Sunday School Lesson

2. Romans 14:1-23
Accepting
Handling Disputable Matters
May 24, 2020
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi 39216
USA

3. What’s the number one thing?
The Glory of God!
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it
all for the glory of God.

4. References
•MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Study Bible
(Nashville, Nelson Publishing, 1997).
•Palmer, Edwin H., The NIV Study Bible (Grand
Rapids, Zondervan, 1985).
•Kendall, R.T., Total Forgiveness (Lake Mary, FL,
Charisma House, 2002).

5. Focus of Lesson Today
•Study Romans 14 in cultural context of the 1st century
church in Rome.
•Review the seriousness of being a “stumbling block”
and judging other Christians.
•Practical tips to keep from judging others.

6. Introduction to Romans 14
•Paul wrote this letter to the churches in Rome
while living in Corinth in 56-57 AD.
•He had never visited the churches in Rome, but
had heard about their great faith and challenges.
•The Christian churches in Rome were only about
20 years old at this time.

7. Introduction to Romans 14
•Paul’s letter to the Roman churches provides
much needed details about the theology of
salvation by faith in Chapters 1-11.
•Chapters 12-16 explain how to live out that faith
in relation to other people.

8. The Christian Churches in Rome in 57 AD
•The church was begun by Jews who were saved while
in Jerusalem celebrating Pentecost with the coming of
the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13).
•Jews and Gentiles were converted in Rome with the
sharing of the gospel by these new Christians.
•The Roman churches had not been visited by the
apostles or preachers to provide teaching.

9. The Christian Churches in Rome in 57 AD
•The churches were struggling with unity of Jews
and Gentiles coming from very different
backgrounds.
•Christians converted from Judaism had trouble
letting go of the dietary and ceremonial laws.
•The Roman Christians were struggling with
understanding the freedom and liberty found in
Christianity.

10. Romans 14:1 NIV (Accepting)
1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing
judgment on disputable matters.

11. “whose faith is weak”
•Paul chose to use a word that translates to
“weak” to describe faith that is restrictive.
•“weak faith” is used to describe those who clung
to past restrictions that had no consequence in
living out your Christian faith.
•“strong faith” describes those who have been
able to move away from the prior restrictions and
understood the full meaning of faith.

12. “passing judgment on disputable matters”
•Disputable matters – eating meat, drinking wine and
observance of Sabbath and festivals.
•“Adiaphora” – things neither prohibited nor required
by the Christian faith.
•“non-salvation issues” – activities not prohibited by
Scriptures, and therefore, not affecting salvation.

13. “passing judgment on disputable matters”
•Paul is not teaching about compromising on areas of
different opinions.
•You can agree to disagree, but with respect and
love.
•There is not a right or a wrong answer, but a right
way to handle disputable matters.
•Keeping God’s moral law (10 Commandments) is not
a disputable matter.
•They still apply!

14. Romans 14:2-3 NIV (Liberty in foods)
2 One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but
another man, whose faith is weak, eats only
vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not
look down on him who does not, and the man who does
not eat everything must not condemn the man who
does, for God has accepted him.

15. Food preferences and the churches in Rome
•Gentile believers were offended by Jews eating the
meats that had been offered to pagan idols to remove
the evil spirits attached to the meat.
•Eating the meat purchased at the idol market
reminded the sensitive Gentile believers of their
previous pagan lives and demonic worship.

16. “must not look down on” and “must not condemn”
•The NKJV says “not despise” and “not judge” for
the way both groups should treat each other.
•The “strong” hold the weak in contempt as
legalistic and self-righteous; the “weak” judge
the strong to be irresponsible at best, and
perhaps depraved.

17. Romans 14:4 NIV (Judging)
4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his
own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the
Lord is able to make him stand.

18. “judge someone else’s servant”
•The “weak” and the “strong” are both God’s
servants, and not masters of each other.
•God’s judgment does not take into account religious
tradition or personal preference.
•Whether one “stands” (vindicated in the judgment)
or “falls” (condemned in the judgment) is up to God
and not fellow Christians.

19. Romans 14:5-6 NIV (Sacred days)
5 One man considers one day more sacred than
another; another man considers every day alike. Each
one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who
regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who
eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God;
and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives
thanks to God.

20. Living with personal conviction
•Each believer must follow the dictates of his own
conscious in matters not specifically commanded or
prohibited in scripture.
•Conscious is a God-given mechanism to warn, and
responds to the highest standard of moral law in the
mind.
•Whether weak or strong, the motive behind issues of
conscious must be to please the Lord.

21. Romans 14:7-9 NIV (“we belong to the Lord”)
7 For none of us lives to himself alone, and none of us
dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord;
and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live
or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason,
Christ died and returned to life so that he might be
the Lord of both the dead and the living.

22. “we belong to the Lord”
•Paul is reinforcing the commitment as a believer
stated in Romans 10:9, “Jesus is Lord.”
•We do not live to please ourselves, but Christ.
•Christ’s Lordship over both the living and the dead
arises out of his death and resurrection.

23. Romans 14:10-12 NIV (“why do you judge”)
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you
look down on your brother? For we will all stand before
God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to
God.

24. The Christian’s judgment
•Paul reminds Christians about the future judgment
that is coming when believers will give an account.
•2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of
Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for
the things done while in the body, whether good or
bad.

25. The judgment seat of Christ
•The judgment seat of Christ is often called the “bema
seat”, referring to the place where Christ will give out
rewards to believers for good deeds done on earth in
His name.
•This is believed to occur after the “rapture” of the
church while the tribulation is occurring on earth.

26. The judgment seat of Christ
•In 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 Paul describes how our good
deeds will be tested by fire.
•All that has been accomplished in His power and for
His glory will survive and be rewarded.
•No matter how much is worthless or burned up, no
believer will forfeit his salvation.

27. The judgment seat of Christ
•1 Corinthians 3:12-15 NIV
12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver,
costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be
shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to
light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test
the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been
built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is
burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved,
but only as one escaping through the flames.

28. Romans 14:13 NIV (no stumbling block or obstacle)
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one
another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any
stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
•Judging one another and creating stumbling blocks
put Christians in danger of losing rewards in heaven,
but not their salvation.

29. “stumbling block”
•Stumbling block – anything a believer does that
causes another to fall into sin.
•1 Corinthians 8:9 NIV
9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your
freedom does not become a stumbling block to the
weak.

30. Romans 14:14-15 NIV (“Acting in love”)
14 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced
that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards
something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 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.

31. “Acting in love”
•If a believer is convinced a certain behavior is sin, he
should never do it.
•If he does, he will violate his conscious, experience
guilt and perhaps be driven back into deeper
legalism instead of moving toward freedom.
•Love will ensure that the “strong” Christian is
sensitive and understanding of his brother’s
weakness (restriction).

32. Romans 14:16-18 NIV (“the kingdom of God is”)
16 Do not allow what you consider good be spoken of as
evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating
and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this
way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

33. Jesus explains with the parable of clean and
unclean food.
•Matthew 15:10-11 NIV
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and
understand. 11 What goes into a man’s mouth does
not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his
mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’”

34. Jesus explains with the Parable of clean and
unclean food.
Matthew 15:17-20 NIV
17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes
into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the
things that come out of a person’s mouth come from
the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean’” 19 For out
of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery,
sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
20 These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating
with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean’.”

35. Romans 14:19-21 NIV (unity)
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads
to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy
the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean,
but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that
causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to
eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will
cause your brother or sister to fall.

36. Romans 14:22-23 NIV (a private matter)
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep
between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does
not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But the
man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because
his eating is not from faith; and everything that does
not come from faith is sin.

37. Paul addresses the same issue in the church in
Corinth.
•1 Corinthians 8:4 NIV
4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We
know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and
that there is no God but one.

38. Paul addresses the same issue in the church in
Corinth.
•1 Corinthians 8:7-8 NIV
7 Some people are still so accustomed to idols that
when they eat such food they think of it as having
been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is
weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to
God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better
if we do.

39. Paul addresses the same issue in the church in
Corinth.
•1 Corinthians 8:9-11 NIV
9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights
does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For
if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all
your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he
be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So
this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed
by your knowledge.

40. Paul addresses the same issue in the church in
Corinth.
•1 Corinthians 8:12-13 NIV
12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and
wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into
sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause
them to fall.
•The sin against Christ is the breaking of the unity of
the members of His body (the church).

41. Jesus had strong warnings for being a
stumbling block to other believers.
•Matthew 18:3-5 NIV
3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you
change and become like little children, you will
never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore,
whoever humbles himself like this child is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 “And whoever
welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

42. Jesus had strong warnings for being a
stumbling block to other believers.
•Matthew 18:6-7 NIV
Causing to Stumble
6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who
believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him to
have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be
drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world
because of the things that cause people to stumble!
Such things must come, but woe to the man through
whom they come!

43. Summary of Matthew 18:3-7
•Jesus said that it is expected that those ‘of the
world’ will cause Christians to be offended, stumble
and sin, and they will be judged for it.
•However, it should not be fellow believers who lead
others into sin, directly or indirectly.
•One would be better off dead.

44. What’s the number one thing?
•The Glory of God!
•1 Corinthians 10:31-32 NIV
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you
do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause
anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the
church of God—

45. Jesus taught on judging and condemning
others.
•Luke 6:37 NIV
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not
condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive,
and you will be forgiven.”
•To judge is “to make a distinction.”
•Judging is criticism and the opposite of graciousness.
•How we treat others is the standard that Jesus will
use for us.

46. When we judge others
•When we judge others, we are putting ourselves in
God’s place.
•When we judge others, we are using ourselves as the
standard.
•When we judge others, we are seeking to change
them, but it usually offends the other person.
•When you point a finger at somone, there are 3
fingers pointing back at yourself.

47. Practical tips to keep from judging (NEED)
• N – Is it necessary to say this?
• E – Will this encourage them?
• Will it make them feel better?
• E – Will it edify?
• Will what you say build them up and make them
stronger?
• D – Will it dignify that person?
• Jesus treated other people with a sense of dignity.

48. Closing Thought and Scripture
•Everything should be done out of love.
•Matthew 22:37-40 NIV
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your
heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38
This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the
second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All
the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.”

49. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
John 3:16-17 NIV
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have
eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 14:6 NIV
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

50. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 3:23 NIV
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a NIV
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this
life to pay the penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the “second death”
explained in Revelation 21:8.

51. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Revelation 21:8 NIV
8 “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral,
those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the
fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
• Anyone who’s lifestyle is one or more of the sins listed in Revelation 21:8,
will experience the “second death,” if they do not repent.
• To Repent means to turn around, to go in the opposite direction, to
turn away from sin and believe in Jesus.
Romans 5:8 NIV
8 But God demonstrates His own love for us, in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.

52. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 6:23b NIV
23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
Revelation 21:7 NIV
7 “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be
his God and he will be My son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explain to us how to be overcomers.

53. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Romans 10:9-10 NIV
9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and
believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you
will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and
are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and
are saved.
Romans 10:13 NIV
13 for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved.”

54. The Plan of Hope & Salvation
Do you have questions?
Would you like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900
or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/