4TH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Text: Romans 14:14-23
Source from Back to Luther with German archive reference. Back to Walther's Epistle Sermons.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God,
and of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
My dear hearers.
One of the most important, necessary, and at the same time most comforting teachings of the Gospel is the doctrine of Christian freedom. Briefly stated, it is the teaching that a Christian has the freedom to do or not do anything whereby he does not infringe upon love toward God and his neighbor. In the Old Testament it was different; then a host of things, which in themselves were neither good nor evil, had been commanded or forbidden even believers; they had to do or not do merely for the sake of the Law. For example, after the Sabbath had been instituted, no one could do the least bit of work on that day; the death penalty was even commanded. Certain foods were forbidden; he who ate them was guilty of a mortal sin. People could not even touch certain things; he who did was considered unclean according to the Law and would first have to offer certain sacrifices in order to be looked on as clean. A host of ceremonies were prescribed; unless they were strictly observed, a Christian could not. have a peaceful conscience. The believers of the Old Covenant, therefore, lived as though under the toils and ne ts of sin, in constant and unavoidable danger of falling into sin without knowing or wanting to.
This ceased in New Testament times. Through Christ a Christian is freed of this yoke which, as the apostles say, neither they nor their fathers were able to bear. Christ therefore says: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed," Jn 8:36, and Paul cries to the Galatians: "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Gal 5:1. In Christ's name ever ything which is not sin in itself is permitted a Christian, and nothing else is necessary but faith and love.
However, my friends, consider well that all this is said only of a true Christian. He who is not a true Christian also has no part in true Christian liberty but is still a servant of the Law which constantly judges, sentences, and condemns him. But who then is a true Christian? True, in our childhood all of us one became true Christians through Baptism. For by Baptism not only were all our sins washed away, but we were also reborn and our hearts became the temples of the Holy Spirit.
After his Baptism, however, who remains in this blessed state? With very few exceptions all who were baptized as children break their baptismal covenant when they grow up, come under the dominion of sin again, lose the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and fall from grace. Therefore all who were baptized as children must (as said with very, very few exceptions) first be converted just as well as the unbaptized heathen if they want to become true Christian, repent, and be born again. However, this time that happens when by the Word of God which they hear or read they arrive at a living knowledge of their sins, their corrupt heart, and their lost condition, and are heartily frightened and sorrowful over their state. He absolutely must come to the point where he is restless about his soul's salvation, where in his concern he falls upon his knees before God and says to Him from the depths of his soul (indeed with tears and many sighs): "Oh, what should I a great sinner do to be saved?"
He who has experienced nothing of this, who can not relate such a life's experience, has also not as yet returned to his Baptism, he has not reestablished his broken baptismal covenant (as far as God is concerned it is still in force), he has not even made the beginning of becoming a true Christian.
306 4th Sunday after Trinity
Th is remains true: As all infants are physically born into the world with a cry of pain, so God's children are also spiritually born with a cry of pain. In addition to these painful experiences he must immediately have the blessed knowledge of faith in Christ, for otherwise his repentance would be merely Cain's repentance who said: "My punishment is greater than I can bear," and therefore despairs, because of the knowledge of his sins.
Yet we dare not think, that after one has come to the knowledge of his sins and his great misery, it is so easy to believe in Christ. Oh, then one must often put forth many a prayer, many a groan, many a tear, many a severe inner struggle before he can say: God be forever praised, I have found grace; my sins are forgiven! Some, indeed, struggle for weeks, months, yes, years before they can join in this word of victory from their heart. However, once a person has come to this point, he is a blessed person; though once a lost and condemned sinner, he has become a person righteous in grace; though once a slave of the Law, he has become a free man, a Christian.
Yet, my friends, we dare not think that then this Christian who has become free through Christ may use or dare use his Christian freedom in fleshly security. Absolutely not! In this way it becomes clear that a person has become a true Christian, that he has a tender conscience, which stirs not only at gross sins but also at the smallest transgression of the law of love. A Christian, therefore, uses his Christian freedom with great care, and it is this about which I now plan to speak to you.
The text. Romans 14:14-23.
In order to understand the section just read, one must know that the first Christian congregation at Rome was composed mostly of converted heathen. Whilst they could be easily convinced that through Christ they were free from the Jewish ceremonial law, the Jewish Christians, on the other hand, could be convinced only with difficulty. From their childhood they had considered it a great sin, and in this they were right, to break the Sabbath by doing physical labor, eating certain foods which had been forbidden in the Law of Moses, and the Like. Therefore, even after they had become Christians, they were very concerned about going against the Law of Moses. The result was that the oneness of the Roman Christians suffered. Whilst conscience smitten Jewish Christians were offended every time the heathen Christians no longer acted according to the Law of Moses, the Christians converted from heathenism who had a clearer knowledge of their freedom used their freedom thoughtlessly, without asking whether they thus gave offense to their fellow Jewish Christians. In our text the apostle gives instruction on this point. Upon the basis of these words let me speak to you on:
THE CARE A CHRISTIAN MUST SHOW IN USING HIS CHRISTIAN FREEDOM
1. With Reference To Himself: He Must Permit Himself Only That Which
According To God's Word He Is Certain He Is At Liberty To Do. and,
2. With Reference To His Neighbor: That He Do Nothing Whereby He Could
Offend Him.
I.
At the beginning of our text Paul writes: " I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean." V.14. The apostle testifies
that he indeed knows, that in the New Testament nothing is common and unclean, which had been called common and unclean in the Law of Moses; however, if a person did not know this but still held them common and unclean, then for him they are also common and unclean; if he nevertheless permitted himself such things, he sins against himself.
My friends, that is a most important truth. From this we see: In all our actions God does not look so much at our works, which we do, as at our heart, the attitude with which we do it. If we consider something wrong and still do it, for us it is sin, even if that which we do is a matter which is free and permitted by God. For example, if someone thought that it would be wrong to do the least bit of work on the Sabbath, the way this was actually forbidden to the Jews, or if he thought that it would be sin to eat certain kinds of meat the way several had been indeed forbidden to the Jews, before God he would sin against himself by doing this free and permitted thing.
It is tragic beyond measure if someone wants to be a Christian, hence a child of God, a saint in Christ Jesus, an elect, to allow himself many things because he sees that the great majority do them; if he thinks: So many people, even wise and respected people, yes, the whole wide world does this, or lives this way; there must be nothing wrong with it. I say that is something tragic beyond measure; for a Christian should know that according to God's Word the entire world is in desperate straits, and that according to the testimony of God's Word most people go the broad way to destruction. Therefore, is it not terrible if a person who wants to be a Christian does what the great majority does, instead cf letting God be his Judge of right and wrong, and following God's Word as his rule and guide in all things? As a Christian should he not really think this way: Since the great majority does this, it cannot be right?
My friends, to take one's cue mostly from what they permit themselves who pass for Christians is also wrong; for is that not called idolatry when one relies upon men in matters of conscience? Can not even Christian err and sin against themselves? Does not God's Word expressly say that even Christians fail in many ways?
Therefore, to allow oneself nothing about which one does not know from God's Word that it is right, even if not only the whole world, but also all the Christians in the world are accustomed to do it, that above all is showing true prudence in the use of one's Christian freedom. For not the world, nor Christians, but Holy Writ should be our rule and guide.
However, the apostle says in our text not only: " I know ", but he also adds: " and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself." Therefore, if one wishes to allow himself something, one should not only superficially know or be of the good opinion that according to God's Word it is permitted, but one should be convinced of it, and that " by the Lord Jesus ", that is, by the certainty of faith through the working of his grace.
In order to make this absolutely clear, the apostle adds the following at the close of our text: " Happy is he that condemneth not himself in the thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Vv.22.23. You see, one sins not only in matters permitted, when one erroneously considers them sinful and still does them, but also when one does not know for sure whether it is free or not and yet permits himself these things, and if one does something, even things permitted, in doubt.
308 4th Sunday after Trinity
It can be no other way: He who doubts whether something is right or wrong and still does it shows that he is doing it even at the risk of sinning against God. Is that not contrary to the fear of God, which is to dwell in the heart of a Christian? Oh my dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, be admonished and warned, therefore, to be prudent in the use of your Christian freedom ! Whenever you want to do something do not think: I hope that this will not be wrong, so I'll do it. As Christians we must be on guard against sin as though against a colorful and often a beautifully glittering snake in the grass. We must always be concerned; our heart, our flesh and blood can deceive us only too easily, and present something as an absolutely innocent thing which according to the strict Law of the Holy God is nevertheless sin, a colorful snake which wants to sneak into our soul, in order to wound a poison our conscience. Though something may have every so good an appearance, if we have not examined it according to God's Word and found it safe through this unerring touchstone, we cannot say with Paul in our text: " I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus." that this which I want to do is a matter free and proper. Yes, if only the least doubt exists in our heart and conscience, whether that which we want to do is right according to God's Word and though the entire world considers it all right, we should rather wish to die than do it. For recall the terrible word of the apostle: " And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." V.23.
II.
In the use of our Christian freedom we are to be prudent not only for our own sake, but also for the sake of our neighbor; we should do nothing whereby we could offend our neighbor: and it is this of which I will speak now.
There are, my friends, many, when they know that a thing is a free matter and not sin in itself, who think that they can without further thought do it under all circumstances. If one admonishes them not to do it, they say: Do you mean to claim that it is sin? for example, dancing, card playing, going to taverns, and the like. If one must admit that it is not sin in itself, then they think that they have won and say to the one admonishing them: What? are you going to make a sin out of something that is not sin in itself?
Yet how greatly they err! They do not recall what a great difference there is between whether a thing is free in itself, and whether one dare in freedom use it under certain circumstances. Our Luther has written an entire book on the Freedom of a Christian man; it is (divided into two parts. In the first part his theme is: "a Christian is a free lord over all things and subject to no one;" in the second part he points out the principal: "A Christian is a servant in all things and subject to all." Both of these principles seem to contradict each other, and yet they stand In the most beautiful harmony to each other. Luther means to say: According to faith and his conscience and before God, a Christian is free to do or not to do those things which God has not commanded or forbidden; however, according to love, in his life and amongst people he must accommodate himself to his neighbor.
That is also the point which the apostle teaches in our text. Let us ponder his words a bit. First of all, he writes: " But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably." V.15a. Paul means to say: My dear Roman Christians, you who know that in the New Testament there are no more forbidden foods, and who without being concerned about your neighbor who is weak in knowledge, partake in his presence of all which is set before you, and if it were meat offered to idols, you appeal to your Christian freedom,· but do you not see that your weak fellow Christian is distressed and offended thereby, because they still look on it as sin? Are you not acting against love? Can that be right which is against love ? Never !
So you see, my friends, when a Christian wants to do something it is by no means enough to know that in itself it is not sin; a Christian must always ask: But do not others, do not weak Christians, consider it sin? If I were to do this, would they not be offended?
Ah, my friends, let us think deeply upon this! Also in our congregation there are different classes of Christians; one class considers many things freely permitted which another considers not permitted and wrong. What are we to do? We must listen to the faithful admonition of the apostle in our text. Let us bear in mind: If everyone would do what he considers right, perhaps with out being concerned for his weak brother, our congregation would of necessity split up into factions and be destroyed.
Therefore, let no one look only on his own things but above all upon the things of his brother and the whole congregation. Let us avoid everything which is offensive to any one of us, and let everyone of us flee what could be the ruin of our whole congregation. Let that which the apostle writes in our text be deeply written into our souls: " Destroy not him with thy meat," that is, because of something free, " for whom Christ died. For meat destroy not the work of God." Vv.15b.20a. By the inconsiderate use of his Christian freedom a Christian can become guilty, that souls dearly redeemed by the blood of Christ, God's Son, will be eternally lost and that a glorious work of God for the salvation of men be destroyed.
My dear hearer, you now say: Is it not also necessary for one to hold fast to his freedom so dearly bought by Christ? then know: To be sure, that is necessary. Once when false teachers turned things permitted into things not permitted and thus wanted to rob Christians of the freedom of the Gospel, then Paul, as he himself writes, gave place to these false spirits "no not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you." Gal 2:5; but whenever the love of the weak neighbor demanded it, Paul surrendered his freedom every time, became all things to all men,to the Jew a Jew, to the Greeks a Greek, to the weak weak, etc; yes, he writes: "Wherefore ? if meat make my brother to of fend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." 1 Cor 8:13. However, we are not now speaking of every necessary insistence upon one's freedom in those cases,, but of the limiting of our freedom out of love toward the weak. Through this limitation we do not Surrender our freedom, but whilst we out of love do not outwardly use it at times, we cling to it the more firmly in our conscience. Paul, therefore, writes in our text: " It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak;" but he immediately adds: " Hast thou faith? ha v e it to thyself before God." Vv.21.22a. The apostle means to say: My dear Christian, if I summon you not to use your freedom before men, I do not want you to give it up! No, far from it', cling firmly to this precious treasure, but hold it by yourself, in your heart and conscience, before God.
Oh, may we all then grow daily in the knowledge of the glorious freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, a freedom which has made us lords of all things, but also grow in love which makes us servants of all and subject to all. May Jesus Christ, the King of Love and Prince of Peace grant this to us all ! Amen.