Month: July 2024

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Resources

  • Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
  • Romans is structured as follows:
    • Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
    • Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
    • Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel (Past/Present/Future)
    • Books 12-16: Unifying the Church

Romans 14: Unifying the Church – Love in Unity Without Judgment

Context

  • Many decisions in the Christian life don’t come with absolute, yes-or-no, one-size-fits-all answers.
    • On major issues, God’s Word is clear. But on less important subjects, Christians might find it necessary to agree to disagree. How to live out that kind of unity is the focus of Paul’s comments in Romans 14.
    • Some actions are clearly right such as setting ourselves aside in love and service to others and be in submission to human authorities.
    • Other things are clearly wrong, such as sexual immorality, jealousy, and drunkenness.
    • Some practices not clearly right or wrong for all people.
    • The debate on right vs wrong is based on some of the rules and restrictions of the law of Moses.
  • Christ’s followers were freed from following some of Moses’ rules, but doubts lingered.
    • Is it right or wrong now to eat meat that might not be kosher according to the law?
    • Is it right or wrong now to observe special days like Jewish festivals and the Sabbath?
  • Paul divides the church into two groups based on their response to such questions:
    • Those who follow Christ are free to eat and drink anything.
    • Believers who are “weak” in their faith may not feel comfortable eating or drinking whatever they want, thinking it’s still wrong for Christians to eat non-kosher meat (Romans 14:1–2).
    • Paul calls these concerned believers “weak in faith,” and instructs those who strong in their faith to help those who are weak.
    • Neither group should pass judgment on the other. God has welcomes both groups into His family.
  • A key component of Paul’s teaching is that we must not judge each other.
    • Judgment is coming for Christians when Christ will examine all our works. He will determine which of our deeds were worthwhile and which were worthless.
    • Though our salvation in Christ is secure, each of us must give an account of ourselves to God for how we spent our days. We will not be judged according to the preferences of other believers (Romans 14:10–12).
  • The group of “stronger” Christians must not brag about their strength. These stronger Christians must set aside their freedom to promote peace, unity, and building up the church.
  • Having the “freedom” to do something does not make that action acceptable in all times and places. It’s better to not do anything that causes another Christian to stumble.
  • A strong Christian’s first priority should be to avoid tripping up someone who is weaker in his or her faith.
    • If someone believes something is unclean—meaning their conscience cannot agree to partake in it—then it really is unclean for them, individually. To violate their conscience in that case is a sin. (Romans 14:13–24).
  • “Weaker” faith Christians don’t have the authority to put their restrictions on other believers (1 Corinthians 10:29–30; 1 Timothy 4:4).
    • Just because something is a sin to you does not make it a sin for all other Christians.
    • Anyone who violates their conscience in unclear matters is committing a sin.
  • All Christians should keep disagreements about non-essential convictions and practices between themselves and God.

Notes from the video

  • When mature believers have a conflict with immature believers you will have a threat to church unity.
  • Mature Gentiles understand idols are not gods and could eat the meat that had been offered to the idols. The weaker believers refused to eat meat that had been offered to the idols even though they knew the idols were not gods.
    • A more modern example: some Christians will still watch R-rated films.
  • Verse 1: we should accept anyone who is weak in the faith
    • We must not judge someone who is weaker in the faith.
    • Example: some people smoke outside the church before going in for the service.
    • Example:Romans 12 talks about gifts. A new person in faith may not accept these gifts because they think the gifts are “weird”.
  • Verse 2: being picky about what to eat
    • A mature faith can eat anything,
  • Verse 3: Those with strong faith must not look down on those with weaker faith.
    • Example: Someone who doesn’t drink must not judge (condemn) someone who does.
  • Verse 4: God will sustain each one of us.
  • Verse 5: The day you worship is an individual choice – no day is better than any other day.
  • Verse 8-9: If we live, we live for the Lord. Whether we live or die we belong to the Lord.  Christ rules over the dead and the living.
    • He died to free us from sin and to enslave us to Him.
    • We gave up ourselves for His glory.
  • Verse 10: Why do you look down upon your brother?
    • One day we will have to give an account of ourselves to God. We will be judged.
    • God knows and sees everything. We cannot hide anything from Him.
  • Verse 11: Every knee will bow to the Lord and every tongue will give praise to God.
    • This references Isaiah 45:23, Isaiah 49:18, and Revelation 20:11-15
  • Verse 12: Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
  • Verse 13: Since God is the ultimate authority His judgment is final.
    • We should edify one another – don’t criticize one another
    • 1 Corinthians 8:9 – be careful you don’t create a stumbling block to those with weaker faith
  • Verse 14: Nothing is unclean in and of itself – what we do with it is what makes it bad
    • Some may think things are still unclean – we need to respect this
  • Verse 15: If your brother is hurt by something you do in front of them, don’t do it
    • Example: Someone loves candy and is on a fast – do not tease them by eating candy in front of them
  • Verse 17: The kingdom of God is about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, not restricting things we drink or eat
    • Peace: a loving tranquility only produced by the Holy Spirit
    • Joy: a consistent attitude of praise and thanksgiving
    • Eating and drinking is an immature perspective
  • Verse 18: You will see unity when you focus on righteousness, peace, and joy
  • Verse 19-20: Focus on what brings peace and builds up one another. Don’t tear each other down over things unrelated to righteousness, peace, and joy – this is putting stumbling blocks in your brother’s path.
  • Verse 23: Everything that is not from a conviction is sin.

Group Discussion

  • Many people use the actions of others to divide the church.
    • Some people think it’s sinful not to use the KJV translation. When you talk to these people you should reference KJV to avoid creating a stumbling block for them,
    • Some people will not consume alcohol – don’t drink around them.
  • Discussion of Verse 14: Nothing is unclean in and of itself – what we do with it is what makes it bad
    • Wine is consumed in church but some drink wine in excess outside of church to get drunk
    • When where and how is what creates the sin
    • If I read the Bible at work instead of doing my job this is a sin
  • Verse 23: Everything that is not from a conviction is sin.
    • Example: some people think playing cards is bad. If these people were to play cards then that is a sin since it goes against their conviction.
    • If you feel guilty about doing something then you are likely violating one of your convictions (even if it’s not a sin to God) and you shouldn’t be doing it.

 

 

 

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Resources

  • Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
  • Romans is structured as follows:
    • Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
    • Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
    • Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel (Past/Present/Future)
    • Books 12-16: Unifying the Church

Romans 13: Unifying the Church

Context

  • Romans 13 covers three important points:
    • God puts every human authority in place to serve His purposes. This means Christians must submit to them
    • We must love our neighbors as ourselves.
    • We are called to live as people of the light and throw off works of darkness (drunkenness, sexual immorality, and jealousy).
  • Christians are to submit to earthly authorities because God put them there. To improperly resist authority, then, is to resist God (Romans 13:1–2).
  • I thought this seemed to contradict other parts of the Bible:
    • midwives who wouldn’t kill babies in defiance of the law (Exodus)
    • Daniel kneeling down in front of a window and praying in defiance of the law
    • Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego won’t bow down to the golden statue despite the king telling them to do so
    • In Acts 5:29 Peter says we must obey God rather than any human authority.
  • Does Romans 13:1–7 mean civil disobedience is always wrong for Christians? Why would Paul write this?
    • Paul knew Caesar was going to read his letter and he wanted to make sure the ruling authorities in Rome would know Christians are not anarchists.
    • Here is some helpful guidance from John Piper.
      • “Don’t get your back up so easily, because being wronged by a government sends nobody to hell, but being rebellious and angry and bitter and spiteful does send people to hell. And so it is a much greater evil for you to be rebellious than of the government to mistreat you.“
  • Christians are called to have a submissive spirit and follow leadership but this is not absolute.
  • God defines the limits of leaders and when these limits violate scripture, we are to follow God, not man.

Notes and Discussion

  • Once you put your faith in Christ you are justified – one and done.
  • How do we interact with our government?
    • the word of God tells us what we’re supposed to do
  • God is the ultimate authority, regardless of what country or government you live under
    • Followers and leaders are accountable to God
    • The ones who resist authority are in opposition to God’s command
      • This means we shouldn’t disrespect our government leaders even if we disagree with them politically.
      • The scripture says if we oppose authority judgment will come upon us.
  • God uses government to carry out His good purposes on earth.
    • Some governments persecute those who do good. Typically the law breakers have a problem, not the law-abiding citizens.
  • Government is God’s servant for your good.
    • If you go against the government they can punish you.
    • Government is God’s servant. This applies no matter who is in office.
    • If the government wants you to do things that go against the scriptures you might be punished by the government since God is the ultimate authority, not government.
  • Obedience is a matter of inner convictions as well as external law.
  • As believers we serve the highest of all authorities: God Himself.
  • Christians are called to have a submissive spirit and follow leadership but this is not absolute.
  • God defines the limits of leaders and when these limits are violated or government laws violate scripture, we are to follow God, not man. 
  • We seemed to focus mostly on the first of the three points that Romans 13 covers. We must not forget the other two points:
    • Love our neighbors as ourselves.
    • We must live as people of the light and throw off works of darkness (drunkenness, sexual immorality, and jealousy).

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Resources

  • Romans overview (video): Part 1, Part 2
  • Romans is structured as follows:
    • Books 1-4: Revealing God’s Righteousness
    • Books 5-8: Creating a New Humanity
    • Books 9-11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel (Past/Present/Future)
    • Books 12-16: Unifying the Church

Romans 11: Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel (Past)

Context

  • This chapter concludes the section on Fulfilling God’s Promise to Israel (Past) of Paul’s letter, contained in Romans 9—11.
    • These three chapters ask and answer the question, “What about Israel?”
  • Paul begins this chapter by asking if Israel’s rejection of Christ means that God has rejected Israel.
    • God has not rejected Israel. Paul is an Israelite who came to faith in Christ and has been saved, showing that this is possible for all Jewish people.
    • Paul refers to the smaller subset of Jewish people who have turned to Christ, comparing them to the remnant of those in Israel who had not bowed to Baal in Elijah’s day.
    • By His grace (Romans 9:6–8), God has set aside this remnant of Jewish Christians as true Israel (Romans 11:1–5).
  • Paul warns about salvation by grace vs salvation based on works. They are incompatible.
    • If something is truly by “grace,” it cannot be in any way based on works, and vice versa (Romans 11:6).
  • Paul’ says God has hardened the hearts of those who refuse to believe Jesus is Messiah. God caused them to trip over the stumbling block of Jesus, but not permanently.
  • One reason for Israel’s unbelief is to make room on the main body (“the root”) of God’s tree.
    • This space is intended for Gentiles coming to God through faith in Christ.
    • The Gentiles are like branches of a wild olive tree grafted onto the trunk of a cultivated plant.
    • The old branches are the unbelieving Jews – they have been broken off for a time to make this grafting possible (Romans 11:11–16).
  • Paul warns Gentile Christians not to be arrogant toward unbelieving Jews..
    • After the right amount of the Gentiles have believed in Christ, God will remove the hardening from the unbelieving Jews.
    • The Jews will then turn to faith in Christ and, as a people, be grafted back onto God’s symbolic olive tree, from which they had previously been pruned.
    • God is not done with Israel (Romans 11:17–24).
  • Despite their disbelief, the Jewish people of Israel are deeply loved by God because of the promises He made to the patriarchs. God never breaks His promises.
    • God’s gifts and His calling on Israel can’t be taken back.
    • God will use His grace and mercy toward the Gentile Christians to make Israel jealous. He will use these events to bring her back to Himself as a nation, in the form of those individual Jews who eventually trust in Christ at some future time (Romans 11:25–32).
  • Paul concludes with a poem about the vast un-knowable-ness and independence of our merciful God (Romans 11:33–36).