Life Changing
This chapter is one that will literally change the life of anyone who actually “gets it”. I know it changed mine.
I grew up in a setting where a lot of things were taboo. Obviously alcohol and tobacco were on the list. Make up and ear rings (for women) were also excluded as were women’s pants. Mixed bathing (going swimming with someone of the opposite sex who wasn’t an immediately family member) was off limits. Movies and many sporting events and for sure dances were no go. There were other things but these were the highlights.
The other side of the coin contained a number of things that were considered to be acceptable. Racism was not only accepted but usually applauded. (This wasn’t just about blacks but extended to almost all non European groups and ironically, especially Jews.) Gluttony was generally celebrated. Judging others was elevated from a mere pastime to an art form. I was in my 20’s before even suspecting that a Roman Catholic could possibly be saved and well into my teens before any Baptists were allowed into the family of the Faith.
The Holy Spirit had already set me bumbling and stumbling along the path to enlightenment which finally prepared my heart to actually read a chapter I had “read” many times before; Romans 14. The whole chapter is powerful but what blew me away was verse 4: “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”
Wow! Not only is it not my job to determine who is pleasing to the Lord and who isn’t, I am really and truly commanded to steer clear of assuming that position. I knew this already, I really did but I guess I thought Jesus was joking when He said, “Don’t judge unless you want to be judged… It’s easier to see the speck in your brother’s eye than to see the plank in your own eye.”
I have no trouble believing that Adam and Eve are real historical characters or that Jonah was indeed swallowed by a great fish, but “Don’t judge”? Surely we aren’t supposed to take that literally! But then again, maybe we are?
Things vs People
Paul’s main point here is that people matter more than things. What you eat and drink, what you think about the proper way to worship, or whether or not you observe and celebrate certain special days: all of these are nothing but things.
Obviously there are certain actions that are contrary to God’s Word: murder, adultery, theft, dissension (oops, sorry about that), idolatry, and so forth. The point is that there are a lot more grey areas than like to acknowledge. Furthermore, even with those who are caught in the not grey areas our default position is supposed to be mercy, not judgement. Why? Because that is what we want for ourselves and those we love. (Those last four words were strong. You might want to read them again.)
There is only one person whose actions I can control and that person is me. So, here are the take aways:
- If I know something I do is going to create problems entering the kingdom for the person I’m with I don’t do that thing when I’m with them. (This is not hypocrisy, this is love.)
- If I believe a person is doing something that will prevent them from entering the kingdom, but it is a questionable matter (anything that is merely my opinion) it is not an issue between us.
- If I know someone is doing something that will keep them out of the kingdom (anything clearly specified by God’s Word) I should warn them but not judge them.
Two Valuable Definitions
This chapter also gives us two extremely valuable definitions for kingdom life.
What is the “Kingdom of God”?
The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
How do I know when a grey area is sin?
“Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.”
You can only know for you.
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