Romans 14 is one of the most useful and needed passages in all of the Bible.  Sadly, it is often misinterpreted to mean something it was never meant to mean and has led to sinful practices.

Romans 14 is teaching brethren to agree to disagree, but, and this is extremely important, it is not dealing with doctrinal issues wherein the will of God has already been established.  Issues such as the worship and work of the church do not fall under the umbrella of this chapter.  Why not?  Because those issues deal with matters that involve sin when they are violated.  We cannot agree to disagree with a brother who is practicing sin.

Ephesians 5:11 (ESV)
¹¹  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Now listen to Paul in Romans 14:4.

Romans 14:4 (ESV)
⁴  Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Is God going to uphold a brother who is practicing sin?  The obvious answer is no.  John tells us that God is light and that there is no darkness in Him at all (1 John 1:5-6).  Because God will have no fellowship with sin, and we, too, are instructed not to (2 John 1:9-11), we know that the servant Paul refers to in Romans 14:4 is not one violating the will of God.

What does all of this tell us?  It tells us that in Romans 14 Paul is dealing with matters of judgment.  Issues that we may view differently, even strongly so, but neither one of us is sinning when we practice our beliefs.  The main issue Paul deals with in the chapter is eating meat, especially meat that had been used in the sacrifice of a false god.  Whether one ate or did not eat did not put their soul in danger because God did not care one way or the other.  When referring to the same issue with the saints at Corinth, Paul had this to say.

1 Corinthians 8:8 (ESV)
⁸  Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.

Clearly, Paul is dealing with matters that are indifferent to God.  Now, when it comes to such issues, we all have the right to come to our own conclusions and practice what we feel is best.  What we do not have the right to do, is stubbornly practice something that might make a brother or sister in Christ stumble.  Sometimes our attitude should be, “I know I have a right, but, for my brother’s sake, I am not going to exercise it.”  Do you know what we call that?  Love.  And loving one another supersedes personal rights.

The reason this teaching is so helpful is that we are all different.  We do not always see matters of judgment the same way.  We do not have to fall out with each other over non-doctrinal issues that are just a matter of opinion anyway.  Furthermore, we should never practice something that will jeopardize the salvation of someone else.  As you wind down tonight, think about these words from Paul.

1 Corinthians 8:9-12 (ESV)
⁹  But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰  For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹  And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. ¹²  Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things