B E¹ 14:1. Reception of the weak.
F¹ 14:2-23. Not to be judged. "For."
E² 15:1. Their infirmities tolerated.
F² 15:2-6. To be pleased. "For."
E³ 15:7. To be received.
Romans 14)
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you, not to doubtful of [his] thoughts. (i.e. without presuming to judge his thoughts.)
F¹ b 2,3. Weakness as to practice.
c 4. Not to be judged.
b Weakness as to belief.
c 10-23. Not to be judged.
2 The one indeed believes that he may eat all things: the other, who is weak (in knowledge), eats herbs. (Go overboard in either direction. Be careful not to offend a weak one, be gentle.)
3 Let not him that eats despise him that eats not; and let not him which eats not judge him that eats: for God received. (If he has attained salvation, don't run him off by giving him a piece of meat. Be gentle around new Christians. Give them the milk, then the meat when they are ready.)
4 Who are you that judges another man's household servant? to his own master he stands or falls. But, he shall be made to stand up: for God is able to make him stand.
5 The one indeed judges one day above another: another judges every day. Let each be assured in his own mind.
6 He that observes the day, observes it to the Lord; he that observes not the day, to the Lord he does not observe. He that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he that eats not, to the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks. (Eternal life is the most important.)
7 For none of us lives to himself, and no man dies 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. (No other authority than this. See Ezek. 18:4)
9 For unto this Christ died, and rose, and lived [again], in order that that He might be Lord both of the dead and living. (All mankind, all souls.)
10 So why do you judge your brother? or why dost you despise your brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. (Don't offend a brother because of a secondary condition.)
11 For it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God." (Citation from Isa. 45:23. The Holy Spirit substitutes :As I live" for Heb., "By Myself have I sworn.")
12 So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God.
13 Let us therefore judge one another no longer: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block (see 9:32) or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself (i.e. ceremonial unclean): except not to him that reckons any thing to be unclean, to that same it is unclean.
15 For if your brother is grieved with meat, walk you no longer according to love. Destroy (lit. loose, or pull, away from; the opp. of build up) not that same by your meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be blasphemed: (See 2:24)
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 in this serves Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved by men.
19 Let us therefore pursue the things which make for peace (lit. the things of peace), the things of mutual edifying. (cp. 15:2. 1 Cor. 14:3. Eph. 4:12)
20 For meat destroys (see Acts 5:38,39) not the work of God. All things indeed are clean; but it is evil for that man who eats with stumbling-block.
21 It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing in which your brother stumbles (see 9:32), or is offended (see John 16:1), or is made weak.
22 Have you faith? have it as concerning yourself in the sight of God. Happy is he that judges not himself in that which he allows.
23 But he that doubts is condemned if he eat, because he eats not of faith: and whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (i.e. whatever is done by the believer that does not proceed from the faith-principle by which he was saved, and is not in accordance therewith, is sin.)