Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN (Lesson XIV)

Early church writer Pelagius does not hesitate to agree that we alone must all account for our actions to the Lord alone. We will not only give account to God for those things we did that were bad but also will be asked to explain why we didn’t do those things that were good. In other words, since we knew that sinning was a blow to God’s heart why didn’t we inform those who were doing the same things to stop.¹ And for Chrysostom, Paul is alerting the Roman believers to be aware that when they see the Master sitting on His judgment seat they will be judged if they brought disharmony or division to the church body by breaking away from grace and running back to the Law. For the Law belongs to Christ as well. It is not the Law which will demand an account from us but Christ who fulfilled the Law. Paul wanted to release us from the fear of the Law and instilled in us great reverence for our LORD.²

Martin Luther emphasizes the fact that not only is Christ the Lord of all believers, whether alive or in the grave, but of all mankind, both good and evil. That’s why the prophecy of every knee bowing and every tongue confessing Him as Lord points to the future. In Luther’s mind, in the words of this verse, we find an unshakably prophecy that the resurrection will be of both the good and evil. “Every knee” and “every tongue” means all the living and all those who ever lived, will be brought up from their graves to face Him. The prophet Isaiah uses “every knee” and “every tongue” to mean “all mankind.” Luther takes this as Isaiah’s way of saying that God will preserve all who walked this earth in order to judge them on Judgment Day³.⁴

John Calvin has quite a bit to say on these two verses. First, it seems to him that Paul has quoted this testimony of the Prophet Isaiah not so much to prove what he said concerning the judgment-seat of Christ but to show that judgment ought to be expected by all with the greatest humility and a submissive mind. Paul testified by his own words that the power to judge all mankind is vested in Christ alone. Now he confirms the truth of his words with the words of the Prophet that all flesh ought to be humbled while expecting His coming and their readiness to kneel before Him. This is also a remarkable passage for the purpose of confirming our faith in the eternal divinity of Christ: for it is God who speaks here, and the God who once and for all has declared that He will not give His authority to any other person than His Son.⁵ Unquestionably, the truth of this prophecy was displayed when Christ came to gather God’s people from all around the world to Himself and restore them to the worship of His Majesty and to the obedience of His Gospel.

Secondly, Calvin concludes that Paul invites us to develop a humble and submissive mind because he immediately draws the inference that we are not to judge one another; for it is not Lawful for us to assume the office of judging, especially since we must submit ourselves to be judged and to give an account for our actions. Also, from the many significant meanings found in the words “to judge,” Paul has aptly drawn two different meanings. In the first place, he forbids us to judge others, that is, to condemn; in the second place, he bids us to judge, that is, to exercise judgment when cautioning others about sinning without being offensive. He indeed indirectly rebukes those hardhearted faultfinders who use all their skill and talent in looking for something wrong in the lives of their fellow believers. Paul, therefore, invites them to exercise caution themselves; for by their neglect they often precipitate, or drive their fellow believers against some stumblingblock or another.⁶

Robert Haldane observes that it is remarkable that the Apostle Paul so frequently quotes from the First Covenant in support of what he teaches, though, in reality, his own authority was equal to that of any writer of the First Covenant. But this proves that the First Covenant and the Final Covenant are given by one Spirit, and harmonized in all their parts. It is also an example for us in proving and teaching any truth contained in the Word of God. Haldane is convinced that anyone who teaches anything that cannot be substantiated by the Scriptures is presuming that what they have to say with their mouth is just as good as anything God may have said in His Word. Haldane notes Paul’s quote from the First Covenant suggests that every individual of the human race must give an account of themselves to God. There will be no lawyers in heaven to speak on anyone’s behalf. All must explain in their own words why they did or didn’t do what God’s Word said was part of His Will. And as far as believers are concerned, although all their sins were blotted out by the blood of Christ’s atonement, they should not feel they now have the freedom to sin. The fact of a future judgment ought to have a constant influence on their conduct. Standing before the judgment-seat of Christ, of which the Apostle had just spoken about, is here represented as giving an account to God.⁷

Charles Hodge is convinced that Paul considers the recognition of the authority of Christ as being tantamount to submission to God, and he applies without hesitation the declarations of the First Covenant in relation to the universal dominion of Yahweh as proof of the Redeemer’s sovereignty. In Paul’s estimation, therefore, Jesus Christ was God. This is so obvious, that commentators of all classes recognize the force of the argument defending the divinity of Christ. In Hodge’s mind, verse 12 may be considered as intended to confirm the truth of the declaration at the end of verse 11.⁸ Hodge feels that after having established God as the Supreme Judge to whom we will all render our account, we should, therefore, await His decision and not presume to know better and act the part of being a judge of our fellow believers.

Albert Barnes also has something to say about everyone being made to give an account to God for their actions, especially their appointing themselves as judges over their fellow believers. It starts with accepting the fact that the judgment will be conducted by the Lord Jesus.⁹ Furthermore, all judgment is committed to the Son for the following reasons:¹⁰ (1) Because God “appointed”’ the Messiah to be the Judge.¹¹ (2) Because the Judge Himself is divine. The Lord Jesus being God as well as man, the account will be rendered directly to the Creator as well as the Redeemer of the world. In this passage, there are two incidental proofs of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. First, the fact that the Apostle Paul personalizes the words spoken by Yahweh in Isaiah to himself. And secondly, the fact that Jesus is declared to be the Judge of all. No being that is not omniscient can be qualified to judge the secrets of all mankind. None who has not seen what people go through all the time, and in every situation; who has not been a witness of the conduct of people by day and by night; who has not been present with mankind from the beginning of creation, and who in the great day of judgment cannot discern the true character of the soul can be qualified to conduct the final judgment of mankind. Yet none can possess these qualifications but God. The Lord Jesus, “the judge of the living and dead,” is alone eligible to do this, therefore, He is divine¹².¹³

Preacher Octavius Winslow, in the sermon we referenced previously, in verse 9, also preached that all creation should give praise and honor to Christ. That’s why Isaiah could say that there will come a day when every knee will bow before Him and every tongue will confess to Him that He is Adonai (LORD). What solemn inference is being made here? Is it not the God who proclaims that all mankind will give account to Him and stand before Him, is the same God referred to in the tenth verse – “We will all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.” This clearly shows that from the simple testimony of Scripture, that Christ is, without reservation or change of magnitude, YAHWEH, ADONAI, ELOHIM (I AM who I AM, LORD, CREATOR). We now proceed to show that the Lord Jesus, our adorable Emmanuel, is represented in God’s Word as invested with all the attributes belonging to I AM who I AM.¹⁴

Frédéric Godet also notes that Paul is quoting from the prophet Isaiah in which universal respect is described.¹⁵ This means, that one day all mankind will render to God the honor, praise, and glory that He is due. Godet believes that this reverence and respect supposes and implies the judgment by which all mankind will be brought to bow at His feet. If we read “Christ,” and not of “God,” at the end of verse 10, we must agree that the Apostle sees this last royal manifestation of Yahweh proclaimed by Isaiah has found its realization in Christ.¹⁶ That’s why Paul takes these words of Isaiah and applies them to glorify Jesus. Godet then goes on to note that here in verse 12 Paul applies to every individual in particular what has just been said of all in general. The preceding context signified that believers should not judge one another because God will judge them all. Paul here repeats the expression “God,” rather than “Christ” because he wishes to contrast in a general way divine judgment with human judgments.¹⁷

Charles Ellicott has copied the text of his sermon titled “Our Accountability” on Romans 14:12 here in his commentary. It is far too extensive to include here, but one of his main points that when the Apostle Paul says that each one of us will give an account of ourselves to God, he is making one of the most solemn statements not found in his other Epistles. The words are more than an assurance that there will be a Day of Judgment, and that at that Day of Judgment each one of us must be present. The text tells us four things about our Accountability: One, it is Universal. “Each one of us.” Two, it is Inevitable. “Each one of us will give.” Three, it is Personal. “Account of ourselves.” And four, it is Supreme. “To God.” Ellicott ends with the words from a poem he read that expresses his main point:

Thoughts hard to pack into a narrow act,

Ideas that broke through the language barrier and escaped;

All I could ever be, all, men ignored in me,

My worth to God my Potter, on whose wheel I was shaped.¹⁸

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN (Lesson XIV)

For Robert Haldane, the word “judge” in the 4th verse refers to the weak believer who condemned those who ate things prohibited by the Law, and not to the strong believer who is being admonished for despising, not for judging. Here both are individually brought forward and each separately asked a question in line with their attitudes. The believer who thinks that it is wrong to eat things prohibited by the Law is asked, why do you dare take it upon yourself to condemn your fellow believer who differs with you? Likewise, the believer who is better informed on these matters is asked, why do you have such total disregard for your fellow believer’s right to abstain? The Apostle most evidently asks the two questions with respect to each person’s attitude, and appropriate and suitable with respect to each individual’s personality.

Haldane then goes on to discuss another important factor to be considered when choosing to judge a fellow believer. He points to Paul’s basis for his admonition of those who judge or despise each other, in that, not only are they all the servants of Christ and fellow believers, but they must all appear before His judgment-seat, each to give an account of themselves. This is a good reason why they should neither judge nor despise one another. To judge others is to violate the exclusive right of Christ to judge. Also, to despise others reveals the presence of pride and ignorance as the cause for their contempt of fellow believers.

This most clearly shows that Christians have no authority over one another’s faith or their Christian conscience in this world. Both as to faith and Christian conscience, Christians may endeavor to enlighten one another, but when they fail, they have no authority to force others to change their views. Each Christian, however, is bound to follow the Lord as far as their own knowledge allows and not to be stopped by the misconceptions of fellow believers. No one should do what they know to be wrong in order to satisfy a fellow believer’s whim or wish, nor are they keep from doing anything they judge to be the will of their Master in order to retain fellowship with other believers.¹

Adam Clarke believes this question can go either way when it comes to Jews judging Gentiles and vice versâ. Why would a Christian Jew who still observes the rites of the Mosaic Law judge condemn their fellow Christian Gentile who does not think of themselves as bound by this Law? Or, why do Christian Gentiles shun Christian Jewish believers as if they were unworthy of any respect because they do not yet believe that the Gospel has set them free from the rites and ceremonies of the Law? Clarke says that Mr. John Heylyn (1685-1759}² was right when commenting on this verse by saying: “The superstitious are prone to judge, and those who are not superstitious are prone to despise.”³ We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Why then should we take it upon ourselves to judge or condemn each other? We are accountable to God for our conduct and will be judged at His bar of justice. So let us consider that whatever opinion we have of others who differ from us, the same will be returned to us for the same reason.⁴

Charles Spurgeon thinks that if we are prone to judge, certainly it should not be those who are linked to us in a spiritual relationship. Are not all believers one family in Christ? No matter what the differences may be, there exists an overwhelming reason to promote Christian unity. Why, then, will someone take a fellow believer by the throat, so to speak, and drag them to their personal courtroom and make them answerable to them? How can a believer condemn a fellow believer? Why would any brother or sister in Christ condemn another brother or sister in Christ just to prove that they are right? When the outside world censures Christians, we understand why; they hated our Master and they will hate us.⁵ But inside the sacred circle of Christian communion, there should only be esteem and love for one another. We should also be quick in defending each other. That means we should be anxious to try to understand others’ weaknesses of faith rather than to look for any imperfections to criticize!

Spurgeon believes that some judgmental Christians search for laws that may have been broken where no such laws exist! He wishes that having perfect love for each other will cast out all suspicion of one another⁶ and that we would have confidence in each other because Christ, our Lord, will hold up our brothers and sisters even as He holds us up! This judging among Christians, then, is, first of all, unnatural and unspiritual! And, next, it is done in advance of the coming Judgment Day. That’s when all mankind will be judged – judged in a better manner than you or I can judge. How dare we, then, trespass on God’s sacred Word by climbing up to the seat of judgment and pretend that we have authority over such matters at such a critical moment? Judgment will come soon enough – may the Lord have mercy upon us until that day arrives! Spurgeon asks why as brothers and sisters we feel pressured to be in such a hurry to place ourselves on the tribunal throne? Cannot God do His work better than we? “Vengeance is Mine: I will repay, says the Lord.”⁷ We need not spend our time constantly trying to discern between the tares and the wheat⁸,⁹ or as we might say today, between genuine organic wheat and genetically modified wheat. In other words, trying to judge whether someone is a true born again believer, or an imitation made through ceremonial sprinkling.

F. F. Bruce gives his views on the subject. For him, there is no sin to which Christians – especially those who call themselves dedicated Christians – are more prone than the sin of censorship. The Apostle Paul’s words are intended for serious consideration. Should a person not cover their mouth before they criticize someone?¹⁰ When we pass on hurried, uninformed, unloving, and mean-spirited judgments on a fellow believer, surely we have forgotten that if we speak evil of them we are at the same time speaking evil of our Lord whose name they bear as Christians (little Christs). We will all stand before the judgment seat of God. This judgment seat in Greek is called the bēma, or tribunal.¹¹ There is no difference between this tribunal and the “judgment seat of Christ.” From the earliest part of the second century, there has been a tendency by Bible scholars to tie this verse to what Paul wrote the Corinthians¹².¹³

John Stott assigns the words “despising” and “judging”¹⁴ to fellow Christians, with despising being “smirk of disdainful contempt” and judging as a “frown of accusatory judgment.’¹⁵ Both are now shown to be part of an abnormal attitude. Why? Not only because God has accepted those being scorned and condemned as His children because Christ died and rose again to be the same Lord of all. Not only that but because both the accuser and accused are related to one another in the strongest possible way by spiritual family ties. Whether we are thinking of the weak, with all their aggravating doubts and fears, or of the strong with all their aggressive assurances and freedoms, they are still our brothers and sisters. When we remember this, our attitude towards them should at once become less critical and impatient, and more generous and tender.¹⁶

Verses 11-12: Yes, the Scriptures say, “As surely as I am alive,” says ADONAI, “Every knee will bow before me, and every tongue will publicly acknowledge I’m God.”¹⁷ So each of us will have to explain to God about the things we do. Don’t cause others to sin.

Not only has Paul established that the One True God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the God of the Universe, but that one day every tribe and nation will acknowledge Him as Adonai (LORD). But this is not something Paul dreamed up. God Himself declared: “As sure as I’m alive, the whole earth will be filled with the shining-greatness of the LORD.”¹⁸ Paul declares this same sovereignty of God over the earth in his letter to the Philippians: “When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will bow down before Him. And every tongue will say Jesus Christ is Lord. Everyone will give honor to God the Father.”¹⁹

That’s why it was so important for Paul to emphasize to the believers in Rome that one day we will all be held accountable before God. Listen to what Solomon said to the youth in his day: “Young person, if you spend your youth only having fun, if you use your early years just to entertain yourself, if you follow your heart as you live your life, and let your eyes be your guide; understand that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.”²⁰ So it is not surprising that Jesus would echo the same theme.²¹ Even the Apostle Peter thought it was important enough for him to tell his readers that one day everyone will give an account of their words and actions before the Great Judge, especially those who make fun of believers.²²

Early church scholar Ambrosiaster points out that after being killed, the future Judge rose from the dead, and, therefore, He rightly proclaimed: “I live.”²³ Jesus is saying that not only does He live, but He will come to judge, and His enemies will confess His name and kneel before Him, acknowledging that He is God and from God.²⁴ Since we are not going to give account of each other, says Paul, let us not condemn or judge one another over small issues that have of effect on our salvation.²⁵

Lou Holtz is a legendary college football coach and is also known as a well-respected man of wise advice. He once said, “If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven’t done anything today.” How true that is! Often times you will hear someone brag about what they did as a kid, a teenager, a college student, a young entrepreneur, or some act of kindness. But as Holtz put it, that was yesterday. So what have you done today?

As psychologist Andrea F. Polard notes, while envy can destroy a relationship, overt or covert bragging can prevent them from developing in the first place. A boaster creates gaps between themselves and others, which cannot (and should not) be bridged. They place themselves on a higher elevation, more advanced, and out of other’s reach. However, in a moralistic society, most people prefer to relate to others on equal footing instead of allowing someone to make themselves bigger than they really are. Even though we might feel secure as part of the leadership team, there is still a kid inside all of us. We are most happy when we connect with each other in mutual respect and appreciation. And most aggravating of all, are those who continue to brag about what they did last year or ten years ago.

Roman philosopher and emperor Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) in his book on Meditations wrote that one of his teachers named Rusticus helped him understand some important things when it came to having a moderate lifestyle and still be happy. Because of that, he never became attached to being admired for either his lavish living nor as one who lived with the least amount of comfort. He also said that he never displayed an air of grandeur by walking home in his senatorial robe, or by any such things. He never wrote fancy letters with complicated words or sentences just to impress the reader. When he wrote his mother from the seacoast town of Sinuessa she knew he was still the boy she raised. Rusticus also taught himself to remain at ease and open to reconciliation with those who spoke badly about him. Also, not to be satisfied with a light and superficial knowledge; nor quickly to assent to great talkers.¹

It is very clear that Aurelius had no interest in being an egotist or braggart. He also made up his mind not to be offended when someone said something derogatory about him, but rather, start looking or a way to be conciliatory with them. Along with what Aurelius had to say, here are some things to keep in mind when encountering a braggart. For one thing, that talk about themselves incessantly; they are always fishing for compliments; they want to be everyone’s buddy; they feel the need to belong; they act as if they are running after something they can’t catch up with; they are prone to force their religious, political, or moral views on others; they are always looking for people just like them; they often dominate every conversation; they brag about the accomplishments with a lot of embellishment; they brag about their work position; and they seem to know everyone that you know. So don’t be surprised when you hear these things and become upset. You already knew it was coming.

These are the signs of a person who over communicates. In other words, they say more than is really needed to get their point across. As such, they appear bossy and critical of everyone and everything. Since no one else will brag on them, they constantly and shamelessly brag about themselves. Furthermore, they often take credit for things that others have done. Being insecure means that they are someone who needs attention; someone who needs constant approval from everyone all the time. You certainly can be their friend, but not because of their bragging but because they need help.

You may have a close friend who is constantly bragging, you may feel annoyed. Even if you love your friend very much, you may not be able to deal with their constant effort to be better than you. Sometimes, you might not feel like your friend cares about you at all. A friend who brags too much may not be aware of how their actions affect others. By coping with their actions in positive ways, you can repair your friendship.

Here are some simple methods that I have read about that may be of help to all of us. First of all, control your own actions. You can do this by coming up with something else to talk about. Some current event or top news story, the latest movie, or the heroic actions of a good Samaritan or first-responders to a tragedy. It could also be something funny that happened and everyone is talking about it. If they keep turning the conversation back to themselves, find some legitimate reason to excuse yourself. In fact, if you know you are going to meet with them, make sure you have another appointment you must get to within the next thirty minutes. They might appreciate that you are taking a little time out just for them.

Secondly, don’t compete with them. If your friend is always one-upping you, you may feel the urge to top them. This will only worsen the problem: your friend will want to top you and you will feel even angrier. When you feel the urge, hold your tongue. Stooping to their level will not help. Never lie about your accomplishments in an attempt to top them. Even if they don’t find out, you will likely feel bad for lying.

Thirdly, try to set an example for your friend. If you notice yourself bragging, correct yourself out loud and avoid bragging in the future. Apologize to your friend and say something like, “I didn’t realize I have been bragging. I’ll try not to do that in the future. I know it makes people feel bad.” If you make an effort to stop, your friend might do the same thing.

Even if your friend knows they have a problem, they might feel too embarrassed to change their behavior. Knowing that other people, and even you, struggle with the same thing it might push them towards improvement. Do not brag on purpose just to self-correct yourself. This is passive-aggressive. Your friend may not necessarily pick up on the hint, but they may pick up on your anger. Instead, become self-aware of your own bragging habits.

Fourthly, don’t insult your friend thinking it will wake them up to the truth about their behavior. People often don’t realize how their bragging hurts others. Your friend might not mean to hurt your feelings. Treat them kindly and with respect. Ganging up against them will not solve the problem. If your friend only brags on occasion, try your best to be understanding. Everyone wants to brag from time to time. We all want to share our accomplishments and our life’s high points with friends and family. So if your friend is emphasizing the point that they have achieved or received something that you don’t have or can never acquire, don’t let that pass without a response. In such a case, have an appropriate, but non-aggressive or critical conversation in which you let them know how you feel about what they just said.

Fifthly, change the way you compliment them. How you praise them can either reinforce or curb their bragging behavior. Complement their actions rather than them personally. Saying, “You’re so amazing!” may give them an incentive for bragging in the future. Instead, say, “You did a good job under the circumstances.” It puts emphasis on the action, not on them, and encourages them to work hard. If your friend is fishing for praise, you do not have to compliment them. Treat them kindly, but put attention on something else besides their actions. You might say, for example, “I appreciate how much effort you put into the project you’re telling me about, I’m sure it couldn’t have gotten done it without your contribution.”

So, does the Word of God have anything to say about this? Yes, it does. Wise King Solomon was not hesitant in saying that if we let pride overtake us it will lead to being shamed when the truth is known. In fact, pride makes it impossible for a person to gain any wisdom.² Later on, Solomon let people know that the person who brags too much about things they’ve never really done but one day plan to do is like a dark cloud in the sky with no rain.³ We might say, they are all thunder and lightning. As a matter of fact, Solomon says that if there’s anything to brag about concerning things we’ve done, let someone else do it. Just keep your mouth shut and listen.⁴

When the prophet Jeremiah was called to deliver the Lord’s message to the children of Israel, he too must have faced those who were fond of bragging. So the Lord told Jeremiah to say this: “Don’t go around bragging about how smart you are. Don’t run your mouth about all the things you think you can do. And don’t make a big deal out of how successful you’ve been. If you want to boast about anything, let people know how great God is; the One who shows loving-kindness and always does the right thing at the right time. The Lord said, “I’m very happy when you do that.”

So when Jesus came many years later, He brought the same message. But He put it in a different context. He told His followers that they should think of themselves as God’s children. Even so, He lets the sun shine on good and bad people; He sends the rain on those who do what’s right and those who do what’s wrong.⁵ In other words, in order to be like our heavenly Father, we should treat both those we like and those we don’t like with the same kindness and understanding. That includes those who are addicted to bragging. In the same sermon, Jesus goes on to tell those listening to Him that they should not become showoffs when it comes to how they treat others with kid’s gloves just to get the applause of those who are watching. When you do that, don’t expect God to reward you because you’ve already gotten your reward.⁶

The Apostle Paul must have been told or read, what Jesus taught His followers because when it came to sharing with others about how they should respond to those who do things that aggravate them, he warned that you are not to do the same thing to them they are doing to you. When you do, you will end up as guilty as they are of being a loudmouth with very little evidence to back up your claims.⁷ And in another letter Paul tells his readers that if we truly have the Spirit of God living in us, then whatever our circumstances may be we will supernaturally respond with love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, being faithful, being gentle, and being in charge of how we respond.⁸

And when the Apostle wrote to the Philippian believers, he asked them if they felt like they were strong because they had Christ in their lives? Did His love for them bring them any comfort? Did they have a sense of joy because God had shared His Holy Spirit with them? And did they find it easier showing loving-kindness and compassion to others?⁹ With that kind of attitude and demeanor it would certainly be easier for a believer to deal with a know-it-all rather than simply turning a deaf ear and walking away.

Then in his letter to the Colossians, Paul reminds them that God was the One who chose them to be part of His both earthly family and heavenly family. As a result, they are special to God and He loves them very much. That’s why they should find it easier to be understanding with others without thinking that they were doing them a great favor. Instead, they’ve learned how to be gentle with those others might find annoying, and willing to listen to what they have to say. Rather than looking for ways to lecture them and straighten them out, they look for ways to get along and make them feel accepted. Look for ways to see through their self-praise and find something that can be salvaged. After all, that’s what God did for them so why can’t they do it for others?¹⁰

Then the Apostle of love, John, adds his finishing touch to this subject. He points out that even though we may have what we need to cope with life’s ups and downs when you see someone who is severely lacking in those virtues and traits that makes a person levelheaded, don’t just go on your merry way and shake your head in pity. Take the time to see what you can do to help them. If you claim to be a true believer and do not go out of your way to assist those in need of guidance and counsel, then how can you claim to have the love of God in your life?

The whole point here seems to be that instead of looking at those who go around talking excessively about their achievements and accomplishments as a problem that needs fixing, look at their unreasonable pride and boastfulness as a symptom to a bigger problem. Take the time to listen, even if it does require a lot of patience. Ask God to give you the wisdom and discernment you need to find an opportunity to really go to the heart of their dilemma. They’ve probably been told many times that they are full of hot air and extremely boring. What they need to hear from you is that the same God who loved you loves them. The same Jesus that lives in your heart wants to live in their heart as well. And the same Holy Spirit that you depend on for wisdom and discernment, wants to be their comforter too. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

GOD’S BARBERSHOP

When I read this story it made me both laugh and smile with approval. It’s another case of how simple things can be the source of huge discoveries. I hope you enjoy it as I did.

A man went to a barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber started to work, they began to have a conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects – sports, weather, economy, etc. When they eventually touched on the subject of religion the barber said: “I don’t believe that God exists.” “Why do you say that?” asked the customer. “Well, you just have to go out and walk around town and you’ll realize that God doesn’t exist.

The customer thought for a moment, and then asked the barber, “What would I see that would convince me that God does not exist?” The barber responded, “If God existed, there wouldn’t be so many homeless people and street children. If God existed, there wouldn’t be so many people dying in accidents, crime, war, and from cancer. I can’t imagine a loving God who would allow all of these things to happen.”

The customer didn’t respond at first because he didn’t want to start an argument. The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a homeless man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked so shabby and unkempt. The customer turned around and ran back into the barber shop. He looked at the barber and said somewhat sarcastically, “And I don’t believe that barbers exist!”

“How can you say that?” said the surprised barber. “I am here, and I am a barber. And I just worked on you!” The customer called the barber to the door and pointed to the homeless man shuffling down the sidewalk. “You see,” said the customer, “If barbers existed there wouldn’t people with such dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man out there.”

“Oh ho!” exclaimed the barber. “Barbers do exist! But that’s what happens when people do not come to me for a haircut and trim!” “Exactly!” affirmed the customer. “That’s the point! God, too, DOES exist! But that’s what happens when people do not go to Him and ask for His help. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the world.” So we can see from this that is isn’t that because God doesn’t exist that is the cause for so much heartache and heartbreak in this world. God does exist, it’s just that some people don’t go the Him for help because they don’t want Him involved in their lives. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN (Lesson XIII)

In one of his sermons, Baptist preacher Octavius Winslow touches on this subject of the post-death sovereignty of Christ over the believer. He makes the point that God’s guardianship is another Divine work that truly belongs to Christ. That’s why our Lord was able to say, “All power is given to me in heaven and on earth.”¹ “He is Lord of all.”² “Lord both of the dead and the living.”³ “Christ is above all principalities and powers, might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come.”⁴ ”Upholding all things by the power of His word.”⁵ “By him (Christ) all things are held together.”⁶ “The Prince of the kings of the earth.”⁷ This should make it clear that Jesus is our Divine Guardian. The government of all worlds and of all creatures, according to the prediction of prophecy, is upon His shoulders. Is not this thought full of rich comfort and consolation to the experienced believer? Jesus as our Divine Guardian watches all our steps which are ordered and directed by Him – by Him who is God in our nature by Him who loved us to death – by Him who is our Elder Brother, our Prophet, Priest, and King. O how comforting to our soul that in the hour of its deepest sorrow and bereavement to know that it is sheltered in the palm of those very hands which were once pierced for us!⁸

Verse 10: So why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister in Christ? Or why do you think that you are better than they are? We will all stand before God, and He will judge us all.

Now Paul comes full circle, so to speak, explaining what we are are in Christ with His Father’s approval. So who are we to take God’s place in judging what we think God likes or dislikes in each of His children? Are we sometimes guilty, along with the scribes and Pharisees, of straining out a gnat while swallowing a camel?⁹

In other words, we become experts on details without fully comprehending what those details mean in the big picture. When confronting an issue between believers we may know the details involved, but are we aware of the opportunities that come with it? We may be strong in pointing out wrongs and mistakes, but fail to see the opportunity to show love and compassion.

I believe that some churches should change their rules for membership to, “Bar exam.” Everybody wants to be a judge. I’m convinced that at times one believer will judge another not only to make the other person look bad but by the same effort make themselves look good. But in whose eyes? Paul says that doing such critique for the sake of enhancing one’s own standing on the measuring stick of holiness is not only an affront to that other person, but fails to impress our loving and merciful heavenly Father.

Paul is clearly reiterating what Jesus taught about the subject of judging others when He said: “Do not say what is wrong in other people’s lives. Then other people will not say what is wrong in your life. You will be guilty of the same things you find in others. When you say what is wrong in others, your words will be used to say what is wrong in you.”¹⁰ Where many Christians make a mistake is that they take what Jesus said to men that nothing at all should be said when they see some brother or sister doing things they know to be wrong. This misconception can be easily cleared up if people will only remember that it is not we who judge, but it’s God’s Word that decides. When we continue reading what Jesus said we will see that He was not forbidding saying something in defense of what is right, but to make sure we are not being hypocrites in doing so.

The teachings of Jesus and Paul on this subject were not novel, they came from a long tradition expressed by a First Covenant preacher: “This is the last thing I have to say. Honor God and obey His Laws. This is all that every person must do. For God will judge every act, even everything which is hidden, both good and bad.”¹¹ However, this was made clearer by Jesus Himself who said: “The Father does not say who is guilty. He gives this to the Son to do.”¹² While the Father is omniscient and nothing is hidden from Him, only His Son knows what it is like to live as a human being here on earth.

That’s why the writer of Hebrews said: “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do.”¹³ This same Gospel was echoed by the Apostle Peter,¹⁴ as well as by the Apostle Paul.¹⁵ In fact, Paul wrote the Corinthians saying: “Do not be quick to say who is right or wrong. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring into the light the things that are hidden in men’s hearts. He will show why men have done these things.”¹⁶ In other words, all we can go on to make to a determination based on what we know now. But the day is coming when we will get to know the rest of the story.

I read some years ago about a lady who lived across the street from the girl’s dormitory of a Bible College. Late one winter night she saw a man ride up on a bicycle, open a door that led to the basement and goes in. After a short while, she saw a light on the top floor go on and could see the man walk by the window. Before long, he turned off the light and later was seen coming out of the basement door and riding off on his bicycle. The next day, she wrote a scathing letter to the college President demanding to know why a man was allowed into the girl’s dorm in the middle of the night. She could only fantasize as to what occurred inside. The President decided to call her instead replying by letter and told her that the furnace had gone out and the girls had called about how cold it was. So the maintenance man was called and he went in and restarted the furnace. Since it was steam heat, he went up to an empty room on the top floor to make sure the heat was making it all the way up there. Once he was satisfied, he left and the girls could sleep comfortably the rest of the night. Obviously, once the lady heard the whole story, she changed her attitude and apologized. I wonder how many of us who have judged others wrongly will need to apologize on that day when all the secrets are revealed?¹⁷

Early church scholar Origen sees Paul attacking two ill-advised behaviors that may have developed among the believers in Rome. First, he admonishes those who refuse to instruct those who need a greater understanding of their faith and of God’s Word. Secondly, Paul points out how unskilled and rebellious those have become who have advanced beyond them into greater knowledge and understanding.¹⁸ Chrysostom also takes Paul’s condemnation as being directed toward those who are considered the stronger in the congregation and their discrimination against the weaker.¹⁹ Then Pelagius asks by what authority do those who are abstainers condemn fellow believers who are less restricted as ravening gluttons? And for what reason do those with freer consciences despise those who abstain as being weak and that their fasting as pointless?²⁰ Remember, the Lord will judge our consciences to see what sort of desire and intention we used to do what we did.²¹ And Gennadius notes that once again Paul takes up his earlier theme, and by adding the word “brother” shows how inappropriate this kind of judging is.”²²

John Calvin also points out that since Paul has declared that in life or death all of us are still subject to Christ, he now proceeds to speak about the authority to judge which the Father has conferred on Christ together with dominion over heaven and earth. Paul now concludes that it is an unreasonable boldness for anyone to assume the power to judge their brother or sister. By taking such liberty they attempt to rob Christ the Lord of the power which He alone has received from the Father. Also, Paul calls us before the only true Judge whom no one can replace. His power and judgment none can escape.

It would be the same as if a criminal who ought to stand humbly before the court would walk up and take the seat of the judge and judge other criminals on trial. It is just as absurd for a Christian to assume the liberty of judging the conscience of their brother or sister. A similar argument is mentioned by the Apostle James when he says, that “the one who judges their brother judges the Law,” and that “the one who judges the Law is not an observer of the Law but a Law enforcer.” But on the other hand, Paul says, that “there is but one Lawgiver, who can save and destroy.”²³ He thereby ascribes the judgment seat to Christ, which means, His power to judge, as the voice of the archangel by which we will be summoned, which is called, in another place a trumpet; for it will pierce, as it were, with its sound, into the minds and ears of all, dead or alive.²⁴

By focusing on the future judgment, Calvin is, therefore, saying that fellow Christians have no say over whether or not their brothers or sisters are saved and have been given the gift of eternal life. That final judgment will be made by Christ. But it does not eliminate the responsibility of each believer to counsel a weak fellow brother or sister on their activities and choices as it relates to what God’s Word has to say, not what they think is right or wrong.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN (Lesson XII)

There was yet another benefit and blessing Paul wanted to emphasize that is given to those whose lives are lived in, through, and for the sake of Christ. He told the Ephesians: “I pray that you will know how great His power is for those who have put their trust in Him. It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead. This same power put Christ at God’s right side in heaven. This place was given to Christ. It is much greater than any king or leader can have. No one else can have this place of honor and power. No one in this world or in the world to come can have such honor and power.”¹ This is an amazing reality when you make sure that what is yours, is Christ’s, He will make sure that what is His, is yours. Paul wanted everyone to know that Jesus is Lord of both now and forever.

One of the earliest church scholars, Origen, explains what he thinks Paul is saying here. He is speaking to those who thought that Christ had to die in order to become the Lord of the dead and that He had to rise again in order to become the Lord of the living. But Origen thinks that this assertion can be easily refuted. Christ’s rule over all creation consists of two parts: First, by virtue of His majesty and power as the Creator of all things who rules the universe everything is subject to Him, not only good and holy minds and spirits but also rebellious ones and those whom the Scriptures call “the wicked angels.”² In this sense, He is known as the Almighty, as John says in his Revelation: “Thus says the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.³”

Origen then goes on to give the second reason. Knowing that such a good Son of such a good Father do not want those created in their image who have minds and wills of their own, to blindly bow in obedience to His Law by force, but waits for them to come voluntarily so that they will freely seek what is good freely and not out of fear or obligation.⁴ They do this because they are persuaded by being taught rather than by being commanded and because they are being invited rather than by being ordered to do so. That’s why Christ was pleased to go even to the point of death to illustrate the best example of living and dying for those who want to die to sin and evil. Christ is, therefore, Lord of both the living and the dead – of the living because He is the head of those who by the power of His resurrection look for a new and more spiritual life here on earth, and of the dead because these same people died with the living Christ in their souls⁵ after putting to death their sinful nature here on earth⁶.⁷

Ambrosiaster also makes a point. For him, even though all creation was made by Christ the Lord, deceit caused it to become separated from its Maker and taken captive by sin. Nevertheless, God the Father sent His Son from heaven to earth to teach His creation what to do in order to escape the hands of its captor so that what He created would not have been done in vain. Ambrosiaster then writes that by doing so Christ turned those who were captives to sin into servants or righteousness.⁸ And Chrysostom also notes that Christ’s death and resurrection take care not only of the living but of the dead. His lordship extends to the grave and beyond.⁹ Then Pelagius firmly believes that the return of Christ will find people alive and will bring the dead back to life.¹⁰ It does not matter whether He brings you back from death or finds you alive, as long as you appear righteous before Him.¹¹

John Calvin gives his insights on why Paul said what he did in the previous verses. As he sees it, this verse is a confirmation of the fact that since we are the Lord’s while here on earth we will be the Lord’s in heaven. So whether we live or die we are under the power of Christ. When all is said and done and all creation appears before Him on Judgment Day, some He will be invited into the place He has prepared for them and some will be sent away into everlasting torment.¹² Paul now shows how Christ rightly claims this power over us since He obtained it by so great a price. By undergoing death for our salvation He has acquired authority over us which cannot be destroyed by death, and by rising again, He has the right to claim our whole life as His personal property.

As Calvin believes, Christ, therefore, by His death and resurrection deserves that we should, in death as well as in life, live in such a way that we cause Him to be admired for who He is and what He has done. The words “arose and lived again” mean that by His resurrection He also attained our continued state of life in Him. That means the life we now have in Him is subject to no change because His dominion over us is eternal.¹³ What I hear Calvin saying here is that because of the tremendous price Christ paid on the cross for our redemption, and the risk that He ran by going to the grave for our salvation, He has no intention of gaining our temporary allegiance to Him for a short while here on earth. He bought us, and owns us, and claims us as His property both in this life and the one to come.

John Bengel shares with us an interesting grammatical insight to help us understand the impact of what Paul is saying. That is, Christ died that He might have dominion over the dying, Christ revived, that He might have dominion over the living. Christ has died, therefore, death will not separate us from Him. Christ has risen again, therefore, our life in the world-to-come will not separate us from Him.¹⁴ If this were not true, then Jesus could have never promised His disciples and all those who follow Him that He would go away to prepare a place for them so that when He came back He would gather them to Himself.¹⁵ So, even as they are with Him in this temporal life, they will be with Him after being resurrected to eternal life.

Adam Clarke contends that since Christ both died and rose, He has the right to claim us as His own before we die and after we die. It is evident from this – that Christ lived, and died, and rose again that He might be the Lord of the dead and the living. That means, His power extends equally over both worlds: the world on this side of the grave and the world on the other side of the grave. He has sovereign power and authority in both worlds. So why not submit to His authority while we are in this world so that when we rise to go to the eternal world beyond this life we are still under His protection and authority?¹⁶

Robert Haldane adds another layer of truth for our understanding. It was after His death and resurrection were completed that Christ became our Lord and Mediator before God. This was done so that all power might be committed to Him. Therefore, He received the keys of the visible state of life and the invisible state of death. That means He governs all His people both during their life and after their death. This makes it possible for Him to order all things done for His glory and our good. Since Christ, then, is Lord of the living; He is also Lord of the dead. It is clear then, He must then be God. This shows, that the dead are alive in their souls while their bodies are dead. It is in this way that Christ reigns over them. It would be absurd to suppose that He reigns over them as mere skin and bones. That’s why God is not the God of the dead but of the living¹⁷.¹⁸

Charles Hodge continues this same theme: the dominion which Christ, as Mediator and Redeemer exercises over His people, and which they gladly recognize is, therefore, tied to His death and resurrection. By His death, He purchased them to be His own, and by His resurrection, He was exalted to that His position on high which He now occupies as Lord over all. He also received those gifts which enable Him to exercise His authority as Mediator over His universal dominion. The exaltation and dominion of Christ are frequently represented in the Scriptures, as the “reward of His sufferings.”¹⁹ This authority of Christ over His people is not confined to this world but extends into eternity.²⁰

Albert Barnes has an interesting way of describing Christ’s continued sovereignty over the believer after their spirits leave their bodies to await the resurrection. They have, says Barnes, gone on to another state of existence. This passage proves that those who die are not annihilated; that they do not cease to be conscious; they are still under the dominion of the Mediator. Though their bodies decompose in the grave, yet the spirit lives on and is under His control. And though the body dies and returns to its native soil, yet the Lord Jesus is still Sovereign over their souls and will raise them up again to be with Him. As the words in the old hymn go:

God my Redeemer lives,

And often from the skies

Looks down, and watches all my dust,

Till He shall bid it rise.²¹

Barnes goes on to point out that it gives an additional sacredness to the grave when we reflect that the tomb is under the watchful care of the Redeemer. With their souls safe in His arms, as their body dissolve back into dust they have the assurance that in His time He will call their souls to Him with new bodies to be forever in His presence. With this in mind, knowing that we can leave our friends with confidence because they will also be in His arms when they die, we can cheerfully yield our own bodies to ashes or dust because He will all our spirits together from their rest. But it is not only over the “body” that His dominion is established. This passage proves that the departed souls of the saints are still subject to Him.²² He not only has dominion over those spirits but He is their protector and Lord. They are safe under His universal dominion. And it does much to alleviate the pains of separation from our beloved friends because they know that after we depart they should still love and serve the same Savior in purity, not continually harassed by their sinful tendencies. Why should anyone wish to recall their beloved from their perfect rest in God’s arms back to a troubled and imperfect service they would be forced to render back in the land of the living? They are already in the spiritual land of the living.²³

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN (Lesson XI)

Methodist scholar Adam Clarke takes note of Paul’s statement that God did not put us here to live simply for what we want in life. Since we’ll lose everything when we die, what’s the point? He saw that Greek writers often used the words “I live” to signify: acting according to one‘s own judgment by following one‘s own opinion. However, Christians must act in all things according to the mind and will of God and not follow their own will. After all, they now have the mind of Christ.¹ The Apostle Paul seems to intimate that in all he has discussed so far, each person must endeavor to please God for they are only accountable to Him for their conduct in these less important things such as what we eat or drink. God is our Master, we must live for Him since we live openly in His sight enjoying His goodness. Therefore, when our journey here on earth is over and we go to our place of rest to await the resurrection we continue to be in His care. That means, whatever we do or whatever we leave undone will affect our meeting Him in eternity, something that can happen at any minute.²

Robert Haldane summarizes his understanding of what Paul is advocating here by pointing out that since both the Jews and Gentiles in Rome are acting the way they do in an effort to serve the Lord, he now extends this duty so as to embrace all Christians in all their actions. No Christian lives just for what they can get out of life here on earth. If there are any who do live that way, they are acting inconsistently with Christian character. Believers ought to consider themselves as responsible under Law to God in every action of their lives. Even in earthly things, such as eating and drinking, they should keep in mind the glory of God that we are to share with Christ. To live for the Lord supposes that in all things we regard His will as the sole rule of our conduct and His approval as our great aim in all that we do is to seek His glory.

Haldane also suggests that we all must be aware that we are under His control and at His disposal in order to bless Him whether in adversity or prosperity; that we submit to His decision to keep or let go of what He gives or takes away. And finally, that we only live to serve Him and bring Him praise. So, whether as Christians we live or die we continue to belong to the Lord; that He will take care of us as He sees fit; confident that, as being the object of the Savior’s love, whatever may come our way we are safe in His arms. There is no danger, then, however great, or difficulty, however grueling that ought to prevent us from obeying the will of our Lord. Our talent, ability, character, career, life itself ought to always be ready to serve Him. But it is obvious that many people have no conception of what living means except to meet their needs and wants. Do not the masses of mankind follow their own interest to the neglect of the authority of God? Even among those who make a profession of Christian faith how few are there who follow the Lord at the expense of any great earthly sacrifice? Haldane says, that not many are persuaded to act consistently with the character of a Christian in everything they do.³

Charles Hodge gives a good exposition of what Paul stated in these verses concerning a believer’s living and dying while being subordinate to Christ’s will. In verse 7, Paul had stated, negatively, that Christians should not live according to their own will, or for their own pleasure. Then he states affirmatively, that they should live according to the will of Christ and for His glory. When this is the case, a believer then proves to be a true Christian; they belong to Christ and should be so recognized and treated by other believers.

It is very obvious then, especially from verse 8, which speaks of death and resurrection that when Paul uses the word “Lord,” he is referring to “Christ.” It is for Christ, and in subjection to His will, that every Christian endeavor to regulate their heart, their conscience, and their life. This is the most profound respect any creature can render to their Creator. Also, when it comes to the service which the Scriptures require us to render to the Redeemer, it, of necessity, supposes that Christ is God. This is rendered still plainer by the interchange throughout the passage of the terms “Lord” and “God;” The person who feels free to eat certain foods, eats to the Lord, for they first give God thanks. We live for the Lord; we belong to the Lord. For this reason, Christ died and rose, that He might be our Lord, It is clear that in the Apostle’s mind: Christ is God. Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. We are not our own, but Christ’s.⁴ This right of possession and the consequent duty of devotion and obedience are not founded on creation, but on redemption. We are Christ’s because He bought us with the price of His life and blood, so should not our life and blood be His.⁵

Albert Barnes makes note that to live just for ourselves means that the number one priority is to become rich or famous or to indulge in the ease, comfort, and pleasures of earthly life. These are the aim of most people, except for Christians. Furthermore, there is nothing else Christians do that is more different from the world than in this.⁶ There is no more vital point than this that Christians must examine their attitude and mindset. In fact, “to live the way we want” is evidence that we are strangers to holiness and sanctification. And if the top motive of our lives is to live in ease – to gratify the flesh, to gain property, or to be distinguished in places of fashion and amusement⁷ – it is evidence that we know nothing of the power of the Gospel which teaches us to deny ourselves, and take up our cross daily and act like Christians⁸.⁹

Karl Barth makes an interesting point by saying that there is no such thing as life in itself: there is only life in relationship to God. In other words, when Jesus said that He came so that we could not only have life but have it in abundance,¹⁰ He was pointing to where life really begins. Up until a person is born again as a new creation in Christ,¹¹ all they have is existence. Barth goes on to say: “There is no such thing as death in itself; there is only death in relationship to God.” To put it another way, only the body dies, not the person’s soul. They will go on living in the spirit world to await the Day of Judgment. Barth concludes that the weak need to get rid of the suspicion that the relative contradictions and divisions and controversies which they must deal with every day only concerns their biological death. The strong, being possessed with far more mature choices, are, it is true, aware that the death which we seek after must be a death that gives quality to our lives by qualifying us for the resurrection to meet Christ in the air and nothing else.¹²

John Stott believes that the introduction of Jesus as Lord of our lives applies to every situation. For none of us lives to ourselves alone and none of us dies to ourselves alone. Life and death, therefore, seem to be taken as constituting together the sum total of our human existence. While we continue to live on earth and when through death we begin the life of heaven everything we have and are belongs to the Lord Jesus and must, therefore, be used to bring Him honor and glory.¹³

Verse 9: That is why Christ died and rose from death to live again – so that He could be Lord over those who have died and those who are still living.

It’s obvious that Paul seems to begin a new section here. As Dr. Bray said, we are in no position to pass judgment on one another because, in the final analysis, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. A voice from heaven told Peter that no food God has made is uneatable.¹⁴ But some people are not convinced of this, and if we offend their consciences we are guilty of causing them to stumble. Christians must be prepared to acquiesce to these secondary matters in order that peace and harmony may be preserved in the church. Those who know better can keep their knowledge to themselves and God will respect them for it. But to force someone to go against his or her conscience is to lead that person into making bad choices. Do not let what you eat or drink cause the ruin of one of those for whom Christ died.¹⁵

In Paul’s mind, failure on the part of believers to own up to the fact that their complete dependency for salvation is on God, and to explore potential for greatness given them by their new life in Christ takes away so many possibilities they have in becoming more in Christ than they could ever dream of being on their own. Who can forget the stirring words spoken of the Messiah through the prophet Isaiah: “My Servant, will carry the punishment of many and He will carry their sins. So I will give Him a share among the great. He will divide the riches with the strong because He gave up His life.”¹⁶ That’s why Paul could joyously tell the Philippians: “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”¹⁷

But there is another factor involved. Jesus reminded His doubting followers, as He walked incognito with them on the road to Emmaus: “Did not the Messiah have to go through these hard things to come into His shining-greatness?”¹⁸ Their Lord was trying to tell them that they should use Him as a model on how to succeed in being significant in this world. Paul expressed it this way to the Corinthians: “The Messiah’s love has hold of us.”¹⁹ Yes, this Messiah that Paul told the Philippians: “Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to selfishly cling to.”²⁰ That’s why our Lord willingly gave up His divine privileges and lived among us as a humble servant so He could show us how it was done. So, says the writer of Hebrews, let’s keep looking at Jesus. He’s the one we should emulate because He was willing to suffer everything that was thrown at Him because of all the joy He knew was His in the end.²¹

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN (Lesson X)

John Stott proposes that if we assume that each “weak” or “strong” believer has reflected on this issue of to eat or not to eat and has reached a firm decision, they will suppose that their practice is part of Christian discipleship. So when any believer regards one day as special they should do so to honor the Lord (verse 6a). That should be the only reason to do it, “in honor of the Lord.”¹ And the same is true of the one who regards every day alike, although Paul does not mention them in verse 6. Instead, he reverts to the question of eating or abstaining from certain foods, and in doing so adds an important double principle which is related to giving thanks. First, they who eat meat, eat to honor the Lord for giving them good health. That’s why they give thanks to God. Secondly, the person who abstains does so to honor the Lord for their health and gives thanks to God (verse 6b). Whether one is an eater or an abstainer the same principle applies. If we are able to receive something from God as His gift to us, then we should offer Him our gift of thanksgiving. The two movements, from Him to us and from us to Him belong together and are vital aspects of our Christian discipleship. Both are valuable and can be applied as a practical test: “Can I thank God for what I’m about to eat or drink? Can I do this out of respect for the Lord? Can I do this in honor for what God has done for me?²”³

One Jewish commentator adds that here we find nothing in the text that indicates the issue concerns the Torah’s command of keeping the Sabbath – only other days deemed important by “the weak.” The context of this section within the body of the entire letter shows that obedience to the precise commands of the Torah of Sinai is not what the discussion is about. If Torah commands are done away with, then Paul’s statement in Romans 3:28-31 makes no sense. The Torah remains holy, righteous, and good and does not fail.⁴ The Torah is irrevocable.⁵ The writer says that we should take note of Luke’s comments⁶ regarding the Torah and faith in Yeshua.⁷

Verses 7-8: We don’t live or die just for ourselves. If we live, we are living for the Lord. And if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So living or dying, we belong to the Lord.

Paul knew that such attitudes could lead to isolationism and shunning others who did not practice or believe the same way. So Paul wanted to remind the believers in Rome that God did not redeem and choose us to become loners or individualists in His kingdom. That’s why Paul told the Corinthians that God paid a high price for their redemption so they can do no less than use all their talent and ability to honor and glorify Him.⁸ When he wrote the Corinthians again, Paul told them: “Christ died for everyone so that they would live for Him. They should not live to please themselves but for Christ Who died on a cross and was raised from the dead for them.”⁹ So the formula is quite simple: Whatever you plan to say, do, think, eat, or drink, if you cannot give thanks to God for it and then use it for His honor, it’s best to leave it alone.

Paul shared this as his motto with the Philippians: “I hope very much that I will have no reason to be ashamed. I hope to honor Christ with my body if it is with my living or with my dying. I want to honor Him without fear, now and always. For me, living means living for Christ. To die means that I would have more of Him. If I keep on living here in this body, it means that I can lead more people to Christ.”¹⁰ The Apostle Peter encouraged his readers to be of the same mind when it came to how to best spend their time as believers.¹¹ Paul was trying to impress upon the Roman brethren that we can not only choose to please God by the way we live, but also by the way we die.

And we find out that Paul was a man of his word. While Paul was visiting with the Apostle Philip in Caesarea on his way to Jerusalem because he felt it was God’s leading, we are told that a preacher named Agabus came down from the hill country of Judea. After arriving, he took Paul’s belt and used it to tie his own feet and hands. He said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says, ‘The Jews at Jerusalem will tie the man who owns this belt. Then they will hand him over to the people who are not Jews.’” When Paul’s entourage and friends heard this, they begged Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul said, “What do you mean by crying and breaking my heart? I am ready to be put in chains in Jerusalem. I am also ready to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Paul would not listen so they stopped begging him and said, “May whatever God wants be done.”¹²

Paul feels very strongly about a believer’s commitment to do and be all that God wants them to do and be. When he wrote the Philippians, Paul left no doubt about the way he felt: “If I must give my life as a gift on the altar to God for you, I am glad and share this joy with you.”¹³ Paul could gladly share this trust and faith in God’s destiny for his life. As he told the Thessalonians: “We believe that Jesus died and then came to life again. Because we believe this, we know that God will bring to life again all those who belong to Jesus.”¹⁴ So we should not be surprised what John heard a voice from heaven say during his vision: “From now on those who are dead who died belonging to the Lord will be happy. ‘Yes’ says the Spirit, ‘they will have rest from all their work. All the good things they have done will follow them.’”¹⁵

Although what Paul says here in these two verses is quite to the point, a number of early church scholars share what it meant to them. Origen does not think that we should live to please ourselves but rather, follow the example of Christ who died to sin so that by imitating Him we too might become strangers to sin and die to it. Christ did not give us an example of living for ourselves. What we get from Him is that we live for God. Origen also notes that the word “die” used here by Paul refers to the death which we die when we are buried with Christ in baptism, and “live” is the life we live in Christ after having died to sin and become strangers to this world¹⁶.¹⁷

Ambrosiaster also concludes that any person would be living for themselves if they acted according to the Law. However, if they are not controlled by the Law’s brakes they are living for God who gave the Law so that it might be possible to live according to His will. Likewise, whoever dies, dies to God for He is the Judge who will either condemn or reward them.¹⁸ But Chrysostom sees it differently. For him, this means that we are not free to just live as we please. We have a Master who wants us to live and not die, and to whom life and death matter more than they do to us. For if we die, we do not die to ourselves alone but to our Master as well. By “death,” Paul means apostasy from the faith. Chrysostom then adds that if someone is living under the Law, they cannot be living for Christ at the same time.¹⁹

Then Pelagius gives his point of view. For him, Paul is saying that no believer lives for themselves or dies for themselves because “Christ died for all so that those who live no longer live for themselves but for Him.”²⁰ He follows this up by encouraging everyone to take care that they do not live for themselves by always eating or die by always fasting.²¹ Then, the early church Bishop of Mopsuestia adds that if we live it is Christ’s life that we should live; if we die, we die with Him, under His protection.²²

Based on what Paul says here, Reformer Martin Luther firmly believes that it is foolish to judge those who will be judged by Christ. And in addition, those who do judge must be careful in order that they may not be judged themselves by God for doing so.²³ Here Luther refers to what will be done at the judgment seat of Christ.²⁴ But as we can see, such judgment does not make standing up for what is right and pointing out violations of God’s Word as being invalid in this life. If it did, then it would end preaching as we know it. What Paul wants believers to avoid is not only hypocrisy but being picky about other people’s choices, especially in food and drink.

John Calvin offers his thoughts on this subject. As he sees it, Paul is now confirming what he said in the previous verse as part of his argument as a whole. Meaning, it should not be any wonder that particular acts in our life should be influenced by the Lord’s will since life itself ought to be wholly lived for His glory. It is only then that a Christian’s life is rightly formed when it has for its object the will of God. Fellow Reformer John Calvin advises that anything you might consider doing with respect to a fellow believer for their good, it would be disrespectful not to consider doing something to benefit them, but even more disrespectful to do something that might hurt them. Calvin says this is all wrapped up in the goal for our own lives. By this, we learn the rule by which we are to live and to die so that if God extends our life in continual sorrows and miseries, we should not desire to depart this life before our time. But if He should suddenly calls us at the height of our career we must be ever ready for our departure.²⁵

John Bengel quotes German Lutheran theologian Hieronymus Weller von Molsdorf (1499-1572) who lived in Martin Luther’s house and wrote that no one should live for themselves to the point that at their own discretion they can choose to live according to what they want in life. If they become satisfied in the life they live it can easily give way to self-indulgence. And once this happens, then their whole purpose becomes one of seeking pleasure wherever they can find it. Bengel then adds that the art of dying is the same as that of living.²⁶ This brings out the reality that the world is not only watching Christians’ attitudes while they are alive but their attitude when they are about to die.

Jack Canfield (born August 19, 1944) is an American author, motivational speaker, corporate trainer, and entrepreneur. He is the author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, which has more than 250 titles and 500 million copies in print in over 40 languages. Canfield also co-authored with Janet Switzer The Success Principles and How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.

In response to the question: “How much time do you waste with projects and activities that you really don’t want to do simply because you are uncomfortable saying no?” on his blog (jackcranfield.com), Canfield replied: “Success depends on getting good at saying no without feeling guilty. You cannot get ahead with your own goals if you are always saying yes to someone else’s projects. You can only get ahead with your desired lifestyle if you are focused on the things that will produce that lifestyle.”¹

Success does not belong to a select few; success belongs to “you,” if you’re willing to go after it. Success is never handed out, you must take it, but you don’t take it by force. You take success by becoming a successful person internally. When you succeed on the inside, by taking on the thoughts of a successful person, the results will show on the outside. I want to share with you seven life-changing keys to success that I found. These concepts will alter your life if you implement them properly.

First, you cannot always go so easy that you are being extremely careful because you don’t want to mess up. There are times when you must dare yourself to try. As Dale Carnegie, an American writer, and lecturer and the developer of the famous courses in self-improvement, salesmanship, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills once said, “The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The ‘sure-thing’ boat never gets far from shore.”

So the question is, are you daring to do what other’s tell you is impossible? There should never be a time in your life when you’re not attempting something that looks impossible. It is the impossible that stretches you and shows you what you can become. So do and dare, get out of your comfort zone and stretch yourself. Stretch the amount of work you do, stretch your expectations, and stretch your imagination.

Another thing to consider is that you must be willing to double your “Failure Rate.” Thomas J. Watson, a pioneer in the development of accounting and computing equipment used today by businesses, government, science, and industry, who built a worldwide industry during his 42 years at IBM made this observation: “Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success.”

So in other words, if you want to succeed you need to fail several times. No one succeeds with just a handful of failures. You won’t be the first person to succeed after only failing three times. You need to fail, and fail, and fail; failure is the path to success. That’s how you learned to walk as a child. It is through stumbling that you learn how to succeed. Your stumbles prepare you for success.

Then let’s look at how you use your willpower. Famous football coach of the Green Bay Packers, Vince Lombardi once told his players: “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.”

Another word for “will” would be “desire.” To succeed you must desire to succeed more than you desire anything else. Successful people aren’t stronger than others, and they aren’t necessarily any more intelligent than others, but they have more desire than others. They have a burning desire to see their goal realized. Do you have that same burning desire? Without desire, you won’t have the motivation to accomplish your goal.

Speaking of sports icons, Mario Andretti, an Italian-born American former racing driver, and one of the most successful Americans in the history of that sport says that you need determination and commitment in order to succeed. Andretti, desire is the key to motivation, but it’s the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal –a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek.

So the question to ask yourself is this: are you determined enough to keep going no matter how many times you fail? One determined person will accomplish more than a thousand people who are just interested. You have to have the determination of a bulldog, not a bullhead. You have to latch on and refuse to let go. Desire, determination, and commitment will strategically position you to succeed.

This brings us to the understanding that excellence in doing what you do is a requirement. Charles Kendall Adams, professor, and historian who introduced the European seminar method to U.S. Universities made this point: “No one ever attains very eminent success by simply doing what is required of them; it is the amount and excellence of what is over and above the required that determines the greatness of ultimate distinction.”

That means, if you are in business or trying to help others, are you providing excellent service? To be the best, you must provide the best service. You must give your customers what they can’t get from anywhere else. How good is your service? Can it be duplicated by just anybody? Is it excellent or only so-so? The answer will determine if you are out to win or just want to participate.

To go along with this in order to be successful, you must be propelled by a vision. James Allen, British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books and poetry and pioneer of the self-help movement taught that the vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart – this you will build your life on, and this you will become.

Another way of putting it, to succeed you must envision success. Only through visualizing success will you create the desire to make success a reality. You must have a clear vision of what you are about to achieve. This desire must consume you. If the desire consumes you, it will one day be realized.

And finally, you must go in search of success. Marva Collins, born in Monroeville, Alabama on August 31, 1936, became one of the most influential teachers and education activists of the 20th century. Working to gain equal access to quality education for African-American students, she started her own school in Chicago and founded a style of education that came to be known as the Collins Method. She told her students that success doesn’t come to you, you must go to it.

That means, success won’t fall in your lap; you have to go after it. You have to chase it down. You have to want it more than anything else. A lazy person won’t succeed, only those who are willing to work; those who are willing to “go for it.” So stop for a moment and think: are you willing to go in search of success? Do you have a clear vision, do you have a burning desire, are you willing to fail, if you are, you are well on your way to success.

Believe it or not, the Bible has much to say about this subject of success. As Moses was preparing the children of Israel for their conquering of the Promised Land he cautioned them never to say, “We can do this on our own.” Don’t brag that it was you alone who made all of this possible by your own ability and strength. Rather, you must never forget that it was God who brought you safe this far, He is the One who gave you the opportunity to be a success.²

When King David was ready to turn over the reigns of the kingdom to his son Solomon, he had some advice for this future king. In my paraphrase of the Psalms it reads this way: “The person who does not allow evil-minded people to influence their thinking; permit immoral individuals to dictate their lifestyle, or grant conceited groups sway over their attitude, can count their blessings. That’s why they delight in living by the teachings outlined in the Word of the LORD Eternal and recite those guidelines daily.”³

Solomon must have taken these words to heart, for in his Proverbs he told his people that they should never leave their plans up to others, bring them to the Lord, get His approval, and you will succeed in what you are planning to do for His honor, praise, and glory.⁴

Later on, when Isaiah was sent as God’s prophet to the people, the Lord had a message for them. He had Isaiah tell them that they were what they were and had done what they had done only because He took them by the hand and led them to where they are. In other words, they were His “chosen” people. So there was no reason now for them to despair just because things weren’t going the way they wanted them to. They should be encouraged by the fact that God was still leading them by His hand. This will give them all the strength they would need to be a success in His honor.⁵

The prophet Jeremiah who followed Isaiah, found himself and the people of God facing an even more menacing situation. But God told Jeremiah to share this word with them: Don’t depend on others to get you out of this mess, man’s arm is not as strong as God’s arm. Those who refuse to trust in God will be like a bush in the desert that lives in parched places in the wilderness where good things never grow. But the one who puts their trust in the Lord, and who places their confidence in His ability, will be like a tree planted by a fresh flowing stream that will feed its roots.⁶ Sounds like Jeremiah read David’s first Psalm.

So when Jesus the Messiah came to the descendants of these same people, He talked to them about putting their trust in Him as the One who came to rescue them. Not from the armies of Rome, but the evil spirits of Satan. But the only way they could be successful was to put their total trust in Him; bear whatever burden or hardship that may come their way. What good would it do if they sold the rights to their future to the devil? They would not only lose it but end up with nothing in return. But they were willing to sell out to Him, He would guarantee that they will not only get it back but with the eternal blessing of everlasting security as well.⁷

The Apostle Paul, the one whom Jesus called to be a messenger, not only to his own Jewish brothers and sisters but also to the heathen Gentiles who were lost without a Savior, told both the Jewish and Gentile believers in Rome to make a total and unconditional commitment to God, not only with their hearts, souls, and minds, but their abilities and talents as well. Be like a sacrifice on the altar that will end up living instead of dying. Don’t do things the way the ungodly do them, but let God mold you and make you into the vessel He wants to use through Holy Spirit. That will guarantee that they will discover the good and acceptable and perfect will of God that leads to success for His kingdom.⁸

Paul had a similar message for the believers in Philippi. He told them that instead of complaining all the time over what they didn’t have, start rejoicing over what they did have. Don’t let adverse circumstances get them down and make them anxious. Take your concerns to the Lord who nearby, tell Him what bothers you and you will find that the peace God gives you will help you achieve whatever it is that you believe will bring you success. Paul then goes on and tells them that he has learned that whatever difficulties or hardships he was facing, he could be a success because of the strength that Christ living in him made available.⁹

Going back to the teachings of Jesus, He summed it all up this way: The person who is faithful in the smallest matters is also faithful in much, and the person who is dishonest in the smallest matters will likewise be dishonest in much. So then, if you cannot be trusted with wealth in this world, who will trust you with wealth in the world to come? Now if you have not been trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you anything of your own? No employee can handle two bosses at the same time. They will work for the one they prefer over the other; they will stick by one and the other they are not interested in working for them. Likewise, you cannot be what the world wants you to be and what God wants you to be at the same time.¹⁰

All this means is that you must make up your mind early in life if you want to find and stay on the road to success for any length of time. And when you do commit, don’t do it halfheartedly, sell out to the idea that has captured your heart and mind. But make sure, that as a believer, you get God’s stamp of approval on your plans. Once He gives you the green light there is nothing that can stop you from reaching your goal. As the Apostle Paul put it so forcefully: With God on your side, who can possibly stand in your way?¹¹– Dr. Robert R Seyda

1 Maximizing Your Potential by Jack Canfield

2 Deuteronomy 8:17-18

3 To God’s Heart by Dr. Robert R Seyda, New Global Publishing, 2006, Psalm 1:1-3

4 Proverbs 16:3

5 Isaiah 41:10

6 Jeremiah 17:5-8

7 Matthew 16:24-25

8 Romans 12:1-2

9 Philippians 4:4-7, 13

10 Luke 16:10-13

11 Romans 8:31

JEWISH JAZZ

Years ago, a young African-American, the grandson of slaves, was born in a poor neighborhood of New Orleans known as the “Back of Town.” His father abandoned the family when the child was an infant; his mother became a prostitute and the boy and his sister had to live with their grandmother.

Early in life, he proved to be gifted for music and with three other kids, he sang in the streets of New Orleans. His first gains were the coins that were thrown to them. A Jewish family living in New Orleans, the Karnofskys, who had immigrated from Lithuania to the USA, had pity on the 7-year-old boy and brought him into their home to feed this hungry child. Initially, he was given house chores which he gratefully performed. He remained and slept in this Jewish family’s home where, for the first time in his life, he was treated with kindness and tenderness.

When he went to bed, Mrs. Karnovsky sang to him a Russian lullaby that he would sing with her. Later, he learned to sing and play several Russian and Jewish songs. Over time, this boy became the adopted son of this family. The Karnofskys gave him money to buy his first musical instrument, as was the custom in the Jewish families. They sincerely admired his musical talent. Later, when he became a professional musician and composer, he used these Jewish melodies in compositions, such as the song, “Saint James Infirmary,” and “Go Down Moses.”

The little black boy grew up and wrote a book about this Jewish family who had adopted him in 1907. In memory of this family and until the end of his life, he wore a star of David and said that in this family he had learned “how to live a real life with determination.” You still may not be able to guess who this young boy was, but I’m sure you’ll recognize the name: Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong. Armstrong would always tell everyone that he proudly spoke fluent Yiddish!

We may not be so fortunate as to rescue such a talented young person from the streets but that doesn’t mean there aren’t many who have run away from homes where they experienced poverty and abuse. That’s why we should applaud every family that opens their doors as foster homes. Pray for them and pray for those in their care. Who knows, there may be another Louis Armstrong out there. – Dr. Robert R Seyda