Romans 14:20-23

A Study of The Book of Romans

Lesson 103 Chapter 14:1 – 15:13

“The Believers relationship one toward another.” - Part 6 14:20 – 23

By Pastor Randy Johnson

1. Verse 20 “For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.”
1. This is in reference to the meat in whether to eat it or not to eat it; the bottom line is that God is not affected either way. The work of the Lord is the bottom line; the work of the Lords church is also the bottom line.
2. God builds the churches, He has set every member as He has chosen, and we as the membership need to be very careful and not to tear down what God has built.
3. Some folks will find in their judgment that they carried their judgment of other to far; they tore apart the Lord’s churches over insignificant things. What they thought to be the sins of other turned out to be their sins against God.
4. Let us not forget that we are the Lords workmanship; Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
5. Acts 10:15 “And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” This includes the sinner saved by grace and therefore we better think before we act against another Christian. What we think to be their sin could turn out to be our sin.
6. Titus 1:15 “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” What God has cleansed is cleansed and we are not judges of what others do. Sometimes people just simply disagree and
2. Verse 21 “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.”

1. Before anyone takes this verse is the wrong matter lets notice its conclusion “…nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth…” This scripture is in no way commanding that meat and wine was breaking God’s law. We are not to do anything that will cause our brother to stumble.
2. I believe wine is one of the two ingredients in observing the Lords Supper along with unleavened bread. Some disagree and some because of this scripture but I disagree but we have to do as a church what we believe and you as you believe, but let us not allow this to break our fellowship.
3. The object here is not to offend our brother in Christ, especially the weaker ones. Paul said; 1 Corinthians 8:13 “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” I will not do anything that offends my brother or causes him to stumble. - Truly strong believers can restrict their freedoms for the sake of others.
4. “…nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth…” this goes beyond just meat and wine, it is limitless.
5. Philippians 1:9 - 11 "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; (10.) That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; (11.) Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
2. Verse 22 “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”

1. To those of us who have strong faith, we are not allowed to boast of that faith in front of the weaker Christians. We should never make them thing they are ignorant.

a. We cannot teach the weaker Christians if we run them off.

b. Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

2. “…have it to thyself before God…” – Let your strong doctrine be between you and God alone, it will be a glorious meeting and no one is caused to stumble. And again maybe we ought to compare notes with God and realize how ignorant we truly are. He (God) is the one with all knowledge and understanding. 1 John 3:21 “Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.”
3. Verse 23 “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

1. First, this is not speaking of salvation, if one believes that Jesus Christ is their Saviour in their heart then they are saved, period and cannot come into condemnation.
2. He has damned himself in his own conscience; because what he did he did not do by faith. The stronger the faith the stronger the believer.
3. Doubting is sin! Faith is believing something without doubt and where there is doubt then there is sin.
4. For one to observe the Lords Supper in doubt is to observe it in sin. 1 Corinthians 11:28 - 29 “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (29.) For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.”
5. Titus 1:15 “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”
6. Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” – Strong faith is believing God; and in strong faith there is no doubting. Else how can one walk by faith and not by sight. Beloved remember this scripture “…for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”