For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
!
For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
Much is communicated in these 11 verses, and the language is not very simple.
We most regularly aid our thinking with simple outlines.
I like to give them to you in advance and give you some structure to know where we're going.
Typically, two to four point outlines.
Most regularly three.
Things just seem to fall into that structure.
But today, in a way that I hope won't complicate our consideration,
we're going to follow the negative exhortations.
That is the do-nots through the text in seven points.
So if you are a note-taker and you want to get these in advance, they all start with do-not.
So that might help you, save you a little bit of writing time.
I'm going to give them to you very quickly, and then we'll jump right into the first point.
So, number one, do not judge your brother.
Number two, do not tempt your brother to sin.
Number three, do not grieve your brother.
Number four, do not destroy your brother.
Number five, do not forfeit your witness.
Number six, do not destroy the work of God.
And number seven, do not flaunt or forfeit your liberty.
So hopefully you can kind of pick this up and piece together where we're headed as we go through it.
Now, I just want to say at the outset, before we go to point one,
you will note that I said brother in most of those points.
Do not judge your brother is point number one.
And it is very reasonable to say, or sister, brother or sister.
And to say that many, many, many times this morning.
And I want you to know that often the language of just brother is picked up in the Scripture.
And I don't think that they mean to exclude you ladies who are in Christ.
I think that's what the authors are doing at all.
But they're helping us to think about us being co-heirs with Christ
and being recipients of all that is given to those who belong to him,
which would have been men in the Bible, right?
My oldest brothers received the great benefit of the family.
And so, ladies, I think you want to find yourself as a brother.
So I'm not excluding you as I address in that way this morning.
And neither do I believe as Paul.
So, firstly, do not judge your brother.
And we see this in the first part of verse 13.
Therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer.
Verse 13 begins with this word, therefore.
So we must first deal with it to understand what comes next.
This transition word.
Because of everything that I've said, this next thing I'm going to say.
In the final half of chapter 14,
Paul exhorts us to humbly serve one another
as it concerns what he calls opinions in verse 1.
I made the case to you that Paul is not speaking in this chapter of doctrines
that are fundamental to the faith.
Remember, we talked about theological triage.
First, second, third, and fourth tier issues, right?
What I do believe he's speaking about is
those issues that we deem third tier theological issues.
Not unimportant convictions, but they should be held in a particular way,
which is what he's trying to help us to see here, right?
We may disagree on some of the less important matters.
How do we do that?
How do we walk in unity together
when we don't quite see eye to eye on everything?
He employed two examples in the beginning of the chapter.
One about food and the other, the observance of particular days.
And he returns to that former example in the last half of the chapter.
So he's talking largely in chapter 14 about food,
and we think, particularly, food that's been offered to idols.
So these exhortations are for Christians living in relationship to other Christians
under the assumption that they're all laboring to live their lives
in a manner that's pleasing to God.
Last week, we noted four foundational reasons that Paul gives us
for his call to Christian unity on these types of matters.
I touched on them briefly last week.
I'm going to touch on them really briefly this week as well to remind us of them.
So in verses 3 and 8 of chapter 14,
we see, if you've made a profession of faith in Christ,
that we are gods.
Verse 3 says that God has welcomed him,
referring to this weaker brother.
And then verse 8 says whether we live or whether we die,
we are the Lord's.
We belong to him.
Secondly, our eternal position is secured by God.
Verse 4 says,
And he will be upheld, this weak faith Christian,
for the Lord is able to make him stand.
Thirdly, we saw that Paul's examples are heartfelt.
And by that I mean, they're well-intentioned.
The person who has these particular convictions is doing them
because he wants to please God.
Verse 6 says,
The one who observes the day observes it in honor of the Lord.
The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord,
since he gives thanks to God,
while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord
and gives thanks to God.
The intention is pure.
I want to please God with my life.
And fourth, God will judge our temporal works.
Verse 10 says we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
And verse 12, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
And so there's things that will be sorted out in the end.
So it follows all of this that Paul says,
Therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer.
We have to have our categories straight in our heads
if we were going to get this not passing judgment correct.
So we're going to take a little time at this point,
which I think will help us progress more quickly as our text proceeds.
So when you hear,
Therefore, let us not pass judgment on another any longer,
your mind may, mine does,
rush off to a text like Matthew chapter 7 and verse 1.
There Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount,
Judge not that you be not judged.
In the common Christian zeitgeist,
the understanding of this verse and Romans 14, 1
seems so clear and is handled with phrases like,
you've likely heard somebody say something like,
Well, who am I to judge?
It is used as an instruction for retreat
from meaningful engagement in the lives of others in the church.
But what does Jesus go on to teach in Matthew chapter 7?
He says, Judge not lest you be judged.
For with the judgment you pronounce,
you will be judged.
And with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you.
And that should strike some fear in us.
I'm just going to avoid it altogether then.
But then he goes on in verse 3.
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye,
but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother,
Let me take the speck out of your eye
when there is a log in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to take the speck
out of your brother's eye.
So in verse 5 of Matthew 7,
Jesus tells us that we ought to remove the speck
from our brother's eye
after warning us how it is
that we ought to remove the speck
from our brother's eye.
Jesus here in Matthew is a warning against judgmentalism.
An arrogance that says,
I have figured out all the intricacies
of what faithful life looks like.
And this ought not characterize the humble heart.
I've got it all sorted, Jesus says.
Oh, be careful.
There is a log in your eye if you think in this way.
Be sure that you are of humble heart,
that you see your own sin as large,
that you might see clearly to help others with theirs.
These verses are not instruction for retreat,
for meaningful engagement in the lives of others in the church,
but instruction for care and for categories.
How are we to go about loving one another in the truth,
pressing one another towards Christlikeness
in the midst of disagreement?
Otherwise, if we don't see it this way,
what do we do with Paul's teaching
in 1 Corinthians 5, verses 9-13?
Is he contradicting himself or the Lord Jesus Christ?
Of course not.
There he says,
I wrote to you in my letter
not to associate with sexually immoral people.
There was an egregious sin
that he had heard was going on in the life of this church,
and they were tolerating it.
He then says,
not at all meaning the sexually immoral in this world
or the greedy and swindlers or idolaters,
since then you would need to go out of the world.
But now I am writing to you
not to associate with anyone
who bears the name of brother
if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed
or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler,
not even to eat with such a one.
So somebody's life that is characterized by sin,
they say they're a Christ follower
and their life gives no evidence of that.
The fruit that they're producing
is not the fruit of a redeemed tree,
it's the fruit of a different kind, right?
A desperately lost tree.
And then he says, verse 12,
for what have I to do with judging outsiders,
those of the world?
Is it not those inside the church
whom you are to judge?
God judges those outside.
Purge the evil person from among you.
So, we're not being instructed in Romans chapter 14
to not help people see their sin.
To point out, you're in error here.
We want to faithfully follow Jesus
and you're wrong.
Let me help you see the wrong that exists in your life.
One of the important things the church does together
is this great work.
I am so grateful to be fellowshiped,
committed to a group of Christians
that help me faithfully follow Jesus.
I need your help to do this.
Do not leave me alone in this effort.
You are a grace given to me
and I hope to one another and me to you.
Jesus gives us instruction on in Matthew,
Matthew chapter 18, verse 15 through 17,
about how we're to go about this careful speck removal work.
It's a four-step process.
He starts in verse 15,
if your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you,
you have gained your brother.
You go to him, he sinned,
and he hears you, he repents.
Praise God.
Step two, but if he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you
that every charge may be established
by the evidence of two or three witnesses.
You go with others.
You say, brother,
we all see this thing that's going on
in your life that requires repentance.
And it's assumed, right,
if he listens to you,
you have gained your brother.
There's an opportunity for repentance
at that second step.
Thirdly, verse 17,
if he refuses to listen to them,
tell it to the church.
And again, an opportunity.
But if he does listen, right,
you have gained your brother.
And step four,
and if he refuses to listen even to the church,
let him be to you as a Gentile
and a tax collector.
That is to say,
one who is not in the faith.
So this is not the judgment
that Paul is talking about here.
It can't be.
If it is,
then the whole thing
is just running in contradiction.
Paul changed his mind at some point
about all of this.
And we know that this text
is an inspired text.
It has ultimately,
as its author, God.
And God cannot lie.
And he cannot contradict himself.
So we're to not pass judgment
on one another any longer.
And I believe,
because of everything that I've said,
he's talking about these
third-tier types of issues.
The Greek verb here translated,
past judgment,
can also be translated,
determine.
And it carries the idea of condemnation.
In the second half of verse 13,
the word translated decide,
in the ESV,
is the same Greek verb.
So Paul is saying,
right,
on these third-tier
convictional matters,
let's not condemn one another.
And he goes on,
secondly,
do not tempt your brother
to sin.
The last half of verse 13
and verse 14,
this is point two.
He says,
instead of that,
let us not pass judgment,
but rather,
decide,
determine,
never to put a stumbling block
or hindrance
in the way
of a brother.
Instead of being judgmental,
determine that you will not
tempt the weaker
brother.
And this is where he picks back up
the food example.
Last week I said that there are
two possibilities
why an early Roman Christian
may have abstained from
eating of meat.
In either case,
it is most probable
that they were Jewish.
They may have been
strictly vegetarian,
either,
one,
to avoid eating meat
that had been offered
to an idol,
or two,
to avoid any meat
that was considered unclean
under Old Testament law.
Although they probably
were aware
of those,
but I don't,
I'm not very good
at identifying meat
once it's been cut up.
So,
maybe you or they
were better at it.
So I want to say
it's probably
the former,
perhaps maybe
a little of the latter,
because the concern
was this unknowingly
eating of meat
that had been offered
to an idol.
And Paul calls
these brothers
the weaker brothers
at the beginning
of chapter 14.
In today's text,
in verse 14,
he says,
I know and am persuaded
in the Lord Jesus
that nothing is unclean
in itself,
but it is unclean
for anyone who
thinks it unclean.
So he's being very clear
on the doctrinal matter.
It is okay
to eat
these meats,
these meats
that were considered
unclean in the Old Testament,
these meats
that are offered
to idols.
Gentiles.
This issue,
however,
was not a simple issue.
Simple for us,
not simple
for them.
In Acts chapter 15,
a council is gathered
in Jerusalem
to determine
whether or not
Gentiles who converted
to Christianity
needed to be
circumcised.
This issue
was at the core
of much hubbub
in the early church.
The book of Galatians
is written
to address
those who were teaching
that somebody
must be circumcised
to be saved.
A salvific question.
And this council gathers
and we get a record of it
in Acts chapter 15
and they determined
that circumcision
had no bearing
on the salvation
of one's soul
and decided to circulate
a letter
stating so.
But that letter
did include
some further instruction.
So Acts chapter 15,
this is verse 28,
29,
for it has seemed good,
this is the letter
they wrote,
to the Holy Spirit
and to us
to lay on you
no greater burden,
talking about circumcision,
than these requirements
that you abstain
from what has been
sacrificed to idols
and from blood
and from what has been
strangled
and from sexual immorality.
If you keep yourselves
from these,
you will do well.
So a letter
is circulated
from the apostles
who were in Jerusalem.
Paul participated
in this decision making
and in the distribution
of that letter.
Perhaps a little more
complicated
because in our text today
in verse 14,
he says,
there's nothing unclean.
It's quite okay
for me to eat
meat
offered to idols.
And you don't see that
in chapter 14
specifically,
do you?
but you can find it
in 1 Corinthians
chapter 8.
So if you will,
turn with me
to 1 Corinthians 8.
We're going to read
the entirety
of the chapter
because he lays
this argument out.
It's really
the example
that I think
is embedded
in Romans 14
just walked
all the way out.
It's like logical
reasoning to its end
and I think
really helpful
for us
this morning.
1 Corinthians 8
beginning in verse 1.
Now,
concerning food
offered to idols.
Okay,
so there's the example
very clearly
right at the beginning.
We know
that all of us
possess knowledge.
This knowledge
puffs up
but love
builds up.
The knowledge
he's referring to
that it's okay
to eat food
offered to idols.
If anyone imagines
that he knows something,
he does not yet know
as he ought to know.
But if anyone
loves God,
he is known by God.
Therefore,
as to the eating
of food
offered to idols,
we know
that an idol
has no real existence
and that there is
no God
but one.
For although
there may be
so-called gods
in heaven
or on earth,
as indeed
there are many gods
and many lords,
yet for us
there is one God,
the Father,
from whom
are all things
and for whom
we exist
and one Lord
Jesus Christ
through whom
are all things
and through whom
we exist.
He's basically saying
food that's offered
to idols
doesn't mean anything
because there are
no other gods.
Like,
vain worship.
Right?
That's what he's
saying there.
However,
not all possess
this knowledge
but some
through former
association
with idols
eat food
as really offered
to an idol
and their conscience
being weak
is defiled.
One who used
to offer food
to idols.
Right?
Food will not
commend us
to God.
Verse 8,
we are no worse
off if we do
not eat
and no better
off if we do.
How are we
justified?
By faith alone.
Right?
Justified by faith
alone,
not by our
works.
But take care
that this right
of yours
does not somehow
become a stumbling
block to the weak.
For if anyone
sees you
who have
knowledge
eating in
an idol's
temple,
will he not
be encouraged
if his conscience
is weak
to eat food
offered to
idols?
And so by
your knowledge
this weak
person is
destroyed,
the brother
for whom
Christ
died.
Thus,
sinning against
your brothers
and wounding
their conscience
when it is weak,
you sin
against
Christ.
Therefore,
if food
makes my
brother stumble,
I will never
eat meat
lest I make
my brother
stumble.
So the whole
matter seems
to be one
that was
important
as a way
of separating
Christians
from idolaters,
but not as
an issue
of salvation.
Acts chapter
15,
we want to be
clear about
who we are.
We are not
idolaters.
However,
the practice
had grown
and wasn't
seen as
salvific
in any
way.
An example
with some
fair
parallel
in our
day,
especially
in the
southeast,
is that
of the
consumption
of alcohol.
The Bible
gives no
prohibitions
against alcohol
in moderation.
It does
issue warning
against the
use of
strong drink
and it
does
forbid
drunkenness.
You are
young people
meant to
obey the
laws of
our land,
drinking.
If you are
younger than
21,
it is not
even a
debate
for you.
It does
not
forbid
moderate
drinking.
However,
this activity
is wrought
with complications
when you add
the addictive
nature of
alcohol and
its great
abuse.
I think all
of us have
been affected
in one way
or another
by alcohol
abuse.
It has
probably
touched
all of
our
lives.
and the
cultural
assumptions
that come
along
with it
about
those
who
drink.
A great
old joke
asked,
do you
know the
difference
between a
Baptist
and a
Methodist?
Of course,
there are
a lot of
theological
differences,
but the
joke is
the Baptist
is the
one who
ducks
when you
walk in
the liquor
store.
It is not
a simple
issue.
It is not a
simple issue.
What are
the Bible's
prohibitions?
We need to
be clear
about this.
It parallels
in a lot
of ways.
It is not
a thing we
should do
without careful
thought towards
others.
I am going
to make it
a simple
issue.
For all of
our years of
involvement with
the Georgia
Baptist
Convention,
there was a
period of
time where
I went to
annual meetings
and without
fail,
there would
be a motion
from the
floor to
make it
essentially
an unforgivable
sin that
any pastor
in the
Georgia
Baptist
Convention
drink
alcohol.
It would
get hotly
debated on
the floor.
It was
very silly
to be
frank because
one group
was just
going,
but the
prohibition is
not clear in
the text.
Make the
prohibition clear
and we are
with you,
but until
you can make
the prohibition
clear and
it becomes
a problem
in that
way.
But we're
being encouraged
here in
this text
to not
put a
stumbling
block or
hindrance
in the
way of
a brother.
Your
participation
in something
that you
are free
to participate
in,
that has
the potential
to harm
your brother
is no
longer
of any
value.
And Paul
takes it a
step further
in 1 Corinthians
8 and
calls it
sin.
You are
sinning
against
the one
who Christ
died for.
And he
says in
verse 11,
the brother
for whom,
excuse me,
verse 12,
you sin
against
Christ.
So we
have to be
considerate
about the
things that
we do,
the liberties
that we
practice,
the ways
in which
we disagree
on these
third-tier
issues.
It matters
greatly.
We'll see
why in
just a bit.
The next
exhortation,
negative
exhortation,
verse 15a,
the first part
of verse 15,
point number
three.
For if
your brother
is grieved
by what
you eat,
you are
no longer
walking
in love.
This word
grieved can
also be
translated
pained,
distressed,
!
or hurt.
I am
continually
astounded
by those
that consider
themselves
quote-unquote
strong.
They consider
themselves
strong in
faith,
who deal
with those
who are
weak in
faith in
unloving
ways.
This kind
of arrogance.
I've got
it figured
out.
How could
you not
see this?
If you
desire for
everyone who
claims to
follow Christ
to look
like you,
then you
are not
mature.
You are
not strong
in faith.
You are
rather
pharisaical.
people.
It's a
great
expression
of
immaturity
to walk
unlovingly
in these
types
of matters.
You probably
all know
someone who
does this.
He's got
a lot of
knowledge and
it is way
outpacing
their maturity.
It's really
damaging to
have knowledge
without
love.
Jesus issues
all of these
woes
in the book
of Matthew
22.
And this
one is
particularly
striking to
me.
Matthew
chapter 23
in verse 15.
He says,
Woe to
you,
scribes
and
Pharisees,
hypocrites.
So these
are the
religious
people of
his day.
For you
travel across
sea and
land to
make a
single
proselyte
or convert.
And when
he becomes
a proselyte,
you make
him twice
as much
a child
of hell
as
yourselves.
Now,
Jesus is
speaking to
unconverted
people who
further condemn
others.
But should
we be
characterized
in the
same way?
Absolutely
not.
May it
never
be.
The
strong
in faith,
truly
strong
in faith,
hold
fast to
the gospel
of Jesus
Christ.
They know
that they
are saved
from the
wrath of
God
by grace
alone,
through faith
alone,
and the
peace to
us in
all of
the
preceding
chapters.
This is
how we
are made
right before
God.
And there
is a doctrinal
tightrope to
be walked in
the gospel,
and it
is this.
We have
been saved
by God's
kindness to
us in
Christ.
He
accomplished
the work.
But our
faith is not
a passive
faith, it
is an
active
faith.
That's the
tightrope
that we
walk as
faithful
Christians.
Every
other
world
religion
or system
sets up
rules to
attain the
next level,
whether that's
right relationship
with God
or some
kind of
enlightenment.
Christianity
is unique,
and it is
unique because
it is created
by our
Lord.
He
accomplishes
the work
on our
behalf.
You add
nothing to
the equation
of your
salvation.
By grace,
through faith,
in Christ,
it is because
God is
kind to
you that
you have a
right standing
with Him.
You cannot
earn it.
It is
impossible to
do.
But having
been changed
from one
kind to
another
kind,
good
trees
produce
good
fruit.
Our
faith is an
active faith
that shows
itself out
in the
world.
Praise God
that we can
see evidences
of His
Spirit at
work
within us.
This is a
tightrope
that we
must walk.
If we
fall off
one side
of the
tightrope,
we will
think that
we can
live however
we want
to.
I'm
saved by
grace
through
faith in
Christ.
He did
the work
so I
can go
do
whatever
I
want.
And this
is certainly
an error.
We have
fallen off.
It's
licentiousness.
If we
fall off
the other
side,
and this
is the
side our
text
speaks to
today,
then we
think we
are approved
because of
our
works.
And beloved,
this is
legalism,
and its
natural
conclusion is
to require
that others
conform to
us.
Because if
they don't,
then the
foundation we
built for
ourselves
begins to
erode.
If I
functionally
think that
my acceptance
before God
is because
of the
way I
figured out
these
types of
nuance
matters,
if that's
what I
stand on
and you
don't agree
with me,
then my
stance
becomes
shaky.
If
rather,
I stand
on the
solid rock
that cannot
be moved.
Perfect
life,
sacrificial
death of
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
The strong
in faith
walk right
down the
middle,
and we
need each
other's
help to
stay there
together.
Those who
are strong
in faith
are humble
because they
believe that
it is God
who accomplished
the work,
and then they
are turned
to each
other in
love,
seeking to
get others
on the
rope and
to keep
them in
that place.
Lots
of humility
required
for this.
I'll give you
a small
example from
our
congregation.
I am
not going
to use
names,
and I
am not
suggesting
that one
of these
brothers is
the weaker
brother and
one the
stronger
brother in
this given
scenario.
Just an
example of
the way two
men disagreed
and bore
with each
other in
love.
It was
about the
issue of
concealed
carry.
I have
an opinion
about that.
You can
ask me or
give me a
hug and
find out
how I
feel about
it.
But the
one brother
didn't
find it
appropriate
and the
other said,
oh, it
is.
And they
talked
together.
They opened
the word
together.
They were
thinking
together and
trying to
think biblically
and they
didn't agree.
But the
one who
agreed with
concealed
carry simply
said to the
other, I
think you'll
change your
mind when
you have
children.
And he
was patient.
He waited.
And you
know what?
One day the
other brother
had children
and fairly
promptly began
to carry.
How good
that was.
They didn't
get mad at
each other
and go to
fists over
the issue.
They thought
biblically
together.
They saw
each other's
point.
And the
one just
said, I
think you
may change
your mind
someday.
Please don't
hear me
setting that
up as the
great objective
of strong
faith at
all.
It's just
an example
of how
we're to
bear with
one
another.
Paul wrote
back in
Romans chapter
12 in
verse 10,
love one
another with
brotherly
affection.
Outdo one
another in
showing honor,
granting to
the other,
trying to
understand,
giving them
respect.
This is what's
going to mark
the mature
Christian,
the one who
does not want
to grieve,
to damage
their brother.
Fourth,
and these
things really
are tying
together.
They're very
similar.
There maybe
could have
been a one
total overall
exhortation
here.
Fourthly,
do not
destroy your
brother.
The last
half of
verse 15,
there Paul
says,
by what you
eat,
do not
destroy the
one for
whom Christ
died.
Don't grieve
your brother
and do not
destroy your
brother.
The word
rendered
destroyed can
be a bit
misleading.
The Greek
scholar W.E.
Vine explains
this verb
this way.
The idea
is not
extinction,
but ruin.
Loss,
not of
being,
but of
well-being.
It's the
Greek word
and what it
means.
Paul is
not talking
about the
brother's
damnation.
After all,
he is one
for whom
Christ has
died.
He's making
that very
clear in
the text.
Paul is
not running
in contradiction
to his
own
theology.
If Christ
has saved
you,
then you
are indeed
saved.
Paul's
concern is
that your
practiced
freedom,
done
irresponsibly,
will damage
the conscience
of this
weaker
brother,
will affect
his
well-being.
We don't
want him
tied up
with this
stuff.
We want
him
staying
on that
tight
rope,
believing
that he
is
saved
by the
grace
of
God
in
Christ,
that
Christ
did
die
for
him.
So do
not
destroy
your
brother.
Fifthly,
do not
forfeit
your
witness.
We see
this in
verses 16
through
19.
Paul
there
says,
so do
not let
what you
regard
as good
be spoken
of
as evil.
If we
separate this
verse from
its context,
this may
seem like a
command to
defend your
stances,
to stand
your ground.
I, to
my shame,
read it this
way many
times.
It's like I
ignored the
rest of
chapter 14.
It was like,
yeah, people
shouldn't say
what's good
is bad,
but if you
place it in
its context,
as all good
Bible exegesis
does,
we can see
that Paul is
simply saying,
if something
good that
you can do
is regarded
by somebody
else as
evil,
then do
not do
that thing.
Just don't
do it.
Practice your
Christian liberty
by recognizing
that you are
not justified
by what you
don't do
or by what
you do
do,
but by the
sacrificial
love of
Christ.
You can
decide not
to do
something in
order to
serve somebody
else and
still be
practicing
your Christian
liberty.
Your Christian
liberty exists
because you're
not enslaved
to the law
any longer.
You've been
set free
from its
condemnation
in Christ.
You can
give something
up for the
sake of
another.
This is the
kind of love
that we're
called to.
Should it be
shocking to
us that the
one we're
meant to
emulate,
our Lord and
Savior Jesus
Christ,
came,
condescended to
become a
man,
gave up
his position
in heaven,
humbled himself
to be a
babe,
born amongst
animals in
a manger,
suffered on
our behalf
both a
life and
a death,
and that he
doesn't call
us to serve
one another
sacrificially?
Of course we're
meant to give
of ourselves
for the sake
of other
people.
This
exhortation in
verse 16
is not
stand your
ground and
get your
way.
It's give
up your
way for
the love
of others.
And Paul
goes on,
for the
kingdom of
God is
not a
matter of
eating and
drinking.
That's not
what the
kingdom of
God is
made of,
eating and
drinking,
but of
righteousness
and peace
and joy
in the
Holy Spirit.
Those who
are righteous
have their
righteousness
because of
Christ.
He's just
saying,
it's those
people who
recognize that
they are
righteous,
they are in
right standing
before God
because of
what Christ
has accomplished
on their
behalf.
We are to
be a people
who are at
peace with
one another
because we
have peace
with God.
Foundational,
most important
things are
settled already.
Why do we
spend our
time arguing
about things
that are of
lesser
importance?
And this
brings joy.
All of
this given
to us by
grace in
the Spirit,
we are
supposed to
be a
people who
are distinct
from the
world around
us.
I am so
saddened by
the Christians
who bicker
online,
people they
don't even
know.
Just stop.
Whoever thus
serves Christ,
verse 18 says,
in this way,
giving up things
for the sake
of others,
sacrificial love,
humble service,
is acceptable to
God,
and approved
by men.
This idea of
not forfeiting
your witness
comes from,
right?
That we
would be a
people distinct
in this way.
So then let
us pursue
what makes
for peace
and for
mutual
upbuilding.
That's the
fifth exhortation.
Six,
we're going to
come quickly
to a landing.
Do not
destroy the
work of
God.
Verse 20
and 21.
Again,
this word
is the same
word that we
mentioned earlier.
It could be
a bit misleading.
It's talking
about hurting.
Not that you
actually can
stop the
work of
God.
God is
God,
and he
wouldn't
be God
if we
could stop
his purposes.
But bringing
some damage
to this good
that he's
doing,
bringing together
the church
as this
distinct
people,
unified,
and walking
together in
love.
Do not,
for the sake
of food,
destroy the
work of
God.
Everything
is indeed
clean.
Paul,
again,
he's defending
the position.
It can be
eaten,
but it
is wrong
for anyone
to make
another stumble
by what he
eats.
It is good
not to eat
meat,
or drink
wine,
or do
anything
that causes
your brother
to stumble.
And he
goes so far
as to say
in 1 Corinthians
8 that he
would abstain
from all
meat for
the sake
of a
brother.
Do not
destroy the
work of
God.
And
seventh and
lastly,
do not
flaunt or
forfeit
your
liberty.
I mentioned
already this
idea of
Christian
liberty,
we've been
set free
from the
law,
the type
of
condemnation
that came
to us,
the knowledge
of sin
that comes
to us,
we've been
set free
from that.
And yet
there are
things we're
meant to do,
ways that
we're meant
to obey,
the Lord,
and there's
a lot of
gray in
between.
And we're
all trying
to navigate
it,
and as
we've
talked
through
this idea
of theological
triage,
these are
those categories
I'm calling
tertiary,
third tier,
those things
that we're
not so
sure about.
I so
want the
black and
white text,
right?
Just bring
another law
down the
mountain
to me.
God draws
us into
relationship
with him,
we pray
for wisdom,
help us
to discern
how we
walk in
a world
that is
difficult
to navigate.
And so we
have this
Christian liberty,
Peter Paul says,
the faith that
you have,
keep between
yourself and
God.
Blessed is the
one who has
no reason to
pass judgment
on himself for
what he
approves.
It's a happy
position to be
in, to be
settled on
those things
that you
believe God
would allow
you to do.
but whoever
has doubts
is condemned
if he eats
because the
eating is
not from
faith.
Not
confident
that your
position is
settled before
God because
of the work
of Christ
on your
behalf.
Thinking
you're doing
a thing
to find
approval
before God,
whatever
does not
proceed
from
faith
is
sin.
So the
subtle
reality of
who we
are in
Christ,
if we
have
believed
in
Christ,
put
saving
faith
in
Christ,
the work
that emanates
from that
empowered
by the
Spirit
in our
lives
is not
sin,
but anything
that does
not
proceed
from that
settled
position
is.
And so
it's a
serious
matter
to think
about
how we're
to walk
together
as
Christians.
I am
grateful
for a
church
that by
and large
does
this
very
well.
I am
discouraged
by much
of what
I see
out beyond
our doors,
but encouraged
by much
of what
I see
in here.
I hope
that as we
think about
a text
like this,
and perhaps
there's some
conviction
brought in
the process
of it,
but mostly
I hope
that you
find yourself
walking
in this
way,
willing to
give up
those
liberties
for the
sake of
others,
that you
are
encouraged
by it,
that you
see God's
good plan
in it,
that you're
reminded of
his kindness
to you
in the
gospel of
Jesus Christ,
that you
fold it up
and put it
in your
back pocket
because you
are going
to disagree
with somebody
at some
time.
How do
we do
that well
in a way
that's good
for us,
in a way
that gives
honor
to our
God?
We
certainly
need his
help to
do so,
and so let's
pray together
that he'll
help us.
Thank you.