Eat bacon, worship on Sunday, and never think by keeping the law you'll get to heaven

MoreCoffee said:

Why is it not edifying to notice that it is false to teach

1. That one must avoid pork and obey the other dietary laws of ancient Israel to please God.
2. That one must worship God and refrain from work of any kind on the Seventh Day of the week (except work that is necessary or work that is merciful towards another) to be pleasing to God.
3. That one must keep the Ten Commandments (especially the Seventh day Sabbath commandment) to be among those who are saved on the last day.

Identifying false teachings and proposing the reasons for why they are false is a work of charity - compassionate love - towards those who are propagating the false teachings and/or are members of organisations that engage in promoting the above named false doctrines. It also is a work of mercy towards those who unwittingly are drawn towards such false teachings and have not had help to identify the errors in such teachings.


The matter of Romans chapter fourteen is a case in point. The chapter may be summarised thus:

Romans 14 is designed to settle some difficult and delicate questions that could not but arise between the Jews and Gentiles respecting food and the observance of particular days, rites, etc. The “occasions” of these questions were these: The converts to Christianity were from both Jews and Gentiles. There were many Jews in Rome; and it is probable that no small part of the church was composed of them. The New Testament everywhere shows that they were disposed to bind the Gentile converts to their own customs, and to insist on the observance of the unique laws of Moses; see Act 15:1-2, etc.; Gal 2:3-4. The “subjects” on which questions of this kind would be agitated were, circumcision, days of fasting, the distinction of meats, etc. A part of these only are discussed in this chapter. The views of the apostle in regard to “circumcision” had been stated in Rom. 3–4. In this chapter he notices the disputes which would be likely to arise on the following subjects;

• The use of “meat,” evidently referring to the question whether it was lawful to eat the meat that was offered in sacrifice to idols; Rom 14:2.
• the distinctions and observances of the days of Jewish fastings, etc., Rom 14:5-6.
• the laws observed by the Jews in relation to animals as “clean” or “unclean;” Rom 14:14.

It is probable that these are mere “specimens” adduced by the apostle to settle “principles” of conduct in regard to the Gentiles, and to show to each party how they ought to act in “all” such questions.

The apostle’s design here is to allay all these contentions by producing peace, kindness, charity. This he does by the following considerations, namely:

• That we have no right to “judge” another man in this case, for he is the servant of God; Rom 14:3-4.
• that whatever course is taken in these questions, it is done conscientiously, and with a desire to glorify God. In such a case there should be kindness and charity; Rom 14:6, etc.
• that we must stand at the judgment-seat of Christ, and give an account “there;” and that “we,” therefore, should not usurp the function of judging; Rom 14:10-13.
• that there is really nothing unclean of itself; Rom 14:14.
• that religion consisted in more important matters than “such” questions; Rom 14:17-18.
• that we should follow after the things of peace, etc.; Rom 14:19-23.

The principles of this chapter are applicable to all “similar” cases of difference of opinion about rites and ceremonies, and unessential doctrines of religion; and we shall see that if they were honestly applied, they would settle no small part of the controversies in the religious world.
​

-- Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible.​

I believe Albert Barnes gives an excellent summary of the chapter and its intended teaching.

One will not go to hell for eating bacon throughout one's life.

One will not go to hell for worshipping God on Sunday rather than on Saturday.

One will not go to hell for doing one's normal work on Saturday.

One will not go to hell because of observing the moral principles outlined in the sermon on the mount and in other passages of the new testament scriptures while not keeping the Jewish Sabbath and keeping Sunday as a holy day of rest and worship "in the last days" of this age.

Yet some teach things along these lines. So it is wise and charitable to sound the warning.

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