My Brother's Keeper

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This is a sermon based on Romans 14:1-13. It is one segment in a series of messages on the Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

You’ll have to forgive me, but when I decided on the title for this message today, I immediately remembered a joke that I read years ago.

Anyway, there was this ape that escaped from the zoo and was gone for hours and hours while the authorities searched everywhere. Finally they found the ape in the local library with an open Bible and open copy of Darwin’s book, Origin of the Species. When they asked it what it was doing, it replied, “I’m trying to find out if I am my brother’s keeper or my keeper’s brother!”

Getting back to the point of our scripture, we are looking at a passage today that speaks about the Christian’s duty to be sensitive about his influence over other believers and tolerant toward the beliefs of others.

We are going to learn that part of “growing up” or becoming mature in the Christian faith involves having the ability to accept other believers at their stage of Christian growth without condemning them or without becoming discouraged and doubting my own faith.

Today’s message and the messages over the next two weeks will be dealing with different aspects of this theme regarding our interaction with and influence over other Christians.

F.   Christian conduct involves personal maturity. (14:1-15:13)

One of the things that many Christians seem to ignore about the Christian life is that the Bible repeatedly informs us that we are expected to “grow up” in our faith and in our relationship with Christ.

It is not expected that we just “pray the sinner’s prayer of confession and faith” then do nothing else.

Earlier this morning we dedicated a baby to the Lord. I am pretty sure that when her parents brought her home from the hospital, they didn’t just place her in her crib then walk away saying, “Well, we got that done, now we can get back to living our lives.”

No, it is a natural assumption that there will be a lot of work for the parents, and there will be a lot of learning and development for the baby. If there isn’t, then they immediately know that something is clearly amiss.

The same principle applies to newborn Christians. We all are expected to grow up and mature in our faith and understanding of salvation, as well as our understanding of Christian lifestyle matters.

i.   Those who are mature can accept others. (14:1-13)

a.   Acceptance means avoiding judgment. (1-3)

We are commanded to accept believers who may not be at the same level of growth or understanding as we are. But the command is qualified by the phrase, “Not to doubtful disputations.” (KJV)

(Arndt and Gingrich, Lexicon, p. 185, quoted in Reasoner) “Welcome [one another], but not for the purpose of getting into quarrels about opinions.”

The exercising of judgment can work both ways.

“despise…judge” – the person with the stronger conscience about non-essentials is ordered to not despise (i.e. treat with contempt; scorn) the weaker one, and one with weaker conscience regarding non-essentials is ordered to not judge (condemn) the stronger one.

b.   Acceptance allows for individual conscience. (5-6)

When we accept fellow Christians, it not only means that we refrain from condemning them, but it means that we allow each one the personal freedom to live as they believe God wants them to live.

By “personal freedom” I’m talking about freedom that is informed by the Word, not just by my own personal opinions.

Cf. Php 2:12 “… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

Does not mean figure out whatever you like or want regarding what salvation (i.e. pick and choose that things you want to believe and obey in the Bible.)

It does mean work out your salvation into your everyday life, keeping in mind that you must do it for yourself, I can’t do it for you.

The key words in these verses are:

“let each be fully persuaded [convinced]” AND “observes (or observes it not) to the Lord” In other words, every person needs to assume the responsibility to become convinced by the scriptures regarding the truth.

I’ve often told people during my years of ministry, “Don’t accept this just because I said it. Study it out and check it out for yourself. If you don’t, then the next person who comes along that has a different opinion/interpretation than I do, will be able to sway you to a completely different viewpoint.

AND, every person needs to do what they do because they are doing it for the Lord, not so they can please another person.

c.   Acceptance includes accountability to God. (4, 7-13)

Before we explain the purpose of this last point I want to highlight a phrase there in the second half of v. 4. “he will be made to stand [KJV, holden i.e. held up], for God is able to make him stand.”

Part of this truth regarding accountability to God includes the fact that each one of us is God’s “project.” i.e. I am not responsible to make sure someone stands, God is able to do that.

The final point we want to make from this portion of the chapter is this: When we learn to accept one another, we understand that each one of us is accountable to God.

Paul summarizes his point regarding this in verse 12. This statement captures what Paul has been trying to explain in the preceding verses.

That means two things:

1. I don’t have to answer to other people for whatever I feel God wants me to believe or to do. I have to answer to God.

2. Since I am accountable to God, I have a personal obligation to search out God’s Word and His will for my life. It won’t pass as an excuse when we stand before Him, to say, “I’m sorry God, but so-and-so told me that this behavior was okay, or that doctrine was the proper understanding of your Word.” I could be wrong, but I wonder if God is going to ask us if we even bothered to study on it for ourselves.

The final point from Paul in this section is provided in verse 13, which acts like a transitional statement leading into the next point, and he is essentially saying this:

“Since all this is true, let us all purpose in our hearts that we will not become a stumbling block (obstacle) or the cause of anyone falling from faith.”

He is not urging us to be worried all the time about another Christian’s disapproval of our belief/conduct, yet we should be sensitive if our belief/conduct causes another Christian to sin or abandon their faith.

If we notice that has happened, it may not mean that we must change (although it could), but it definitely means we should at least take the time to show concern and compassion to the brother/ sister and explain to them from this passage of scripture that God wants them to be firmly convinced in their own minds about His will and then live it out only for Him, not for me.

Conclusion:

In conclusion today, I want to quote to you some summary comments made by Dr. Vic Reasoner in his commentary on Romans.

(Dr. Vic Reasoner) Spirituality is not measured by the number of scruples [i.e. ethical rules]. The kingdom of God is not defined by external regulations. Yet the church must be united in essentials. [Back] in 12:16 Paul commanded the congregation at Rome to “be of the same mind.” Here he allows for diversity over nonessentials. Paul is not, however, promoting situational ethics in which every person [makes up his own principles of right and wrong].

We are to be fully persuaded or convinced in our mind. It is sin for us to precede over the top of doubt (v 23).We are not to judge a brother over nonessentials. Whatever we believe on nonessentials is between us and God (v 22). But we are not to cause our brother to stumble. There is a difference, however, between evoking our brother’s disapproval and causing our brother to fall into sin. We must learn to discern between that which is crucial and that which is cultural. The weaker must not judge everyone else by his standard. The stronger is not to treat his weaker brother with contempt. [John] Wesley wrote, “The longer I live, the larger allowances I make for human infirmities. I exact more from myself and less from others.”

Bishop John Potter advised Wesley, “If you desire to be extensively useful, do not spend your time and strength in contending for or against such things … of a disputable nature; but in testifying against open notorious vice, and in promoting, real, essential holiness.”

I think these comments by Dr. Reasoner pretty well summarize what we have been discussing in these verses today.

I trust that God will give us wisdom to know what He desires from each of us personally in regards to daily living out our Christian values, and the charity to accept others who disagree with us.

 

 

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