Romans 14: Welcome the Weak
Believers differ over disputable matters of food and days; Paul calls them not to judge or despise one another but to pursue peace and mutual upbuilding.
Romans 14 (WEB)
1 Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions.
2 One man has faith to eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
3 Don’t let him who eats despise him who doesn’t eat. Don’t let him who doesn’t eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.
4 Who are you who judge another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. Yes, he will be made to stand, for God has power to make him stand.
5 One man esteems one day as more important. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.
6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks.
7 For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself.
8 For if we live, we live to the Lord. Or if we die, we die to the Lord. If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died, rose, and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘to me every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess to God.’”
12 So then each one of us will give account of himself to God.
13 Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.
14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.
16 Then don’t let your good be slandered,
17 for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.
20 Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.
21 It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.
22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves.
23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin. Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Good News and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret through long ages, but now is revealed, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known for obedience of faith to all the nations; to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.
Romans 14 (KJV)
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
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.
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.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Romans 14 (ASV)
1 But him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet not for decision of scruples.
2 One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand; for the Lord hath power to make him stand.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord: and he that eateth, eateth unto the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, unto the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and none dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling.
14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself: save that to him who accounteth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For he that herein serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men.
19 So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another.
20 Overthrow not for meat’s sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth.
22 The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth.
23 But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Summary
Paul addresses tensions over disputable matters in the church. Believers are to welcome the one weak in faith without quarreling over opinions. One person eats anything, while another, weak in faith, eats only vegetables; the strong must not despise the weak, and the weak must not judge the strong, for God has welcomed each. Who are we to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls, and God is able to make him stand. Similarly, some regard one day as special and others regard all days alike; each should be fully convinced in his own mind and act unto the Lord, giving thanks to God. For none of us lives or dies to himself; whether we live or die, we are the Lord's, and Christ died and rose to be Lord of both the dead and the living. Therefore we must not judge one another, since each will give account to God and all will stand before the judgment seat. Rather than judging, we should resolve never to put a stumbling block before a brother. Nothing is unclean in itself, but if eating wounds a brother for whom Christ died, love is violated. The kingdom is not food and drink but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, so we should pursue what makes for peace and builds one another up, never destroying God's work over food, for whatever is not from faith is sin.
Key Figures
- Paul — The apostle who urges believers to stop judging over disputable matters and to walk in love, pursuing peace and mutual upbuilding.
- The weak in faith — Believers who abstain from certain foods or observe particular days out of conscience, not to be despised but welcomed.
- The strong in faith — Believers free to eat all things, called not to look down on the weak but to limit their freedom in love.
- Christ the Lord and Judge — The one who died and rose to be Lord of the living and the dead, before whose judgment seat each believer will give account.
Key Verse
Romans 14:19 (WEB)
So then, let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.
Lessons Learned
- On disputable matters, we should welcome one another rather than judge or despise.
- Each believer answers to the Lord, who is able to make his servant stand.
- Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord and will give account to him.
- Love limits our freedom rather than wounding a brother for whom Christ died.
- Welcome, don't quarrel. "Now accept one who is weak in faith, but not for disputes over opinions" (Romans 14:1, WEB). Disputable matters call for acceptance, not argument.
- We belong to the Lord. "If therefore we live or die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:8, WEB). Because Christ is our Master, we answer to him and not to one another's judgment.
- Don't be a stumbling block. "Judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way" (Romans 14:13, WEB). Love guards a brother's conscience above our own freedom.
- Pursue peace and upbuilding. "Let us follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up" (Romans 14:19, WEB). Our aim is the good of the body, not the assertion of our rights.
- What kinds of "disputes over opinions" is Paul addressing (14:1-6)?
- Why does Paul say we have no right to judge another's servant (14:4, 10-12)?
- What does it mean that whether we live or die, "we are the Lord's" (14:7-9)?
- How can our personal freedoms become a stumbling block to others (14:13-21)?
- Where might love call you to limit your freedom for the sake of a fellow believer?
- Paul addresses secondary, disputable matters such as eating certain foods and observing special days, on which sincere believers differ (14:1-6). These are not the core of the gospel. The call is to receive one another rather than turn convictions into tests of fellowship.
- Each believer is a servant of the Lord, who alone has the right to judge and the power to make him stand (14:4, 10-12). To judge a fellow servant is to usurp the Master's place. We will each answer to God, which should humble our impulse to condemn others.
- Belonging to the Lord in life and death means our whole existence is oriented to him, not to ourselves or to others' verdicts (14:7-9). Christ's lordship over the living and the dead settles our identity. This frees us to live for him and to release our grip on judging others.
- Even legitimate freedoms can wound a brother whose conscience is weaker, leading him to act against his convictions or stumble in faith (14:13-21). Love weighs its impact on others, not just its own rights. The kingdom is about righteousness, peace, and joy, not insisting on our liberties.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to consider a freedom they might gladly set aside for a weaker believer's sake. Encourage them to measure choices by love and by what builds up the body rather than by personal preference alone.