, well then worship God on Saturday...great!
Just don’t proclaim that believers are entering into sin if they choose to worship God in community on a day other than Saturday....it’s a disputable matter.
Does your conscience inform you that all movies are evil and should be avoided? Ok, fine.
Just don’t proclaim that believers are entering into sin if they choose to watch a movie that is free of unbiblical elements....it’s a disputable matter.
Does your conscience inform you that all dancing should be avoided?...ok, fine.
Just don’t proclaim that believers are entering into sin if they partake in forms of dancing that are not lewd and sexually suggestive...its a disputable matter.
Does your conscience inform you that taking a youth group to a professional baseball game is sinful? (Yes, I was made aware of someone outside of this church who feels that way)...and that’s fine.
Just don’t proclaim that other believers are entering into sin if they choose to attend a professional baseball game...it’s a disputable matter.
The same holds true for (secondary) doctrinal issues that remain scripturally unclear:
Does your conscience inform you that the rapture will occur in the middle of the Tribulation period?....that’s fine.
Just don’t proclaim that other Christians who believe in a different timetable for the rapture are all wrong...it’s a disputable matter
…and then at the end of verse 5 (Romans 14:5) Paul writes something very interesting, he says “…Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.”
So....Is Paul advocating for relativism here?....Is he preaching pluralistic truth?
Is he saying that certain immutable standards apply differently to different people?
Well…No, that’s not what he is saying.
But what he is saying is that God allows each person’s conscience to be calibrated to a specific setting – and when something triggers our conscience, we need to respond accordingly.
An example in my own life is that I have always had a very sensitive conscience when it comes to the consumption of alcohol…
I was brought up in a faith tradition where ALL drinking – no matter the amount - was highly frowned upon...
It was basically seen as sinning, even though scripture does not label it as such.
Scripture does tell us that getting drunk IS most definitely a sin – but that the consumption of alcohol short of becoming inebriated is not sinful in itself.
I, however, still have a very difficult time processing the idea that Christians are able to drink alcohol without committing a sin...
The restrictions of my upbringing have shaped my conscience as a believer in such a way that if I were to head down to Fishy’s after the service today and drink a beer – It would be violating my conscience...
...and Paul tells me in verse 14 (Romans 14:14) from today’s passage that if I willfully violate my own conscience, for me, it is an act of sin.
So, for me, consuming alcohol would be sinful – not because the act itself is sinful – but because I would be participating in an action that would violate my own conscience
...A conscience that God has ordained for me to possess at this point in my life...
Does that make sense?
Paul is saying that if your conscience – a conscience that has been shaped – in part – by your upbringing and your understanding of His word....if this conscience is violated, then – for you – it is an act of sin.
Verses 22&23 (Romans 14:22-23) speak to this.
Paul tells us to keep disputable matters of conscience between ourselves and Him – and that we act in disobedience (Outside of faith) if we willfully violate our conscience.
Lastly, I’d like to circle back around to a very important command here in verse 15 directed toward the mature (Strong) Christian who understands a proper view of Christian liberty.
Verse 15 (Romans 14:15) says, “If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died.”
In other words, before you decide to act upon your Christian liberties, ask yourself if your actions could potentially be construed by a less-mature (Weaker) Christian as sinful – and, if so – don't do it.
As members of the Church, we are all called to unity in love.
..and If you – the stronger, more mature Christian - knowingly exercise your Christian liberty in the presence of a less-mature (Or, ‘weaker’) brother or sister who sees that act as sinful - the loving thing to do is to put aside your ‘rights’ and simply avoid the activity in question.
It is better for you to lovingly sacrifice your rights, than to tempt a fellow believer to fall into the sin of disobeying their own conscience.
Verse 21 (Romans 14:21) says, “It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.”
This is especially true for those brothers and sisters who have come out of sinful lifestyles and traditions...
Got a believing friend who was once an alcoholic?...don’t invite them to a restaurant where alcohol is sold in plain sight.
Got a believing friend who came out of a wiccan cult?...don’t invite them over to watch a Harry Potter movie.
Got a believing friend who prefers hymns only?...don’t give them tickets to a Christian rock concert.
Got a believing friend who has had a problem with pornography or lust?...don’t invite them to the beach on a hot, sunny day where plenty of skin will be on display.
Have enough love for your fellow Christian to not put a stumbling block in their way...
Satan throws enough stumbling blocks in our individual paths already – we don’t need to be doing that to each other!.....
Let’s Pray.