Food and Drink
A Sermon on Romans 14:1-4
Originally preached Oct. 20, 1967
Scripture
1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge …
Sermon Description
It is common for the Christian to have a disagreement with someone else about what they think the Bible teaches to be wrong or right on an issue that is not particularly clear. This is the topic at hand for this sermon on Romans 14:1–4 titled “Food and Drink” and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones guides the listener through how to interact with this issue that is becoming more prominent in the church today. There are things in Scripture about which there is not a clear command. In this passage, it had to do with food sacrificed to idols. Because idols are not real, the food sacrificed to them means nothing. However, Paul encourages believers to watch out for their brothers and sisters in Christ and to avoid doing things that would make it easier to stumble because of the way they were raised. The immature Christian, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, is characterized by making secondary issues primary ones. Yet, as he points out, one should not sit back and judge other Christians— it is the weak Christian who is most likely to do this. Why do they have this tendency? He says that it is due to the spirit of fear and he explains his reasoning behind this. He encourages avoiding falling into legalism and determining if or not people are Christians based off of their judgments— ultimately, that is up to the Lord and it allows living in a way that pleases the Lord and leaving the consequences up to Him.
Sermon Breakdown
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The apostle Paul is addressing matters of indifference in Romans 14, not clear commandments. These are issues where Christians can disagree but still remain united.
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The specific issue Paul addresses is eating meat vs vegetarianism. Some Christians believed they could eat all foods while others only ate vegetables out of religious conviction.
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Paul says the danger for the "strong" Christian is to despise the "weak" Christian who only eats vegetables. The danger for the weak Christian is to judge the strong Christian for eating meat.
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The weak Christian may judge the strong Christian as not being a real Christian because they eat meat. Paul says not to judge each other over such matters.
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The prohibition against eating meat for some Christians likely came from:
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Their Jewish upbringing where some foods were forbidden
- Belief that meat offered to idols was unclean
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Ascetic teachings that prohibited meat and marriage
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Paul is not addressing vegetarianism itself but making it a religious obligation and judging others over it. Vegetarianism for health reasons is a separate issue.
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Examples of similar issues include:
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The Jerusalem Council addressing whether Gentile Christians must follow the law of Moses (Acts 15)
- Paul confronting Peter for separating from Gentile Christians (Galatians 2)
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Paul warning against those who forbid certain foods or observe special days (Colossians 2)
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These issues are relevant today in legalism that creates rules beyond Scripture and judges others for not following them. Examples include prohibitions against alcohol, rules about Lent or Fridays, and strict standards of conduct to determine if someone is really a Christian.
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Paul says not to judge each other over such matters because:
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God has accepted both groups
- We have no right to judge another's servant
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God is able to make the "strong" Christian stand
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We must be careful not to fall into justification by works by judging others over minor issues and making them a test of true faith. We must stand firm in the freedom of the gospel.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Romans 14:1-4: Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Matters of Indifference
What are "matters of indifference" in Christian life according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, "matters of indifference" refer to issues about which there is no specific or clear commandment in Scripture. These are not matters where explicit biblical instructions exist (which require simple obedience), but rather areas where Christians need to apply general gospel principles to make decisions. These are secondary matters that don't affect salvation but can cause division among believers.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones warn against drawing conclusions too quickly?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns against drawing premature conclusions because he believes "half our troubles in the Christian life are due to the fact that we tend to draw conclusions before we are in a position to do so." He encourages taking time to understand the full exposition first, comparing it to a judge who shouldn't decide a case before hearing both sides. He describes the danger of "ready reckoner Christianity" that seeks immediate answers rather than careful consideration.
What was the specific issue Paul addressed in Romans 14:1-4?
The specific issue Paul addressed was about food, particularly eating meat. Some Christians (primarily those with Jewish backgrounds) were only eating herbs/vegetables, while others felt free to eat all foods including meat. This difference stemmed from: 1. Jewish dietary laws that prohibited certain meats 2. Concerns about meat offered to idols 3. Early forms of religious vegetarianism linked to ascetic philosophies and mystery religions
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the different temptations of the "strong" and "weak" believers?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that: - The temptation of the "strong" believer (who understood their freedom to eat all foods) was to despise the weaker brother. This stems from intellectual pride and a tendency to look down on those with less understanding. - The temptation of the "weak" believer was to judge the stronger brother, even questioning whether they were truly Christian. This stems from fear and legalism, where external practices become the measure of faith.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say that judging other Christians is typically a sign of weakness?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that this tendency to judge others is "almost invariably a sign of weakness, not strength." He identifies several reasons: 1. It stems from a spirit of fear rather than understanding 2. The weak believer, being unsure, seeks to safeguard their position 3. This fear leads them to multiply rules and regulations for themselves 4. They then apply these rules to everyone else as a standard 5. They end up creating a legalistic system that denies the gospel principle of justification by faith alone
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones relate this passage to modern Christian issues?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones applies this passage to several modern contexts: 1. Roman Catholic teachings about not eating meat on Friday and observing Lent 2. The temperance movement within Christianity that made abstinence from alcohol a measure of Christian faithfulness 3. Various evangelical movements that create rules about entertainment, tobacco, etc.
He clarifies that while organizations can create their own rules, the problem arises "if these things are made a vital part of discipleship, if they're in any way suggested as being essential to Christian profession," as this introduces legalism.
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones mean by "falling from grace" in this context?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "falling from grace" doesn't mean losing salvation, but rather departing "from the position which teaches that salvation is solely and entirely of grace by faith." When Christians judge others based on secondary matters like food or drink, they have essentially abandoned the doctrine of justification by faith alone and replaced it with a works-based system where "what a man does or doesn't do determines whether he's a Christian or not."
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.