(NOTE: This will be next to the last paper on the book of Romans. Because the last part of chapter 15 and all of chapter 16 are devoted to personal matters, and the Apostle's plans, they are of interest to commentators and historians. We are interested in developing important concepts in this series, and such concepts end at the first of chapter 15. As a consequence, this paper will deal with ideas presented in 14 and next week we will finish the series with the things found at the end of 14 and the first few verses of 15.)
If teachers and religious leaders had heeded the words of Paul, here at the end of the Roman letter, the division and dissension which have wracked the religious world would never have happened. The insistence on the part of these leaders that their interpretation of God's will is the only acceptable one, and their opprobriums, heaped upon all who disagree, are the cause of religious people ignoring Christ's prayer that all His people be one, and the imposition of legal systems instead of family loyalty to God and our fellow believers. Thus have we failed to take the message of peace on earth and the love of God to a lost and dying world.
Early in my ministry, I settled on a guiding principle which has determined my approach to teaching the Gospel over the past half-century and more. Simply stated it says, "God does not require the impossible of anyone". It sounds simple, doesn't it, and who would disagree, given the stated fact that God is a just God? However, a little thought will cause you to realize that this takes the scepter of
judgment out of the hands of every mistake-making human being. With imperfect knowledge I can never know what is possible for another person. Paul's statement, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant?", strikes at the heart of all divisive
judgment. All of us must be God's servants, and He alone has the right of judgment
for each of us.
The ramifications of this are incredibly complex. The first thing that strikes me is the realization that we are not all judged by the same rules. How unfair it would be if we required the same level of achievement and behavior of all of our children. I once knew a father who wanted all three of his sons to be great athletes. One of them was an outstanding football player. One, who was more engineer than athlete, tried but never made the team. The third, who was a very talented artist, never even tried. The father was very hard on the two who failed to meet his ambitious standards, and his treatment of them was painful to watch. God never treats His children like this.
I remember, when I was a young lad, hearing the great orator N.B. Hardeman, in the Tabernacle Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee. One statement he made has
stuck with me through the years. He said, "If I should appear before the
judgment seat of God unprepared, I would rather come there from the darkest regions of Africa, than from Nashville,
Tennessee". He was making the point that the people in Nashville had every chance to hear and know the truth, and therefore were more to be condemned, if they failed to obey it, than those who never heard it.
What this says is that we are not related to a system of rules and regulations, in which everyone is judged by the same set of rules, but to a loving Father, who understands us and forgives our limitations. However, it also cautions that you, as an obedient child, should strive to do His will as best you can.
The second major impact of this principle is that God is more interested in my motivations, and my heart, than He is of my overt actions. Even one who does good for the wrong motives is condemned. And what is the ultimate motivation? To please the Father, not ourselves. The pride that religious leaders have in being right, and being in control, is within itself evil, no matter what their actions may be.
This chapter is not about the rules of what we do, or rites and religious regulations. It is about hearts, and what their real relationship is to the Father. Are we regimented soldiers, marching to the orders of the commanding general, and proud of our discipline and accomplishments, or are we children, striving to please a Father who loves us, and penitent when we fail? Are we given the responsibility of getting the whole religious world right, or are we given only the responsibility of getting our hearts right with God?
Paul wraps up the argument by stating what our real responsibility is, other than cleansing our hearts. He makes us responsible, as far as we are able, for creating peace and harmony in His family. Mutual edification only takes place where there is peace, not critical negative
judgment.
