Romans Chapter 14: You are Your Brothers Keeper.
Though in his letter to the Corinthians Paul is addressing the issue of idolatry in terms of eating food sacrificed to idols and its consequences. In his letter to the Romans Paul is bringing to light the conflict that is raised between, Jews and Gentiles. That gentiles not giving due regards to the Jews who have practiced dietary restraint all their lives for generation, and the offence that might arise in consumption of certain food.
Receive one who is weak in faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak may eat only vegetables.
That the Jewish Christians who have practiced strict dietary laws all their lives, might have trouble to accustom themselves to the new found freedom. And keep to eating vegetables, rather than meat which they may consider unclean under the law. Whereby the conflict, one judging the other for the lack of faith, the other accusing for defiling oneself.
let him not who eats despise him who does not eat and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats:
That judgment does not belong to the believers in this matter and must not be a cause for contention, for God is who accepts and approves both he who eats and he who abstains.
Now, Paul continues on the same concept and applies it to a specific day. The sabbath makes the obvious choice, since the issue is of Jew and Gentile. That one believer may esteem one day over another while the other sees all alike. That there is no condemnation in it: “So let no one judge you in food and drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.” Colossians 2:16 The point is whatever a person does, let it be so in full assurity of faith and not in doubt. That, in observance of the day or in eating each one does it in his own conviction to the Lord; “giving thanks to God.”
For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live, to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die we are the Lord’s.
As Paul also says in another place “it is no longer I but Christ lives in me.” and “to be absent form the body is to be present with the Lord.” The point he is labouring at is, there is nothing that can separate us from the Lord.
“For I am persuaded that neither life nor death… shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
That if nothing can come between you and Christ. Therefore whatever you do, do in conviction of conscience, to the level of your faith, but let that not be a merit by which you judge another. For those who judge, judge in weakness of faith and those who show contempt, do so in superiority of faith. Therefore, since each one belongs to the Lord why do you judge or despise you Master’s servant [your brother]. Since everyone will come before the judgment seat of Christ.
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Isaiah 45:23
That each one of us will have to give an account of himself to God. Therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in your brother’s way.
How is a stumbling block or cause for fall set in effect?
I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean to him its unclean. If your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
Therefore, Paul is addressing the Gentiles, it is not so much of strength of faith, but lack of due regard for the one who has lived such restricted life style. That [the act of contempt or carelessness] may compel the weak to imitate the strong, and partake of what he considers to be unclean and by it be defiled. Since what he does he does in weakness of faith. Whereby fellowship with one another is strained, if you eat food in disregard of your brother in the Lord for the satisfaction of your appetite and by it you grieve him, How are you walking in love? As he also states in his letter to Corinthians, so when you sin against your brother in that, you sin against Christ. Therefore he encourages, to bare with the weakness of a brother. Therefore, if that be the case he emphatically states: “I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”
Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
Let not the strength of your faith in matters you approve of, be spoken evil, on account of the fall or offense of another. Since your justification or merit is not in what you eat or drink, but “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
So whatever you do, let it be done in consideration of one another.
Therefore let us pursue the things which makes for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things are pure, but its is evil for the man who eats with offense. … Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God.
Therefore, Paul message to the Gentiles is you must bare with the failing of your brother, that “You are your brother’s keeper.” Do not give way to conflict for the sake of food. While addressing the Corinthians in matters of food and drink he does so that careful head to be given that one may not cause the fall of another through carelessness. But no issue of conflict. However, in regards to the Romans, in dealing in mater of food and days there is conflict to be addressed between Jew and Gentile Christians. Therefore he says, “let us pursue what makes for peace.”
Happy is he who does not of condemn himself in that he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; whatever is not from faith is sin.
Bread Bait. 
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