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that it was "to this end Christ both died and lived again, that He might be the LORD both
of the dead and living".
#80. Romans 14: 1 - 15: 7.
Principles that should guide us in cases of conscience.
pp. 54 - 59
Having emphasized the Lordship of Christ with respect to all believers, whether they
be strong or weak, the Apostle passes on to the conclusion of the matter (Rom. 14: 13 -
15: 7). He counsels the believer to "judge" himself rather than others, so that no
stumbling-block should be put in the way of his brethren. In other words he is to "walk
according to love", or as the A.V. puts it, "walk . . . . . charitably" (Rom. 14: 15). The
tendency to censoriousness and self-pleasing in these things is destructive:
"Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died" (Rom. 14: 15).
We should ever follow after those things that make for peace and which build up, and
not attempt to hold to our "rights" and "liberties" if by so doing we exalt them above
Christian love. For while the believer may be "free" to eat this or drink that, it is "good"
to refrain and to limit one's liberty rather than be the occasion of stumbling to a weaker
brother.
Such, however, is not a complete statement of the Apostle's exhortation. He
introduces in verses 14, 16, 20, 22 and 23 the principle that, when once grasped, will be
an all-sufficient guide for us in any similar case of conscience.
To perceive these verses in their true relationship we must have recourse to the
structure of the section.