Anything that does not follow faith is sin (Romans 14:19-23)
Romans 14 is about the standards of judgment toward others and toward oneself.
Regarding others, 'If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. (Romans 14:8) We count the days as precious to the Lord, and those who eat eat for the Lord, giving thanks; and those who do not eat also give thanks to the Lord. We do not eat for the sake of others, so this is also something to be thankful for (Romans 14:6). It says, ‘Do not tell others what to do and do not judge.
He also says that we should not argue about ourselves over eating and drinking, but should be inclined to quit if it interferes with the kingdom of God, where we can attain righteousness by becoming one with Christ in the Holy Spirit, achieve peace with God, and enjoy joy.
So, in his church political epistle, Paul says, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God and not for your own benefit, but to please everyone. (1 Corinthians 10:31,33)
This can happen because Romans, chapters 1 to 8, states that sinful human beings born in sin in Adam were recreated in Christ through His atonement and became children of God, who have become God's heirs who look upon and seek the glory of heaven.
Q. How should we serve the weak?
“It is good neither to eat flesh, not to drink wine, nor any thing whereby your brother stumble, or is offended, or is made weak.” (Romans 14:21)
A. All things are clean, but they become evil to those who eat them with offense. (Romans 14:20)
I think the reason humans fight is actually because of differences in each person's conscience.
I think this way, why do you think that way? Then, a fight breaks out.
Therefore, those who have a strong conscience from God's perspective are thankful for all things.
However, a person with a weak conscience who is born on the earth is caught by this and also by that.
Therefore, we must control our strong conscience in order not to become a snare to such people.
The Jews accuse the Lord of threshing wheat on the Sabbath, even though he is the Lord of the Sabbath.
David became hungry while running away and ate the bread from the showbread in the sanctuary, but the priests were in an uproar.
Because of this difference in spiritual conscience, we must be concerned about the stumbling of the weak.
Q. Do you have the faith to not be condemned?
“Have you faith? have it to yourself before God. Happy is he that condemns not himself in that thing which he allow.” (Romans 14:22)
A. Not judging yourself before God based on your own faith is a blessing in itself.
It is a faith that God recognizes in Jesus Christ, and it is a faith that has no hesitation toward God in Christ.
It is the faith that has righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
There is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1)
If you see other people's sins, it is evidence that the poison from the tree of knowledge of good and evil still remains in you.
The reason he condemns others as sinners is because he himself is still a sinner.
The kingdom of God in Christ is a gathering of people without a sense of sin.
The Lord is also justified by His word and overcomes when he is judged. (Romans 3:4)
Paul says that with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. (1 Corinthians 4:3)
So, because it is impossible to shake off condemnation with faith that causes doubt in the matter of food, “he who doubts and eats is condemned, because he does not act according to faith; and whatever does not act according to faith is sin” (Romans 14:23)
Christians who have been free from sin and death through the law of the Holy Spirit of life in Christ and who have faith to live according to the spirit and perform spiritual worship by offering their bodies to God as weapons of righteousness do confess that they belong to the Lord whether they live or die, and enjoy righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
If you don't have the faith to get it, you have to start from scratch.
For example, we who believe on Jesus must live according to His Word. We who believe on Jesus must become the salt and light of the world. Even if we, as believers on Jesus, live differently from the people of the world, adding more lessons to the lesson, collecting a little from here and a little from there, and preaching like a bouquet of flowers, it is impossible to reach the faith that Paul suggests, even after a hundred years.
I hope you will completely achieve your personal salvation from Romans 1 to 8.
If you invest about 10 years in the Book of Romans, realize the principles of salvation, apply them to yourself, and deal with yourself, the truly amazing joy of salvation awaits you.
Written by Ptr. Yohan Kim.
Translated by Nancy Chung
COME AND SEE WORLD MISSION