Pursue peace over being right
Romans 14:12-23
Pursue peace with the brotherhood and encourage one another, and do not let trivial matters profane the Christian faith through quarreling
#peace
#Christ
Published January 31st, 2019
Main point summary
Arc
notes
Main point summary
As Christians we should not be arguing, causing others to stumble, or destroying the work of God in anyone over trivial matters like what to eat and what not to eat. Rather, we should be fully focused on righteousness, peace, and justice; the things that bring peace and mutual encourage us.
Arc
editing
NT
Romans 14:12-23
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mine
So then z each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Therefore, each of us will be responsible for his own actions before God.
a Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer,
therefore, let's not be quick to judge the actions of our brothers in Christ,
but rather decide b never to put a stumbling block
but rather, decide not to do things in front of them that will cause them to sin and fall away from God
or hindrance in the way of a brother.
and do not hinder their holiness in any way.
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inference
I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus c that nothing is unclean in itself,
Nothing is wrong to eat or observe or abstain from in itself.
d but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
Though, anything can be wrong for a person that is convicted of its sinfulness.
alternative
For if your brother is grieved by what you eat,
(continued thought from v. 13) For, if your brother does not see what you eat as clean and is thereby grieved,
e you are no longer walking in love.
then you are not loving him by eating it in his presence(13:8).
conditional
f By what you eat,
by eating something that one sees as unclean,
do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
do not cause your brother to stumble.
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g So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
Therefore, do not let all that you see as beautiful and true about the Christian faith be tarnished by your bickering about what to eat and what to observe.
h For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking
because God's reign is not about what you eat or what you drink
but i of righteousness
but rather it's about righteousness,
and j peace
and peace,
and joy in the Holy Spirit.
and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Whoever thus serves Christ is k acceptable to God and approved by men.
Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by men. (The eating and drinking doesn't matter, these do)
ground
So then let us l pursue what makes for peace and for m mutual upbuilding.
So then let us as Christians pursue the things in life that make for peace between us and mutual build each other up in Christ.
n Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God.
Do not let your beliefs on what is clean to eat destroy God's work that he has done in your brother's heart.
o Everything is indeed clean,
All food is clearly clean,
but p it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble
but you should not eat it if by so doing you cause your brother to stumble in his faith.
by what he eats.
situationresponse
q It is good not to eat meat
It's good not to eat meats,
or drink wine or
drink wine,
do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 1
or do anything else that will hurt your Christian brother's faith in the Lord.
The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God.
Therefore, keep this faith of the cleanliness of foods that you have between you and God.
r Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.
You're blessed not to feel condemned by what you see as clean,
But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats,
but if your brother doubts its cleanliness and then eats, he is in sin.
because the eating is not from faith.
because he is not eating it in faith that it is clean.
For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. 1
because whatever is not done in faith is a sinful act.
Don't get caught up in observing certain laws or not observing certain things. These do not matter in God's sight. He desires that we be holy, and pursue peace with each other, and find joy in the Holy Spirit.
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Disclaimer: The opinions and conclusions expressed on this page are those of the author and may or may not accord with the positions of Biblearc or Bethlehem College & Seminary.