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Timothy: Romans 14:13-23
Do Not Cause Another to Stumble

13 Then let us no longer judge one another, but rather judge this, not to put a stumbling-block or an offense toward a brother.

14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing by itself is common; except to the one deeming anything to be common, it is common.

15 But if your brother is grieved because of your food, you no longer walk according to love. Do not by your food destroy that one for whom Christ died.

16 Then do not let your good be spoken evil of.

17 For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

18 For the one serving Christ in these things is pleasing to God, and approved by men.

19 So then let us pursue the things of peace, and the things for building up one another.

20 Do not by your food undo the work of God. Truly, all things are clean, but it is bad to the man who eats through a stumbling-block.

21 It is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything by which your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is weak.

22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Blessed is the one not condemning himself in what he approves.

23 But the one doubting, if he eats, he has been condemned, because it is not of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I offer You my thanks and praise for Your provision that keeps me safe and satisfied each day on this earth. I acknowledge that Your love and grace always cover me, and I am content as I meditate on the Eternal Living Word of God, which is illuminated by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I am grateful that my physical body is still healthy and able to serve You, and I thank Jesus for strengthening me and the Holy Spirit for giving me wisdom.

Dear Father, I want to present my understanding of Romans 14:13-23.

Dear Father, I understand verse 13 to mean that believers in the Church should not judge each other based on their weaker faith or their different habits and personalities that do not violate God’s commandments. Such judgment is unfair and can cause our brothers and sisters to stumble, much like putting a stone in their path or setting a trap for them. This harms them spiritually and causes them to lose faith or be tempted by the devil to leave the Church.

Dear Father, I understand that verse 14 implies that the Apostle Paul received the Gospel of salvation directly from Jesus Christ, as he explained in Galatians 1:11-12. Therefore, he had a full understanding of the Gospel and was sure that, after Jesus had accomplished the atonement for human sin, those who believed in Him would be in Him. For those who are in Him, nothing created by God is considered impure. This is also the revelation that God gave to the Apostle Peter, as recorded in Acts 10:15. However, if anyone in Christ believes that something is impure, then it is impure for that person alone.

Dear Father, I understand that the death of Christ made impure things pure. Nevertheless, when humans offer these things as sacrifices to idols, they become defiled. I also understand that some people have aversions to certain foods, and for them, these foods are considered impure as they can be harmful to their bodies. If there are brothers and sisters in Christ who choose not to eat foods considered impure in the Old Testament, then that is their right, which other members of the Church must respect. However, they must also respect those who do not abstain from those foods.

Dear Father, I understand verse 15 as follows: The people of God in the Church should not mock or criticize each other for eating or not eating certain foods, as this only causes sadness. Eating or not eating a certain food does not violate God’s commandments, so it is not a sin. Mockery and criticism can lead the person being mocked or criticized to fall away from their faith, resulting in their spiritual ruin.

Dear Father, I understand verse 16 as follows: It is a good thing that there is no longer any food that is prohibited in Christ. However, the people of God who have this understanding must know how to behave so that their understanding does not become a stumbling block for weaker believers who still abstain from foods considered impure. This was a problem in the early Church, as there was no New Testament Scripture at the time, and God’s people often ate together in fellowship. Those who came from Jewish backgrounds still followed the ceremonial laws of the Old Testament.

Dear Father, I understand verse 17 as follows: The people of God in the Church are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, which is within them. They become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven not because of what they eat or do not eat, but because God has declared them righteous when they believe in the redemptive death of Jesus Christ. As a result, they are filled with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Dear Father, I understand verse 20 to mean that the work of God is to save and lead people to the knowledge of the truth. There are things that I am allowed to do, but if they cause my brothers and sisters to stumble, I should not do them, as stumbling may cause them to falter in faith. If there is any food that makes my brothers and sisters feel disgusted or uncomfortable, then I should not eat it in front of them. In this way, I would not be hindering the work of God.

Dear Father, I understand verse 21 as follows: It is not that I can never eat meat or drink wine, but I should not do so in front of my brothers and sisters who abstain from them. The purpose is to avoid making them uncomfortable and causing offense. It is not just about eating meat or drinking wine, but anything that could cause offense to my brothers and sisters in Christ should not be done in their presence.

Dear Father, I understand verse 22 as follows: As a child of God, everyone has faith. However, the amount of faith of each person is different, depending on what God has given and how each person has trained themselves. Everyone should live according to their own faith, as long as they do not do anything they know is wrong.

Dear Father, I understand verse 23 as follows: For those who are not certain that the people of God need to abstain from certain unclean foods, if they eat those foods, they are committing a sin. The sin is not because they eat those foods, but because they do not do so in faith. Anything done without faith is a sin. Because by doing so, they accept that their actions may be sinful, yet they still do them.

Dear Father, I am grateful for the understanding I received today through the Eternal Living Word of God. Please help me to be mindful of my behavior towards my fellow brothers and sisters in faith, as well as those I come into contact with every day, regardless of their beliefs. Please help me to always remember that I am the salt of the earth and the light of the world, used by You to bring the love, holiness, and justice of God to all. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Timothy Christian Huynh
04/10/2023