Romans 14:13-23
Love limits liberty for the sake of another’s spiritual good.
13 Therefore let’s not judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother’s way, or an occasion for falling.
14 I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself; except that to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 Yet if because of food your brother is grieved, you walk no longer in love. Don’t destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.
16 Then don’t let your good be slandered,
17 for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 So then, let’s follow after things which make for peace, and things by which we may build one another up.
20 Don’t overthrow God’s work for food’s sake. All things indeed are clean, however it is evil for that man who creates a stumbling block by eating.
21 It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.
22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves.
23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.
Love limits liberty for the sake of another’s spiritual good.
To warn believers not to use their liberty in ways that cause fellow Christians to stumble or violate conscience.
Romans 14:13-23 follows Romans 14:1-12, where Paul instructed believers to accept one another in disputable matters, avoid contempt and judgment, act unto the Lord with thanksgiving, and remember final accountability before God. In Romans 14:13-23 Paul now presses the stronger believer especially to use liberty lovingly. The section anticipates Romans 15:1-7, where Paul will explicitly say that the strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, not please themselves, and accept one another just as Christ accepted them.
Paul addresses a mixed congregation in Rome where some believers exercised freedom regarding food while others had restricted consciences. These differences threatened to produce judgment, contempt, distress, and division. Paul applies the gospel of mercy to the practical use of liberty. Believers in Rome, including Jewish and Gentile Christians navigating conscience disputes over food, drink, days, and fellowship within one church Romans 14:13-23 stands in the new-covenant context where Christ has fulfilled and reoriented clean-unclean distinctions, yet believers still must be formed in conscience, love, and unity. The church lives under Christ’s lordship, in the Holy Spirit, awaiting final accountability before God.
Receiving One Another, Honoring the Lord, and Pursuing Peace in Matters of Conscience
Because every believer belongs to the Lord and will answer to God, the church must receive one another in disputable matters, refuse contempt and judgment, limit liberty by love, pursue peace and edification, and act only from faith.