Romans 14:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.

NIV: Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.

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

CSB: Therefore, do not let your good be slandered,

NLT: Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good.

KJV: Let not then your good be evil spoken of:

NKJV: Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil;

Paul has warned, in the previous verse, that if those with a strong faith insist on carelessly exercising freedom in Christ, they may do damage to someone of weaker faith. How could this be? Paul has written, for example, that if someone lacks conviction that they are free in Christ to eat meat, then eating meat is unclean for them. If they eat meat, in violation of their conscience, that for them would be a sin. This, even though eating of meat in general is not sinful.

This is the application of Paul's earlier remark about creating a stumbling block (Romans 14:13). An inconsiderate demand to exercise freedom in Christ could lead someone with weaker faith to violate their own conscience. That demand might cause another to "stumble" into sin. Now Paul says if that were to happen, it would cause a good thing—freedom from the restrictions of the law for those in Christ—to be spoken of as evil. This means careless and proud exercise of freedom in Christ can damage those it leads violate their own conscience and mar the reputation of such freedom itself.

In other passages, Paul's teaching clarifies that this does not give those "weak in faith" the right to police the choices of other Christians (1 Corinthians 10:29–30). Merely knowing that another believer holds a different opinion is not, in and of itself, a "stumbling block," and that is not cause for the "weak in faith" to judge or accuse them of sin (Colossians 2:16–23). Rather, Paul's point is that flaunting freedom in front of those who feel conviction is wrong; it's an abuse of our Christian liberty.

Romans 14:13–23 instructs strong-faith Christians who understand that all food and drink is clean for those who are in Christ to be willing to set aside indulging their freedom for the sake of weaker-faith Christians. Those who cannot partake in good conscience—even though they are free in Christ to do so—should not do so. To violate their conviction is sin. It is also wrong for strong-faith Christians to tempt weaker-faith brothers and sisters into sin by insisting on exercising their own right to eat and drink those things.

In Romans 14, Paul tackles the question of how Christians with different convictions about disputable matters should treat each other in the church. Strong-faith Christians who feel free to eat and drink what was formerly forbidden under the law of Moses should not flaunt their freedoms in front of weaker-faith Christians who are not convinced it is right to participate in those things. Neither group should judge the other. Those strong in their faith should rather yield than lead those weaker in faith to violate their conscience, which is a sin.

Paul turns from the black-and-white instructions about light and darkness in Romans 13 to the issue of disputable matters with the potential to divide the church. Paul instructs those who feel free to participate in activities formally forbidden under the law not to flaunt their freedom in front of those who, by conscience, still believe those actions to be wrong. Those strong-faith Christians should be willing to set aside their freedom to keep from leading their weaker brothers and sisters into sin by violating their convictions. Paul addresses this topic with additional comments in 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

The book of Romans is the New Testament's longest, most structured, and most detailed description of Christian theology. Paul lays out the core of the gospel message: salvation by grace alone through faith alone. His intent is to explain the good news of Jesus Christ in accurate and clear terms. As part of this effort, Paul addresses the conflicts between law and grace, between Jews and Gentiles, and between sin and righteousness. As is common in his writing, Paul closes out his letter with a series of practical applications.