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Romans 14 Commentary

Please choose a passage:

Romans 14:1-4

God is our master and king. We should not look to judge one another for differences in religious practices or impose our habits on each other. God is the judge, not us.

Romans 14:5-9

Christ died and resurrected to be the Lord of our lives. There may be petty differences in how we live, but whatever we do should be for the Lord, rather than ourselves, according to our conscience.

We all have to answer to God for the way we’ve individually lived our lives. If something we do in the freedom Christ gives us is going to harm someone’s conscience, it’s not worth doing. Don’t look down on a believer who has weak faith. We’ll all be judged by God for the ways we personally failed and succeeded.

Romans 14:13-15

Christians should not condemn one another over opinions, but instead should live sacrificially and harmoniously with each other.

Romans 14:16-20

God wants believers to live harmoniously together. One way we accomplish this is by not taking part in things that other believers might see as evil.

Romans 14:21-23

Christians should not do things that may cause other believers to stumble. If believers cannot do something in faith then they should not do that thing.

Additional Resources

Book Theme

The Apostle Paul writes to the world-renowned believers in Rome, the center of the world at that time, in order to answer a slanderous charge made to them against Paul and his message. Paul’s detractors claim his emphasis on faith overturns the law. Paul says that ” just living by the law” does not achieve personal justice before God, while “just living by faith” does. Paul then demonstrates what a just life looks like: harmonious living with Jesus as the leader. Paul also makes clear the choice a believer has: to walk in faith and the power of the resurrection and experience resurrection life, or walk in sin and unnecessarily experience the negative consequences.

Chapter Context

Paul continues to demonstrate what living righteously by faith looks like. Part of that is living as an example for others and taking into account their consciences and where they are in their lives. Being able to see their perspective and discern what is in their best interest. Sometimes we might limit our own freedom in order to benefit our brothers and sisters in Christ.

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