Romans 14:7

For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. FOR NONE OF US LIVETH TO HIMSELF (see the notes at 2 Corinthians 5:14) - to dispose of himself or shape his conduct after his own ideas and inclinations; AND NO MAN ('NO ONE' OF US CHRISTIANS) DIETH TO HIMSELF....

7._For no one of us, etc. _He now confirms the former verse by an argument derived from the whole to a part, — that it is no matter of wonder that particular acts of our life should be referred to the Lord’s will, since life itself ought to be wholly spent to his glory; for then only is the life of a Christian rightly formed, when it has for its object the will of God. But if thou oughtest to refer whatever thou doest to his good pleasure, it is then an act of impiety to undertake anything whatever, which thou thinkest will displease him; nay, which thou art not persuaded will please him....

7-13 Though some are weak, and others are strong, yet all must agree not to live to themselves. No one who has given up his name to Christ, is allowedly a self-seeker; that is against true Christianity. The business of our lives is not to please ourselves, but to please God. That is true Christianity, which makes Christ all in all. Though Christians are of different strength, capacities, and practices in lesser things, yet they are all the Lord's; all are looking and serving, and approving themselves to Christ. He is Lord of those that are living, to rule them; of those that are dead, to revive them, and raise them up. Christians should not judge or despise one another, because both the one and the other must shortly give an account. A believing regard to the judgment of the great day, would silence rash judgings. Let every man search his own heart and life; he that is strict in judging...

Verse Romans 14:7. _NONE OF US LIVETH TO HIMSELF_] The Greek writers use the phrase, εαυτω ζην, to signify acting according to one's own judgment, following one's own opinion. Christians must act in all _things_ according to the mind and will of God, and not follow their own _wills_. The apostle seems to intimate that in all the above cases each must endeavour to _please God_, for he is accountable to him alone for his conduct in these indifferent things. God is our master, we must _live to him_, as we live under his notice and by his bounty; and when we cease to live among men, we are still in his hand. Therefore, what we do, or what we leave undone, should be in reference to that eternity which is ever at hand....

FOR NONE OF US ... - Whether by nature Jews or Gentiles. In the great principles of religion we are now united. Where there was evidence of a sincere desire to do the will of God there should be charitable feeling, through there was difference of opinion and judgment in many smaller matters. The meaning of the expression is, that no Christian lives to gratify his own inclinations or appetites. He makes it his great aim to do the will of God; to subordinate all his desires to his Law and gospel; and though, therefore, one should eat flesh, and should feel at liberty to devote to common employments time that another deemed sacred, yet it should not be uncharitably set down as a desire to indulge his sensual appetites, or to become rich. Another motive “may be” supposed, and where there is not positive “proof” to the contrary, “should be” supposed; see the beautiful illustration of this in...

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 NONE OF US LIVETH TO HIMSELF,.... That is, none of us believers; others may, but these do not, at least they ought not, nor do they when under the influence of the grace of God: they do not live, neither to righteous, nor to sinful self; they do not live upon their duties and services; nor do they ascribe their life, righteousness, and salvation to them; nor do they live to their own lusts, or make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof, and much less to the lusts and wills of others: AND NO MAN DIETH TO HIMSELF; every man dies, and must, or undergo a change equivalent to death; believers die as well as others, not eternally, or the second death, but corporeally, or a temporal death, but not to themselves; as they do not seek their own will and pleasure, and profit in life, so neither in death; they do not die to their own advantage only; death is gain unto them, it fre...

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

A LESSON IN TOLERATION. A special homily for Rome (Romans 14:1 to Romans 15:13) follows the comprehensive exhortation of chs. 12 f. Some ascetic circle in the Roman Church (p. 650), led perhaps by Jews of Essenic tenets (see Lightfoot's _Colossians,_ on the Essenes), practised vegetarianism; others made much of sacred days. On such matters Christians should not judge or quarrel with each other. ROMANS 14:1. The man who eats herbs only, has a feeble apprehension of the Gospel, imagining his salvation affected by his diet; see Romans 14:17; _cf._...

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.