Unity in Christ: Love Over Judgment Among Believers

Let us not therefore judge one another anymore but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling Bluer an occasion to fall in his brother's way I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean through him it is unclean. [00:00:38]

Now here we start a new subsection in the argument that is put before us by the Apostle in this chapter and on as we saw in our division of the matter at the beginning a few weeks back into the 15th chapter, so far as we've been seeing the Apostle has been mainly concerned in handling the whole problem raised by these indifferent matters to set the problem in its proper context. [00:01:14]

Now this is very interesting what he does here he really plays on this word judge, he's already been doing that earlier in the chapter it's the same word exactly but he uses he uses it in a different sense we do that of course the same thing ourselves we we use the same word in different slightly different senses and meanings but the context always makes it quite plain and fair as to what we're doing. [00:08:25]

Now this word translated here by judge is a word I say that's used very commonly in the New Testament for instance in 1 Corinthians 22 the famous statement I determined not to know anything among you sa Jesus Christ and him crucified it's exactly the same word as we have here so he might have we might have the translation there I judged I came to the verdict I came to the conclusion I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. [00:09:19]

Now this of course is is again a part of this great New Testament appeal you remember our Lords appeal to his disciples at the very end that you may love one another he says that's the way the world will know that you are my people that you love one another this should always be the overruling and overriding consideration in the church if we depart from this we are almost certain to go wrong in our decision. [00:16:06]

Now this is the most amazing statement and when you remember the antecedence of the Apostle Paul it is an astounding statement when you consider that this men had one Once Upon a Time been one of the narrowest Jews conceivable one of the most nationalistic Jews and on top of that a Pharisee and a legalist of the first order there is something which is really overwhelming in this amazing statement this tremendous enunciation of a great gospel principle. [00:19:31]

I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself now that is the difference that the gospel has made and that is particularly the difference the gospel has made to a Jew you see there is only one thing that could ever have enabled this man to make that statement and that is rebirth he is really not the same man as he used to be he could never have said this as he was as Saul of tssus a Pharisee. [00:20:06]

Notice first of all his certainty which he so anxious to impress his with I know it's a very strong term it means absolute positive knowledge it isn't saying I of the opinion I am absolutely certain it is absolute positive knowledge but he doesn't he's not content with leaving it at that I know and am persuad now here again is one of his terms one of his favorite expressions strictly speaking it should be put like this I know and have been persuaded. [00:21:50]

He is claiming here that it has been revealed to him and it is not merely a repetition in his own terms and language of something that the Lord Jesus Christ himself had taught now this is an interesting point because it it helps us to understand partly delate the whole question of the authority of the scriptures and the inspiration of the scriptures this uh Revelation and inspiration. [00:27:37]

The Apostle himself draws that kind of Distinction he says of course later on that he has the spirit they claim that they've got the spirit he has the spirit also also but he draws a distinction between a revelation that has been given to him and his own spiritual opinion now this it seems to me is implicit in what we are dealing with here his emphasis is that it is something that he has been persuaded of by the Lord. [00:30:00]

The teaching can be summed up like this first and foremost we have to realize that the distinction that was drawn in the ceremonial levitical law was not based on the nature of the things in and of themselves but it was a case that God had determined and had chosen to make this distinction in order that he might discipline and govern his people in other words the prohibition to eat pork for instance was not because there was anything wrong in pork. [00:40:44]

The stronger brother is actually right but it doesn't follow from that of necessity that he therefore can put that into practice and the reason for that is what we will go on to consider God willing next Friday night let us pray oh Lord Our God we again would thank thee for the light and the knowledge and the instruction given to us by the scriptures we bless thee for it we thank thee for everything concerning Thy word. [00:48:43]