Romans 14:18 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

NIV: because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

NASB: For the one who serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and approved by other people.

CSB: Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.

NLT: If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.

KJV: For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

NKJV: For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.

In the previous verse, Paul wrote that the point of belonging to the kingdom of God is not the freedom to eat meat and drink wine. The freedom from the restrictions of the law for those in Christ are real and meaningful, but they are far less significant than righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Now Paul writes that those who serve Christ with a focus on righteousness, joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit are both acceptable to God and approved by other people. In other words, when those of strong faith insist on exercising their freedom in Christ at the risk of harming the faith of others, the result is that what is good ends up being spoken of as evil or being blasphemed (Romans 14:16). But when the focus on those of strong faith is on serving Christ in what matters, the result is approval by men and doing what is acceptable to God.

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.

Accessed 5/3/2024 1:36:51 AM