Getting Real With God & Man – Part 1 (Romans 14:1-12)

This summary outlines the central teachings derived from Romans 14:1–12, focusing on the concepts of Christian maturity, handling doubtful things, and the ultimate accountability believers face before Christ. The underlying framework emphasizes that every believer will ultimately stand before God alone, making personal conviction and relational love paramount.

I. The End Setting the Beginning: Ultimate Accountability

To understand the core message of Romans 14, one must first look at the end—verses 11 and 12—which establishes the prevailing view.

Every Knee Shall Bow: It is written: “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God“. This gravity sets the tone for the entire section. Every individual, even self-proclaimed atheists, will stand before God alone for judgment, though by that time, it will be too late for them to decide, and they will, in fact, be believers.

Giving Account: Consequently, “each of us shall give account of himself to God”. This foundational truth underscores the importance of the principles laid out regarding how believers interact with one another.

II. God is Personal and Knowable

The message strongly asserts the personal nature of God, contrasting Him with remote or distant deities.

Seeking God: God can be known, and He wants to be known. David, 3,000 years ago, expressed this intimacy by saying, “I have set the Lord always before me”. This means living life with and before the Lord, not through idols or statues.

Scriptural Revelation: The Bible serves as the revelation of God’s plan for individual lives, dealing with salvation, prophecy, and relationship. The doctrine of salvation (Soteriology) was invented and prophesied by God in advance, not by man, confirming His love for humanity.

Biblical Examples of Personal Relationship:

• Noah found grace in God’s sight.
• Abraham, originally a Gentile pagan, was personally called out by God, following His voice without knowing the destination.
• Moses saw the “afterglow” of God’s presence, though humans cannot look upon God and live, confirming God’s willingness to reveal Himself.
• David was called “a man after my own heart”.
• Daniel remained true to God through decades of captivity because God revealed Himself personally.
• Malachi heard God say, “I am listening to you,” and recording the faithful in His book of remembrance.

III. The Mandate to Receive the Weak in Faith

The study of Romans 14:1–3 introduces the concept of receiving and interacting with fellow believers who are “weak in the faith”.

Grounded and Practical Faith: Believers are encouraged to develop a “grounded faith” that is mature, practical, and resilient enough to withstand criticism and attacks. This maturity enables them to defend what they believe, such as the basis upon which God forgives sins.

Definition of “Receive”: The Greek word for “receive” (in verse 1) means to “bring in or to take alongside”—to open arms, welcome, and make accepted. This welcoming must be done for no other reason but for love.

Definition of “Weak”: A weak believer is feeble, sensitive (thin-skinned), and easily offended. This implies a lack of spiritual freedom, often due to being poorly taught. They may establish their own rules and regulations because they do not understand or enjoy the freedoms that are in Christ. Examples include being offended by makeup, food choices, or cultural practices.

The Warning Against “Disputes Over Doubtful Things”: Believers must receive the weak “but not to disputes over doubtful things“.

• Disputes involve holding someone in a lesser state, assuming a superior authority that one does not possess, or holding a low opinion of another servant.
• Doubtful things are defined as arguments, speculations, or “things being reasoned about”. This involves judging another person’s thoughts or convictions.
• The antidote is love: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity (love)”. Where the Bible is silent (e.g., surfing, makeup, specific foods), believers default to love and liberty.

IV. Conscience, Liberty, and the Danger of Legalism

The sources emphasize the danger of legalism and the misuse of Christian liberty.

The Danger of Legalism (Rules): The weaker a believer is, the more likely they are to establish non-biblical rules and regulations because they do not grasp the freedom found in Christ. These individuals are often described as “sin sniffers and faultfinders“.

Misusing Liberty: While Christ grants freedom, that freedom is not a license to sin. The Bible warns against “anti-nomianism”—premeditated sin committed under the assumption that God will forgive it later. Such “sins of the high hand” prove that an individual is internally dead, possessing only a “Sunday morning an hour and a half faith”.

The Priority of Love: Colossians 2:16 is cited: “Let no one judge you… in food or in drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths”. The governing rule is always love and loving your neighbor. If exercising Christian liberty (like eating a specific food or walking through a bar area to get to a restaurant) causes a known brother to stumble, the strong believer should sacrifice their liberty out of love.

V. Core Theological Positions and Warnings

The teaching includes critical theological affirmations that reinforce the importance of scriptural adherence.

Deity and Location of Christ: Denying the legitimate existence of Israel and Jerusalem is seen as denying the Bible. Jesus not only had to die in Jerusalem, but His return necessitates their existence. The Messiah will return to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah) and establish His rule from Jerusalem, judging all nations.

The Gospel and the Old Testament: The gospel of salvation is revealed “to the Jew first and also to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). The Old Testament announced the promise of salvation (Genesis 3:15), which is fulfilled in the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31) where God writes His law upon hearts and minds.

Spiritual Witness: Believers are commanded not to be ashamed of the gospel. A creative suggestion for spiritual witnessing is proposed: when hearing the name “Jesus Christ” or “God” used as a profanity in public (like in a movie or on a golf course), immediately declare, “is Lord“.