Lesson 10
Six Rules for Practical Christian Living
Rule 5: Live a Life of Consideration! (Romans 14)
How do you tell the difference between someone whose faith is weak and someone whose faith is strong?
Closed Handed Issues: An issue that has been unmistakably established by God’s word such that the vast majority of all Christians agree as to its correct interpretation or application.
Open Handed Issues: An issue that has not been directly addressed by God’s word or for which reasonable Christians are in disagreement as to its correct interpretation or application.
With these two definitions – Close Handed (Biblical Principle) and Open Handed (Personal Preference) – we can now define the weak and the strong in faith.
Weak in Faith: Those people that either
(a) insist that Open Handed Issues (issues of Personal Preference) conform to their standard – even to the point of sometimes treating them as Close Handed Issues (Biblical Principles)
(b) insist that God’s Grace and their freedom in Christ allows them to violate Close Handed Issues
Weak in Faith people tend to fall into one of two categories:
Legalism: Adding rules and regulations to Christianity that are not demanded by scripture
Libertinism: Deliberately choosing to live in disobedience under the guise of grace or freedom
Strong in Faith: Those people who hold firmly to and defend Close Handed Issues, but are gracious to others regarding Open Handed Issues
A person who is strong in faith, therefore, is someone who lives a life of consideration.
Read Romans 14:1, 4, 13
St. Augustine first said this… made famous by the 19th century theologian Richard Baxter:
“In necessary things unity; in doubtful things liberty; in all things charity.”
How then, do we determine what to do in a given situation? Can we do something or not? If someone else is doing something, do we attempt to correct what they are doing or not?
To answer these questions, we must first ask a few questions ourselves.
I. An Open-Handed versus Closed Handed Issue
In these verses here in Romans 14, Paul discusses two issues that people were quarreling over in the early church:
1. Meat vs. Vegetables
In Roman times, it was hard to tell whether or not meat sold in the market had been sacrificed to idols or not. There was a general concern among early Christians that eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols gave tacit support and approval to those religions (akin to some people today saying that if you go to any movie, regardless of rating, you are supporting an industry that is godless and produces filth). The problem is that you did not always know whether or not the meat was sacrificed to an idol or not. Some people addressed this simply by saying they would not eat any meat at all. Paul addressed this in 1 Corinthians 8 and indeed he abstained from meat to avoid being a stumbling block. Some people were taking this to the extreme and essentially saying it is a sin to eat meat at all.
2. One Day vs. Another
This was a similar situation. In Roman times, there were certain feasts and festivals that were celebrated – both Jewish and pagan (In our terms, think Christmas vs. Halloween). Some early Christians were saying that to observe any of these at any level would be wrong.
· Did you know: Origen (early church father d.255) believed it was wrong to celebrate birthdays – therefore he did not celebrate Christmas?
Regarding these two issues, which was right? Actually, once Paul identified this issue an open-handed issue; it didn’t really matter, because there was no right answer. Paul’s solution was simply that if both sides treated the other with respect and did not judge the other, unity would be maintained.
Contrast this, however, with the situation at the church in Galatia. There were some people coming in and saying that salvation required one to observe certain Jewish customs. Read Galatians 3:1-3
These are very strong words from Paul because this was a closed-handed issue, not an open-handed issue
A. Close-Handed Issues must be defended
Short List of Closed-Handed Issues
· Biblical Authority and Inerrancy
· The Trinity
· Virgin birth of Jesus
· Sinless life of Jesus
· Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus as a propitiation for our sins
· Salvation by Faith through Grace
· Moral law as affirmed by Jesus Christ
(i.e., the 10 commandments except for the Sabbath day – even the Sabbath day was affirmed that we always observe Jesus as our Sabbath Lord)
If you disagree with these items, then I would feel obligated to correct your error – and if I could not correct your error, I would probably have to choose not to remain in Christian fellowship with you (I would treat you as a non-believer)
Are there other major issues that you would say are solid Biblical Principles?
B. Open-Handed Issues should be tolerated
Two forms of Open-Handed Issues
1. Secondary Doctrinal Belief
A secondary doctrinal belief is one in which you firmly believe that you are correct in your interpretation of scripture, but you can/should tolerate someone who takes a different interpretation of the same scripture
Test case question: Can you still consider this person a Christian if they believe differently than you on the subject?
If the answer is “yes” then it is an open-handed doctrinal belief.
Are these examples of secondary doctrinal belief?
· Sprinkle vs. Emersion Baptism
· Pre, Mid, or Post Tribulation Rapture
· Calvinism vs. Arminianism
· Observing the Sabbath – but not because you think it is necessary for salvation (part of the 10 commandments… is it part of the moral code affirmed by Jesus?)
There are a wide range of issues like these that we might hold beliefs about – even strong beliefs – but we need to be very careful about what we determine is absolutely right versus absolutely wrong.
When we have differing views on these, we should tolerate the others views without passing judgment
However, if you say that one of these issues is an essential element that I MUST believe to be a Christian (in other words, turn these open-handed issues into closed-handed issues) I would consider you in error and feel obligated to either correct that error and – worst case scenario - could no longer be in Christian fellowship with you.
2. Personal Preference
Issues of personal preference are those which we may choose for ourselves based upon what we like or dislike rather than on some basis of biblical interpretation.
Test case question: Is the person living in sin if they believe differently than you on the subject?
Are these examples of personal preference?
· Time/Date of church services
· Worship style
· Version of the Bible (unless you insist that a specific version is required to be saved)
Like Secondary Doctrinal Beliefs, some people turn issues of personal preference into closed handed issues.
Now… maybe we’re not really sure. Maybe there’s some apparently conflicting or possibly even unclear biblical direction. Then it becomes not an issue of right and wrong, but an issue of conscious.
II. An Issue of Conscious
Examples of potentially unclear directives
· Drinking
Bible clearly says we are not to get drunk, but it doesn’t absolutely forbid drinking.
· Smoking
The bible is totally silent on this one.
Did you know: Charles Spurgeon, the esteemed Baptist preacher of the late 19th century, was both a smoker and a drinker and claimed that he could do both to the glory of God?
· Tattoos
Leviticus 19:28 says we are not to have tattoos… the same passage also tells us not to cut the hair on the sides of our head, not to cut our beards, and not to eat fruit from a tree until it has been planted for 4 years. These are all part of the religious, ceremonial code that Jesus fulfilled and abolished.
How do decide in cases like these how we are to behave?
1. Each must be convinced (Romans 14:23)
If you think it is wrong (or even if you are not sure if it is or is not), then for you it is wrong.
2. Each must act unto the Lord (Romans 14:6-8)
Everything you do, you must do unto the Lord.
Do you believe the Lord would find your actions acceptable?
Can you say “I can smoke to the glory of God” like Charles Spurgeon said?
Can you say “I can get a tattoo to the glory of God”?
3. Each one will ultimately give an account of himself to God (Romans 14:12)
We still have another question to ask about the situation.
III. An Issue of Consideration
Paul is very clear that even in cases where we have clear Christian liberty to do something, there may be reasons why we may choose to limit our own freedoms for the sake of others.
Do not be a stumbling block (Romans 14:13)
1. Actions that do not consider others are not made in love (Romans 14:15)
2. Our actions can affect (destroy) others (Romans 14:15)
3. Good can be made into evil (Romans 14:16)
Romans 14:21
Like Paul Harvey’s “Rest of the Story”… there is a second chapter to Charles Spurgeon’s life. Spurgeon smoked and drank because his doctor told him he should do so to relax. After Spurgeon declared that he could smoke and drink to the glory of God, businessmen began using his slogan to promote their products – saying everyone should smoke and drink Spurgeon’s brands to the glory of God. Spurgeon realized that his stance needed to be rethought…
In one service, he said: “I neither said nor implied that it was sinful to drink wine; nay, I said that, in and by itself, this might be done without blame. But I remarked that, if I knew that another would be led to take it by my example, and this would lead them on to further drinking, and even to intoxication, then I would not touch it.”
He then became a total abstainer and said… “I abstain myself from alcoholic drink in every form, and I think others would be wise to do the same; but of this each one must be a guide unto himself.”
Spurgeon was living a life of consideration! When he realized his freedoms were harming others, he limited those freedoms voluntarily.
If you choose to act on one of these issues of Personal Preference and you know that there is the possibility that others may not react favorably towards it, Paul tells us to be sure to keep it as an issue between you and God.
IV. An Issue between You and God (Romans 14:22)
Since we are ultimately responsible to God about what we believe, we should keep “disputable” issues between ourselves and God in order to maintain the unity of the body.
If we choose to act on our confidences, we should do so discreetly so as to not harm the brethren – not sneaking around hiding it, but rather not to flaunt our freedom choices in front of those who may disagree with us. That, simply put, is NOT living a life of consideration.
Perhaps the verse that most readily summarizes this entire teaching is Romans 14:17
The Kingdom of God is not: a matter of eating or drinking
You can replace eating and drinking with any open handed issue.
The Kingdom of God is: Righteousness, Joy, and Peace in the Holy Spirit
What really matters? Being right before God.
What really matters? Being filled with the Joy of the Lord
What really matters? Being at peace – not just with God, but with each others
The only way to accomplish this is to live a life of consideration.
Live a life of Consideration… if necessary, limit your freedoms for others
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