Hold Your Tongue

Romans 14:1-23

July 15, 2007 Pastor Jack Harpold

In Romans 13 Christian conduct is very clear. We are to submit to the state, obey the law, pay our taxes, and show respect to authority. Regarding our neighbor: we are not to commit adultery, kill, steal, bear false witness, or covet and love our neighbor. We are to be honest, and avoid reveling and drunkenness, strife, and jealousy. The Bible is clear.

In Romans 14 Paul deals with conduct in questionable matters offering three guidelines: conviction, conscience, and consideration. A Christian should have a conviction about what he does. Conviction means "that which anticipates." Does he look forward to his actions with anticipation and enthusiasm? The 2nd guideline is conscience. Does he look back on his actions, wondering if he were right or wrong? The third guideline is consideration for others. Are other people adversely affected by what he does?

It is not about disobedience to Scripture, things expressly commanded or clearly forbidden in Scriptures or issues of morality, but neutral matters, like eating meat and observing days. What should be our response when we disagree on neutral matters?

Sincere Christians can hold opposite views on many questions, and still be good Christians. Should a believer send his children to public school or Christian school? What about details in prophesy? Will the second coming of Christ be before, in the middle, or after the Tribulation? What about voting in an election or putting up a Christmas tree? Some things are unquestionably right; others are unquestionably wrong - but there are some things which are not clearly commanded nor forbidden in the Scriptures - about which good Christian men and women have differed.

In Paul's day there was a difference of opinion about eating meat. Meat was offered in worship to idols in heathen temples but only part was burned in sacrifice. The rest was sold in the market. Some Christians said meat offered to idols, was like any other meat - they used it without hesitation. Others felt those who ate meat offered to idols were giving recognition to idols. Some had recently been converted from heathendom, and eating meat offered to idols reminded them of their old superstitions.

God gives guidelines here that should help settle many questions for the Christian today. Verse 1 says, "Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.” Count the weak brother as a brother in Christ, and don't argue with him just because he has some viewpoints different from yours.

The "weak" brother is not what we may think. He does not easily fall into temptation nor find it difficult to lead in public prayer. He is strict about keeping days, and eating certain foods. He has scruples about eating meat that may have been offered to idols – so he eats only vegetables. He emphasizes external observances instead of inner power and strength from God. Today, some believe it is wrong to eat meat on Friday; some believe it is wrong to eat certain foods at any time; some have scruples about eating pork. Paul says to those who have been delivered from the bondage of believing salvation hinges on ceremonialism, "Receive the weaker brother with all his scruples; don't argue with him or ridicule his beliefs - accept him as a brother in Christ.”

Verse 5 reminds us, Some esteem one day above another, and others esteem every day alike. Some believe it is wrong to work on Ascension Day. Others see all days alike, and regard every day as holy to the Lord, and an opportunity to live for God.

There must be kindness and tenderness instead of harshness and denunciation among brethren. There's a difference between "weakness" and "wickedness.” The wicked person openly disobeys Scriptures; the weak person holds many scruples about neutral matters. The wicked person (according to 1 Corinthians 5) is to be put away, but the weak brother (according to Romans 14) is to be received and protected.

Verse 3 encourages us, those who are strong and don't have scruples, must not despise the weak brethren, avoiding them and accusing them of being narrow-minded. On the other hand, those who are weak and have the scruples, must not judge those who are strong, and accuse them of being indulgent and careless just because they don't have the same scruples.

In verses 6-8 we are reminded those who keep certain days and those who count every day alike - hold their opinions believing they are practicing what is pleasing to God. God will say one day, "Dear children, you did exactly what you thought would please me. I love you both, and I'm going to reward you equally, because it pleases Me so much that you wanted above all else to please Me."

We are reminded that each of us will someday have to give an account of himself to God - for this reason, we are not to be judging others, but we are to set our own houses in order. The Scriptural principle is that if a Christian is accepted by Christ and is His servant, we have no right to pass judgment upon him. The habit of criticizing others and misjudging their motives, is a great evil among Christians.

A policeman saw a poorly dressed woman pick up something on the street, put it in her pocket, and hurry on. He thought it might have been something valuable so he stopped her and demanded to see what it was she picked up. She showed him a few pieces of broken glass. She said, "I thought the children who play barefooted in these streets, might cut their feet on the glass, so I picked it up in order to protect them.” Instead of turning critical eyes on one another, we must be critical of our own conduct.

Paul believed the idols are dead - there is one true God, so he could eat the meat with a clear conscience. But if a brother regarded certain foods as unclean, as far as his conscience was concerned, that food was unclean. It would be wrong to eat it against his conscience. If the brother sees us eat such meat and is led to do the same, we may be leading him to sin. A Christian who believes in the doctrine of grace may be able to eat a slice of ham even on Good Friday, but if it becomes a stumbling block to others, he should refrain.

The first part of this chapter says, "Do not judge others.” The last part continues with the thought, "Do not tempt others." I can relate this to the use of alcoholic beverage. I think we ought to refrain from all use of alcohol. We may be responsible for the destruction of another’s life by our actions….

The essence of the Christian life is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Paul says in verse 17 that serving Christ has higher, deeper, broader joys than those that come merely from physical indulgence. The Christian's joys are joys of the heart, and not of the stomach. The one whose life centers in God, won't really miss a slice of meat, if this helps protect his brother's conscience. If we are tempted to do things that may harm our brother's conscience, we ought not to do them.

We are advised (verse 19) to follow after things that make for peace. It is a tragedy that so many little things become bones of contention in the church. One can serve Christ either by eating or by abstaining. It doesn't really matter. But one cannot serve Christ effectively, if he disregards things that make for peace. In the light of Romans 14:21, we should not disturb another’s conscience by trampling all over his honest convictions, and doing things that might cause him to stumble.

Going one step further, we have been talking about things about which we may have differing opinions. We are warned to not be critical of another on these matters.

Now when I chose this title – Hold Your Tongue – I really don’t know where this came from relating to this Scripture, although we are told to not dispute about these things. But I do have a great concern about the tongue. James says (3:5ff), Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest fire a little fire kindles. And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the whole course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell…. With it we bless our God and Father, and we it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. Brethren, these things ought not to be so.

I have always been concerned about the destruction that comes to the body of Christ because of unruly tongues…..

What are we to do? This is where the law of love comes to bear.

May we always seek to follow after Jesus.