71: Altar Perspectives

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71: Altar Perspectives

Or, Where Self-Absorbed Attitudes Go to Die

August 13, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 12:14–16

We’re back for more *altar commitments*, as in, more of what life as a living sacrifice looks like. A bunch of this applies to body life; if the individual members of the body used their gifts for the body and then treated one another according to these “one anothers” in verses 9-21, we’d be built up and blessed. Paul gives us more of the Ancient Jealousable Ways, and verses 14-16 are particularly outside the world’s pattern.

These are commitments for what living sacrifices look like, but also *altar perspectives*, *how* living sacrifices look. These perspectives put our self-absorbed attitudes up on the altar to die.

For the first time we hit actual imperatives in the original text. Verse 14 alone has three of them, and there’s another one that finishes verse 16. But, as in verses 9-13, there are some secondary verbs that should be taken as modifiers, which hardly any of the typical English translations recognize. I’d propose this way of reading the passage:

> **Bless** the ones persecuting you;

> **bless** and **do not curse**.

> [**Seek**] *to rejoice* with those rejoicing,

> *to weep* with those weeping.

> *Thinking* the same toward one another,

> *not thinking* highly,

> but *associating* with the lowly,

> **do not be wise** according to yourself.

We’ve considered in verses 9-13 the requirements to Love Discriminately, Honor Surpassingly, and Christian Zealously, and there are three more in these verses. There’s plenty to make your teeth hurt so good, like biting into orange juice concentrate.

# Bless Transcendently (verse 14)

Don’t fake love, don’t phone in serving the Lord, be helpful to those with needs, so said verses 9-13. While that actually can be challenging enough, verse 14 takes the challenge up to another level. In fact, obedience here it requires seeing beyond the field immediately in front of you.

> **Bless** those who persecute you;

> **bless** and **do not curse** them.

To **bless** has obvious verbal implications. First, it’s built into the word; *eulogeo* is from *eu* meaning good/well and *logeo* meaning speak, so “good wording” or “speaking well,” so our word eulogy means a speech of praise. Second, it’s contrasted with cursing (and with reviling elsewhere), which is also primarily associated with words.

But blessing others in the Bible is more than a spoken formula, it includes the desire for the other person to receive good - beyond what the situation calls for. For Christians, when we bless someone else, we want God’s special favor to be given. We bless our kids, we bless our friends, we want God to give them good. Here we are commanded to bless our hostiles, “the ones persecuting you.” This is a substantival participle, characterizing the ones who harass, pressure, and attack. Bless *them*.

Remember that this is the first explicit command since verse 9, and it is immediately repeated and followed with a prohibition. To **curse** is more than to complain, though it includes that. It’s to desire the harm and/or misery of someone else, invoking supernatural power to bring about the pain. You almost always have a *reason* to get back at them. Be careful little mouth what you say. There’s much more about this in verses 17-21.

Since we’ve got more than Romans, I think this is encouraging:

> Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Peter 3:9 ESV)

It is the Christian’s calling to do the contrary than be conformed to the world’s ways *so that* we may obtain a blessing. That requires faith, a transcendent perspective and trust in the “faithful Creator” who works suffering for good while we’re doing good (see 1 Peter 4:19).

Jesus taught that it is no big deal to love those who love you; loving lovers is the natural, *worldly* way (Matthew 5:44, 46). What if the ones persecuting you are the government? What if they are a business—that you paid for—with shoddy products/service? The primary context is interpersonal, but if your reactions are as self-absorbed as the world’s, then don’t expect to obtain great blessing yourself.

# Relate Sympathetically (verse 15)

There is no explicit command in verse 15, but two parallel phrases that start with infinitives. Rather than understand the command “be (something)” as in the previous verses, here something such as “seek” or “pursue” works better.

> [**Seek**] *to rejoice* with those who rejoice,

> *to weep* with those who weep.

There are “rejoicers” and there are “weepers.” To the Corinthians Paul had them connected within the church body:

> If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV)

In the previous verse we wouldn’t think of persecutors as being brothers in Christ, but we’re also not supposed to think the same thing as non-Christians like in the following verse. We can at least say that this verse applies to rejoicers/weepers we worship with, and yet there are ways that we can relate even to unbelievers.

It is mean to delight in another person’s loss, but it is a different challenge to celebrate with their victories. The temptations to envy are legion compared to the temptations to being aloof.

This is good, old-fashioned sympathy, shared *pathos*, understanding between people and having a common feeling. So compassion represents a suffering with, a concern for the pains of others. It’s mutually exclusive with self-absorbed attitudes.

There is discrimination involved. If the other person is weeping that his adultery didn’t work out, you should rejoice in that. If she is weep-cursing her neighbor, don’t have a good gripe-session. Give the benefit of the doubt, and also don’t believe everything they say, at least not right away. Don’t complain with those who complain-weep, and for that matter, don’t immediately criticize those who weep as complainers.

Don’t sing songs to a troubled heart (Proverbs 25:20), and also, don’t curse those who are trying to help, even if clumsily.

# Think Accommodatingly (verse 16)

There is an explicit imperative in verse 16, but comes at the end. Three participles (the verbs ending in -ing) before it prepare the way.

> *Thinking* the same toward one another,

> *not thinking* highly,

> but *associating* with the lowly,

> **do not be wise** according to yourself.

The first phrase is turned into a command differently by some good translations: “Live in harmony with one another” (ESV) or “Be of the same mind toward one another” (NASB), but it could be “the same thing unto one another **thinking**.” The nuance of this word for thinking might be about carefully considering your opinion about a thing (BAGD). As it modifies the imperative coming at the end of the verse, it means that this is required, and so a kind of shared thinking is to be *pursued*. You can try it, make progress toward it. Harmony requires adjustments on *your* part.

The same participle for **thinking** is used in the second phrase, with a negative for being “high,” and so figuratively referring to what is haughty, proud. This is apparently a big deal to Paul, since he stated it in 12:3 too, don’t be “high-thinking.”

In contrast we (gladly) bring ourselves to be **associating** with the lowly. Again, we adjust ourselves. We accommodate, which has the idea of providing space or even adapting the space so that things will fit. We adapt, we get our bearings where they belong, not thinking that we are all that.

So the final imperative, **Do not be thinking (self-smart) in the sight of yourself**, is a play on words. Think accommodatingly not alienating-ly. Watch out when you estimate your perspective to be better than everyone else’s, when you think of yourself as the standard rather than thinking of yourself in light of the standard, and along with others. This is ancient wisdom: Do not lean on your own understanding, be not wise in your own eyes (Proverbs 3:5, 7). Those who are self-absorbed are notoriously relentless and invulnerable to insight (Edwin Friedman).

# Conclusion

These altar perspectives are more of the Ancient Jealousable Ways. All these require that we life from faith to faith, living in an awareness of God’s oversight and governance. We must put our preoccupations with our own feelings, our own concerns, up on the altar to die.

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## Charge

Don’t be a blessing bully. Be sure that a rejoicing brother is rejoicing in *evil* before you try to “bless” him by confronting his rejoicing as wrong. Likewise, there is a time to weep and a time to mourn; don’t “bless” them by demanding a dance out of season. Likewise likewise, if you can/must bless those who persecute you, then you can bless those who misunderstand what you’re going through. There is no third line (in Romans 12:15), “Be angry with those who didn’t rejoice or weep with you as they should have.” That’s not a blessing either.

## Benediction:

> Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

> The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:11, 14, ESV)

84: A Welcome Hope

November 19, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 15:7–13

Hope is as good as God’s Word. We learn what hope is, and what our hope is in, from Scripture. The strength and power of our hope comes from the trustworthiness of Scripture. Our confidence in what Scripture tells us to hope for in the future comes from what Scripture reveals about all the realities that God has fulfilled so far. That should sound advent/Christmas related. In fact I’ve used Romans 15:4-13 four times in our annual Christmas Eve service Scripture readings. Just as God promised to send a Savior to earth and did, so also God promised to set up a King in a kingdom on earth, which He will. One good advent deserves another, and here we are learning how to behave and wait—while everyone doesn’t agree on everything—*in hope*. Since the start of Romans 14 the instruction is about living in light of the coming Lord’s unique position. He is the one to whom we will give account, He is our Master, we serve Him. So we can get off our brother’s case regarding his diet choices. We pray for the kingdom to come to earth as it is in heaven, and we reckon that the kingdom is a matter of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (14:17). So eat and honor the Lord and give thanks or *don’t* eat, yet still with honor and thanks. Either way, take off the judgy-pants and put on your joy-pants. *Welcome* your brother (15:7), like 14:1. Welcoming is how it started, and welcoming should be how it’s going. How it started was receiving, and how it’s going is still receiving *with hope that it’s going to happen for God’s glory*. For all of the possible problems between people, God’s purpose and God’s power are still on track to accomplish all God’s promises. That’s a reason for hope. # Glorious Welcome (verse 7) Based on God’s granting of unity to glorify Him (verses 5-6), there is responsibility to embrace that unity. > Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7 ESV) **Welcome** is the same word and imperative as opened this section of the letter in 14:1. It has the idea of taking toward (oneself), of receiving as into one’s home or circle of acquaintances. Open the door and invite them in. The strong were told to *welcome* the weak in faith (14:1), and the weak were told to stop judging the eaters because of God’s *welcome* (14:4). The **one another** in 15:7 covers them both. And the standard calls us to level up. Don’t just *welcome* because Christ is Lord, but *welcome* **just as also Christ received you.** Christ bore reproaches of God’s enemies to receive His people, and that all happened **for the glory of God**. But this must also apply to us *welcoming* others like Christ. Do you want to glorify God? It is as obvious as patterning your welcome of the brothers after Jesus, and as onerous. Study the Scriptures for endurance/encouragement/example and welcome your brothers for the glory of God. # Covenant Welcome (verse 8) The welcome of Christ gets higher than divisions about disputable matters and touches people groups. > For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, (Romans 15:8 ESV) This has explanatory power for our welcoming of one another over issues of meat and wine and days and such, but bringing in the Jew/Gentile distinction doesn’t map onto strong/weak differences, as if one ethnicity of Christian necessarily was more able or less able in choices by faith. If there is one thing we’ve learned, it’s that (almost) anyone can have any problem. That said, the problem between Jewish Christians and non-Jewish Christians was a thing that required a lot of parchment in the first few centuries of the church. The believers in Rome were living with such tensions. Even though most Jews rejected Jesus as Messiah and would not confess Him as Lord, Paul, a Jew (Romans 9:3), said **Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God** (NASB). What is the **truth**? It’s **the promises given to the patriarchs**. And what were those promises? They had heard about a Seed who would save them (Genesis 3:15). The Lord promised to make Abraham a great nation, to bless that people and make them a blessing (Genesis 12:1-3), and to give them promised land (Genesis 13:14-15). Why refer to them as **the circumcision** rather than “Jews” or “Israelites” as previously in Romans? Probably because circumcision was the sign of the Abrahamic *Covenant* (Genesis 17:4-13). To the Israelites belonged the covenants and the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) and the Christ (Romans 9:4-5). Christ served the circumcised **in order to confirm the promises**. It’s important that Paul does not say in order to *fulfill* the promises, as if all the promises had been *completed* by Christ. They have been **confirmed**, “put beyond doubt” (BAGD), validated. The Gentiles might have thought that God was finished with Israel, but they shouldn’t have. The Jews are welcomed by Christ because of God’s covenant. # Merciful Welcome (verses 9-12) The Scriptures that were given for endurance and encouragement that lead to hope also foresaw a Son of Jacob/Israel that would save *the world*. Salvation blessings were covenanted to Israel and purposed for the nations. > and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. (Romans 15:9 ESV) The only covenant made with the nations is that God would not destroy them with a flood (Genesis 9), though even that was technically a covenant to Noah, and there weren’t any nations at that point. And yet, while choosing Israel as His national people, God purposed to bring Himself glory through every tribe, tongue, language, and people. He would show them **His mercy**. The good news is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek (Romans 1:16). All this was *prophesied*. No Scripture proofs were needed to corroborate Christ’s receiving of Jews; it would have been surprising if Israel did not receive God’s mercy. These multiple texts, though, leave no doubt about mercy extended; it shouldn’t have been surprising that Gentiles would receive God’s mercy. Paul weaves together four quotes in a row, from the Law, the Writings/Psalms, and the Prophets. The Jews might not have expected Christ to welcome the Gentiles, but only if they didn’t read their Scriptures. The first Scripture is Psalm 18:49. > As it is written, > “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, > and sing to your name.” (Romans 15:9 ESV) The second Scripture is Deuteronomy 32:43. > And again it is said, > “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” (Romans 15:10 ESV) The third Scripture is Psalm 117:1. > And again, > “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, > and let all the peoples extol him.” (Romans 15:11 ESV) The fourth Scripture is Isaiah 11:10. > And again Isaiah says, > “The root of Jesse will come, > even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; > in him will the Gentiles hope.” (Romans 15:12 ESV) Jesus is the Son of David, and it was to David that God covenanted a descendent who would be the King of kings. The Gentiles are welcomed by Christ because of God’s mercy. # Hopeful Welcome (verse 13) Just as I argued that the benediction/prayer ended the previous paragraph (verses 5-6), so this section ends with another fantastic expression of divine blessing. > May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13 ESV) The **God of hope** compares with “the God of endurance and encouragement” in verse 5. The reference to the **Holy Spirit** compares to “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” in verse 6; it’s a Trinitarian project. The God of hope is enabling and empowering **hope**. Three times **hope** in verses 12-13. There is hope for you, hope for me, hope for the world, hope by the Spirit through the Word in the Son of the God of hope. God fills us that we might overflow/**abound in hope**. # Conclusion If we are not allowed to despise a brother over meat, which he can choose, we certainly are not allowed to despise a brother over his ethnicity, which he did not and cannot choose. It’s a welcome hope, as in, a hope better than we were hoping for. It’s also a hope that enables us to welcome others. The only reason we don’t laugh at this international praising project is because we can look back at almost two-thousand years of God’s mercy in the lives of disciples of all nations. The Lord’s covenant and promises are on their way to being fulfilled, but it has not all happened just yet. The promises to the patriarchs are not completed, nor are they consumed in Christ as the terminal end; they will all be fulfilled *through* Him. Our Lord, come! Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His mercy to all peoples, and so welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. ---------- ## Charge Give thanks for the Messiah who confirms promises. Give thanks for the mercy of God that teaches you to rejoice. Give thanks, with all joy, and praise the Lord with your mouths, in songs and at suppers. Look to the Lord who blesses us, and who will return to rule us all. ## Benediction: > May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13 ESV)

83: Teaching Strength

November 12, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 15:1–6

Back at the beginning of the application part of Paul’s letter, he told “everyone among you not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12:3). It’s part of altar-living, actually, to live by faith, and not to put on bigger ski-boots than your skis can handle. We’re now starting into chapter 15, still talking about application for altar-living, and still talking about living by faith. One way to measure your sober judgment on the strength of your faith is by what your strength *does*. It’s really cool that a man thinks his faith is big stuff because he can drink wine, but is he being patient with his brother whose conscience can’t? It’s preferable to be strong, Paul saw himself as strong, and he described the work of the strong as *building up others* rather than tearing down, or even just distancing from. In other words, if you’re so strong, why isn’t there more peace in your relationships? By God’s grace, the strong are strong in order to *endure*, and the greater true strength of faith in a body there is, the more harmonious the life of singing. We show strength not because we all agree, but when we love one another through disagreements, especially about disputable things, as we’ve been considering since the start of chapter 14. The right approach here is not “Who cares?!” We are told to care, to be fully convinced, and that whatever doesn’t come from faith is *sin*; living by faith isn’t laissez faire. Loving right rights is righteous, that’s the fruit of faith, the obedience of faith. And as we care *more*, we care rightly, we keep the top care at the top, loving and serving and *pleasing* our brother. The instructions about getting along continue into the first couple paragraphs of Romans 15. Verses 1-6 not only give a summary exhortation about strength, but a Scriptural example, and a prayer-like expectation. # The Duty of Strength (verses 1-2) A parent is not only supposed to be the mature one when there’s a problem, the parent is supposed to help his kid learn the right way to handle the problem, for the whole family’s benefit. So also in the church family. > We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:1–2 ESV) This **strong** and **weak** are different words than in chapter 14, but the idea is the same. Some are more able to enjoy more things by faith, they are the strong. **Obligation** is an intriguing teaching; in this relationship the strong have an assigned *function*, they are answerable for their part. The job is **to bear with the failings of the weak**. But this is a different use of “bear” than how we often think of “putting up with,” just enduring what is unpleasant from another person. That sort of “bearing with” is the bottom floor expectation. The obligation here is to “pick up and carry” as to a better place. The strong hold the line *for* the weak, in the places where the weak are weak. The strong are the load bearing walls for the house. The second part of the obligation is **not to please ourselves**. Tyndale translated it as “not to stande in our owne consaytes,” in modern English: “not to stand in our own conceits,” where we let our ego and our self-regard for our preferences take precedence. Verse 2 redirects the pleasing impulse. **Each of us** (strong and weak, with carry-over expectations mostly to the strong) the **neighbor(brother)** should **please**, and that for his good and toward edification. It’s good for our brothers to be strong, and for us to help them be strong. Strength sustains the weak, and strength begets strength. Strength also satisfies the weak. On this obligation of pleasing, it doesn’t mean taking a survey, it doesn’t mean the weak is in the Seat of Power, it doesn’t mean the weak one immediately sees it as for his good. All of this requires wisdom and love, and nerve. Avoiding isn’t building either. But in what way can the able-ones defer for the good of the unable? There’s an example of what this looks like in the next verse. # The Standard of Strength (verses 3-4) If Paul had already written Philippians (which he probably didn’t for another 5 years), he could have quoted himself about the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11). He still looks to the ultimate example. > For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:3–4 ESV) There’s actually an extra conjunction at the start of verse 3, not just **for** but “For even/also” (καὶ γὰρ). Christ’s example isn’t jammed in where it doesn’t belong. A couple things really beg for some attention here. In reading the Gospels, would you say “Christ aimed to please His neighbor?” That’s not how I’d put it, yet Paul said, **Christ did not please himself**. We’re supposed to be looking at Christ’s life as a model for our motivations. But then look at the explanation of *what it meant* that Christ didn’t please Himself, and who He was aiming to please: ** but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”** It’s a quote from Psalm 69:9. It’s a David song, and applies in its context to David first. Zeal for the LORD’s house consumed David, and later was obviously applied to David’s Son, Jesus (John 2:17). And because of David’s trust in the Lord, he took the brunt of complaints from men who did not trust the Lord. In a greater way Jesus pleased His neighbors by taking their shots, and in His case, to the point of humble death as a servant in sacrifice. He didn’t just do whatever others said that they wanted, but what was for others good, and at the greatest cost. Paul justifies his application of the Psalm to the Messiah like he justifies application of *all* the inspired Scriptures to *us* as believers. I’m not Jesus, or David, or Moses, or Abraham, or Rahab, or Rebekah, or Samson, or all the others time fails us to tell of (see Hebrews 11:32ff). God knows we’re not Jesus, and yet He calls us through His Word to learn how to live like Jesus and the obedient saints. We get **instruction**, teaching, from the things written beforehand, the **Scriptures**. From that teaching we get **endurance**, the ability to remain under a burden; patience is fine, but the better sense is *fortitude*. From that teaching we get **encouragement**, or comfort. It’s heavy, it hurts, but the Word gives **hope**. Big Q: hope for *what*? For the hope that when we seek to please Christ as we love one another, He will help us and increase our harmony, *even* when people are acting like incapable babies. Strength for the fight of faith? Strength for salt and light and witness (see Romans 15:9ff)? Strength for good works? Yes, and amen, and the Scriptures teach us *strength for getting along with each other*. # The Gift of Strength (verses 5-6) A benediction, a prayer, part of Paul’s vision of hope as informed by the Scriptures. > May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5–6 ESV) When we talk about God’s attributes, we should include His **endurance** and His **encouragement**; He is the “God of endurance and encouragement.” And when we think about why the world is the way it is, and we acknowledge that the ultimate end for which God created the world is for His glory to be known and rejoiced in, then we should sit for a bit with the reality that for God to show off His infinitely excellent endurance He’ll have ordained a lot of parts of the story we’d rather skip. Endurance is inverse to skipping, the antithesis of quitting. He also is the God of encouragement, of consolation, of comfort. This God has given His Word, and through that Word He gives unity in worship. We have one-another **harmony**, or we are “of the same mind” (NASB), a shared-thinking according to Christ” With the purpose for same-minded and one-mouthed glorifying God. # Conclusion If we’re going to be jealousable (Romans 11:13-14), we can’t be jealous of one another. If we’re going to build one another up, bitterness and suspicions (let alone backbiting, or frontbiting) must be constantly rooted out. Be strong and strengthen others, enduring and encouraged by the Scriptures, unto hopeful and harmonic singing as worshippers of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ---------- ## Charge If your home WiFi was out, how quickly would you move to troubleshoot to fix it? Your expectations are on the “work” part of network. Beloved, God is increasing the stability and strength of His signal to the world. We, as brothers, are the signal. So work and live and grow in harmony. ## Benediction: > May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5–6 ESV)

82: Blessed and Building Up

November 5, 2023 • Sean Higgins • Romans 14:19–23

I’ve referred to this before, (as James Clear wrote) that "Your outcomes are a lagging measure of your habits. Your net worth is a lagging measure of your financial habits. Your weight is a lagging measure of your eating habits” and so forth. Likewise a church’s (shared) peace is a lagging measure of each member’s habits of dying to bring life. Peace is a hard thing to pursue directly, but it is impossible to achieve without wanting it. I also like to remind us every once in a while that we always do what we *most* want to do. We might have multiple wants, and some of those wants compete or even conflict with each other. But the strongest want will win. Christians can tell what they want most, in the main, by what they have (their possessions are a lagging measure of their pursuits). It’s a decent mirror, regularly not flattering. Christians who want to look good more than do good will probably get what they want. Christians who want to be right more than anything will get that reputation; they’ll be known for their want (probably more than actual wisdom). Christians who want to be left alone will make little effort to the opposite. Christians who fight for their Christian liberty will at least think that the bruises are a result of them fighting the good fight, though the good is debatable. And, Christians who want other members to be blessed will try to build them up and “live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). Sola fide in Romans 3 might be easier to understand and practice than this application for those who are saved by grace in Christ in Romans 14. Submitting to the truths of God’s sovereignty in Romans 9 requires less sacrifice than this application for those who are serving for the glory of God alone in Romans 14. There are a few better-thans in verses 19-23. I actually think that it’s possible to see the connections/divisions in Paul’s thought better than what read in our verse divisions, and even the paragraph division. Verse 19 ends the previous paragraph in the ESV, I think it makes a better lead-off statement for the final paragraph. Wherever it’s better to put the tab-space, we’re going to cover it, and see three points. # Building Up Is Better Than Tearing Down (verses 19-20a) In the kingdom of God, righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit have precedence. We should show this precedence in what we pursue. > So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. (Romans 14:19-20a ESV) The contrast is between building up and tearing down, as with walls. Christians will construct or destruct *their own structure*. **So then** swings from verses 13-18, if not from 1-13. We’re to judge/decide never to stumble or trap or destroy a brother when it comes to disputable things (especially as the weak have convictions/opinions about things without a verse and turn their preference into a “THIS ONLY IS RIGHTEOUS!”). Here’s what we should do. “We should pursue the (things) of peace and the (things) of one-another building.” Note that peace is not the direct object. But peace has “things” that go with it, **what makes for** peace. So with **upbuilding**, a word that describes actual house-building (οἰκοδομή), the structure from construction, and so spiritually here as desiring the strengthening, the edifying, of our fellow house members. We are one body, we are one house. **Pursue** the peace and edification things. Chase, seek, strive for. *WANT IT*. Every believer’s “aim should be to help one another rather than to criticize or despise” (Morris). And so we’re prohibited from working against God. God is strengthening, and we are not to **destroy** or “tear down” (NASB) or do demolition when it comes to disputable things, like **food**. This is a broad word for eaten things, while meat and wine are mentioned explicitly in the next verse. **The work of God** is either your brother himself, or the household of brothers, a.k.a., the body, the church. # Fellowship Is Better Than Flaunting (verses 20b-22a) We’re reminded of the hierarchy of rights. > Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. (Romans 14:20b-22a ESV) In verse 14 Paul said “nothing is unclean in itself,” and in the middle of verse 20 he says, on the one hand, “all things (are) pure.” But there is another hand, and it’s the hand that ranks higher. There is **clean**/pure=καθαρὰ, but it is κακὸν=evil/**wrong** to eat and make a mess for your brother. καλὸν=**good**/right **not to eat meat or drink wine**, which refers to alcohol for the first time specifically in the chapter. But just as Paul said, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31), so he says *don’t* eat or *don’t* drink or *don’t* do whatever would cause your brother to fall. The first sentence in verse 22 belongs with this instruction, and is important for any number of things it does *not* mean. To **keep (your faith) between yourself and God** does not mean that faith is private or personal, as modern men often speak, as if faith could be separated from public or secular choices. Meat and wine are daily dinner stuff, or even potluck party stuff. “Keep ” (ESV) makes it sound quiet, but “have your own conviction before God” (NASB) means you are ready to give an account of yourself to God (verse 12). This is another way to say be fully convinced in your mind (verse 5), an introduction to doing what we do with a clear conscience (next in verse 22). Not eating meat or drinking wine doesn’t mean a once-and-for-all transition to vegetarian or tea-totaler. It doesn’t mean never eating in the privacy of your home. This whole chapter assumes discussion about disagreements. We only know that a brother is upset when there’s discussion; we cannot read his thoughts. In that discussion, following Paul’s example, we look at the truth, that “nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:4), *and* that not all can be thankful for it *yet*, and so we don’t need to flaunt it. Both the stronger and weaker brothers have temptations, but they are to remember that 1) God has welcomed the brother, 2) we live and die as the Lord’s, 3) we will give an account to God, and 4) we ought to want blessing for our brother. Fellowship is better than rubbing our preferences in a brother’s face. # Blessed Is Better Than Condemned (verses 22b-23) We will eat, but not all will eat blessing. > Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:22b-23 ESV) The two people: “the one not judging himself by what he’s approved,” and “the one doubting what he’s (functionally approved by) eating.” One is **blessed**, one is **condemned**. Don’t go against your conscience, and, seek to inform your conscience with what is right. (See also Ecclesiastes 9:7.) **All which (is) not from faith is sin.** From faith to faith is a big deal (starting from Romans 1:17). Decisions and fellowship must not be driven by fear or guilt. A church eating and drinking but not by faith is pagan/worldly. A church not eating and drinking in the name of faith but really out of anxiety is weak. A church ripping each other’s decisions to shreds cannot say it’s by faith. # Conclusion We can work it out or get offended. We can work it out or stay immature. We can work it out or always be finding a new group of people to blame; church hop to shift blame. Pursuing peace is more than leaving others alone, and building them up in blessing is a *habit* to *pursue*. Food is better and blessed with faith. Fellowship is better and blessed by faith. Living by faith is the *only* way of salvation, the only way to have a clear conscience, the only way to please God, the only way of righteousness, the only way of recognizing that all are yours, and the only way of *fellowship*, at least for now. May the Lord make us strong in faith and blessed with peace and full of jealousable joy as His spiritual house. ---------- ## Charge When David fled from Saul and lived in the land ruled by Achish/Ambimelech, and acted insane and let spittle run down his beard to show that there was no reason for Achish to fear him, he had good reason to think about the man who desires life and wants to see good. Such a man would “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14). So, Christian, in these days of great insanity, you must seek and strive for the things of peace and the things that build up your brothers. ## Benediction: > The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV)