About Doubtful Things By: Ray C

Title: About Doubtful Things By: Ray C. Stedman Scripture: Rom 14:1-23 Date: December 16, 1962 Series: Romans (Series #1) Message No: 24 Catalog No: 28 About Doubtful Things by Ray C. Stedman In this chapter of Romans, we come to grips I think you can see already, from these verses, with the problem of religious scruples. This is a that the subject of this chapter is one of scruples. very practical section, as you have noted in our Here is a man who is called “weak in faith.” No- previous studies. tice that he is not called “weak in the faith,” as you In our Bible classes in the homes, we have have it in the Authorized Version. It is not a ques- found that the most frequently asked question by tion of weak doctrine, it is a question of weak non-Christians is, “What about the heathen who practices. It is not that he is “weak in the faith,” have not heard the gospel?” And the most fre- but that he is “weak in faith.” He doesn’t have quently asked question by Christians is, “What is much faith, and he is facing the problem of taboos wrong with such-and-such activity?” Both of these or doubtful things. Here is the section that deals questions, I think, are in the nature of a defense with how to handle someone who is a legalist in the mechanism which reveals a sense of guilt to some matter of eating meat, drinking wine, or observing degree. days. This section deals with the question of doubtful It is interesting that, in the early church, in the things, religious scruples, that area of life where the first century, these were the only areas of doubtful Scripture does not directly specify an answer, and activity that are mentioned in the Scriptures. These about which we have many questions. This whole doubtful things are mentioned in several of the let- chapter is summed up with three words, and I hope ters of Paul, in Corinthians, in Galatians, in Colos- these words will remain fixed in our minds as the sians, and here in Romans, but it is always about key of the teaching of this great section: these three areas – observing days, drinking wine, and eating meat. You can see the progress that we The first word is a word to all Christians: have made in twenty centuries: Now we have a much longer list – smoking, wearing lipstick, im- As for the man who is weak in faith, proper clothing, doubtful recreation, going to mov- welcome him, but not for disputes over ies, playing cards, watching television – we have a opinions. One believes he may eat any- long, long list, all the way from eating onions to thing, while the weak man eats only vege- wearing buttons! tables. Let not him who eats despise him Paul says that the one thing that we must not who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God do with such a person is argue with him. You no- has welcomed him. {Rom 14:1-3 RSV} tice that Paul says, “welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions.” That is, don’t have doubtful The important word here is the word welcome, disputes to try to settle his mind or make up his or receive as you have it in the Authorized Version: mind for him. You are not to have disputes over “As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome opinions, and opinions are all that you can have in him.” Receive him. Make him welcome. What- this area because, in these matters, Scripture is si- ever else may be done, this must be done. This is lent. The rule is that, where Scripture is silent, the one word that governs our relationship to the conscience rules. There are areas where Scripture man weak in faith. does not speak. Page 1 About Doubtful Things On the other hand, there are some things that come them and receive them as a brother or sister are always wrong, no matter when you do them or in Jesus Christ, as one who shares, with us, life in where they occur. They are always wrong, and the body of Christ. The reason is, as Paul says, Scripture speaks very plainly and precisely about because “God has welcomed him.” That puts these areas: things in the right perspective, doesn’t it? And what a blow this is to all forms of exclusions in the · It is always wrong to steal. church of Jesus Christ – · It is always wrong to lie. · Drunkenness is always wrong. · To closed communion and all such attempts to · Gossip is always wrong. separate among the people of God, and · Jealousy and slander and bitterness and all these many things that we find in Scripture · To shut out those who don’t act in exactly the are always wrong! way we think – There need be no question about those things. · Who don’t subscribe to the same minor When we are guilty of them, we are wrong because variations of doctrine, or Scripture says so. This is apparent even in our own conscience, as well as in the Word of God. · Who carry out an ordinance in a different But there is another vast area where things are not way than we do! wrong in themselves, but the consequences follow- ing their practice frequently make them wrong, and All of this is regarded as unscriptural in the light of this is the area that we are considering – the area of this passage. doubtful things. I think that it is important to no- The one thing that we must do is to receive tice that Scripture is deliberately silent in these ar- them, because God has received them. If we reject eas. It is not that it couldn’t have spoken about them, we are in danger of becoming holier than many of these things, but it is that the writers, in- God. I am afraid this is a great danger today. So spired by the Spirit of God, are led to be deliber- frequently we meet this attitude. Somebody says, ately silent about them. When Paul received the letter from the Corin- · “We don’t want them here in our church. thians, they wrote to him about some of these · “They are not our kind of people. things and asked him to give them direction upon · “Yes, we recognize that they are Christians, how to act in regard to some of these things. It but they are just not our kind of people!” would have been very simple for the apostle to have written back, and said, “As an inspired apostle, my But, you see, we have no right to think that judgment is that you must not eat meat offered to way, or to talk that way, because it is the Lord who idols,” or “you should observe days,” or “you determines the make-up of his church – not the should not observe days and holidays, Sundays and people of the church. And Paul insists upon this Saturdays, and so on,” but he didn’t. Instead, he here. The one thing that must be extended to all spent several chapters explaining the principles who come in the name of Christ is a free and glad upon which these matters must be decided. Here in welcome, simply because they are believers, be- Romans he does not settle these matters with direct cause they are Christians, because they know him. authoritative words – as he has in other places We are not to get them in just with the hope that we about other matters – rather, he leaves it deliber- might be able to back them into a corner and argue ately inconclusive, but clearly gives us the princi- them out of some of their “quaint” beliefs, rather it ples. This is very important because it means that is to we must follow the same rule. We must not be presumptuous in judging · receive them, someone else in these areas. This is not for others · love them, to settle but for each man to settle himself, as we · welcome them, will see. The one thing that we must do is to wel- · make them feel at home, Page 2 About Doubtful Things tian, or that he is a worldly or a carnal Christian. despite their quaint beliefs! This is the clear-cut That is what it means to condemn or judge in this teaching of these opening verses. This is the word sense – to regard him as not being all that he should for all Christians in this area: Welcome them! be as a believer, or being unspiritual, because of these doubtful things in which he engages. Paul’s In the next section Paul gives a word to the word is: Judge not! Of course, if these things lead weak Christian, in Verses 4-12: to outright evil, they need to be judged; but, until they do, you are not to judge. Who are you to pass judgment on the ser- There are two reasons given for not judging vant of another? It is before his own mas- one another: ter that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Master is able to make him 1. First of all, judge not in view of the Lordship stand. of Jesus Christ. That is, you have no right to One man esteems one day as better judge.

Load more