Romans 14: 3-4 is one of those potpourri passages. We have some clean up on strong and weak disciples. Then, we look at the law of liberty.
Nuggets
- There is only One true God that we all serve.
- Being children of God frees us from the stain of sin.
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Devotions in the Transformed to Perfection series
When we come to God, we generally want freedom from the sin that we are experiencing. We are burdened by the weight of the desperation and despair we are feeling.
Only God can break us free from the chains of sin. He offers the salvation freely to all of mankind.
Let’s see what Paul has to say.
Let's Put It into Context
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
Finishing Up the Weak and Strong Discussion
“One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand” (Rom. 14: 3-4 CSB)
There is only One true God that we all serve.
These two verses are a continuation of the last two verses. We talked about being weak and strong disciples in the last devotion.
So, we are going to pull out other things in these verses.
We get the privilege of serving God. Burn said that is the highest distinction that we can have. We were created and purchased to do just that.
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Lyth told us that what Paul is really trying to tell us here is that — regardless of our amount of faith — we serve one God.
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One God and unity were big themes in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. “There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope at your calling — one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Eph. 4: 4-6 CSB).
Even more than serving one God, we are all redeemed by the same God. God shows no favoritism (Rom. 2: 11).
Lyth told us what is required of us after redemption.
- We get along.
- We submit to God.
- We prepare for judgment day.
I know. Getting along is hard sometimes. I just got done texting my Springfield Mom about something that happened 15 years ago that reared it’s head yesterday.
Person A, a child, said something that was insensitive to Person B, an adult. It was true, but it shouldn’t have been said.
But a child has to be taught — especially when they are a literal child. Our roles as adults is to teach.
Our role as disciples is to not hold a grudge for 15 years. We do need to do better.
I know. Easier said than done at times. Our defenses pop up without our thinking about it.
This sensitivity is only something God can give. Nell wrote, “The clearer light of the strong is due to God’s special mercy and their superior advantages.”
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Nell reminded us that — if Jesus accepts someone — we should, too. When we don’t accept them, Lyth argues that we are using our standards, not God’s, on which to judge.
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Getting to Liberty
Being children of God frees us from the stain of sin.
Woo hoo! We got to the liberty part in our Law of Liberty series.
We begin the explanation with Hayden’s Christian Liberty on Debatable Ground. He started out with the reminder that God’s moral laws do not change.
What does change is the scene in which they play out. The conditions we live in today are vastly different than they were in Jesus’ day.
That is why God doesn’t want the laws and commandments to just be a list of do’s and don’ts. He wants them to change our character so that we can apply them in any situation in which we find ourselves.
Hayden also reminded us that this liberty does not give us license to do anything that we want. He wrote, “Liberty is limited by conscience, by the views of others, by our health, by lack of means, by lack of courage, by hereditary traits and disabilities. We cannot believe what we please, for we are limited by the laws of thought and evidence. We are limited in our conduct by society. No man lives to himself in the trades, the schools, or the professions. We cannot divorce liberty from law.”
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Let’s see if we can unpack some of that. We have talked before that some see the Holy Spirit as our conscience.
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The conscience is where we know right from wrong — obedience from sin. Our consciences grow as we experience situations in which we must decide what is right and what is wrong.
I think that the Holy Spirit is more than just our conscience. Yes, He is there to remind us what is holy and righteous. But the Holy Spirit has other job duties assigned.
Glossary
We can’t believe what we please. We can’t rewrite God’s laws and commandments. We can’t say something that God says is a sin isn’t.
Liberty does not mean we are given a pass to go on sinning. But Hayden said that isn’t just for disciples. He wrote, “What is morally binding upon a Christian man is, in a sense, binding upon everybody. What any man may rightly do as accountable to God, a Christian may do. It will always be the duty of every man to love God and his neighbour, and to put his liberty under the limitations of that reigning principle of love.”
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Hmmm. Think about it. Worldview people keep telling disciples God wants us to love others as much as they do. Do they realize they are as accountable to God as we are?
Hayden wrote we are free to imitate Christ. He is right. We up our game when we become disciples.
We don’t live for ourselves. We don’t live for the good of our fellow man.
We live to bring glory and honor to God.
Even though we find freedom with Christ, Paul calls himself a slave to Christ. I know that isn’t a politically correct word anymore.
The concept still works for God. He is still the One in control. He calls the shots. We don’t.
To expand what Hayden wrote, even though Paul called himself a slave to Christ, disciples are freer than those following Satan.
Hayden also said that “the rights of Christian conscience are above the rights of Christian liberty.” We have to do what is right before we can do what we want to do.
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We have to do what God says is right first before we do what we want.
Making the Connections
“You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (I Pet. 1: 5 CSB)
Burn reminded us that we are guarded by God’s power because of our faith. He has promised to sustain us until the end, when He will reveal part three of salvation to those who have worked out their salvation.
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How Do We Apply This?
What happens when there is no clear cut pronouncement of what God says is law? We have to follow what God tells us.
Burn reminded us that laws might make something right, but circumstances might make something wrong. We’ve got to keep our focus on God.
There are two things Burn said that we need to do to please God when we find ourselves in conflict.
- Mind our own business.
- Make sure we continue to please God.
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Hmmm. The thought just hit me that some worldview people think that the laws and commandments tie us down and do not allow us any liberty at all. They would be wrong, wouldn’t they?
Father God. You are not a dictator. You are a loving Father. You give us freedom from sin. Yes, You give us boundaries. We need boundaries, Lord. Thank You. Amen.
What do you think?
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