In Matthew 16:19, Jesus gives us the key to the kingdom of heaven, “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” It tells us the keys to the kingdom is binding and loosing. Binding and loosing what? Bind forgiveness for others to your heart, bind compassion to your heart, bind love for others, bind sacrifice, bind praise…Bind all the good, pure and worthwhile qualities to your character that will draw people to Christ. But, most of all bind love. Loose guilt. Loose worry. Loose jealousy. Loose greed. Loose sexual immorality. Loose all the bad qualities of your character, but most of all loose condemnation.
I have discovered that Paul describes this same binding and loosing…whether he knew it or not. He explains the key: whether you try to follow as many Mosaic laws as you can, or you live by faith and have no debts other than love, if you are doing it to the Lord (Romans 16:6)with praise and honor toward Him, he is pleased. In either case, Paul says to bind love for others to your character; bind praise and honor to God to your heart. Love is a two way street as seen in verse three. And the love I speak of is not the love that says, “You are condemned if you do not do it my way…because my way is right…because I follow God.” Remember, Paul says both follow the Lord and live to him.
I love comparing and contrasting the Old and New Covenants. Romans 14 is the basis for my beliefs and conduct toward others in many areas of life concerning food, drink, celebrations and days of the week. When you blend these two concepts together (Matthew 16:19 and Romans 14), love and compassion abound for all those who follow Christ, no mater how they express it. (Remember David danced in his underwear and it was pleasing to God. And that should be a great example of how not to judge others expressions towards the Lord.) I love how the Word explains (over and over) that NO MATTER HOW YOU LIVE, whether following dietary restrictions (or not), or celebrating the 12 Festivals and sacred days established in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Esther (or not); or giving one day more importance that others (or not)…whatever you do, do so to the Lord and keep these two commandments while living: Love the Lord your God with all you heart, mind, strength and soul and love your neighbor as yourself.
Romans 14
| Strong Faith | Weak Faith |
| 14:1- accept those whose faith is weak | 2- weak faith allows him to eat only vegetables |
| 1- don’t quarrel over disputable matters | 3- do not judge the one who does eat everything for God has accepted him |
| 2- faith allows them to eat anything | 4- for the Lord is able to make him stand |
| 3- do not treat with contempt the one who does not eat everything for God has accepted them | 5- one considers on day more sacred than another.Each should be convinced in his own mind |
| 4- for the Lord is able to make them stand | 6- whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord |
| 5- considers every day alike. Each should fully convinced in his own mind | 6- whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God |
| 14:6 whoever eats meat does so to the Lord for they give thanks to God | 10- all stand before God’s judgment |
| 10- All stand before God’s judgement | 12- each give an account of oneself to God |
| 12- Each give an account of oneself to God | 14-If anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean |
| 12- do not put a stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way | 15- distressed because of what others eat |
| 14- nothing is unclean in itself | 17-For the Kingdom of God is not a matte of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit |
| 15- if you brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love | 20- may stumble by what someone else eats |
| 20- Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food | So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. |
| 20-All food is clean but it is wrong for someone to eat anything that causes someone to stumble | 23- Whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats because their eating is not from faith and everything that does not come from faith is sin. |
| 21- It is better to not eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that will cause your brother to fall | 15:2 each one should please his neighbor for their good, to build them up |
| So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. | |
| 15:1 bear with the failings of the weak and not to pleasure yourself | 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law. |
| 2- each one should please his neighbor for their good, to build them up | |
There were Jewish Christians who continued to observe dietary restrictions and special days because they thought they could gain righteousness by works and earn the Lord's favor by how ‘good’ they were. They also tried to subject the new churches to these traditions and rhetoric and force them to do the same. They struggled with the status of the Old Covenant regulations under the New Covenant that Jesus established at his death and resurrection.
Christians are not lead by the Holy Spirit in exactly the same way. They do not agree with all matters dealing with how to live out their faith. And, they don’t have to. Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit because anyone who serve Christ in this way is pleasing to God and deserves human approval.” To be focused on such simple/inconsequential/minor matters is to miss the big picture about Christ’s ultimate plan for your life.
So, whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord. Blessings!
Next week, I will compare the Passover to the Resurrection!
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