Vandals in God’s temple

13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.

19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. 20 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats. 21 It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. 22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.

Romans 14:13-23

Last Sunday, a group went for lunch at Piatto after the morning service. The conversation was great as we sat around the table. When the waiter came to take the drink order, one of us ordered an ice-cold Heineken. It felt like there was an awkward pause. I imagine one side of the table may have thought, Are they really going to drink that here? What does that say about our witness? And I imagine the other side of the table may have thought, They have freedom in Christ. Are they policing their liberty?

We’re not going to resolve the alcohol debate this morning. The point is we have differing views alcohol consumption. We have differing views about being inked. Differing views about celebrating Christmas. And differing views about which day of the week we should worship on.

How do we, as a church, handle our differences? The world has an answer. Find your tribe and build your wall. But the gospel has another answer entirely. And we find it in Romans 14. So turn with me, please, to Romans 14:13.

The verdict that changes everything

13 Therefore is a massive pivot. It connects back to the judgment seat of Christ in Romans 14:10-12. Each of us will give an account to God. 13 Therefore, Let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister. Rome’s church was divided. Jewish believers returned to Rome to find Gentile believers leading. Dietary laws and table fellowship were splitting them apart. Into the tension Paul writes, stop judging one another. And start judging yourself. Decide. Resolve. Determine that you will never be the reason another believer stumbles. Place a barrier around your own liberty. Not a stumbling block before your brother.

14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Paul is convinced. Liberty is real. But reality is relational. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. Truth does not trample tenderness.
15 For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. To knowingly exercise a liberty that grieves another is to stop walking in love. And to stop walking in love is to destroy someone for whom Christ died. Don’t use your freedom in Christ as a weapon against the cross of Christ. 16 Do not let your good be slandered. The world watches Christians bicker over non-essentials and concludes the good news isn’t very good. That we are just group of people with differences fighting for our rights.

Here’s the reason. 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Christianity isn’t about what goes into the stomach. It is about what fills the soul. Righteousness. Peace. Joy.

18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval. The one who limits liberty for a weaker brother serves Christ. Is approved by God. And is proven genuine before men.

Liezl and I bought an old house. Liezl wants to renovate. A wall in our lounge cramps her style. The house belongs to us. We have the freedom to remove any wall we want to. But can you imagine we knock the wall down? And then find out that it was load-bearing. Our right to renovate could collapse the entire structure. When we flaunt our liberties without love, we can bring down another’s house of faith. And that’s unkind, unloving, and un-Christian.

Christians are freed to stop judging others and start judging ourselves. And so we limit our liberties to build up our brothers rather than tear them down.

The verdict is in. Stop judging and start loving by limiting liberty. This verdict must be lived out. So Paul moves from the love principle to the practice of peace.

The pursuit that proves everything

19 So then connects back to the kingdom. Because the kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy, here is what we do. Let us pursue. The word is means to chase. To hunt. To press toward. This is not passive. Not accidental. Not optional. Chase peace. Hunt it down. Devote yourselves to what builds up one another. Builds up is a construction word. Every time you choose not to exercise your freedom for the sake of a brother, you are not just being nice, you are building something. You are laying a brick in the wall of the church. You are constructing a home where a tender conscience can find shelter.

20 Do not tear down. Destroy. Demolish. God’s work. What is God’s work? The brother for whom Christ died. The sister with a tender conscience. The weak may not be new Christians. But their consciences have been formed by a particular tradition. They are not necessarily legalists. But for them certain things feel forbidden. Even if the Bible does not forbid them. Do not demolish them because of food. Because of your right to eat what you want. Everything is clean. Paul affirms it again. You are free. But don’t let your freedom crush a conscience. Do not demolish a brother for whom Christ died. To do that would be to pit yourself against God.

Paul expands. Not just meat. Wine. anything. Your hobby. Your holiday. Your social media. Things which are morally neutral. Lawful things, but not helpful things. Permissible but not beneficial. If it causes your brother or sister stumble, it is not worth it. The same idea is found in Leviticus 19:14. Do not put a stumbling block in front of the blind. To flaunt your liberty before a weak conscience is to trip a blind man. It is cruel. It is sinful. It is unworthy of the gospel. 22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. Liberty limited by love is a good thing.

Now Paul turns to the weak. To the tender conscience. Do not violate your own conscience. If you doubt, do not do it. If you are unsure, abstain. Not because the thing itself is wrong. But because everything that is not from faith is sin. Faith trusts God. Faith rests in Christ. Faith acts with confidence. To act while doubting is to act apart from trust. And apart from trust is sin.

Picture two cars approaching a narrow bridge at the same time. With room for only one to pass. Both drivers have the right to proceed. But if both insist on their right, they will collide. One driver must yield. Because yielding is the only way either gets home. The Christian life is a narrow bridge. We yield our right of way so that we cross together.

The verdict proves itself genuine when we pursue peace, protect God’s work, and preserve conscience by faith. And preserve conscience by faith.

But what power makes such a community possible?

Connect to the gospel

What force is strong enough to make a man surrender his rights? What fire is hot enough to purify a weak conscience from its fear? One force. One fire. The gospel of Jesus Christ.

Behold the cross. Christ died for the weak. Not the strong. Not the enlightened. Not those who had all their doctrines perfectly aligned. The weak. The ones with trembling consciences. The ones who would stumble over a piece of meat. Christ died for them.

Now consider what Paul has said. To flaunt your liberty before a weak brother is to tear down God’s work. And what is God’s work? The brother for whom Christ died. Do you see the horror? To destroy a brother by your freedom is to vandalise the very purchase of the cross. Christ purchased that man with His own blood. His own blood. And you will demolish him over a pork chop? Verily, it is unthinkable.

And to the weak, Paul speaks with equal weight. Christ died for you. He accepted you while your conscience was still trembling. He did not wait for you to become strong. He did not demand that you first see your liberty. He died for you weak. So why would you now act apart from faith? Why would you reach for what your conscience forbids? To violate your own faith is to sin against the God who received you exactly as you are.

The cross levels us all. The strong flaunt liberty to prove themselves. Christ already secured your acceptance. He died for you. You have nothing left to prove. The weak fear condemnation if they do not conform. But Christ already bore your condemnation. He bore it all. You have nothing left to fear.

The resurrection seals it. He rose. He reigns. He returns. And because He lives, you are free to stop performing. Free to stop pretending. Free to limit your liberty without resentment. Free to honour your conscience without shame. The kingdom is not eating or drinking. It is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. And you cannot produce those things by flaunting your rights or by fearing your doubts. They come only from resting in Christ.

This, then, is the gospel call. Not a suggestion. Not a helpful tip for better relationships. An imperative. A summons from the risen Christ Himself. The gospel call is to pursue peace together. By limiting liberties and honouring consciences.

So the cross levels us. The empty tomb frees us. The ascended Lord reigns over us. Now, what does that look like when the waiter comes and asks for your drink order? Let me tell you.

Application for believers

Now let us be specific. What must you do in light of the gospel truth we’ve learnt?

Brothers, identify one liberty you must limit. One freedom you possess. One right you could exercise. And for the sake of a brother, lay it down. Perhaps it is your leisure. What you watch. Where you go. How you spend your time. Perhaps it is your preference. A style of music. The way the service runs. The colour of the carpet. Things that do not matter. Things that become weapons.

Identify one matter of conscience you must honour. One doubt you have ignored. One action you have taken while your heart trembled. And abstain from it. Because acting apart from faith is sin. Protect your conscience today. But do not stay here. Bring your doubts to the Word. Let Scripture inform your conscience so that your freedom, like your faith, rest on what Christ has done.

Here is your measure. Before you act this week. Before you speak this week. Before you post or purchase or proceed. Ask yourself one question. Can I do this in faith? And , Do I do no harm to those around me? If you cannot answer yes, then stop. Do not move. Do not act. This is not about perfection. This is about peace. Not about proving yourself. About building your brother. You will fail. We all fail. But failure is not the end. Confession is the path. Return to the cross. Rest in Christ. And try again. One liberty. One matter of conscience. This week. Do this. And watch God build His church.

Application for unbelievers

And to you who does not yet know Christ. You who watches from the outside. You who sees the church and wonder. The world cannot produce what you see here. The world runs on rights. My rights. My freedom. My way. The world teaches you to insist. To demand. To fight for what is yours. And where has that gotten you? Conflict. Loneliness. Exhaustion. You fight for your rights and win nothing.

But here. Here in this church. Here among these flawed and failing people. You glimpse something else. Men surrendering their rights. The strong limiting their liberty. The weak honouring their conscience. Not because they must. Because they love. Not because they’re forced. Because they’re free. This peace you have seen, it does not grow on earth. It descends from heaven. It comes from Christ.

And He offers it to you. Not religion. Not rules. Not a list of foods to avoid. Himself. Jesus Christ who died for the weak. Who purchased sinners with His own blood. Who rose and reigns and returns. He offers you forgiveness. He offers you peace. He offers you a place with these people. Not as a spectator. As a brother. As a son.

Here is your action. Today. Now. In your heart. Pray this prayer. Not with eloquent words. Say, Lord, I need Jesus. I need Him to forgive my sin. I need Him to help me love my God and my fellow man. That is enough. That is the beginning. Do this today. And the peace you have seen today will be yours forever.

Conclusion

So we return to where we began. To the table. To the awkward pause. To the differing views.

The world watches. The world expects us to divide. Choose our tribe. Build our wall. The world knows only one way to handle difference. Fight for your rights or flee to your corner.

But we are not of this world. We are of the kingdom. And the kingdom is not eating and drinking. Not Heineken. Not hymns. Not holidays. Not hobbies. The kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. And you cannot produce those things by flaunting your rights or by fearing your doubts. They come only from resting in Christ.

So here is the verdict that changes everything. Stop judging one another. And start judging yourself. Limit your liberty. Not because you must. Because you love. Not because you are forced. Because you are free.

Here is the pursuit that proves everything. Chase peace. Hunt it down. Protect God’s work. Do not vandalise with your freedom the brother for whom Christ died. Preserve your conscience by faith. Do not act while your heart trembles. Act from faith. Rest in Christ.

Our table did not divide. Not because everyone agreed. But because we lay down our rights for others. That is church. We have a peace the world cannot produce. A peace that must be pursued. As we limit our liberties. And do not violate our consciences.

Amen.