Romans 14:14-18 – Attitudes and Beliefs Matter

Topic: Attitudes and Beliefs Matter

Reading: Romans 14:14-18

14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but it is unclean for any one who thinks it unclean. 15 If your brother is being injured by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not let what you eat cause the ruin of one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let your good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; 18 he who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Introduction and Overview

This may sound like stating the obvious, but attitudes and beliefs matter. But what may not be obvious is that they don’t matter just for yourself. Your attitudes and beliefs matter in relation to how they affect those around you.

All people are driven to a greater or lesser extent by their attitudes and beliefs. What they do and how they approach different situations is affected by how they think. It is their attitudes and beliefs that underpin how they think and then act.

But what we see in this section of this study is the beginning of the process of walking in love. We have been called to learn to walk and live in the love of God. If we are to walk in love, we then need to consider not only what we want, but even more so, what is good for others. This is why our attitudes and beliefs matter. If our attitudes and beliefs are different from someone else, then there is the likelihood that we will clash. We may be at loggerheads with each other because we do not think the same.

This is important, especially when meeting or dealing with other Christians. There are many different beliefs in Christianity. There are many things that people believe that are not based upon the truth of the scriptures. But even those who believe differently to yourself are still your brothers and sisters in Christ. They are simply at a different stage in their Christian journey. And who knows, perhaps they are more advanced than you or I and have learned things we have not yet come across.

The aim of the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit in us is transformation. We are being changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. We are being formed and molded to live in the love of God. This section of scripture today is all about how we need to be aware of how our attitudes and beliefs affect others. When they do so in a negative manner, we may be walking out of love with those around us. We must learn to modify our attitudes and beliefs, without compromising our faith, to remain at peace with those around us. When we are at peace with those around us, we can help them find their path, grow spiritually, or even learn something new ourselves. But when we are loggerheads, we put up walls that cannot be penetrated, and we cannot show the love of God.

Key points from reading:

1. Nothing is unclean in itself but attitudes and beliefs make it clean or unclean.
2. If you are negatively impacting someone else’s faith by what you are doing, you are not walking in love.
3. Hold fast to what you know is good, right, and true and do not allow others to speak evil about what you know to be good in the sight of God.

Discussion:

1. Scripture: Romans 14:14
   • This first scripture opens up a whole depth of insight that many struggle with. In these words we see that everything is neutral. Nothing is clean or unclean in and of itself. Everything is neutral…until it is viewed from the perspective of our attitudes and beliefs. Let me give you an example.
   • Let’s say you were to take a child out in the garden to help plant some vegetables. Children often love to dig about in the dirt looking for worms and bugs and so on. Now let’s say they find a worm and watch it wriggle around on their hands. They can be awestruck looking at this creature with wonder. But then they take the worm into the house to show their mother who shrieks and says, “Get that filthy thing out of my clean house!”
   • The worm is neutral. In the eyes of the child it is an amazing creature. But in the eyes of the mother, it is a filthy bug that needs to be removed from the house. The thing that shapes the two very different points of view is the attitude and belief in the eyes of the beholder. One believes the worm is magnificent and amazing, while the other believes the worm to be a filthy, dirty, disgusting creature that should be far removed from their presence.
   • But in all of this, the worm is neutral. It is neither good nor bad. The opinions of the mother and the child are being shaped by their attitudes and beliefs. They are also being shaped by the context in which the worm is viewed. For example, if the mother came across the worm in the garden, her attitude may have been completely different because worms belong in a garden, not in the house. And her view point will change.
   • So, when we deal with other people we need to moderate our own attitudes and beliefs to try to understand their point of view. We may or may not agree with them, but if we can understand their point of view, we can learn to moderate our own responses and so walk in love with them. Even if what they believe or do is evil or wrong in the sight of God, by moderating our own attitudes and beliefs we have a better chance of showing them the right path, rather than wading in with guns blazing and telling them in no uncertain terms, just how wrong they are! We are called to peace and to be at peace with all people, no matter their attitudes and beliefs and whether they align with our own.
2. Scripture: Romans 14:15
   • Under the Mosaic laws there were many clean and unclean foods. Certain meats in particular were deemed to be either clean or unclean. And the people were instructed how to determine what was clean and what was unclean. For example, any fish that had fins and scales could be safely eaten and was declared clean. Thus, all shellfish and crustaceans were unclean and were not to be eaten under the laws of Moses. Similarly, they were able to eat any animal that chewed the cud and parted the hoof. So, sheep, cows, and goats were all clean foods. But camels, who chew the cud but do not have parted hooves, or pigs that have parted hooves but do not chew the cud, were not considered clean meats and were not to be eaten under the law.
   • The food laws were given to Israel in part to keep them healthy. If you look at what they were instructed NOT to eat, you will see that when there are outbreaks of food poisoning, salmonella, or botulism, the usual culprits are the unclean foods identified in the Mosaic laws. Also, they did not have the kinds of food preservation and refrigeration that we do today.
   • However, many people did eat those unclean foods and do so today. But there were many that did not and do not even today, some for religious reasons and others for personal beliefs. Consider the Jews today, Seventh Day Adventists, and even vegetarians and vegans. All of these groups do not eat the unclean meats, and in some cases will not eat meat at all.
   • So, if you do eat any and all kinds of meat, and you happen to find yourself in the presence of one of these people or groups, is it OK for you to munch on a ham sandwich or a pulled pork roll? No, it is not appropriate to do so as you will offend those you are with. Your attitudes and beliefs will clash with theirs and cause them to be repulsed, upset, or angry. None of that has anything to do with walking in love.
   • Instead, the appropriate thing to do is be mindful of their attitudes and beliefs and to hold back on your own appetite for meats. Become a vegetarian for the duration of the meeting. It won’t kill you not to eat meat, but it will go a long way towards showing respect and love for those with whom you happen to be mixing. Attitudes and beliefs matter, especially with respect to learning to walk in love with others, as you have been called to do.
3. Scripture: Romans 14:16
   • Now, having said all of that, you do not have to be a “carpet” to be walked on by others. They have attitudes and beliefs that may be at odds with your own, but you have attitudes and beliefs that likewise ought to be respected.
   • You should not allow an attitude or belief that is evil to override what you believe to be good. In the case of foods and drink, none of those are keys to salvation or true righteousness. They are basically incidental in the total scheme of things. But there are things that people may believe and accept that are opposed to the word of God. If someone were to speak out against God or to cast aspersions on God and the word of God, we do not blandly accept such attacks. Such attitudes and beliefs are not right and can be defended. But the point of walking in love is how we defend against such attacks. We don’t attack those who disagree with us. We work to either seek understanding, without compromising the truth of what we know.
   • Whenever someone speaks evil of what you know to be good, you do not have to accept their opinion. If at all possible, show them the truth. They may not accept it, but at least you have not compromised your beliefs, and they will know there is an alternative to what they believe. But if they want to be angry and aggressive about whatever the issue is, just walk away. Leave them to believe whatever they choose. And pray for them that the Lord may show them the better way.
4. Scripture: Romans 14:17-18
   • For the most part in these scriptures, Paul is talking about disputes over matters of food and drink. The kinds of things that are really insignificant. They do not hold any power with respect to salvation. What a person may or may not eat and drink will not commend them to God. Neither will the observance of special days. These things do not lead to salvation and for the most part are works of law.
   • The truth of salvation and the New Covenant gospel is in faith and righteousness. True righteousness is not expressed by what a person eats, drinks, wears, or anything else. True righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and the belief that God raised Him from the dead. These are matters of the heart. These are the things that are important. As this scripture tells us, the Kingdom of God is not about food or drink. It is not about the observance of days, or the wearing of certain types of clothes and the materials they are made from. All such things are incidentals.
   • But the truth of the Kingdom of God lies in seeking God’s free gift of righteousness, in seeking and finding peace and joy, and being led by the Holy Spirit. This is where the Kingdom of God is to be found. So, seek those things and understand that to walk in love means to fulfill the commandment to love your neighbour as yourself. Know that love is the fulfilling of the law and learning to walk in love is vastly more important than matters of food and drink.
   • It is by focusing on the things that are really important that we become acceptable to God in our service to Christ. Walking in love and considering the attitudes and beliefs of others is what matters. Others may not believe as you do, but it is not your job to point that out to them (unless they ask!) Instead, when you know there will be differences and you know that others may not be as strong in the faith as you are, make allowances for them. Meet them where they are spiritually and seek for mutual upbuilding.

Prayer Points

1. Pray and ask the Lord to help you to walk in love with all people, and especially brothers and sisters in Christ who may hold different views and opinions. Ask the Lord also to open opportunities to show them your faith, if the situation arises.
2. Pray and ask the Lord for those you come into contact with so that you can meet in mutually upbuilding fashions, and not come together to argue.