They Don't Agree With Me.
Posted by: henkf <henkf@...>
- They Dont Agree With Me.
- "Our Consideration For the Weak"
Romans 14:1-15:7
Introduction:
A. The setting of our text is an address by Paul to a church that he did not start. Paul's letter to the church in Rome is written to help them with their problems of doctrine.
1. Paul sought to explain the relationship between Israel and the church.
2. Paul prepares them for Judiazing teachers who might come before he arrives.
B. In considering our text we must first point out two things.
1. First, the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 9:19-23 states that he becomes all things to all men in order to win some. To the Jew he becomes as a Jew to the Greek he becomes as a Greek. What he means here: "he is willing to do what ever it takes except sin to save others."
2. Second, the Apostle Paul throughout Romans makes the differences between O.T. and N.T. very clear. Rom. 7:1-6 - He tells them that we are released from the law. Rom. 8:1-2 - Now under the law of Christ, Paul is not shrinking from the truth or trying to white wash it.
C. .I believe the key here is found in v. 1 of 14 in the word opinions.
1. The apostle Paul speaks of the weaker brother concerning opinions.
2. Opinions are things that fall outside our core belief system (being the Bible)
3. The Apostle Paul again - in fact over and over again - has to contend with Jewish Christians trying to mix a little Jewish O.T. law in with the law of Christ - which he calls adultery.
a. Don't eat meat sacrificed to idols.
b. Observe special days.
c. All Gentile Christians must be circumcised.
4. I believe Paul places all of this problem of Rom. 14:1 - 15:7 under the realm of opinion because:
a. 14:14 - "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.
D. I have divided the text into 6 questions.
1. Am I fully convinced?
2. Am I doing this unto the Lord?
3. Will it stand at the judgement seat?
4. Am I causing others to stumble?
5. Am I doing this by faith?
6. Am I pleasing myself or others?
TRANSITION STATEMENT: As we consider this first question of "Am I fully convinced?" and then the remaining 5, let us TEST our own lives.
I. AM I FULLY CONVINCED? (V. 1-5)
A. Christians are to act from settled inward convictions based on the NT, our core belief system, and not act from mere emotion.
B. Too often we know what we want and what we believe, but have no backing for our doctrine for our beliefs from the Law of Christ.
C. Doctrine - The Law of Christ vs. Opinion.
D. He speaks to the one (v.1) who is weak in faith and to the one who has faith (v. 2).
E. Make sure that you are fully convinced in your mind that your matter of concern is or is not a sin. Any lack of conviction in this area could even be a sin.
F. Christ is the master. We are but servants and we do not judge the servants of another based on our opinions.
G. Mature Christians know why they behave the way they do and these convictions control their lives.
YOU MUST BE FULLY CONVINCED.
TRANSITION STATEMENT: If I am fully convinced about my opinion then I must ask test question #2. "Am I doing this unto the Lord?"
II. AM I DOING THIS UNTO THE LORD? (V. 6-9)
A. This question, of course, is one that we must constantly ask of ourselves.
B. Christians, whether Jewish or Gentile, belong to the Lord. All that we do must be to the Lord.
1. If you observe a day - do it for the Lord.
2. If you regard all days alike - do it for the Lord.
3. Whether you eat or not - do it for the Lord.
C. Read Gal. 2:20-21 - Rom. 14:7-9.
D. On matters of opinion - things outside our central core belief system - we must not only be convinced about it, but also make sure that it glorifies God. We do it for the Lord.
E. "I'm living my own life" is a statement no Christian ought to make, for we belong to the Lord whether we live or die.
F. Christians that hold certain days as special will be accepted by the Lord and we should not judge them.
TRANSITION STATEMENT: If I am convinced I am doing this unto the Lord, I must then ask myself the third test questions - "Will it stand at the judgement seat?"
III. WILL IT STAND AT THE JUDGEMENT SEAT? (V. 10 - 12)
A. Will my conviction or opinion stand before the judgement seat of God?
B. Again he required of his people not to judge each other on matters of opinion- things outside the core belief system, the NT.
C. Let us consider what (judging) he is not referring to in our text of Rom. 14:10-12.
1. Matt. 7:6 - Can this be done without assessment?
2. Matt. 7:15 - Can this be done without assessment?
3. Matt. 7:20 - Can this be done without assessment?
4. 1 Cor. 5:11-13 - Rom. 14:10-12 is not referring to church discipline.
D. Read John 12:48 - Using our own will instead of God's as a standard is judging that is forbidden.
E. Judging people in the final sense over matters of opinion is strictly forbidden.
F. V. 12 - We will give an account of ourselves before God.
TRANSITION STATEMENT: If I am convinced that my opinion will stand before God, I must then ask myself the fourth test question. "Am I causing others to stumble?"
IV. AM I CAUSING OTHERS TO STUMBLE? (V. 13 - 21)
A. Paul says don't cause your brother to stumble. Again he speaks here clearly about opinion - things outside the central core belief system.
B. V. 14 - Paul says that he is convinced in the Lord that nothing is unclean - be it days, food or drink. But because of the opinion of the one who believes they are unclean - because of their convictions, they are unclean.
C. V. 15 - Why would we cause someone to loose their soul over opinion? Why would we eat meat in the presence of someone who thought it was sin, causing them to stumble?
D. V. 21 - It is good not to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
E. Don't cause your brother to stumble over opinions.
TRANSITION STATEMENT: I must now ask myself the fifth test question. "Am I doing this by faith?" (V. 22 - 23)
V. AM I DOING THIS BY FAITH? (V. 22 - 23)
A. We must be convinced or have faith that what we are doing is sound. We must be convicted about what we do.
1. If we do something we don't feel we should, then we sin. Because of our convictions, we violate our own conscience.
2. We must not condemn ourselves in what we approve by violating our convictions.
B. Am I truly convicted about what I believe and how does it fit into my central core of beliefs?
TRANSITION STATEMENT: Our sixth question is "Am I pleasing myself or others?"
VI. AM I PLEASING MYSELF OR OTHERS? (V. 5:1-7)
A. The basis message here is that the strong ought to bear the weaknesses of the immature Christians, and while doing so try to build them up in the faith.
B. If my opinions are SELF centered then I'm probably not taking into account others opinions.
C. The church has the right to establish standards, but not beyond the central core of beliefs - the Bible
CONCLUSION:
A. The conclusion of all of this is that we must lovingly allow for differences among Christians on matters of opinion and not use these differences as opportunities for division.
B. On matters of opinion - Don't cause your brother to stumble and lose his soul. His soul is worth more than our personal agenda.
C. Never confuse matters of opinion with our central core of beliefs - the Bible.
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