Nothing Unclean of Itself Romans 14:14

Paul the apostle instructed the believers in Rome to, “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way”, and in chapter fourteen and verse fourteen of Romans, Paul told the believers in Rome, “there is nothing unclean of itself” where we read:

I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself:

but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

The verse begins, “I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself:” Paul began with the words, “I know” which means “Paul perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered”, “and am persuaded” or “and was induced by words to believe, yielded toward, trusted, complied and was confidence” “by the Lord” which refers to “through the one to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title given to God the Messiah” “Jesus” whose name means “Jehovah is Salvation” and is “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate”, “that there is nothing” or “there exists not one thing” “unclean” which means “profane, common, defiled and unholy” “of itself” or “pertaining to that certain thing”. Paul was convinced by “Jesus Himself” that there was “not one thing” that was “profane and defiled” within itself.

The verse continues, “but to him that esteems any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.”. Paul added the words, “but” which means “if and whether” “to him” or “the person whether male or female” “that esteems” which means “who reckons, counts, computes, calculates and takes into account” “any thing” which refers to “a certain thing” “to be unclean” which means “to exist and happens as common, ordinary, belonging to generality, unhallowed and unholy”, “to him” or “with that person whether male or female” “it is unclean” which means “it is profane, common, defiled and unholy”. Paul shared how the person who “reckons and counts” something to be “unhallowed and unholy”, to that person whatever it is is “unhallowed and unholy”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we see how the determination of whether something is “unholy” depends upon the judgment of the individual. Jesus shared with Paul how certain things are not “unholy” in themselves, but if a person makes that thing “unholy”, then to them it is. This in no way alters Jesus' assessment of those things, but sometimes people have personal convictions which they determine to be “unholy”. When these things arise, it is important to remember how Jesus came to “save” people from their sins, and other personal convictions may be regulated by the person themselves.

Next time Paul tells the believers in Rome what to do, “if your brother is grieved with your meat”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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