So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. Romans 14:12-13

This is one of those passages that is frequently quoted out of context. Read the whole chapter for yourself, but the verses that precede those above are included below. Unfortunately, this part is also misapplied much of the time.

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:10-11

The context here is not about SIN. It is about not judging your brother or sister in Christ if they do not want to eat meat or drink wine (for example). We are free to have a glass of wine (but not to excess, and not in front of someone who struggles with alcoholism) and eat meat (but there is nothing wrong with choosing not to, and we should not insist that anyone eat meat if they don’t want to).

Paul is exhorting us not to have divisions and arguments over things that do not pertain to salvation. If this were about tolerating sin, then Paul would be contradicting himself and other New Testament writers in MANY other passages where we are told that a born-again believer will NOT continue deliberately in sin. (1Cor. 15:34, Phil. 3:17-19, Rom. 6, 8, Eph. 4-5, Col. 3, Heb. 6:4-8, 10:26-31) However, we are not to commit sins and then judge others for doing the same things—we need to clean up our own act first instead of being hypocrites. The same rules apply to all believers. (Rom. 2, Matt. 7:3-5)

Transgressions by believers are to be handled gently with a goal of bringing the person back into obedience to Christ and fellowship with the congregation. However, if the person refuses to repent, then they ARE to be excluded so that they don't corrupt others and so that they don't receive false assurance that their behavior is acceptable to God. (2Cor. 2, 1Tim. 1:5, Matt. 18:15-17)

Why does Paul tell us to judge those inside? Because a little leaven leavens the whole lump! (1Cor. 5, 1Cor. 15:33, 2Cor. 6:14-7:1, 1Tim. 6:20-21, 2Pet. 2:19, Rom. 6:17-18) We want to be ready and faithfully waiting for Jesus to return, unashamed of what we have been doing and approving of when we stand before Him.(1John 2:28-29, Rom. 1:32, 2Pet. 3:14-18, 1Pet. 1:14-19, Rom. 16:19, Rom. 13:11-14, Rev. 3:19, Matt. 3:8, Rom. 2:4-11) The believers at Corinth got a foreshadow of this when Paul would write to them prior to visiting them. (1Cor 4:21, 2Cor. 12:20-13:2, 13:10)

We are to judge RIGHTLY, not to refrain from judging at all. (John 7:24) If we tolerate or even approve of sin (and let's not forget that pride is a sin of itself, let alone when it's pride OF practicing sin - 1John 2:16), then the church will be ignorant of what pleases God. The Church is washed by the precious blood of Jesus. (1Pet. 1:18-19) We are NOT meant to deliberately and repeatedly soil our garment (Rev. 3:4, Rom. 13:14, Isa. 61:10), forgetting that Jesus suffered and died for us because of the very sins that we were meant to GIVE UP after we became His treasured, spotless possession. (Eph. 5:2-32, 2Pet. 2:18-22, Rev. 19:7-8, 1Pet. 2:4-5, 9-12) We are meant to come back to Him with a sorrowful, repentant heart to be washed clean each time a transgression occurs, not revel in our sins. (2Cor. 7:8-10, 2Pet. 2:12-16, 1John 1:5-2:6, 1John 3:1-10, 1John 3:24, 1 Cor. 11:31-32)

In the passage at the top, "not casting a stumbling block or obstacle" in front of another believer is NOT saying that we need to accept their favorite sins and they need to accept ours. It's making sure not to sin against them by making them do something that they don't feel is right (even if it is permitted), because if they feel it's sin then to them it is sin if they do it anyway (Rom. 14:5, 23, like what to eat or not eat, whether to celebrate holidays, or perhaps whether we prefer hymns, contemporary worship music, or a mix of both?—we're NOT talking about idolatry, lying, stealing, greed, coveting, sexual immorality, murder, etc.) (Gal. 5:13-20, 1Cor. 6:9-10, Eph. 5:5-6, 1Cor. 13:4, 2Tim. 3:2-5, Rev. 21:8, 22:15) Neither are we to cast stumbling blocks that cause sin such as forcing or encouraging sexual immorality, teaching children to sin, teaching others to disobey God, etc. (Matt. 18:5-10, 19, Matt. 28:19-20)

Paul also cautions believers not to criticize the way other believers serve God. A house divided against itself cannot stand. (Matt. 12:25, also see Heb. 3:3-6) Again—not about ignoring sin. It's about how we are not all called to serve the same function in the Body of Christ. (1Cor. 12) No believer has ever been called to continue in sin or to celebrate the sin of others, but some were called to lead, some to encourage, some to teach, some to leave everything behind and become missionaries in foreign lands, etc. (Matt. 19:29) No believer is “better” than another (Gal. 2:6, 6:3), but faithful preachers and teachers are to receive more honor. (1Tim. 5:17) All are to be given proper respect as brothers and sisters in Christ. (Rom. 12:10, 1Cor. 12:26) Romans 12 also discusses the various functions of the Body of Christ and says in v. 9 "abhor (or hate) what is evil, hold fast (or cling) to what is good." (Also see 1Thess. 5:22, Rom. 16:19, 2Pet. 1:3-15.) All are to be a light wherever they are, which does not include living in darkness or encouraging others to do so. (Matt. 5:13-16, Eph. 5:1-17, Phil. 2:14-16)

It's a sign of the times that all of this needs to be said, and said often. We have lost touch with how great and holy is the God we believe in and belong to. He has NOT changed. The instructions to obey God in the New Testament are for believers—those who are SAVED—not for unbelievers—wouldn't that be salvation by works? We don't save ourselves by anything we do, but the fact remains that once we are saved, we WILL obey out of love and respect for our Savior. (Eph. 2:8-10, Titus 2:11-15, 3:3-8, 2Tim. 2:24-26, Gal. 6:1, Jam. 5:19-20, 2Tim. 2:19, 1Cor. 2:9) Some have changed the message in order to make a profit and receive approval from people who love to sin, but they are not doing anyone a favor (including themselves—God sees it all - Heb. 4:12-13, Rev. 2:23, 1Tim. 6:3-21, 2Pet. 2:12-22, Jude 1:10-19, Luke 16:10-15, Heb. 13:5, Gal. 6:7-8, 2Cor. 4:2)

This is a wake-up call. Anyone who loves the world and sin is NOT born of God. (Loving the world in this case is not the same as caring about the lost, but loving its dark, deceived ways. 1John 2:15-17) Good news: There's still time to repent and seek God while He may be found. (Isa. 55:6-9) Jesus' commandments are not burdensome for THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. (1John 5:3, 2Cor. 5:9-10, 14-15, John 14:15-26, John 15:1-10, John 12:26)

I'm telling you the truth—to know Him is to love Him. If you don't know Him, read your Bible, pray (He hears your very thoughts - Jer. 17:10), observe all that He has made in nature, including the marvelous design of the human body with all of its wonders. (Rom. 1:18-20) Ponder how such a great God would visit His creation in the form of a man at all, let alone for the purpose of dying a horrific death to rescue us from our enslavement to sin and its eternal punishment. (Isa. 52:13-53:12, Rom. 6:23 Rev. 20:11-15) How about the miracle of how He indwells those who believe and abide in Jesus? (God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit—one God. John 14:15-20, Rom. 8:9-11, 1Cor. 3:16, 2Cor. 1:21-22, 2Tim. 1:14, Jam. 4:5, 1John 4:13) For anyone who truly believes, the natural response is awe, gratitude, undivided devotion, and desire to please Him at any cost. Think about it. 👑

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