44 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

¹Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. ² For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. ³ Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. (Romans 14:1-3)

In this chapter, Apostle Paul brought up two more points of the Law that were real stumbling blocks to Jewish Christians. The first was the issue of eating meats that the Law declared unclean, and the second was the issue of observing special days such as the Sabbath and the feast days.

The Jewish Christians were saying that the Gentile Christians had to keep these laws. The Gentile Christians felt no obligation to old Jewish rituals.

Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)

We are all servants, not judges. We should let the Lord be the judge. All that we are supposed to judge is ourselves, to make sure that we aren't stumbling blocks to anyone (Romans 14:13).

for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

This is the only place in the book of Romans where Paul uses the word “kingdom. The kingdom of God is not something from outside that flows in—“the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking,”

The kingdom of God is something inside of you that flows out —“righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

Chapter 14