Romans 14:23

But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Once again, Paul affirmed the supremacy of a good conscience. Doubters who, through a desire to be popular, or other insufficient reasons, might override their own consciences, stand condemned. If one has been brought up to believe that certain things are wrong, being thereby in conscience opposed to the doing of them, he cannot merely wave such scruples aside. True, if through the word of God, he has learned and truly believes that old scruples are no longer binding, then he may go beyond them, or act contrary to them; in such a case, to use Paul's words, he would be eating "of faith." But, if such knowledge and faith are not in him, the old prohibition stands for him; and he may not go beyond them and thus involve himself in condemnation.

Whatsoever is not of faith is sin ... is enunciated here as a general principle, but only as a general principle covering this particular kind of case. Where the conscience is in doubt, the definition of proper conduct must be made on the basis of what the word of God says; and, lacking any clear knowledge of what the word says, or, if knowing it, lacking full confidence and faith in it, the person is bound by his scruple. This principle does not extend to situations where the conscience is not threatened. Thus, from Sanday:

Nothing is said about those cases in which conscience is either not appealed to at all, or approves of what is done. Hence St. Augustine was wrong in arguing from this verse that even good actions, when done by unbelievers, were of the nature of sin.[19]

Godet's comment on this was:

What a man cannot do as His redeemed one and in the joy of His salvation, must not be done at all. Otherwise this act, of which faith is not the soul, becomes sin, and may lead to the result indicated in Romans 14:20: the total destruction of God's work in us.[20]

R. C. Bell had the following pertinent remarks:

Who can read this chapter without realizing that Christian doctrines are of unequal value, and that big and little things should never exchange places? Men must not make things tests of fellowship which God does not make conditions of salvation; because, in so doing, they reject those whom God receives and make divisions in the church over trifles. To separate believers from unbelievers is right, but to separate believers from other believers is wrong. Blessed is the Christian who keeps Christian things in Christian proportions.[21]

In the light of the solemn admonitions of this great chapter, how shall we behold the divisions among brethren over such matters as supporting a radio program, teaching the Bible in classes, supporting orphan homes, etc., except as tragic examples of failure to heed the warnings of the Holy Spirit?

Regarding the doxology which, in some manuscripts, concludes this chapter, it is appropriate to remark that Romans 15:1 continues with no break in the thought and is such a logical continuation of the thought in this chapter that one is justified in supposing that Paul never even caught his breath between them. For more on this, see under Romans 16:27.

[19] Ibid., p. 261.

[20] F. Godet, op. cit., p. 464.

[21] R. C. Bell, op. cit., p. 169.