Romans 14:18

For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. FOR HE THAT IN THESE THINGS ('IN THIS' IS THE TRUE READING; MEANING, IN THIS THREEFOLD LIFE,) SERVETH CHRIST. Observe here again how, though we do these three things as a "kingdom of God," yet it is "Christ" that we serve in so doing; the apostle passing here from God to Christ as naturally as before from Christ to God-in a way inconceivable, if Christ had been viewed as a mere creature (cf. ). IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD, AND APPROVED OF MEN - for these are the things which God delights in, and men are constrained to approve (compare ; ;...

18._For he who in these things, etc. _An argument drawn from the effect: for it is impossible, but that when any one is acceptable to God and approved by men, the kingdom of God fully prevails and flourishes in him: he, who with a quiet and peaceful conscience serves Christ in righteousness, renders himself approved by men as well as by God. Wherever then there is righteousness and peace and spiritual joy, there the kingdom of God is complete in all its parts: it does not then consist of material things. But he says, that man is acceptable to God, because he obeys his will; he testifies that he is approved by men, because they cannot do otherwise than bear testimony to that excellency which they see with their eyes: not that the ungodly always favor the children of God; nay, when there is no cause, they often pour forth against them many reproaches, and with forged calumnies defame the i...

14-18 Christ deals gently with those who have true grace, though they are weak in it. Consider the design of Christ's death: also that drawing a soul to sin, threatens the destruction of that soul. Did Christ deny himself for our brethren, so as to die for them, and shall not we deny ourselves for them, so as to keep from any indulgence? We cannot hinder ungoverned tongues from speaking evil; but we must not give them any occasion. We must deny ourselves in many cases what we may lawfully do, when our doing it may hurt our good name. Our good often comes to be evil spoken of, because we use lawful things in an uncharitable and selfish manner. As we value the reputation of the good we profess and practise, let us seek that it may not be evil-spoken of. Righteousness, peace, and joy, are words that mean a great deal. As to God, our great concern is to appear before him justified by Christ...

Verse 18. _FOR HE THAT IN THESE THINGS_] The man, whether _Jew_ or _Gentile_, who _in these things_-righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, _serveth Christ_-acts according to his doctrine, is _acceptable to God_; for he has not only the _form_ of godliness in thus _serving Christ_, but he has the _power_, the very _spirit_ and _essence_ of it, in having righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; and therefore the whole _frame_ of his _mind_, as well as his _acts_, must be acceptable to God.-_And approved of men_; for although religion may be persecuted, yet the righteous man, who is continually labouring for the public good, will be generally esteemed. This was a very common form of speech among the Jews; that _he who was a conscientious observer of the law, was pleasing_ _to God and approved of men_. See several examples in _Schoettgen_....

IN THESE THINGS - In righteousness, peace, and joy. SERVETH CHRIST - Or obeys Christ, who has commanded them. He receives Christ as his “master” or “teacher” and does his will in regard to them. To do these things is to do honor to Christ, and to show the excellency of his religion. IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD - Whether he be converted from the Jews or the Gentiles. AND APPROVED OF MEN - That is, people will “approve” of such conduct; they will esteem it to be right, and to be in accordance with the spirit of Christianity. He does not say that the wicked world will “love” such a life, but it will commend itself to them as such a life as people ought to lead....

EXPOSITION ROMANS 14:1 F. _The duty of enlightened Christians towards weak brethren. _From moral duties in general of Christians towards each other and towards all the apostle now passes to such as they owe peculiarly to each other as members of a religious community, united by a common faith. He has already (Romans 12:16) admonished his readers to be "of the same mind one toward another;" but, as was remarked under that verse, this did not imply agreement of view on all subjects, such as is impossible where there are many minds. In this chapter he recognizes the impossibility, having immediately before him what was then patent, the inability of some, through prejudice or slowness of conception, to enter into views of the meaning of the gospel which to himself a

FOR HE THAT IN THESE THINGS SERVETH CHRIST,.... That is, in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost; he whose faith is an obedient one, and embraces these things, and from the heart obeys them; who seeks righteousness alone by Christ, and peace and pardon through his blood; who rejoices in Christ Jesus, and puts no trust in the flesh, in moral duties or ceremonial services; and who, from principles of grace, serves Christ in a way of righteousness, wherein he possesses true peace of conscience, and abundance of spiritual joy and comfort: the Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version, read, "in this thing"; as if it referred only to the right use of Christian liberty, about things indifferent: such an one IS ACCEPTABLE TO GOD; in Christ the beloved, in whom he believes, from whom he derives all his peace, joy, and comfort; and whom he serves in righteousness...

CHAPTER 14 _ 1. Strong and Weak Brethren are the Lord's Servants. (Romans 14:1 .)_ 2. The True Way of Love. (Romans 14:13 .) Romans 14:1 The question concerning brethren who were weak in faith, how they are to be treated by those who are strong is now taken up. Those weak in the faith had not the complete knowledge of their position in Christ, though they knew Christ and loved Him. They did not realize that certain observances of days, or abstinences from meats and drinks, could not affect their salvation in any way. There were scruples and conscientious difficulties, as there are still among God's people. One believeth he may eat all things, he knew his full Christian freedom--another who i

CONSIDERATENESS INSTEAD OF CENSORIOUSNESS. Romans 14:13. Let us stop judging one another (_cf._ Matthew 7:1); but come rather to this judgment, not to lay a stumbling-block in a brother's way, etc. Romans 14:14. For himself, Paul stands firmly on the side of liberty: I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus as one obedient to Christ's authority and convinced by His teaching (see Mark 7:14; _cf._ Acts 10:9)that religious distinctions in food have no intrinsic ground....

RESPECT FOR SCRUPLES (Romans 14:1) _ 14:1 Welcome the man who is weak in the faith, but not with a view to passing judgment on his scruples._ In this chapter Paul is dealing with what may have been a temporary and local problem in the Roman Church, but is also one continually confronting the Church and always demanding solution. In the Church at Rome there were apparently two lines of thought. There were some who believed that in Christian liberty the old tabus were gone; they believed that the old food laws were now irrelevant; they believed that Christianity did not consist in the special observance of any one day or days. Paul makes it clear that this in fact is the standpoint of real Christian faith. On the other hand, there were those who were full of scruples; they believed that it was wrong to eat meat; they believed in the rigid observance of the Sabbath tyranny.