Rom 14:13,14 Don't Judge Scruples

[bcbsr]

Don't Judge Scruples

Rom 14:13,14 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

Again he's referring to judging with regards to disputable matters. Matters of which we have freedom in the Lord. But as he said in 1Cor 10 concerning disputable matters, "Everything is permissible— but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible— but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." 1Cor 10:23,24 While there are many options in the Christian life, we need to avoid cause others from stumbling over issues of which we ourselves may have a clear conscience.

"Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ." 1Cor 8:8-12

However one of the difficulties is when one's convictions concerning ceremonial matters becomes a matter of legalism, as was the case with the cult of the circumcision, which Paul had to deal with. And what of Peter who was reluctant to obey the Lord's command to kill and eat animals which were unlawful under the Law of Moses and said to the Lord, "Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." Acts 10:14 What of his conscience? Seems that matter of conscience themselves take second place the work of the ministry. Yet even in this case it seems the Lord led Peter away from ministry to the Gentiles and gave it to the apostle Paul instead, as Peter also agreed. Beware, scruples can limit your usefulness.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

 

[Arc F1]

Don't Judge Scruples

Rom 14:13,14 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

Again he's referring to judging with regards to disputable matters. Matters of which we have freedom in the Lord. But as he said in 1Cor 10 concerning disputable matters, "Everything is permissible— but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible— but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." 1Cor 10:23,24 While there are many options in the Christian life, we need to avoid cause others from stumbling over issues of which we ourselves may have a clear conscience.

"Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ." 1Cor 8:8-12

However one of the difficulties is when one's convictions concerning ceremonial matters becomes a matter of legalism, as was the case with the cult of the circumcision, which Paul had to deal with. And what of Peter who was reluctant to obey the Lord's command to kill and eat animals which were unlawful under the Law of Moses and said to the Lord, "Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." Acts 10:14 What of his conscience? Seems that matter of conscience themselves take second place the work of the ministry. Yet even in this case it seems the Lord led Peter away from ministry to the Gentiles and gave it to the apostle Paul instead, as Peter also agreed. Beware, scruples can limit your usefulness.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

I ran across the term legalism the other day for the first time. I was accused of legalism for believing we should follow scripture. Still trying to figure that one out.

Is this something that you are comfortable with explaining?

 

[bcbsr]

I ran across the term legalism the other day for the first time. I was accused of legalism for believing we should follow scripture. Still trying to figure that one out.

Is this something that you are comfortable with explaining?

Typically it's imposing regulations on others in areas of which they are allowed freedom.

 

[Soyeong]

Don't Judge Scruples

Rom 14:13,14 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

Again he's referring to judging with regards to disputable matters. Matters of which we have freedom in the Lord. But as he said in 1Cor 10 concerning disputable matters, "Everything is permissible— but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible— but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." 1Cor 10:23,24 While there are many options in the Christian life, we need to avoid cause others from stumbling over issues of which we ourselves may have a clear conscience.

"Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ." 1Cor 8:8-12

However one of the difficulties is when one's convictions concerning ceremonial matters becomes a matter of legalism, as was the case with the cult of the circumcision, which Paul had to deal with. And what of Peter who was reluctant to obey the Lord's command to kill and eat animals which were unlawful under the Law of Moses and said to the Lord, "Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." Acts 10:14 What of his conscience? Seems that matter of conscience themselves take second place the work of the ministry. Yet even in this case it seems the Lord led Peter away from ministry to the Gentiles and gave it to the apostle Paul instead, as Peter also agreed. Beware, scruples can limit your usefulness.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

There is a signfiicant different between what is said in regard to matters of personal preference and what is said in regard to matters of obedience to God, so you should be more careful not to take things that were said only in regard to matters of personal preference as being in regard to matters of obedience to God as if obedience to God were a matter of personal preference.

 

[Soyeong]

I ran across the term legalism the other day for the first time. I was accused of legalism for believing we should follow scripture. Still trying to figure that one out.

Is this something that you are comfortable with explaining?

If it were legalism to believe that we should follow Scripture, then legalism should be our goal, but that is not what legalism refers to, just as it is not legalism for someone to think that the laws of their country should be obeyed. Rather, legalism is anything that not intended by the law. For example, trying to earn our righteousness by obeying God's law would be legalism (Romans 9:30-32). In Leviticus 19:12, it commands not to swear falsely by God's name, so the intention is for us to not swear falsely, while thinking that this verse is saying that we are free to swear falsely as long as we don't do so in God's name would be legalism (Matthew 23:16-22). Likewise, God's law does not command us to fast twice a week, so judging someone using their freedom to not do that would be legalism (Luke 18:12). However, we do not have the freedom from obeying God's law, so it is not legalism to judge that someone is committing sin based on what it says.

 

[Arc F1]

If it were legalism to believe that we should follow Scripture, then legalism should be our goal, but that is not what legalism refers to, just as it is not legalism for someone to think that the laws of their country should be obeyed. Rather, legalism is anything that not intended by the law. For example, trying to earn our righteousness by obeying God's law would be legalism (Romans 9:30-32). In Leviticus 19:12, it commands not to swear falsely by God's name, so the intention is for us to not swear falsely, while thinking that this verse is saying that we are free to swear falsely as long as we don't do so in God's name would be legalism (Matthew 23:16-22). Likewise, God's law does not command us to fast twice a week, so judging someone using their freedom to not do that would be legalism (Luke 18:12). However, we do not have the freedom from obeying God's law, so it is not legalism to judge that someone is committing sin based on what it says.

That's completely different than what the person accusing me explained. She said it was thinking that we had to follow scripture, the law, to be saved. That it's all about love not what's written. In other words you can disregard the scriptures that are difficult to follow and just go about your life loving others. I didn't really get the whole concept of doing as you please.

Thanks.

 

[Soyeong]

That's completely different than what the person accusing me explained. She said it was thinking that we had to follow scripture, the law, to be saved. That it's all about love not what's written. In other words you can disregard the scriptures that are difficult to follow and just go about your life loving others. I didn't really get the whole concept of doing as you please.

Thanks.

I listed trying to earn our righteousness as an example of legalism, which is essentially the same thing as trying to earn our salvation by following the law.

While it is true that Abraham believed God, so he was justified, it is also true that he believed God, so he obeyed God's command to offer Isaac, however, he did not earn his justification by his obedience, but rather the same faith by which he was justified was also expressed as obedience. In James 2:21-22, it says that Abraham was justified by his works, that his faith was active along with his works, and that his faith completed his works, so Abraham was justified by his works only insofar as his works were an expression of his faith, but not insofar as his works were an attempt to earn his justification, especially because Paul denied that our justification is something that can be earned by our works (Romans 4:4-5).

All of the laws that God has given are examples of what it looks like to love Him and our neighbor, which is why Jesus said that those are the greatest two commandments and that all of the other commandments hang on those two, so they are all connected. For example, obedience to the command to help the poor looks like obedience to the command to love our neighbor, so the command to love does not replace the other commandments, but rather it is the essence of them. If someone's obedience to the command to love does not look like obedience to God's other commandments, then they are not treating it as being the fulfillment of the other commandments. There is not much sense in someone wanting to just obey God's command to love while wanting nothing to do with obeying His commands that teach us what it looks like to love.

 

[Arc F1]

I listed trying to earn our righteousness as an example of legalism, which is essentially the same thing as trying to earn our salvation by following the law.

While it is true that Abraham believed God, so he was justified, it is also true that he believed God, so he obeyed God's command to offer Isaac, however, he did not earn his justification by his obedience, but rather the same faith by which he was justified was also expressed as obedience. In James 2:21-22, it says that Abraham was justified by his works, that his faith was active along with his works, and that his faith completed his works, so Abraham was justified by his works only insofar as his works were an expression of his faith, but not insofar as his works were an attempt to earn his justification, especially because Paul denied that our justification is something that can be earned by our works (Romans 4:4-5).

All of the laws that God has given are examples of what it looks like to love Him and our neighbor, which is why Jesus said that those are the greatest two commandments and that all of the other commandments hang on those two, so they are all connected. For example, obedience to the command to help the poor looks like obedience to the command to love our neighbor, so the command to love does not replace the other commandments, but rather it is the essence of them. If someone's obedience to the command to love does not look like obedience to God's other commandments, then they are not treating it as being the fulfillment of the other commandments. There is not much sense in someone wanting to just obey God's command to love while wanting nothing to do with obeying His commands that teach us what it looks like to love.

Thank you