Chapter 14. “Now, him that is weak in the faith receive not to (the) determining of questions of reasoning.” (New Translation.) We may make a mistake either way. We may become so narrow as to reject a brother weak in faith, or we may make our receiving a caviling person, the determining of doubtful questions, and reasoning speculations. The Holy Ghost would have us carefully avoid both these extremes. In many things such as eating and drinking, esteeming one day holy, or all days alike—in all such matters, we are not to judge one another, but walk together in love.
Verse 10. “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand [or be placed] before the judgment-seat of Christ.” This is not a question of being brought into the judgment for sins, or sin. That has been settled earlier in the Epistle. (Chap. 8:1, 33, 34.) The Lord assures us this shall not be. (John 5:24.) What then is meant here? Simply the question in hand. The fact that all will be placed before God, who cannot make a mistake in what He approves, should be a wholesome check in preventing the injurious habit of judging one another. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more.”
Surely this does not teach us to be indifferent when the Person of Christ, or the truth in Him, is attacked: for Paul had to withstand even a Peter to his face. But it does teach us “that no man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” To do so, is not to walk according to love. A weak brother might, by seeing me eat things offered to idols, be led to do so, and his conscience being defiled, he might fall into idolatry, and get, for the time being, under the power of Satan, and, as to fellowship, away from Christ. In fact, just where a wicked person had to be put for the destruction of the flesh. (1 Cor. 5:5.) This would be destroying a brother, instead of the flesh, or, on the other hand, his conscience might be destroyed. In any case love would seek to put no stumbling-block in a brother’s way.
We have also known cases where a person has observed the Lord’s day as the Sabbath, in a pious but Jewish way. Another person to show his superior knowledge has done things on the Lord’s day which were a desecration in the eyes of the former; and the result has been most disastrous to both. For years both conscience and communion were lost or destroyed. Do not, however, for a moment suppose that these words “destroy not him,” &c, can possibly mean the destruction of eternal life. Scripture cannot contradict itself.
If it seems to do so, it is evident we have not got the true sense of one at least of the texts. If the eternal life we have in Christ could be destroyed, then it would not be eternal. And of those who have eternal life, Jesus says, “they shall never perish,” that is enough for faith. It is, however, a most wholesome and important thing to have the judgment-seat of Christ constantly before us. It would preserve us from much judging, or even devouring one another.
The great point here is serving Christ acceptably to God. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” These are precious words: righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. If God reigns in our hearts, there will be consistency, that which is consistent with the holy place we are in. “Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” This will lead us to do nothing, whether in eating flesh or drinking wine, whereby a brother may be stumbled. This must not, however, lead us to compromise the gospel. Had Paul also refused to eat with the Gentiles lest he should offend Peter, that would not have been for edification, but would have compromised the gospel. It was saying Christ is not enough for your eternal salvation, you must also keep the law.
Thus by some the law was held as superior to Christ. In like manner, if a society of men were to say, Christ alone is not enough for the deliverance of a sinner and his complete salvation, you must take a pledge with us not to drink wine—it would not be of faith, or love, or edification, thus to compromise the gospel. It would soon be, as with the Judaizing teachers, to seduce from Christ. If Christ has not the pre-eminence, something else soon will have. Satan ever seeks to use that which is good to displace Christ. Law is good, temperance is good; but let us watch lest we use either to rob us of Christ. We need to be kept on the right hand, and on the left. These remarks are only intended to apply where temperance is put in the place of Christ. Let every one be fully persuaded in his own mind, and let us each remember “ whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Let us ask ourselves in the presence of God, do I need this for my body which is the Lord’s? Is there any brother I know, who will be stumbled if I take it? Have I faith, is it pleasing to the Lord that I take it, or that I do this?
And let us be very careful as to boasting in these matters, or in judging our brother. “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”
Chapter 15. The apostle says, “We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” How tender then we ought to be now in these days when all are weak, and feeble together. “Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.” Is not this truly lovely? Where shall we find it perfectly exemplified? Oh, there is One, yes, one only perfect One. “For even Christ pleased not himself.” No self-vindication; “but as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” His eye ever on and up to the Father, He was the expression, the revelation of the Father, God manifest. And all the reproaches He felt to be against His Father. He answered not again, He pleased not Himself, but His ineffable delight was to bear all, and do the will of Him that sent Him.
“Now, the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one toward another, according to Christ Jesus. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What a prayer! how needed at all times, but more especially in these last days of discord. He is the perfect copy; it is “according to Christ Jesus” He has received us to the glory of God, yes, as objects of mercy according to the riches of His grace. Let us never forget how He has received us, in receiving one another. Then the scriptures are quoted to show how grace has, and was, to abound to the Gentiles. This showed that Jewish believers were not to reject them.
It is also to be observed, that these scriptures will have their complete fulfillment in the millennial kingdom. “There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.”
Then follows another prayer, “Now, the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” How distinctly the state of the soul is connected with the coming of the Lord, though it is not the subject of this Epistle! May we know our Father as the God of patience, and the God of hope.
Verse 14. In this verse it must be noted that there is no thought of the first bishop of Rome. “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” Now is it not remarkable that in the whole of this inspired letter to the saints at Rome, there is not a single sentence that can have the slightest recognition of, or reference to, such a person as a bishop of Rome. The brethren were able to admonish one another; and each was responsible according to the measure of grace bestowed, as in chapter 12. The first bishop of Rome and his successors are a pure invention of after times.
Had Peter been, or any other brother the bishop of Borne, Paul must here have recognized him as such. Does he not rather declare his own apostle-ship, as minister of the Gentiles. (Verses 16-20.) All this to Paul was the free favor of God, “because of the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles,” &c. And the result of all this blessed favor, he could offer up to God, “being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” Now, all thus being of the free favor of God, he could glory. “I have therefore, whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God,” The young believer will do well to ponder these precious divine principles of service—how the Gentiles had been made obedient to the gospel. Through mighty signs and wonders, by (not human wisdom or eloquence, but) the power of the Spirit of God. And what a mission to the Gentiles! And mark, the true work of this evangelist, not to build on another’s foundation. “Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named,” &c. This is most important. Oh, think even in this day, how many thousands of nominal Christians are in the towns and villages, who have never heard the gospel. And in many places, there is a real thirst for the simple truth. It is most cheering to know how God in sovereign grace is using tracts. Still, it is pleasing in His sight, that His saints should not only spread these in faith, in regions beyond, but also the evangelist take the glad tidings everywhere, “and round about.”
Some may say, we are not evangelists. No, but you can help the evangelist; let him be well supplied with tracts and books: these greatly help him in his blessed work in winning souls to God, and in building them up when converted. You can help, perhaps, most in prayer, and sympathy. You can help him to take lodgings in the distant village. In a word, if our hearts are stirred up in the sympathy of Christ for precious souls, He will open up the way in which we can all be fellow-helpers in this blessed work. The Lord give us more of the yearning after souls we have in these verses.