Live Or Die - To The Lord

Trinity XVI --- September 11, 2005

Romans 14:5-9

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

What has happened in our text? What is it that Paul is addressing? Paul is addressing something that is called in Latin, in the church, adiaphora. These are things neither commanded nor forbidden by God. It is in these matters that God, through the pen of Paul, is giving some instructions about how we are to live our lives before God and our neighbor.

Now, were we to talk about sin, there are some things that clearly qualify. All we need to do is open the Bible and there are many which are specifically stated. Of course, there are some who’d argue some of those laws of God, but in all honesty, using convoluted arguments based upon feelings, not about the clear teachings of Scripture. Some would use the argument that certain things I’d call sins are really a matter of interpretation. Really, only an interpretation?

Last week we heard what Paul wrote to the Christians in Galatia, let me read it again. I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:16-21)

I don’t care how much we’d like to argue about it, there are things that are directly forbidden by God - things which, if we continue in them without repentance, will lead us to an eternity in hell.

In our text today, Paul is addressing entirely something else. He is addressing the fact that there are some people who are imposing rules upon one another that are not commanded by God. Still others are living as if their actions have no effect outside of themselves. This text is instructing us how to live - in Christ.

While some things are neither commanded nor forbidden by God in His Scripture, there are those who would claim that we must live according to certain specific laws. This is what the Scribes and Pharisees, the teachers of the law, did in Jesus day. They multiplied the laws and made rules that they expected their followers to keep - yet they themselves did not keep them in their own hearts.

We must also be careful not to be like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day. We need to be careful that we do not demand obedience to rules that were never given by God. Yet, it is easy to do this. You must be careful that you do not look down your noses at those who you feel are doing what is sinful, when indeed they may not be. To do so is to be judgmental, acting as if somehow you are superior to them.

We must be careful not to burden consciences with those things that are not sin. That happens often. While drunkenness is indeed a sin, as we just heard in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, having a drink is not forbidden. In fact, Jesus made wine for the wedding - to be drunk.

It is common knowledge about the healthful benefits of proper diet, but there is nothing in Scripture that commands us to eat only fish on Friday. Greed is called one of the seven deadly sins, in fact, it is a form of covetousness - but that doesn’t mean a game of cards is sinful.

The warning here, is that we do not make into God’s law, what God Himself has not commanded.

On the other hand, the discussion we only see a glimpse of here, goes the other way as well. If you are doing something that causes your brother to sin, don’t do it.

As a good example, consider this situation. You know your “brother” is struggling with alcoholism, he’s trying desperately not to drink anything with alcohol in it. Now, you invite him to supper, would it be sinful for you to open a bottle of wine and sit down and have a drink in front of him? No! Your having a glass of wine in front of him is not a sin.

What is more, if someone condemns you as sinful for doing so, they are sinning in their judge mentalism.

Yet, you ought to consider if it is loving of your “neighbor: that you do such a thing. His having a glass of wine could be deadly. He cannot deal with it; he cannot have any. So, could you, in the interest of showing love for you brother, also abstain from any alcohol that one evening? Yes, you could. In fact, your abstinence would show your support of your “brother” in his struggle.

How about this. If you feel that something is sinful, whether it truly is or is not, should you do such a thing? No! In fact, our text says that when you do what you feel you ought not to do, you are sinning against your own conscience. For example, if you believe it wrong to play cards, because you think it is sinful, you ought not to play. If you do, you are sinning against your conscience, and therefore also against God.

We only have here, in our text, a portion of Paul’s discussion concerning the issues facing the church in Rome. Specifically, he is addressing the topics of what day should be set aside as sacred to the Lord and what foods can be eaten.

The rule is simple, everything should be done to the glory of God, or not done - as the case may be. Paul closes this chapter saying; But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Rom. 14:23 ESV)

When we entice someone to do something they do not feel comfortable doing, we are encouraging them to sin. When we ourselves do something which our conscience is telling us not to do, then we sin. Not just against our conscience, but to do so is to sin against God.

At close examination, it is easy to see that we can sin on either side of this issue. We can sin by forbidding things and calling things sinful which God did not forbid in His Law. We may also sin by doing things which are not forbidden, if we are not convinced in our own mind that it is correct to do them.

Is making the sign of the cross right or wrong? It is neither commanded nor forbidden. Roman Catholics do it. Of course, that is one reason why so many people do not do it. In fact, there are some who state that since it is done by Roman Catholics, then it must be wrong. If that were true, then we shouldn’t have the Lord’s Supper, we shouldn’t confess our sins, we shouldn’t baptize with water, and a host of other things.

Luther suggested that making the sign of the cross is a good, right, and salutary practice. There are even instructions in the Catechism and in our hymnal when to make the sign of the cross. Whether one does or does not make the sign of the cross, one should be convinced in his or her own mind and be comfortable with his practice.

In all these things, we are to live however not by the law, but by grace. Christ gives us of Himself in Word and Sacrament, He fills us with Himself, and He lives in and through us. You and I live and do all things in thankfulness to God for all He has done and continues to do.

You could live your life watching every step, making sure you cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i’. Or, you can live your life in thankfulness to God in all things. Through faith, you live in thankfulness and love toward Him and your fellow man. In Christ, you love both God and your neighbor - Christ in you, fulfilling the law.

That is the purpose for Christ’s coming to you today - that you and I do not live alone, but we live in Christ, and through Christ in us, our lives give glory back to Christ. Christ came to give us freedom from bondage to sin. This means that the consequences no longer hold terror for us, for Christ has taken those consequences into His own body- suffering death and hell for you and me. This doesn’t give us the freedom to live in blatant disregard to God’s law. Instead, through the Spirit, we live in baptismal repentance. We live confident in the faith that as the consequences of our sin are gone in the suffering and death of Christ, we live a new life.

One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

You belong to the Lord, in life and death. Christ has taken all your sin into His own flesh - in His suffering and death, He has paid the penalty demanded by God for them. In exchange, He has given you the freedom to live without the terror of the consequences of your sins.

Everything you do as a baptized child of God gives glory to God, for it is Christ’s love that is alive in you - you are the Lord’s. Remember each day whose you are. And, that it is by Christ’s love given to you, that you are what you are - you are the Lord’s. Then, live each day in thankfulness to God, rejoicing in the promises that are yours through Christ Jesus.

At the last, when your final day comes, face it with the same confidence, you are the Lord’s. As the Lord’s, everything that is His, is yours, forevermore. Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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