THE BOOK OF ROMANS CHAPTER 15 - GRACE FROM THE STRONGER TO THE WEAKER

Mike teaches today. 03/20/21

THE BOOK OF ROMANS CHAPTER 15
GRACE FROM THE STRONGER TO THE WEAKER

VERSES: Psalm 2:8-12; Psalm 18:43,49; Galatians 3:26-29; Revelation 14:1-5

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ROMANS CHAPTER 15 MATTERS OF CONSCIENCE - GRACE FROM THE STRONGER TO THE WEAKER

In the 14th Chapter, Paul speaks on the subject of maintaining loving fellowship among converted Gentiles and Jews and not judging one another on non-essential matters that don’t affect the soul’s salvation. Those incidental matters, which may be called ‘scruples’, can cause disputes among the brethren and can stir up divisions (this being applicable to all Believers still today). Some examples are those that would naturally cause offense between Jewish and Gentile converts; such as what others are eating or not eating, drinking or not drinking, and what ‘day or days’ should be considered as holy among them. Paul relates himself to those Christians who don’t have any restraint of conscience when it comes to food and drink; who consider all common food alike as being clean; and every day the same unto the Lord, as ‘strong’ in the faith, and those who have certain scruples, convictions, uncertainties about these matters as ‘weak’ in the faith. In the 15th Chapter, Paul, a known converted Jew to the growing sect of followers of Jesus the Christ, begins by putting himself in the same category as the ‘strong’ in the faith, as a tacit instructive word to Jews now believing in Christ on what should be their like behavior.

VERSE 1 “WE then that are strong (in the faith) ought to bear the infirmities (scruples) of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (compare with 2nd Corinthians 11:29) In saying believers should not seek to please themselves, Paul is invoking the greatest commandment to love others as we love ourselves and to love God.

VERSE 2 “Let every one of us please his neighbor (Mark 12:31 our obligations go beyond the sphere of just the brethren) for his good to edification” (building up, construction, not demolition, helping to advance the spirituality for accepted entrance into the Kingdom together which all of us individually will be judged by the same Judge Hebrews 10:24). Our command is to not judge our fellow brethren on issues that are non-essential for qualifying for Kingdom entrance. Jesus Christ, the perfect One without any fault and above all, will be set forth now by Paul as the example from Old Testament Scripture as the selfless way one should live in order to please and Glorify God.

VERSE 3 “For even Christ pleased not himself: but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” (Psalm 69:9) (Likewise, we shouldn’t please ourselves, We should only please Him who sent us just as Jesus Christ only pleased He who sent Him.) The reproach that fell on Christ was for honoring God and doing the Father’s will; not His Own. We are challenged to imitate His loving forbearance in wisdom about non-essential disputable matters and to not please ourselves, especially among the brethren, even if we have heard the freedom of Truth directly from the Father. This is much in line with the Lord Who is above all but is merciful. The strong are not to control because they know what is the mind of Christ in these disputable matters. They are not to dictate terms and give acceptance to the fellowship to the one who conforms to them and reject the one who doesn’t. Another example is having different views concerning water baptism. Some believe that being baptized with water sprinkling is acceptable while others believe immersion to be the Scriptural means. Some believe an infant child may be baptized while another only those who understand what they are doing may be baptized. To be right in a matter is not always righteous. To be wrong in a scruple, or a different understanding and right in attitude is more righteous than to be right in a disputable matter and critical in attitude. A believer who has God’s heart would lovingly forebear, as Christ did, and would not berate those who disagree. To be received of Christ is what’s important. While our consciences may not always be right, it is always to be followed. If we go against our consciences, we are sinning. Needless to say, our consciences can’t conflict with the Word of God. We are speaking as it relates to disputable matters. The Holy Spirit will use and mature your conscience as He reveals the Word to you. That’s why it’s important for us to.......

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