Romans 14
Author: Steve Amato
Description: Bible study guide for Romans 14
Keywords: bible study,disputes, judge, gray areas, sunday, church, vegetarian, stumbling block

翻译: English 中文 Big5

# 罗马书１４

## 所疑惑的事

### 不要在所疑惑的事上论断别人

14:1 信心软弱的，你们要接纳，但不要辩论所疑惑的事。

14:2 有人信百物都可吃，但那软弱的，只吃蔬菜。
14:3 吃的人不可轻看不吃的人，
不吃的人不可论断吃的人，因为神已经收纳他了。

14:4 你是谁，竟论断别人的仆人呢？他或站住，或跌倒，自有他的主人在。
而且他也必要站住，因为主能使他站住。

14:5 有人看这日比那日强；有人看日日都是一样。
只是各人心里要意见坚定。

14:6 守日的人，是为主守的。
吃的人，是为主吃的，因他感谢神；
不吃的人，是为主不吃的，也感谢神。

> 14:7 我们没有一个人为自己活，也没有一个人为自己死。
> 14:8 我们若活着，是为主而活；若死了，是为主而死。
> 所以我们或活或死，总是主的人。

> > 14:9 因此基督死了，又活了，
> > 为要作死人并活人的主。

14:10 你这个人，为什么论断弟兄呢？
又为什么轻看弟兄呢？
因我们都要站在神的台前。
14:11 经上写着：

> “主说：‘我凭着我的永生起誓，万膝必向我跪拜，
> 万口必向我承认。’”（以赛亚书４５：２３）

14:12 这样看来，我们各人必要将自己的事，在神面前说明。

14:13 所以我们不可再彼此论断，

### 容忍别人对所疑惑的事的见解

宁可定意，谁也不给弟兄放下绊脚跌人之物。
14:14 我凭着主耶稣确知深信，凡物本来没有不洁净的。
惟独人以为不洁净的，在他就不洁净了。

14:15 你若因食物叫弟兄忧愁，就不是按着爱人的道理行。
基督已经替他死，你不可因你的食物叫他败坏。
14:16 不可叫你的善被人毁谤，

> 14:17 因为神的国，不在乎吃喝，
> 只在乎公义、和平、并圣灵中的喜乐。

> 14:18 在这几样上服事基督的，
> 就为神所喜悦，又为人所称许。

14:19 所以，我们务要追求和睦的事
与彼此建立德行的事。
14:20 不可因食物毁坏神的工程。

凡物固然洁净，但有人因食物叫人跌倒，就是他的罪了。
14:21 无论是吃肉，是喝酒，
是什么别的事，叫弟兄跌倒，一概不作才好。

14:22 你有信心，就当在神面前守着。
人在自己以为可行的事上能不自责，就有福了。

14:23 若有疑心而吃的，就必有罪。
因为他吃，不是出于信心；
凡不出于信心的都是罪。

# 问题讨论

- 是什么决定一件事是不是“所疑惑的”？
- 考虑一件使你所认识的某个人挣扎的所疑惑的事。这件事在哪里与保罗所说的关于该不该吃肉的事相似？
- 星期天去教会呢？
认为星期天是“圣日”呢？这是不是“所疑惑的事”呢？
- 保罗说我们应该把所疑惑的事保持在我们与神之间，但如果有人要求我们反着我们的理解去做该怎么办？
- 如果我们保持沉默的话，怎么才能“不叫你的善被人毁谤”呢？
- 这为什么会劝阻我们去管别人的闲事？
- 我们是不是应该想方设法去“开导”那些在我们看来似乎是被他们对所疑惑的事的理解俘虏的人？
- 如果他们或你对所疑惑的事在各人心里没有坚定的意见又该怎么办呢？
- 如果我们的行为违背我们自己的良心，虽然不违背别人的良心，这是罪吗？如果我们总是按我们“觉得”是对的去做，我们就总是对的吗？这与信心有什么关系？

# 注释

vs 1 By "weak faith", Paul is not saying that such a persons is deficient with respect to having salvific faith. It seems clear in this chapter that there is no question that he is not referring to faith in the atoning work of Christ that leads to justification. But rather he is referring to the applications of faith. In fact those who are of a "weak" faith, as Paul calls it here, often have more obvious applications that those of a strong faith. If a person refuses to eat meat or does other such things, he might stand out more in a crowd. In fact, such a person might consider himself being of a stronger faith than the one who eats meat, in that it may make his life more difficult. Ascetics can become proud and legalistic and look down on others who are not so restrictive. Perhaps this is why Paul refers to them as of a "weak faith", to humiliate those who were a bit too proud of their asceticism.

But remember, that we are talking about disputable matters. Paul takes a very strong stand against those who put their faith in what should be the applications of their faith rather than putting their faith in Christ. For example, while in vs 5 he says:

“有人看这日比那日强；
有人看日日都是一样。
只是各人心里要意见坚定。”

Yet he warns:

“现在你们既然认识神，更可说是被神所认识的，怎么还要归回那懦弱无用的小学，情愿再给它作奴仆呢？你们谨守日子、月分、节期、年分，我为你们害怕，惟恐我在你们身上是枉费了工夫。”加拉太书４：９－１１

He said this because the Galatians, being influenced by the group of the circumcision, were actually putting their faith in the observance of special days as if it was a requirement for salvation.

Romans 14 deals not with people who are putting their faith in what should be merely applications of faith, but rather with people who are deriving applications of faith from the Bible as the Holy Spirit directs their conscience.

vs 2 Why is eating or not eating meat a disputable matter? There were a couple of reasons for this.

The early church was composed of both Jewish and Gentile converts. Many of the Jews still kept the dietary practices of the Mosaic Law, that restricted what they could eat. This affected the fellowship between Jewish and Gentile Christians, and some Jews were pressuring the Gentiles to also follow the Law of Moses. Furthermore, the pagan religions would also offer animal sacrifices to their gods and sell the meat on the open market. And many Christians didn't want to eat meat sacrificed to idols for conscience sake.

In 使徒行传１５, James (a leader at the church of Jerusalem) declared that the Gentiles need only "to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood." But even this seems to go too far for Paul, who considers eating food polluted by idols more of a disputable matter, and no doubt also meat from strangled animals; unless what James meant was the same as Paul in this chapter: that one should keep these private so as to not affect fellowship with Jewish believers. But then if he were just speaking of disputable matters, why would he include abstaining from sexual immorality, which is certainly not a disputable matter?

Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake-- the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? 歌林多前书１０：２５－２９ (niv)

vs 4 Don't we all have the same Master? What does it mean by "another man's servant"? He probably means "he's not your servant, he somebody else's servant". We shouldn't judge others in disputable matters as if they are our servants. Though as Christians grow in maturity, they will come to a common conviction even concerning disputable matters, there should be allowances for the difference of opinion on disputable matters so to give people room as they are growing. And similarly for raising children. Being overly restrictive can bring discouragement and hinder creativity and growth.

vs 5-6 Some Christians are overly dogmatic concerning treating Sunday as a sort of holy day. They judge others who may not go to church on Sunday, or partake of some other special religious activities that day. But Paul writes that such is a disputable matter and Christians should be flexible on these kind of things.

vs 7-13a But whatever we do, we should have a view towards the judgment which we will face. For we are not here to do our own thing, but we are here as servants of Christ. So in whatever you are doing, ask yourself, "Am I accomplishing the work that Christ has given me to do? And am I doing it efficiently and in a manner that glorifies God?"

vs 13b-23 As Paul had said in the previous chapter, "love does no harm to its neighbor". But if you are doing things that don't violate your own conscience, then why should they harm another? But just as it may be harmful for children to deal with adult subjects and situations, so it may be harmful for those weak in faith to imitate those who are more mature in faith in matters that would violate their conscience. And once again I must stress that this is only with respect to disputable matters. Though spiritual maturity leads to freedom, it doesn't lead to lawlessness.

Sometimes institutional churches lose sight of the objective: righteousness, peace with God and joy in the Holy Spirit leading to peace between believers and mutual edification. Programs and ceremonies can often take priority over people. And denominational dogma may have a tendency to replace the Bible.

vs 22 "keep between yourself and God." In saying this, Paul discourages meddling and encourages a certain amount of privacy in a believer's devotion to God. Spiritual leaders should not be micro-managers.

vs 23 "everything that does not come from faith is sin." Biblical faith involves not just the mind, but the conscience. Just as faith in Christ should lead to repentance due to conviction of sin, so also walking by faith involves following our consience as the Holy Spirit directs us to derive applications from the Bible.