Building Bridges, Not Barriers

Romans 14:13-23

Scripture: Romans 14:13-23 (ESV)

"Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 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."

Reflection

Imagine you're building a bridge. Now imagine that each plank you lay down represents a choice you need to make. The choice will either help connect the two ends of the bridge together, or it will hinder the connection. Each decision has the potential to either strengthen or weaken the structure. That is what Christian community is like. Those metaphorical bridge building decisions are what Paul wants to address in Romans 14. He is dealing with the fledgling Roman church, a church that was suffering from division within the community. The people in the church were divided over dietary laws and holy days. Should the new Christians be required to obey the Jewish food laws? What if someone was a gentile and had not grown up with the ceremonial laws the Jews had, was that person required to conform? When you read this passage, the answer is clear: In the church, we are to build bridges, not barriers.

Now that doesn’t mean that everything goes. This is not a kind of “stoop down to the lowest moral denominator” argument. But there are really truly many things in the church that don’t actually matter. In the Roman church the problem presented itself as an issue about what food one can eat. But today this same battle has been fought over what kinds of clothes you wear, what carpet to lay down on the sanctuary floor, which worship songs we should sing and whether it is appropriate to let people drink coffee while the church service is on.

This text targets our heart problem and our tendency to judge others based on our personal convictions about non-essential matters. We judge other Christians as not as holy as us, because they don’t want to sing the songs in the prescribed book of worship. Or because they DO want to sing the songs in the prescribed book of worship. Judging others on this basis, warns Paul, is sin.

At the same time, Paul warns against allowing our freedom to cause others to stumble in their faith. If we are the more mature brother or sister, we sometimes have to give up our legitimate freedoms in order to be loving to the weaker brother or sister. I can drink a glass of whiskey with a friend. That doesn’t mean I should do so when my friend is a recovering alcoholic. It's about acting in love, prioritizing the spiritual well-being of others over our rights or freedoms.

And let’s remember that actually, the stakes are pretty high. What we might consider harmless could potentially derail another's person’s faith journey.

We need to recognise that our actions resonate deeper than we might think.

Prayer

Lord, teach us to love as you love. Help us to see beyond our freedoms and rights to the impact our actions have on others. Grant us the wisdom to live in a way that builds up rather than tears down. May our lives reflect your righteousness, peace, and joy. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Spiritual Challenge

Today, consider how your actions, even the seemingly insignificant ones, affect those around you. Choose one way to actively build up someone in your community—whether it's refraining from something that could be a stumbling block or offering an encouraging word. Focus on building bridges that strengthen rather than barriers that separate.