Those who condemn others for not living by their traditions are given three warnings in Romans 14:3b-13). The apostle Paul essentially says, “Before you condemn a believer who does not live by your standards, remember three things:
- God has accepted the one you are judging (14:3b)
- Christ is the Master of the one you are judging—not you! (14:4-10)
- God is the judge of all people (14:10b-12; cf. James 4:11-12). Don’t play God!
“Therefore, “let us not judge one another anymore” (14:13).
In areas of freedom (matters not covered in Scripture by a specific moral absolute either commanding or forbidding a certain action) believers are allowed (and even encouraged) to establish their own opinions (Romans 14:5-6). However, they should neither impose those opinions on others, nor judge other Christians based on their opinions.
“We have no warrant to climb on to the bench, place our fellow human beings in the dock, and start pronouncing judgment and passing sentence, because God alone is judge and we are not, as we will be forcibly reminded when the roles are reversed” (John Stott, Romans, p. 363).
Steve Cornell
- For an in-depth look at this subject see here.
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