Jesus died to reconcile us to God. (2 Cor. 5:17-20) Our mutual relationship with God creates a relationship with one another. (1 John 1:3-7) Our special relationship involves responsibilities to one another. (Gal. 6: 10; Eph. 4:16; Rom. 12:4-6) Fulfilling our one another obligations is indispensable to our relationship with God. (1 John 3:23-24) 12/4/2015 1

A Study of the Negative One Another Obligations 12/4/2015 2

Romans 14:3-4— The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:13— Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this— not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 12/4/2015 3

Jesus instructed “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” (Matt. 7:1) Paul instructed the Corinthians, “do not go on passing judgment before the time” (1 Cor. 4:4-5) James instructed not to speak against or judge your brother. (Jas. 4:11-12) 12/4/2015 4

Jesus instructs to judge with righteous judgment. (Jn. 7:24) Paul judged the man who had his father’s wife. (1 Cor. 5:1) Christians can judge in disputes between brethren (1 Cor. 6:1-8) 12/4/2015 5

The Bible has contradicted itself. God cannot lie. (Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:18) The Bible is the word of God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) The Bible does not contradict itself. -OR- The Bible speaks of two different types of judgments. Right Kind of Judgment Wrong Kind of Judgment 12/4/2015 6

Those who preach “another gospel” are accursed (Gal. 1:6-10) Approve the things that are excellent (Phil. 1:9-11) “Beware of the dogs....” (Phil. 3:2-3) Refuse a factious man (Tit. 3:10-11) Try the spirits (1 Jn. 4:1-6) Receive the weak brother (Rom. 14:1; 15:1) Preachers must reprove, rebuke, and exhort (2 Tim. 4:1-2) Withdraw from those who walk disorderly (2 Th. 3:6, 14-15) 12/4/2015 7

Jesus said, “For judgment I came into the world” (John 9:39) Jesus judged that Peter was a stumbling block to Him. (Matt. 16:21-23) Jesus judged that the moneychangers had made God’s house a house of merchandise (ref. John 2:17) or a robber’s den (ref. Matt. 21:13) Jesus judged the scribes and Pharisees to be hypocrites. (Matt. 23:13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29) John the Baptist judged Herod’s marriage as unlawful. (Mark 6:17-18) John judged Diotrephes as unjust. (3 John 9-10) Paul judged others. (1 Cor. 5:1-3; Gal. 2:11-14; 1 Thess. 2:14-16; 1 Tim. 1:18-20; 2 Tim. 2:16-18; 1 Cor. 5:12-13; 1 Cor. 6:1-5) Lydia asked Paul and Silas to make a judgment about her faithfulness to the Lord (Acts 16:15) 12/4/2015 8

Romans 14:13— Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. 12/4/2015 9

Paul is speaking about disputes between brethren. (Rom.14:10, 15, 21) Paul is speaking of individual action. (Rom. 14:2,5) Paul is speaking about disputes between “strong” and “weak” brethren. (Rom. 14:1; 14:14) Paul is speaking about disputes over doubtful things. (Rom. 14:1) 12/4/

BDAG: “1. the ability to distinguish and evaluate, distinguishing, differentiation of good and evil Hb 5:14…. 2. engagement in verbal conflict because of differing viewpoints, quarrel…προσλαμβάνεσθαι μ ὴ ε ἰ ς δ. διαλογισμ ῶ ν welcome, but not for the purpose of getting into quarrels about opinions Ro 14:1.” (231) Thayer: Passing judgments on opinions, as to which one is to be preferred as the more correct. (139) 12/4/

BDAG: the process of reasoning, reasoning of polytheists… Ro 1: content of reasoning or conclusion reached through use of reason, thought, opinion, reasoning, design…Ro 14:1…. 3. verbal exchange that takes place when conflicting ideas are expressed, dispute, argument…. 4. reasoning that gives rise to uncertainty, doubt …. Vine: “denotes, primarily, ‘an inward reasoning, an opinion’ (dia, ‘through,’ suggesting separation, logismos, ‘a reasoning’), e.g., Luke 2:35; 5:22; 6:8; then, ‘a deliberating, questioning,’ Luke 24:38; (more strongly) ‘a disputing,’ Phil. 2:14; 1 Tim. 2:8 ( KJV, ‘doubtings’); in Rom. 14:1, ‘disputations’; marg., ‘(not for decisions) of doubts’ (lit., ‘not unto discussions or doubts,’ which is perhaps a suitable rendering). Cf. dialogizomai, ‘to reason.’” (2:175) 12/4/ “Doubtful things” (dialogismos)

Paul is speaking about disputes between brethren. (Rom.14:10, 15, 21) Paul is speaking of individual action. (Rom. 14:2,5) Paul is speaking about disputes between “strong” and “weak” brethren. (Rom. 14:1; 14:14) Paul is speaking about disputes over doubtful things. (Rom. 14:1) Paul is not speaking about matters that are required or forbidden, but permitted. (Rom. 14:14) 12/4/

The American Heritage Dictionary: “1. Characterized by a lack of partiality or bias. 2. Not mattering one way or the other; of no great importance; insignificant. 3. Having no marked feeling for one way or the other; not liking or disliking. 4. Having no particular interest in or concern for; apathetic. 5. Being neither good nor bad; mediocre. 7. Being neither right nor wrong. 8. Not active or involved; neutral. 9. Not required, obligatory, or essential, as an observance….” Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: “1 : marked by impartiality : UNBIASED 2 a : that does not matter one way or the other b : of no importance or value one way or the other 3 a : marked by no special liking for or dislike of something … 5 a : being neither good nor bad : MEDIOCRE b : being neither right nor wrong 6 : characterized by lack of active quality : NEUTRAL 7 a : not differentiated b : capable of development in more than one direction especially : not yet embryologically determined” 12/4/

Receive one who is weak in faith (Rom. 14:1) Receive a weak brother but not to disputes over doubtful things (Rom. 14:1) Don’t despise your brother (Rom. 14:3, 10) Don’t destroy your weak brother (Rom. 14:15, 20;) Don’t let your good be evil spoken of (Rom. 14:16) Don’t do anything that will cause a weak brother to stumble (Rom. 14:21) Keep your faith to yourself (Rom. 14:22) Bear with the weaknesses of those without strength. (Rom. 15:1-3) Don’t please yourself, please your neighbor. (Rom. 15:1-2) 12/4/

Don’t judge the strong brother (Rom. 14:3b, 10) Don’t violate your conscience (Rom. 14:5, 14, 23) 12/4/

Be fully convinced in your own mind. (Rom. 14:5b) Don’t judge one another. (Rom. 14:13a) Purse the things that make for peace. (Rom. 14:19) Please your neighbor for his good. (Rom. 15:2) Be likeminded toward one another. (Rom. 15:5- 6) Receive one another. (Rom. 15:7) 12/4/

The Bible forbids certain types of judging. Hypocritical or hypercritical judgments. (Matt. 7:1-5; Rom. 2:1-6) Unjust judgment. (Jas. 4:11-12) Judging by a superficial or carnal standard. (1 Cor. 4:4-5) The Bible commands other types of judging: Judging by the word of God. (John 7:24) Condemning sin and admonishing the sinner by the word of God. (Mk. 6:17-18; 1 Cor. 5:1-13) The judging that is forbidden in Romans 14 is judging in regards to one’s personal opinions. (14:1) It is not discussing what God requires It is not discussing what God has forbidden It is discussing what God has permitted 12/4/

Don’t Judge. (Rom. 14:3-4, 10, 13) Don’t Go To Law. (1 Cor. 6:1-8) Don’t Provoke And Envy. (Gal. 5:26) Don’t Lie. (Col. 3:9-10) Don’t Speak Against. (Jas. 4:11-12) Don’t Grumble Against. (Jas. 5:9) 12/4/