Do Not Pass Judgment on One Another

In Romans 14, Paul taught about the brotherly love by explaining the problem of criticizing the people whose faith is weak. Because in the days that Paul wrote this letter, there were some problems among the brothers about what they are allow to eat, keeping the day and also about circumcision and the baptism. So Paul had to write to them so that they will not offense their brothers or judge one another for these problems. He wrote about food and the day in particular in this chapter to encourage them to love one another. Than what did he teach about brotherly love in chapter 14?

“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.”
- Romans 14:1-2

Do Not Cause Another to Stumble

So why did food and the day became the problem among the brothers in the first place? As Paul wrote about himself in the beginning of this letter that he was elected to spread the Gospel especially among the gentiles, the Word of God was outspread to the gentiles as well as Jews. So the difference of their tradition caused them conflicts.

“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.”
- Romans 14:5-6

Do Not Judge One Another

Even though the Jews taught other to keep the law and judge others for not keeping them, they did not keep themselves and sinned. And they judged and offended one another. So Paul taught them not to judge others but to give thanks to God and do everything for Him. And to have confidence in what they do. Because even if they judge one another, they will have to stand before the Lord to be judged for what they did. We are the servants of the Lord so even if we judge each other, everything is under His control whether we fall or we stand. So we have to do everything for God our master as the servants.

“Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”
- Romans 14:4

God is God of All the People

Not only that Christ died for the one who’s weak in faith but for all the Christians. So God is God of all the people both dead and living, So we should not let our appetite destroy someone who Christ died for. This is why Paul wrote to his brother in Christ, so that they will not let their difference in tradition cause divisions and offenses among them.

“For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.”
- Romans 14:9

We should not have divisions and offenses between us, because we are the servants of the master our Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, we have to work together with unity to build the Kingdom of God. In order to do that, we have to have peace among us. Because as Paul wrote in Romans 14:17 “God’s kingdom isn’t about eating and drinking. It is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness.”.

What should we do instead of judging one another as brothers in Christ? Paul wrote that we have to give thanks to the Lord for all things. Whatever we do we have to do for God. Because unlike the Old Covenant, there is no restriction about eating in the New Covenant. But instead we were commanded to do everything for God with faith and the heart of thanksgiving. To have love and peace between us is how we should live as the servants of God and this is the reflection of true faith.

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”
- Romans 14:19