1) The document is a Sunday school lesson from First Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi about Romans 14 and how Christians should handle disputable matters. 2) Romans 14 discusses that Christians should accept one another without judging over disputable matters like certain foods or holy days. Believers with "weak faith" may abstain from some things, while those with "strong faith" do not, but neither should condemn the other. 3) The lesson provides historical context about the churches in Rome that Paul was writing to and examines key verses in Romans 14. It emphasizes that Christians are to act in love toward one another without being a stumbling block over disputable matters.

1. Romans 14:1-23
Accepting
Handling Disputable Matters
May 24, 2020
His Followers Sunday School Class
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
The glory of God!
1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV
31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of
God.
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).
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.
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.
• 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.

2. 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.
• 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.
Romans 14:1 NIV (Accepting)
1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable
matters.
“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.
“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.
• 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!
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.

3. 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.
“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.
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.
“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.
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.
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.

4. 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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
• 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.

5. 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.
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.
“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.
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.
“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).
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.

6. Jesus explains with the parable of clean and unclean food.
• Matthew 15:10-11, 17-18 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.’”
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’.”
Romans 14:19-23 NIV (unity and a private matter)
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. 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.
Paul addresses the same issue in the church in Corinth.
• 1 Corinthians 8:4, 7-13 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.
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. 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. 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).

7. Jesus had strong warnings for being a stumbling block to other believers.
• Matthew 18:3-7 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.
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!
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.
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—
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.
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.

8. 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.
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.”
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.”
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.

9. 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.
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.
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.”
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/