Standards for judging others(Romans 14:1-12)

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Standards for judging others (Romans 14:1-12)

The first half of Romans 14 is about how to judge others.

Some people criticize others loudly, claiming that they are the ones keeping as much distance from them as possible, only to later end up in the same situation themselves.

That's why the new word 'naeronambul' (romance to me, affair to others) is becoming popular these days.

The Lord defines that criticizing others is already hypocrisy (Matthew 7:1-5)

Q. What is the standard by which Christians judge others?

“For none of us lives to himself, and no man one dies to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Romans 14:7-8)

A. If we are alive through the Lord's death and being raised and are always receiving the salvation of His life, we have the consciousness that we are the Lord's whether we live or die.

Therefore, you can judge others the way the Lord judges them.

You shouldn't talk nonsense about other people's weakness, what they eat, or their days.

When it comes to the Sabbath, any day is not important,  it is important to rest in Christ. (Hebrews 3-4)

True rest is holding on to Christ, the owner of rest and the Head. (Colossians 2:19)

The Lord cannot rest unless we hold on to Him who died and rose again, made us born again and gave us the hope of living in heaven.

So the book of Hebrews says that although there is still a promise to enter into rest, he is concerned that some may not reach it.

If Joshua, who had entered Canaan and conquered it, had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day after that.

Because there remains a time of rest for God's people, it says that we must exert strength to enter the rest.

Because the Jews who received the gospel first were denied entry into the rest, God has not yet rested from his work.

Therefore, Jews who follow the law only talk about the Sabbath, but it is only a superficial thing.

God is already angry with them and tells them that they will not enter his rest. (Hebrews 4:3)

Therefore, although there is a Sabbath, rest is only when we follow Christ, our believing Apostle and High Priest, to the throne of grace, so that we can rest because God rests from his work.

The Epistle to the Hebrews is words about the Sabbath and tithing being fulfilled in the new covenant.

It is sad that the Sabbath and tithing become standards for judging other people's faith.

Just think that this person still loves money more than God, or that this person is still a child trapped in the law and only considers one day of the week to be holy.

And “Let not him that eats despise him that eats not; let not him which eats not judge him that eats: for God has received him.” (Romans 14:3)

Even if a Catholic priest drinks or smokes, it has nothing to do with their salvation.

The definition of alcohol in the Bible is that strong liquor is the alcohol of this town and wine is the liquor of this town.

Water is digested and absorbed in the intestines, but alcohol is absorbed directly from the stomach, so people in Palestine drink wine instead of water.

If you argue about this, you are ignorant of the Bible.

However, alcohol is an anesthetic, so do not get drunk, which is defined as debauchery. (Ephesians 5:18)

On the other hand, cigarettes, coffee, and tea are stimulants, so they partially help stimulate the brain.

In modern society, wouldn't Paul say that we should be filled with the Holy Spirit instead of waking up our brains with cigarettes and coffee?

If we have been set free from sin and death in Christ through the merits of the Lord’s death and being raised, become heirs of God, have received the image of Christ, and are continuing to evolve into the glorious freedom of the Son of God,  We must keep in mind these words: “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12) 

We will give account (logon) for the deeds of our own life.

This means that judge others "as those who will be judged by the law of liberty." (James 2:12)

Therefore, if you have been freed from the curse of the law through the atonement grace of Christ's cross, have been sanctified in the truth, and have been saved to go to God the Father, whether you live or die is the Lord's, and you must judge others from the perspective of the Lord.

That is why God says that if you do not practice mercy, mercy will be taken away and you will be judged. (James 2:13)

Paul reprimands the Jew, “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man,  whosoever you are that judge: for wherein you judge another, you condemne yourself; for you that judge does the same things." (Romans 2:1)

Therefore, if we are bound by the Lord's death and being raised without any merit , have been redeemed from the curse of the law, and now confess that we are the Lord's whether we live or die, we must apply the same standard to judge others, and that is spiritual worship.

Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim.

Translated by  Nancy Chung

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