Clean or Unclean?
A Sermon on Romans 14:13-15
Originally preached Dec. 8, 1967
Scripture
13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. 14I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that …
Sermon Description
How does one approach difficult problems and issues in the church? Do they see how each part relates to the whole or simply attack the problem directly? In his sermon on Romans 14:13–15 titled “Clean or Unclean?” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones calls for paying attention to the apostle Paul’s method in dealing with one of the premier problems in the early church. After one pays attention to the apostle’s method, they also need to follow his teaching. Dr. Lloyd-Jones brings out the Lord’s teaching on loving one another and combines it with Paul’s words found in Romans. As the church disagrees on matters indifferent – like whether a Christian should eat meat – the love commandment becomes all the more appropriate. One’s opinions, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, may be right but if they have forgotten love for their fellow Christian then the right opinion may be a cause of serious trouble. But what is the apostle Paul’s teaching on clean and unclean food? Are Christians prohibited from eating certain foods? Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones navigates the intricacies of the Mosaic Law and the tension of the early church between Jew and Gentile.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is addressing the issue of "indifferent matters" that were causing division in the church at Rome. Specifically, disagreements over whether or not to eat certain foods or observe certain holidays.
- Paul first establishes the proper context and approach for discussing these kinds of issues. The most important thing is our relationship to the Lord and to one another as brothers. We must not judge one another.
- Paul says if we must judge something, judge that we do not put a "stumbling block" or "occasion to fall" in front of our brother. We must consider how our actions might affect others, especially our brothers in Christ.
- Paul says he knows with certainty, through the enlightenment given by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing inherently "unclean" or "common". The distinctions of the old law were temporary and not because the things themselves were wrong.
- However, just because something is not inherently wrong does not mean it is always right or appropriate for a Christian to do. We must consider how it might affect others. Paul will address this more later.
- The decision of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15 was a temporary concession, not a contradiction of the principle Paul lays out here. The principle is that nothing is inherently unclean, but in practice we must consider others.
- We must be careful about denouncing things as inherently evil or wrong when they are not. For example, it is wrong to say sex, alcohol, or tobacco are inherently evil. The abuse of these things is wrong, but not the things themselves.
- However, as Christians we may still choose not to partake in certain practices for good reasons. But we must be clear about what those reasons are, and not claim something is inherently wrong when it is not.
Sermon Q&A
What Are Indifferent Matters in Christianity According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by "indifferent matters" in Christianity?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "indifferent matters" in Christianity refer to practices or behaviors that are not intrinsically right or wrong in themselves - things that are not essential to salvation or core Christian doctrine. In this sermon on Romans 14:13-15, he discusses how Christians often create unnecessary division over these secondary issues such as food choices, observance of special days, and cultural practices that are not fundamentally moral questions. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that these are matters where Christians can legitimately differ without compromising the faith.
How does Lloyd-Jones interpret Romans 14:14 about nothing being unclean?
Lloyd-Jones interprets Paul's statement in Romans 14:14 ("I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself") as a revolutionary gospel principle that overturns ceremonial distinctions from the Old Testament. He points out how remarkable this statement is coming from Paul, who was once "one of the narrowest Jews conceivable" and "a Pharisee and a legalist of the first order." Lloyd-Jones explains that this declaration means that nothing in creation is inherently unholy or common - the distinctions in the ceremonial law were not based on the nature of things themselves but were God's way of disciplining and governing His people.
What principle does Lloyd-Jones emphasize about not judging others in the church?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Christians should "not judge one another anymore" but should instead "judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." He explains that this play on the word "judge" means we should stop passing judgment on others' practices regarding indifferent matters, and instead make the determination never to hinder another believer's faith. Lloyd-Jones stresses that love for our brothers and sisters in Christ should always be the "overruling and overriding consideration in the church," taking precedence over our personal opinions and freedoms.
How should Christians handle their freedoms when they might affect weaker believers?
According to Lloyd-Jones, Christians should always consider the impact of their actions on other believers before exercising their freedoms. He explains that Paul instructs the stronger believers (those who understand their freedom) to be mindful of the conscience of weaker believers. Lloyd-Jones quotes Paul's principle from 1 Corinthians: "Conscience not thine own, but of the other also." He emphasizes that even if something is right for you personally, that is "not sufficient for the Christian" - you must consider whether your actions might cause your brother to stumble. Love for fellow believers should guide decisions about exercising Christian liberty.
What does Lloyd-Jones teach about things being "unclean" versus their "abuse"?
Lloyd-Jones makes an important distinction between things being inherently unclean versus their abuse being wrong. He teaches that Christians should not say they avoid certain things (like alcohol or tobacco) because those things are "evil in and of themselves." Rather, he explains, "It is the abuse of these things that is wrong, not the things themselves." He applies this principle to various areas including sex, alcohol, and tobacco, stating that none of these things are unclean in themselves - they are part of God's creation. The Christian objection should be to the misuse or inordinate use of these things, not to the things themselves.
How does Lloyd-Jones explain Paul's method of addressing controversial issues?
Lloyd-Jones highlights Paul's careful methodology in addressing controversial issues, noting that Paul spends the first twelve verses of Romans 14 establishing the proper context before addressing the specific problem. He explains that Paul's approach demonstrates how "half our troubles are due to the fact that when we confront a problem we don't know how to approach it." Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that we should never "isolate a question" but always put it "into its context" and "into its family" within the whole body of Christian doctrine. He states that "there is nothing more dangerous than to isolate a question" because "everything is related to everything else" in the Christian life.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.