Christians should not condemn one another over opinions, but instead should live sacrificially and harmoniously with each other.
Paul is telling the believers in Rome let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. Paul does not want them to argue over opinions (verse 1) because it will harm the righteous and harmonious living that we believers should be pursuing (Romans 12). To illustrate this, Paul uses an example common to the people at the time of his writing. There was a debate over which foods God deemed okay for eating, and which foods were not okay. Even to this day there is common practice among Orthodox Jews to abstain eating certain foods determined in the Old Testament to be “unclean.”
I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Paul says that even though he is convinced that no food is unclean, if another believer determines certain food as unclean, then that believer should not eat it. This is because anything apart from faith is sin (verse 23). So, if a believer eats or drinks something he believes he shouldn’t, then eating or drinking those things would be sinful for him. If we can’t do something with faith that God determined it as good or ok for us to do, we shouldn’t do it.
The main thing we want to do is serve others in love, so that means we need to understand what blesses people and what harms them, and endeavor to bless them. For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.
Biblical Text
13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.
Check out our other commentaries:
-
Ecclesiastes 2:3-9 meaning
Solomon pursues the heights of pleasure and the diverse ways a man might enjoy himself, all while holding on to wisdom....... -
Genesis 15:10-12 meaning
The covenant ceremony is prepared. God causes Abram to fall into a deep sleep. ...... -
Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 meaning
A proper balance between striving and resting is better than a futile obsession with work...... -
Proverbs 3:19-20 meaning
Wisdom is woven into the fabric of creation. It is an essential element of God’s created order. By embracing wisdom, we embrace the reality of...... -
Deuteronomy 17:14-17 meaning
Moses instructs the Israelites concerning kingship once they have settled in the Promised Land. That king should be chosen by God Himself from among the......