Chapter # 14 Paragraph # 1 Study # 5
March 7, 2021
Humble, Texas
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Thesis:   Paul had a "leveling" concept that put all those "of The Faith" on an equal footing and required of them all that they put "pleasing the Lord" at the top of their priorities in life: the only legitimate response to Grace.

Introduction:   In our studies thus far in Romans 14 we have looked at several aspects of the summons of Paul to function together in harmony. In our last study we saw that Paul founded this issue upon the requirement that each person was to be "settled" in mind in respect to a more basic foundation than getting along with each other: Getting along with God. There is strong general evidence in the Scriptures that God absolutely demands of all who would "get along with Him" that they, first of all, value a harmonious relationship with Him, and then that they actively depend upon Him for the necessities of that relationship, and then that they deal with any, and all, violations of conscience in the only proper biblical manner (repentance confession of sin).

It is useless to deal with the details of the words of God if a person has no interest in having a personal relationship with Him. It is, likewise, useless to deal with that desire if a person does not make a definitive decision to "trust" what He says about the various issues of life that come our way. And, thirdly, it is extraordinarily destructive to both the original desire and to the definitive decision to accept His words if failure in either case is left dangling in the relationship without the due response. In 1 Timothy 1:5, Paul puts these three issues front and center and says that any who turn aside from these things will experience a "shipwreck in regard to their faith" (1 Timothy 1:19).

Therefore, as we continue to pursue Paul's words in harmony with his stated goal (1 Timothy 1:5), we come to what Paul would call a most foundational "attitude". He says, in effect, that many things can be "swept under the rug" if one element truly exists: gratitude. When I say "many things can be swept under the rug", I do not mean any matter of conscience, but only matters that actually do not matter. Paul, himself, makes this clear in Romans 16:17 where he insists upon the rejection of those who refuse this present instruction.

• I. Being Sure That What Is At Stake Is Truly An Issue That Does Not Matter.
  • A. In our text/context, the stated issues are two, but they provide a basis for application for many others.
    • 1. The stated issues.
      • a. What one decides about "eating".
      • b. What one decides about "celebrating memorial days".
    • 2. The unstated "implied meanings".
      • a. At root in "implied meanings" is the same "type of meaning".
      • b. In "types of meaning" there are always certain fixed characteristics that establish the "type".
      • c. In our text/context, the "type of meaning" is "unspecified instruction" in regard to a specific issue in a specific "season" in the outworking of The Plan.
        • 1) If God leaves a particular issue of decision making out of the realm of specific instruction, that issue becomes a matter of "personal comfort zone issues" in regard to "pleasing God".
        • 2) Even when there are "specified instructions" in regard to associated issues, the absence of "specificity" leaves the issue "open" to a good relationship with God even when there are differences of "comfort zones" among His people.
  • B. In our text/context, the Romans 16:17 issue does not fit the "it does not matter" characteristic.
• II. Being Clear Minded About The Most Fundamental Attitude.
  • A. It has already been made clear that Paul is addressing the household servant's desire to be pleasing to "The Householder".
    • 1. This is the essence of the "he observes the day for the Lord" and the "he eats for the Lord" phrases.
    • 2. In the household, it is "The Lord" Who has established the priorities of the entire household, so that the primary concern of the "household servant" that he/she is in pursuit of "The Householder's Priorities".
  • B. To this Paul adds a kind of "bottom line" requirement.
    • 1. The actions considered must be genuine "gratitude actions".
      • a. There is such a thing as deceitful gratitude.
        • 1) This can be a matter of self-deceit.
        • 2) This can also be a matter of an intention to deceive others.
      • b. This is a matter of "conscience level" "comfort zone" self-permissions.
        • 1) In Romans 2:15 Paul says the conscience will either accuse or excuse.
        • 2) In the case of the "seared conscience" (1 Timothy 4:2), this entire set of instructions is wasted effort and the outcomes will eventually "out" the deceiver.
    • 2. "Gratitude Actions" are most fundamentally "responses to grace extended".
      • a. Gratitude is, by definition, a response to a good favor given in spite of any "merit" issue, or "demerit" issue.
        • 1) The "favor" is always in the form of a divine input that produces a good outcome.
        • 2) The "favor" is never rooted in merit/demerit.
      • b. This means that "gratitude" indicates a primary "grace" orientation in life as a whole.
    • 3. If a person can "thank God" for the privilege of certain actions, those actions are said "to be sanctified" in the context of "giving thanks" (1 Timothy 2:3-4).
    • 4. Thus, the "bottom line" is the attitude of an orientation toward God as "Gracious Provider" that results in honest thankfulness for the outcomes given.

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This is article #106.
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