Consider Others
A Sermon on Romans 14:13-16
Originally preached Dec. 15, 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
While all Christians are Christian in the same way – through regeneration –not all are identical in every respect. There is, as Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains, ethnic diversity as well as differences in personality and temperament. But the apostle Paul classifies Christians in another manner in Romans 14. He classifies them based upon maturity: the strong and the weak. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in this message on Romans 14:13–16 titled “Consider Others,” draws attention to the great principle that governs the Christian life: never put a stumbling block in front of a weaker brother or sister in Christ. Based upon the common membership in the family of God, the stronger Christian must remember their Christian brother or sister is more important than different opinions. Following Paul, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones warns of the danger of grieving a brother or sister by causing confusion and leading them to violate their conscience. When one grieves their brother or sister, they are no longer walking in love but seriously endangering their spiritual condition. The supreme argument of the apostle is that while Christ was willing to give up His life for the sinner, the strong hesitate whether they can give up meat for weaker members. Ponder Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s unique answer to the challenge of life together in the family of God.
Sermon Breakdown
- The governing principle for the Christian life is to never put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in your brother's way.
- There is nothing unclean in itself, but to him who considers it unclean, to him it is unclean.
- If your brother is grieved by your eating of certain meats, you are not walking charitably. Do not destroy him with your meat for whom Christ died.
- To grieve here means to distress, confuse, and trouble the weaker brother. It may also mean the weaker brother begins to eat the meat against his conscience, feeling condemned as he does so.
- By doing this, you are putting the weaker brother on the road to destruction by making him dispute his conscience, tamper with his conscience, and act against his conscience.
- Conscience plays a vital role in the Christian life. You must never produce a bad conscience in your brother.
- Some have put away a good conscience concerning faith and have made shipwreck. Conscience is compared to a ship's rudder. Without it, you will make shipwreck.
- Do not destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Christ sacrificed His life for your brother. Is it too much to ask you to forego eating certain meats for your brother's sake?
- Paul would eat no meat as long as the world stands rather than cause offense to his brethren, for whom Christ died.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Romans 14:13-16: Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Christian Liberty and Conscience
What is the main principle Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes in Romans 14:13-16?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the main principle in this passage is that Christians must not be a stumbling block to other believers. He states, "Now, that's to be our governing principle in the christian life. Not only thinking about ourselves, think about others. He says, think about your brother. And put this up as the great motto before you in your christian life. Whatever I do or say, I must not be a hindrance or a stumbling block to my brother." This principle of consideration for others should govern all our actions as believers.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones define "strong" and "weak" Christians in the context of Romans 14?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the distinction between "strong" and "weak" Christians in this context relates to understanding, not spiritual status. He says, "That means, remember, weak in understanding of the faith." The strong Christians are those who clearly understand their liberty in Christ, particularly regarding matters like food laws from the Old Testament. The weak Christians are those who still have doubts or confusion about these matters, yet both are equally Christians through regeneration.
What does it mean when Paul says "to him that esteems anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean"?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this means that if a Christian has reasoned through something and genuinely believes it to be wrong (even if it's not inherently wrong), then for that person it becomes wrong to engage in it. He explains: "What the apostle is saying is this. There are some Christians who have rarely considered this question, and they've thought it out as best they can, and they have come to the conclusion that these meats that have been offered in the idol temples is unclean. That is their decision." Even though they may be mistaken in their understanding, their conscience is binding upon them.
What does it mean to "destroy a brother with your meat"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "destroy" here doesn't mean eternal damnation but rather putting someone on "the road to ruin." He outlines how this happens in three steps:
- Making a weaker brother dispute his conscience
- Causing him to tamper with his conscience
- Leading him to act against his conscience
He explains: "If you do something that makes your weaker brother query, question, tamper with or act against his conscience, the end is likely to be shipwreck." This can lead to spiritual damage even if not eternal destruction.
What illustration does Dr. Lloyd-Jones use to explain the importance of conscience?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones uses the illustration from 1 Timothy 1 of a ship's rudder to explain the critical role of conscience. He states: "He is comparing the Christian to a ship. Here is the man in the christian life, and he compares him to a ship... But there is one very vital instrument, or one very vital part of this ship. What's that? It's the rudder. And if you ignore the rudder... you'll make shipwreck." A Christian may have sound doctrine ("a wonderful engine"), but without a properly functioning conscience (the rudder), they risk spiritual disaster.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones contrast knowledge and charity in Christian freedom?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that knowledge without love is dangerous. He quotes 1 Corinthians 8, saying, "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity builds up." He explains that being right in understanding is not the highest principle - love is. He states, "There is a higher principle than being right, even, and that is to be charitable, to be loving the spirit is always more important than the understanding." Christian freedom must always be exercised in love.
What ultimate example does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give of sacrificing rights for others?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones points to Christ's sacrifice as the ultimate example, noting that "the Lord Jesus Christ thought so much about this brother of yours that he actually sacrificed his life for him." He argues that if Christ was willing to give up His very life for our salvation, how much more should we be willing to give up our rights to certain foods or practices for the sake of a fellow believer. As he says, "You gave up your meats for the brother and give up anything else that you can in order to help your brother."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain Paul's personal response to this principle in 1 Corinthians 8?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes Paul's remarkable statement in 1 Corinthians 8:13: "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." He explains that Paul was willing to permanently abstain from something perfectly legitimate rather than cause a weaker believer to stumble. This shows how seriously Paul took this principle, following Christ's example of sacrificial love.
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.