Watch a short overview of Romans 14
Dig In:
Passage: Romans 14
Dig Deeper:
Chapter Summary
v1-6 - As a reminder, this letter to the Romans was written to a church comprised of two totally different types of people: Jews and Greeks, and each group had plenty of cultural baggage they thought was superior to the other's. The Jews clung to Mosaic dietary laws and observed religious holidays, while the Greeks ate what they pleased whenever they pleased. This opening section sets the tone for the chapter, with two key takeaways: - Hold lightly to teachings and customs that are not core doctrines of the faith; - Be fully convinced in your own mind of why you do the things you do (v5b). In other words, you are not to be careless about your activities, but rather you should be able to Biblically and theologically explain why you do what you do.
v7-9 - You need to have good reasons for your opinions, because you do not belong to yourself, you belong to the Lord. Therefore, you do everything for Him.
v10-18 - Since the only judgment you need to worry about is the one you'll receive from God, don't waste time passing judgment on others. If an activity you enjoy bothers the conscience of fellow believer, stop doing the activity, even if you're totally in the right. This self sacrifice pleases God.
v19-23 - Your goal is building others up, not building yourself up. It doesn't just say to make a few feeble efforts at doing this, it says that you must make every effort. Although we have peace with God (5:1), it's interesting that we must make every effort to do what leads to peace with one another!
Old Testament Reference -
Once again, Paul references Isaiah 45, showing the significance of this passage. Read v22-25 where God speaks of the salvation He'll bring to His people.
Discuss:
Use the comment box below to discuss one or more of these questions. For every comment or reply you post, you will receive an entry for this month's prize: a gift certificate to Lakeside Deli.
The Jews and Gentiles were divided over food and religious ceremonies, which are not very divisive today. What are some topics that might be included if Paul wrote this in 2021?
Picture in your mind two Christians, one who has learned to obey the command we are given in verse 19 and one who has not learned how to do it. What practical differences do you see in the way these two persons live?
NEW:
Dwell:
Keep one of these phrases in your mind throughout the day and come back to it often, asking God to speak to you through these words:
v8 - Live & die for the Lord
v19 - Make every effort
Follow the AAA Prayer Pattern:
ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The sovereign, holy God to which every knee will bow and every tongue will confess (v11)
ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God for the strength you need to make every effort to do what leads to peace and to building one another up (v19)
ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:
