The fourteenth chapter of Romans presented to us our duty towards those who are weak in the faith, and who have excessively conscientious scruples with regard to things that are in themselves of no consequence. We are not judges of one another, but must all appear before one judgment seat. If we have more knowledge than our brother, we are not arbitrarily to bring him to our standard, any more than he is to bring us down to his. Our greater knowledge rather throws upon us the responsibility of exercising the greater charity and patience. The sum of it all is contained in these verses: “For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God.”
“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.”
• What ought the strong to do?
o “To bear the infirmities of the weak.”
• What ought such not to do?
o “Not to please ourselves.”
• What are we exhorted to do for our neighbor?
o “Let every one of us please his neighbor.”
• In what way are we to please our neighbor?
o “For his good to edification.”
• Who has set us an example in this respect?
o “For even Christ pleased not himself.”
• What scripture is cited to show this?
o “The reproaches of them that reproached thee fall on me.” See Psalm 69:9
• For what purpose were the Scriptures of the Old Testament written?
o “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.”
• With what special object?
o “That we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
• In view of the example of Christ, what exhortation is given?
o “Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.”
• For what purpose?
o “That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God.”
• In concluding this portion of the subject, what exhortation is repeated?
o “Wherefore receive ye one another.” See chapter 14:1
• How are we to receive on another?
o “As Christ also received us.”
• To what end?
o “To the glory of God.”
The verses composing this chapter supplement the instruction given in chapter fourteen, and are a continuation of that. Thus, that chapter opens with the exhortation, “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye.” The last verse of our present study is,