Romans 14 Part 4

Romans 14 – Part Four

Romans 14:9 “9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.”

Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” (see Matthew 22:32, Mark 12:27, and Luke 20:38) In these passages, Jesus was pointing out that there is resurrection from the dead. He was saying that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were alive and with God.

Here in Romans, Paul is pointing out that Jesus is Lord of all. (see Ephesians 1:20-22) Here he is speaking to believers as we read in verse eight where he said that whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. Paul clarifies this for us in 1 Thessalonians 5:10 (KJV) where we read, “10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.” As this chapter of Romans makes clear, Father is able to mature us—even those about whom we worry. We are His workmanship (see Ephesians 2:10) and He is working for good (see Romans 8:28). Every good and perfect gift comes from Him (see James 1:17) and His gifts and His calling are irrevocable (see Romans 11:29).

Our text goes on, “10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” We see this in Matthew 25:31-34 (KJV) as well. “31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:”

We need not judge others. God already has judgment well in hand. Those who are in Christ, whether they think exactly like we do or not, are still His sheep. They will be called blessed and they will inherit the kingdom prepared for all those who believe on Jesus Christ.

Belief on Jesus Christ is the necessary component. He is the narrow gate. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to God except through Him. Paul  quotes Isaiah in verse 11 of our text. “11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”

The full quote from Isaiah is found in Isaiah 45:22-23 (KJV) “22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. 23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.” This call to look to Him brings to mind the serpent raised on a pole by Moses in Numbers 21. To be saved from the poisonous serpents all the people had to do was believe what God said and look at the serpent He told Moses to make.

Philippians 2:9-11 (KJV) echoes the statement that judgment belongs to the Lord and no one escapes it. “9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Continuing with his discourse on judgment, verse twelve of our text in Romans says, “12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” This statement may seem confusing to some, since we just read that those in Christ are simply told to come into the kingdom they have inherited. Peter talks about this as well. In 1 Peter 4:3-6 (KJV) we find, 3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: (Notice that this is talking about who we were before salvation, before we were placed into Christ.) 4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: (Notice that “they” think it strange—“they” are those who are not in Christ; unbelievers.) 5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. (Those in Christ are living, those in Adam are dead in their trespasses and sins.) 6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, (the unsaved) that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, (because that’s what they are as long as they remain in unbelief) but live according to God in the spirit (Because that is what they would become if they change their minds and believe.)

So, we have seen that we are not the judges of others, and certainly not of believers who simply do not see things the way we do. In the next installment we will read what we should do instead.