As followers of Jesus, we are to accept and welcome within the community of faith those who may be weak and limited when it comes to exercising their liberty that they have in Christ in their day to day lives on a debatable issue of the faith. We are not to judge them as second class citizens; instead we are to welcome, them, love them, and serve them. Today, we will see Paul reveal for us a second principle that is necessary to integrate into our lives when it comes to carefully exercising the liberty that we have as followers of Jesus, beginning in verse 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. 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. 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. Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
In these verses, we see Paul provide a second timeless principle that should guide our lives as followers of Jesus when it comes to carefully exercising the liberty that we have in Christ. And that second principle is this: Followers of Jesus carefully exercise their liberty by lovingly limiting their liberty for the sake of others. Instead of judging one another; instead of criticizing and condemning others for not exercising their freedom in Christ; Paul commands the members of the church at Rome, and us here this morning to determine not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.
When Paul refers to an obstacle, he is referring to an opportunity for someone to make a misstep that results in pain. A stumbling block, in the language this letter was originally written in, literally means to place a temptation in someone’s way. In other words, as followers of Jesus, we are not to purposefully create any environment where we attempt to force another follower of Jesus into a situation where they would be tempted to violate their conviction and their consciences in a way that results in a misstep that produces guilt and shame in their relationship with Jesus.
Now a natural question and objection that may arise here is “well why should I have to limit my liberty for the sake of someone else? If I have freedom to drink a beer occasionally, why should that freedom be limited because of someone else?” If you are here and that question is running through your mind, I want to let you know that it is a fair question?” In verse 14-15, Paul answers this question by pointing the members of the church at Rome back to the issue of ribs and pulled pork sandwiches and explains that he was fully aware of Jesus words that all foods were clean, or acceptable to eat. Yet while Paul had a certainty and confidence about this truth, he recognized that for the person who did not have the same certainty and confidence, to eat ribs or a pork sandwich would violate their conviction and their consciences in a way that results in a misstep that produces guilt and shame in their relationship with Jesus.
And to purposefully create any environment that forced another follower of Jesus into a situation where their relationship with Jesus would be hurt as a result of a violation of a conviction or their conscience would be unloving. The hurt, pain and shame that would flow from the violation of their convictions and conscience could destroy the very person that Jesus lovingly gave His life for. And the pain and destruction that would come would result in a hindrance of God’s kingdom mission and in God’s name and reputation being diminished in the eyes of those who were witnessing the quarrelling, the criticizing, and the condemning of one another that was occurring.
In verses 16-17, Paul further unpacks this principle by explaining that, as followers of Jesus, we should lovingly limit our freedoms for the sake of others so that the freedom that we have in Christ would not end up being spoken of in a disrespectful and demeaning way that maligns and slanders Jesus and His followers. Because, at the end of the day, God’s kingdom is not about the open-handed and debatable issues that can so easily lead us into distraction and debate. Instead, God’s kingdom is about experiencing the well being and gladness that God provides us as we live in a right relationship with God through the power of the Holy Spirit.
And when followers of Jesus practice a lifestyle that carefully exercises their liberty by lovingly limiting their liberty for the sake of others, the result is a life that is pleasing to God and that enhances God’s reputation among men. Paul then provides followers of Jesus a proper focus when it comes to exercising our liberty in verses 19-23:
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
Here we see Paul reveal for us the reality that, as followers of Jesus, we are to focus on the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. Instead of spending our time focused on the debatable issues of the faith that we disagree on, we are to focus our time on and seek to strive after harmony and the ongoing spiritual growth and maturity of others within community. As followers of Jesus we are called to demonstrate unity in the essential and closed handed issues of our beliefs; we have liberty in the non-essential and open handed issues of our beliefs; yet in all of our beliefs we are to show love and lovingly limit our liberty for the sake of others so that they can grow spiritually as they experience authentic community.
As Paul states in verse 20, we are not to tear down or hinder God’s kingdom mission over the open handed and non-essential issues of the faith. Paul brings the members of the church at Rome back to the issue of ribs and pulled pork to explain that while it is ok to eat ribs or pulled pork, ribs and pulled pork are morally and socially reprehensible for the person who is forced into a situation where they eat pork in violation of their conviction and conscience. And because of that reality, Paul states it is better for the person who is weak when it comes to the freedom to exercise their liberty to not engage in any activity or environment where they violate their convictions and consciences in a way that results in guilt, hurt, and shame.
Paul then encourages the members of the church at Rome, and us here this morning, to embrace and own whatever level of liberty that they have in the debatable issues of the faith that flows from their confident trust in the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. As followers of Jesus we are to faithfully study God’s word and serve God so that we would be growing in our relationship with Christ and our convictions when it comes to the debatable issues of the faith. The reason we are to do that is that the person who is involved in a growing and maturing relationship with Christ will experience the favor and blessing that flows from living a life that confidently trusts in Christ and owns their convictions on the debatable issues of the faith so as to not violate those convictions.
However, as Paul points out in verse 23, the person who is uncertain about his convictions, results in a life of guilt, pain and shame that flows from violation of those convictions. Because as Paul points out, whatever is not from faith is sin. Any attitude or action that flows from uncertainty and a lack of trust in Christ is in rebellion to Christ. When we become involved in actions or attitudes that we know we should probably not be doing and that violate our consciences and our convictions, we are acting in selfishness and rebellion against God.
And intuitively we know this to be true, don’t we? In church world, we even have our own lingo for this: “I feel a check in my spirit”? And even those who do not necessarily buy the whole Jesus Bible church thing have a phrase that reveals this reality: “When in doubt, don't; If you are not sure that you should, then don’t. If you even have to question whether or not that is a good idea, it probably isn’t a good idea”. So often, however, whether we are a follower of Jesus, who blow through the warning signs of the Holy Spirit when it comes to our convictions on debatable issues, or whether you are not a Christian and blow through the warning signs of doubt that spring from our conscience, at the end of the day we engage in activities that flow from uncertainty and doubt instead of confident trust. And the feelings of guilt, pain and shame that result is the evidence of selfishness and rebellion.
And because of this reality, as followers of Jesus, we are to practice a lifestyle that exercises our liberty carefully. As followers of Jesus, we are to carefully exercise our liberty by not judging others when it comes to debatable issues. As followers of Jesus, we are to carefully exercise our liberty by lovingly limiting our liberty for the sake of others.
So how are we doing? Do we practice a lifestyle that carefully exercises our liberty? Or are we spending our time criticizing and condemning others over open handed and debatable issues? Do we lovingly limit our liberty for the sake of others? Or do we exercise our liberty regardless of how it effects others?
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