The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Romans 14

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Romans 14:1

Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.

(a) Accept those who see things differently from you. Don’t judge your Christian brothers and sisters if they don’t share your convictions on matters of conscience (Rom. 14:10). If we are to attain unity in the faith, we need to “accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us” (Rom. 15:7).

Can a Christian dance, drink alcohol, have tattoos, wear lipstick, go to the movies, or have long hair? Should Christians fast, attend church twice on Sundays, pay tithes, and erect Christmas trees in the church sanctuary? Can Christians gamble, remarry, run for office, and serve in the military? Can worship teams use electric guitars, hymnbooks, or smoke machines? Should we sit or stand during worship? Should we say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”? How often should we take communion, and who is allowed to receive it? Questions like these can lead to quarrels—even church splits. Issues that are not a big deal to you may be a big deal for others. So Paul spends most of this chapter and half of the next one teaching us how to deal with questions of conscience. The two issues Paul addresses concern meat eating (verses 2 and 3) and the observance of special days (verses 5 and 6).

(b) The one who is weak in faith is uncertain about grace. By abstaining from certain foods or observing special days they hope to become holy or acceptable to God. Ironically, those who are weak in the faith often consider themselves “strong Christians” because of their convictions. They do not realize that their actions are dead works, and their convictions belie a lack of trust in God’s grace.

Being “weak in faith” does not mean loving Jesus less or being less devoted to him. It means such a person has not fully grasped the significance of Christ’s finished work. They are caught between the old and new covenants. In context, Paul is probably referring to Jewish believers who had been keeping the Sabbath their whole lives and had no intention of stopping (verse 5). Similarly, they avoided meat that might have been improperly prepared or sold in pagan temples, choosing vegetarianism as a safer option (verse 2).

In Galatia, legalists were pressuring believers to adopt Jewish customs (Gal. 2:12–13), but in Rome and Corinth, the situation was reversed: The freedom of the Gentile believers was alienating Jewish Christians who had been raised with strict rules. The danger was that the meat eaters would look down on the vegetarians, and the vegetarians would despise the meat eaters (verse 3).

Although this conflict over meat had the potential to divide Jewish and Gentile believers, Paul does not mention ethnic differences in this chapter. He does not say, “The Jews think one way, the Gentiles another,” because that would reinforce the very divisions he was trying to erase. Instead, he simply states that some have weak faith, others have strong faith, and we are all called to accept each other regardless.

(c) Passing judgment. Don’t be a “grace Pharisee” who looks down on people who are not yet walking in freedom. Some people have decades of tradition and bad teaching to unload. Accept them as they are and give them space to grow.

(d) His opinions are his thoughts or views, which may be subject to change. The original noun dialogismos means “a thinking through.” It’s a process, not a result. We are all growing in grace. We promote growth by giving people space to work through what the Lord is teaching them. We hinder growth by arguing or passing judgment.

Romans 14:2

One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.

(a) He may eat all things. Paul’s position was that we are free to eat anything (Rom. 14:14), but he understood that some did not share his views.

(b) He who is weak. He who avoids eating meat; see previous verse.

(c) Eats vegetables only. Some people are vegetarian for reasons of conscience, and this was the case for many Jews living in Gentile cities.

Under the Jewish religion, certain foods, such as pork and shellfish, were considered unclean (see Lev. 11). Other meats had to be prepared a certain way to be kosher or acceptable. If a Jew could not determine whether butchered meat met these standards, it was often easier to be vegetarian.

Romans 14:3

The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.

(a) Regard with contempt. Don’t look down on those you deem weak in the faith, but accept them (Rom. 14:1).

(b) Not to judge. You may believe it is wrong for Christians to dance, drink, or play sports on Sunday, but it is not your place to criticize and condemn those who do.

Paul speaks to judgmental attitudes on both sides—meat-eaters and vegetarians, wine-drinkers and teetotallers, hymn-singers and those who prefer contemporary worship. One group despises the other as legalists, saying, “Don’t you know that all things are lawful (1 Cor. 6:12)?” The other group accuses them of being licentious, insisting, “We’re supposed to come out of the world and be separate (2 Cor. 6:17).” Both sides have scriptures to support their stance, and the harder one pushes, the more deeply the other digs in. It’s a recipe for conflict and division. Paul defuses the situation by pointing out a higher truth: stop judging those whom God has accepted.

(c) God has accepted him. If God accepts people who see things differently, who are we to reject them? Instead of dismissing those we think are wacky, weaker, or weird, we should embrace them as brothers and sisters in the Lord and build them up in the faith (Rom. 14:19).

Romans 14:4

Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

(a) Who are you to judge? If God has invited all to his banqueting table, who are we to turn people away?

There is great freedom in knowing that it is not up to us to change people. Changing people is the Lord’s business. He made them; he can change them. Our part is to love, accept, and reveal Jesus to them (Rom. 14:19, 15:7).

(b) To his own master he stands. Servants don’t judge other servants. If another believer has a different conviction from you, that is between them and the Lord.

Romans 14:5

One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.

(a) One day above another. Some Christians regard the Sabbath as a special day, while others see it as just another day of the week. Some celebrate the Jewish feast days, while others can’t distinguish Passover from Pentecost. Some observe fasting days, while others eat fish on Fridays. As always, the issue is not what you do but why you do it. Observing special days to improve your standing before God is a form of bondage (Gal. 4:9–10). Paul said the feasts and special days of the Old Testament were shadows of things to come, with Christ being the reality. Therefore, “let no one judge you on these matters” (see Col. 2:16–17).

(b) Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. If you are not fully convinced about your freedom in Christ you will be uncertain and unstable. You will be susceptible to bad teachings that say you must abstain from certain foods (1 Tim. 4:3) or observe special days and seasons (Gal. 4:10). You’ll find yourself compromising your faith and feeling condemned (Rom. 14:23). A lack of conviction is a sign of weak faith and an opportunity to grow in grace.

Romans 14:6

He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.

Observes it for the Lord. Whatever you do, do it to honor the Lord. Do it with a heart of gratitude giving praise to God (Col. 3:17).

It does not matter whether you observe the Sabbath, or Passover, or Fish Fridays. Nor does it matter if you eat steak or only vegetables. What matters is why you are doing it. All questions of conscience come down to this: do my actions bring honor and glory to God (1 Cor. 10:31)?

Romans 14:7

For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself;

(a) Not one of us lives for himself. We are the family of God. We belong to the Lord and each other (Rom. 12:5, 1 Cor. 6:19–20).

(b) Not one dies for himself. Even in death, we belong to the Lord (Rom. 8:38–39).

Romans 14:8

for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

We are the Lord’s. As children of God, what we do reflects on our Father. So let us live in such a way that brings him glory (Rom. 15:7). Let our love and acceptance for each other reveal Christ’s radical love and acceptance.

Romans 14:9

For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

(a) For to this end. Jesus died and rose again so that he might become Lord of our entire existence. There is no part of our lives where Jesus is not Lord. Since Jesus is Lord of all, we are not to lord it over others (Matt. 20:25–26). We are not to judge or despise those who belong to the Lord (next verse).

(b) Both of the dead and of the living. Jesus is the Lord of all, and he will judge all, whether they are dead or alive (Acts 10:42, 2 Tim. 4:1, 1 Pet. 4:5).

Romans 14:10

But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

(a) Judge… contempt? Paul repeats what he said in verse 3. People on both sides of an issue need to watch their hearts lest they yield to criticism and condemnation.

(b) Your brother. When we condemn or view other believers with contempt, we are hurting the body of Christ. We are not treating them as brothers and sisters in the Lord.

(d) The judgment seat. We will all appear before the judgment seat to give an account to God (Rom. 14:12). The believer, who has already been judged righteous and holy in Christ, has nothing to fear from the judgment seat.

In New Testament times, officials who passed judgments while sitting on a judgment or bema seat included Pilate (Matt. 27:19, John 19:13), Gallio (Acts 18:12, 16, 17), and Festus (Acts 25:17).

(e) Seat of God. Paul refers to the judgment seat of God and the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). Since the Son shares the Father’s throne (Matt. 22:44, Eph. 1:20), it’s the same seat.

Romans 14:11

For it is written,
“AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME,
AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.”

(a) It is written. The prophecy comes from Isaiah 45:23.

(b) Every knee shall bow. At the end of the age, all will praise or acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, and all will bow to him in reverence (Php. 2:10–11). However, this does not mean all will be saved. Even demons acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God (Matt. 8:29). Only those who call to the Lord for salvation are saved (Rom. 10:13).

Further reading: “Was Paul a universalist?”

Romans 14:12

So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

(a) Each one of us. We all appear before the judgment seat of Christ to be recompensed for what we have done in this life (see entry for 2 Cor. 5:10). Those who have put their faith in Christ shall receive eternal life. Those who reject the gift of life will reap the fatal wage of unbelief.

Since we all shall give an account for ourselves, we shouldn’t worry about accounting for others. “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” (Matt. 7:1). Judging people is God’s business, not ours (see next verse).

(b) Account. The original noun logos is usually translated as “word.” Every one of us will bring an account or word to God. For the believer, the word we bring is Jesus Christ. He is the Word of Life who gives eternal life to those who believe in him (John 5:24). In contrast, the ungodly will have to explain why they rejected God’s saving word.

Romans 14:13

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.

(a) Let us not judge one another. On matters of conscience, don’t judge, criticize, or condemn your Christian brothers and sisters.

You may ask, “What about Peter? When Peter withdrew from the Gentiles in Antioch, Paul confronted him publicly (Gal. 2:11–12).” Paul rebuked Peter for his hypocrisy because the freedom of the young church was at stake—believers were being led away from the truth of the gospel (Gal. 2:13–14). This was not a question of conscience but a fundamental issue of doctrine. We bear with those who are weak in faith (Rom. 15:1), but speak up when people are being led into the bondage of the law.

(b) Determine this—not to put an obstacle. Exercise your judgment in a more constructive way—by considering how to be sensitive to the needs of others. Instead of getting caught up in minor issues like eating, drinking, and special days, focus on more meaningful concerns, such as how to encourage others in their faith.

(c) Stumbling block. Just as you would never put a drink in front of a recovering alcoholic, don’t put a stumbling block in front of someone who is weak in the faith. Be willing to limit your freedom for the sake of unity. Have the same attitude as Paul who said, “If food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again” (1 Cor. 8:13).

Romans 14:14

I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

(a) I know and am convinced. Paul’s personal view was that we could eat anything (Rom. 14:20, 1 Cor. 8:8). “Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude” (1 Tim. 4:4).

(b) Convinced in the Lord Jesus. “I got this revelation from the Lord.”

Jews like Paul had fourteen centuries of tradition telling them which foods were morally clean and unclean, but Jesus dismissed the issue entirely. “Nothing that goes into you from the outside can make you unclean. Food goes into your stomach—not your heart—and then passes out of the body” (Mark 7:18–19).

(d) To him who thinks. Your beliefs matter, especially when it comes to morality. If you are not sure whether eating a certain food is sinful, don’t eat it. If you believe Christians shouldn’t drink, don’t drink. Doing so would violate your conscience and bring you under (self-inflicted) condemnation. “He who doubts is condemned if he eats” (Rom. 14:23).

Romans 14:15

For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

(a) If because of food. If you offend others by eating what they can’t eat, you are being selfish. You are not walking in the love of Christ.

(b) Hurt. Distressed. The original verb lypeō means “to be sad” or “to grieve.”

(c) No longer walking according to love. To insist on your right to eat whatever you want, no matter who it offends, is to put your interests ahead of others. It’s sacrificing people on the altar of your principles. We are to pursue peace, not principles (Rom. 14:19. We are to win people, not arguments (1 Cor. 9:20–22).

(d) Do not destroy with your food. Do not use your freedom to harm others.

Freedom is a wonderful gift, but if we flaunt it, we can hinder the faith of those who are not yet free. This can happen in two ways: Those who are weak in faith may follow your example and violate their own conscience (Rom. 14:15, 23), or they may cling to their beliefs and look down on you with contempt (Rom. 14:10). Either way, they are in a worse position than before.

(e) Him for whom Christ died. Why would you want to hurt someone for whom Jesus gave his life?

Romans 14:16

Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil;

Spoken of as evil. Don’t let your freedom in Christ create an opportunity for slander and abuse. Make a big fuss over small issues and you or your church could get a bad reputation. “They’re a bunch of sinners” or “They’re heavy-handed legalists.” This slander will hinder the gospel and keep people from coming to Christ. Pick your battles. Don’t insist on your rights—“I’ll eat whatever I want!”—if it causes others to badmouth the Lord or his church.

Romans 14:17

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

(a) The kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, refers to the reign of God (Matt. 6:10). (Kingdom means king’s domain.) It is the superior reality of heaven in contrast with the fallen realms of this world (John 18:36). The kingdom of God is not about rules and regulations governing food and drink. It is about the righteousness, peace, and joy that come from living in spiritual union with the Lord. See entry for Matt. 3:2

(b) Eating and drinking are matters of conscience and health. Manmade religions often impose rules about food and drink—what you can and can’t eat, when you can and can’t eat, and who you can and can’t eat with. But God is not fussed about what you eat or drink. “Food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat” (1 Cor. 8:8).

(c) Righteousness. In the kingdom, our primary concern is the demonstration of the righteousness of God (Rom. 1:17, 3:25–26).

(d) Righteousness and peace. In the kingdom of God, peace always follows righteousness (Rom. 5:1, 2 Tim. 2:22, Heb. 7:2, 12:11). When we submit to the righteousness of God, our spirits abound in peace and joy.

See entry for Righteousness.

(e) Peace. Lasting peace does not come from watching your diet or practicing religion. True peace is the rest and inner tranquility that results from harmony in our relationships with God and each other (Rom. 5:1, Eph. 2:14). Only in Christ, the Prince of Peace, do we find true peace (Is. 9:6, Acts 10:36).

When the peace of God rules our hearts, we will not be troubled by a brother or sister who has different convictions about food and special days. We will not look down on them as weak or inferior, but we will accept them and seek to build them up in the faith (Rom. 14:19).

(f) Joy. The pure delight, gladness, and cheerfulness that comes from walking with the Lord.

Food and festivals are fun, but lasting joy doesn’t come from religious rules or feasts. Real joy comes from knowing Jesus. We were created to glorify God and enjoy him forever. In contrast with happiness, which is circumstantial, the joy that flows from our union with the Lord is not affected by external issues such as food and drink. Joy is the fruit of believing the good news and knowing that we are dearly loved and precious in our Father’s eyes.

(g) The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of God or the Spirit of Christ; see entry for Rom. 5:5.

Romans 14:18

For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

(a) He who in this way serves. When we prioritize those things that matter to God, namely his kingdom and righteousness, our lives are pleasing to God and a blessing to others.

(b) Acceptable. Well pleasing; see entry for Rom. 12:1.

Romans 14:19

So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

(a) Pursue the things which make for peace. Prioritize peace in your relationships.

Godly men and women don’t pick fights or take up arms to defend their rights; they pursue peace with all people (Rom. 12:18). Jesus shows us the way. He met people where they were and accepted them in whatever state he found them. He didn’t scold sinners, but he went into their homes and shared table fellowship with them. In the pursuit of peace and reconciliation, he received all who came to him.

(b) Peace; see entry for Rom. 14:17.

Our Father wants to build us up, not tear us down. We strengthen one other up by revealing Christ, encouraging one another, and teaching with wisdom (Col. 1:28, 1 Th. 5:11). Instead of finding fault and trying to “fix” others, we encourage them to fan into flame the gifts God has given them (2 Tim. 1:6). And we do this in an environment of grace and acceptance—caring for one another and bearing each other’s burdens (Rom. 15:7, 1 Cor. 12:25, Gal. 6:2).

Romans 14:20

Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense.

(a) Do not tear down the work of God. God cares more about people than pork. If you put wine in front of believers who don’t drink, you are sowing the seeds of strife and division in the family of God. If you flaunt your freedom in ways that hurt others, you are hindering the work of God in their lives.

(b) All things indeed are clean. From a spiritual perspective, it doesn’t matter what you eat or drink; see entry for Rom. 14:14.

(c) They are evil. All food is good, but eating in front of those with weak faith can lead to bad outcomes (e.g., condemnation, stumbling; Rom. 14:23, 1 Cor. 8:13).

Romans 14:21

It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.

(a) It is good not to eat meat. Exercise discretion. It is good to put your brother’s or sister’s spiritual well-being ahead of your appetite.

(b) Or to drink wine. Paul was not opposed to drinking wine except when it led to drunkenness, addiction, and stumbling in others (Eph. 5:18, 1 Tim. 3:3, Tit. 2:3).

Paul is not preaching abstinence and vegetarianism. His personal view was that all foods were acceptable and those who refused to eat meat for religious reasons had weak faith (Rom. 14:2). However, love for others trumps all personal convictions on matters of eating, drinking, and special days.

Romans 14:22

The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.

(a) Faith. Let your convictions be shaped by what God has said and you will be happy and have a clear conscience.

Like your faith, your beliefs about food and drink are between you and God. If you are given the opportunity to share your convictions (as Paul does in verses 14 and 20), do so with an attitude of love and acceptance. Your convictions matter, but people matter more.

(b) Happy. If you can eat and drink with a clear conscience, you’ll be happy and free. But if your conscience condemns you, perhaps because you are unsure about these matters, you’ll be distressed (see next verse).

Romans 14:23

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

(a) He who doubts is condemned. If you are unsure about whether you can eat bacon or drink wine, you will feel guilty if you do those things. Your conscience will condemn you for violating what you believe is right.

(b) Faith, in this context, refers to your convictions on eating and drinking. The original noun pistis means “conviction” or “persuasion.”

(c) Whatever is not from faith is sin. If you believe certain foods should be avoided but you eat them anyway, you are essentially saying, “I’m a hypocrite, and my convictions are worthless.” When your actions do not align with your beliefs, you are not walking in faith.

(d) Sin is missing the mark and falling short of the glorious life God has for us (Rom. 3:23). God does not want you to be double-minded and uncertain. To talk one way and act another is to defile your conscience and invite condemnation. This is not what God wants for you. He would prefer you give up the quest to make yourself righteous and receive his righteousness, peace, and joy (Rom. 14:17).

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Romans 14