Paul ends his letter to the Romans with one final teaching about submission to people in authority placed over us by God. He states that the night is far gone and the day is at hand. He urges his audience to lay aside the deeds of darkness and clothe themselves instead with the Lord Jesus Christ, no longer living to satisfy the desires of the flesh. This call to walk in the light serves as the foundation for addressing a different kind of darkness altogether—not sin committed openly, but the quiet, corrosive habit of dividing over disputable matters, judging one another, and placing stumbling blocks before those still growing in the faith.
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:12 (NIV)
The deeds of darkness are anything that separates us from God. Rivalry, jealousy, hatred, and self-confidence are darkness’s tools, and so is anything sown into our hearts by the evil one. Before Paul can speak of how we are to treat one another in disputable matters, he first strips away the darkness itself, calling us to put on the Lord Jesus Christ rather than trust in our own strength.
Quarreling Over Disputable Matters
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.
Romans 14:1 (NIV)
Why do we get into meaningless quarrels over our interpretation of the scriptures with others?
We get into these quarrels because we believe that what we know is the true gospel, and that others have gotten it wrong, so we set out to prove our stance. But thinking that we know everything is, in itself, putting confidence in ourselves rather than in God. We become adamant in the areas where we have experienced something, applying that experience as a formula and a guide, unwilling to leave that thought process.
Some people place great importance on the law and debate how to adhere to it, strictly interpreting its letters and contending over its provisions, often seeking to do the bare minimum while claiming to follow the law. We argue about how to worship the Lord, where to worship Him, what to eat, and when to eat it. We have lengthy debates which customs are more important than others, a struggle that has continued since the early church days, when people began mixing their own customs with their faith, creating a new religion to fill the void left by the previous one.
If we zoom out and think, we will understand that our arguments are usually about the inconsequential, things which we, in our own minds, have labeled as critical to our faith. Our quarrels and disputes, if they are not led or initiated by God to help someone see the light, are initiated by the evil one to keep people in the dark. The anger and animosity that such meaningless quarrels generate is enough to turn people away from the quest of actually following God. Instead, they simply begin a different quest altogether — the quest of defending their own beliefs.
Servants Are Answerable to Their Masters
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Romans 14:4 (NIV)
Why do we put stumbling blocks before a new believer’s path?
We do this because we want to show our experience — that we have been in the faith longer and know more, so it seems better to us that others simply follow our path. We think we cannot allow anyone to compromise on the things we ourselves once had to do. Underneath it all, we are more worried about our own agenda than about furthering the will of God; if we truly denied ourselves and followed His will instead, we would not be doing this.
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
Romans 14:12 (NIV)
When we see someone under someone else’s authority, we choose to ignore their misdeeds, saying it is not our business. But when we see someone immature in their faith, perhaps unintentionally faltering, we choose to intervene and correct them. Yet when we see someone intentionally misleading others for their own benefit, misrepresenting the word of God, we remain silent, telling ourselves that God will handle it. In truth, we are intimidated by the person and their position, and that is why we do not correct them.
Let us not burden the one just coming into the fold by always showing our superiority, but instead allow the leading of God to work in our own lives, correcting only the people He wants us to approach.
Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
Romans 14:13 (NIV)
Becoming Stumbling Blocks
If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval
Romans 14:15,17-18 (NIV)
Why is it hard for us to simply set aside the things that might be stumbling blocks for new believers? Are we so dense that we don’t understand the damage we are doing to someone’s faith?
It is hard because our objective is not clear in our own minds. If our objective were truly to spread God’s love, setting aside our own points would be far easier. Instead, we find that we are not able to change ourselves enough to move away from those things. We are, in truth, faking it rather than living in it, because if we were truly in God, we would understand that these things are inconsequential. What we are called to do is something different altogether.
So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.
Romans 14:22 (NIV)
We go against the plans of God not by what goes into our mouths, but by what comes out of them. The words we speak can shape our relationships and influence the lives of those around us. Therefore, it is crucial to remember that we must not judge people for doing something we ourselves were doing before God opened our eyes. Everyone is on their unique journey, navigating through challenges and revelations at their own pace. We must give them time and space, and let God give them insight in His time, not on ours.
Unite With Christ
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Romans 15:4 (NIV)
If we merely learn to endure, we will never succeed in these efforts, for the endurance will not feel like endurance at all when we truly depend on God. Instead, it becomes a source of strength and hope, empowering us to overcome the trials that life presents. Before we can love our brethren, we must first love God and follow His ways, embracing His teachings and allowing them to guide our actions. Only through His love working in us can we build a community based on faith. When we all commit to this, we will unite in our wish to truly follow God and fulfill the mission of Jesus.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had
Romans 15:5 (NIV)
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