Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

ROMANS
CHAPTER XIV.
DOUBTFUL QUESTIONS NOT TO BE AGITATED.
1-4. In that day the entire meat market was under the auspices of the Greek and Roman idolatry,
a beef sacrificed to Jupiter, a mutton for Apollo, a hog to Hercules, a turkey to Minerva, a goose to
Venus, a chicken to Diana, and a goat to Mercury, the meat being at the same time sold in the
markets for all the people to purchase and eat. Of course those gods had no existence, but were mere
creatures of poetic imagination. Therefore it did not hurt the meat to offer it to them. Hence,
everyone having clear light and solving the problem in his own mind, could eat this meat with
impunity; meanwhile, others saw idolatry as in their old religion while eating the meat offered to
their old heathen gods. In the latter case, of course all such must abstain from eating the meat offered
to idols. At the same time Paul decides that if the eating of this meat on the part of the people who
have clear light and a good conscience, puts a stumbling-block in the way of the weak, they must
also abstain. The New Testament early reveals but one thing necessary to bona fide membership in
the gospel church, i.e., “that by one spirit we all be baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Paul positively forbids the magnification of anything else except the work of Christ, which alone is
necessary to salvation. This magnification of non-essentials is the fatal heresy of all ages by which
Satan maneuvers to get his black wing between the weak believer and Jesus, and turning his attention
to non-essentials, run him into idolatry and plunge him into hell. We are here positively forbidden
to tangle up weak believers by disputations over doubtful and non-essential matters. The truth
essential to salvation is so plain “that wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein.” In the
popular churches the devil has always managed to get the preachers and people to spend their time
on non-essentials, leaving the experimental salvation of the soul for death and eternity to settle.
EVERY DAY HOLY.
5. “For indeed one judgeth a day above a day and another judgeth every day alike; let each one
be fully persuaded in his own mind for
6. “He that regardeth the day regardeth it to the Lord.
7. “For no one of us liveth to himself and no one of us dieth to himself; if indeed we may live, let
us live to the Lord, and if we may die we die to the Lord.
8. “Therefore whether we live or whether we die we are the Lord’s.
9. “For unto this Christ died and is alive, in order that he may be the Lord both of the dead and
of the living.
10. “Why do you condemn your brother or why do you discount your brother?
11. “For we shall all stand at the judgment seat of God.