#131 – Do All Unto The Glory of God

“⁵ One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God. ⁷ For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. ⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. ⁹ Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.”

Remember that Paul, in chapter 14, is instructing the churches in Rome in how Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians should treat one another. Both groups of Christians now find themselves worshipping the one true God in corporate worship together, despite their cultural and historic differences. Paul knows that these differences are significant, and that they are causing confusion and strife among the brothers and sisters there. You’ll remember that Paul used two common areas of disagreement, Jewish holy days and meat sacrificed to idols, as focus points for teaching these groups how to navigate these delicate issues. 

Note that Paul doesn’t try to persuade the reader one way or another. Rather, he says, “Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.” (v. 5b) This is a call to think carefully and fully through each of these doctrinal issues. How can we become fully convinced about something? Gather all the facts. Go to the Scriptures to see what God says. Pray for clarity and wisdom. Converse with reliable Christian mentors. These things are exactly the kinds of action Paul has called us to throughout the book of Romans, where he has called us to walk by the Spirit with a sense of action. The Christian life is not a passive one. We must act in obedience! This applies also to what God has revealed to us in His Word. We cannot learn it or understand it by osmosis. We must read, study, and pray. 

Paul makes the point that which side of the argument you settle on is not what is of greatest importance, as long as you do so out of genuine conviction. Rather, what is important is how you bring glory to God by the use of what God has given you. Do you observe a special day? Use it to honor the Lord. You don’t observe a special day? Use your freedom to serve the Lord. Do you eat whatever God provides for you? Give thanks for His blessing. Do you abstain from eating because your conscience convicts you? Do so unto God’s glory. 

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or the church of God,” — 1 Corinthians 10:31-32

Continuing in verses 7-9, Paul explains that regardless of which position a Christian takes on these doctrines, each Christian who does so out of genuine conviction is doing it to be faithful and obedient to God. Paul is reminding us that those who differ with us in some small ways are still a part of the family of God, and have made the decisions that they have made, and are living the way that they live not for their own glory, but for the glory of God.

It’s important to note that Paul is not condoning some sort of universalism, claiming that all paths lead to God and salvation in their own way. This belief would be to take out of context all that Paul has said thus far in his letter to the church in Rome. Paul is talking about differences in opinion between groups of Christians who are all saved by repentance of sin and faith in Jesus the Messiah. Paul is talking to a church in Rome that is filled with people who have confessed, “Jesus is Lord” and have believed in His resurrection. The “disputed matters” (see v. 1) Paul has been talking about are disagreements within Jewish law and tradition, not doctrines of such consequence that it would redefine what it means to be a Christian. 

“Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (v. 8b) As long as a Christian is holding to their convictions out of a love for God and a desire to be obedient to Him, they belong to the Lord! However, any who are holding to their convictions for any other reason than to live for God, then it may be a sign of underlying sin. Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector that we talked about in verse 3?

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people — greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other, because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”” — ‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭9‬-‭14

We must be careful not to be as the Pharisee, thinking we are living a “holy” life, but only for the recognition received from others. In some of his other letters, Paul calls believers, whether in life or death, to serve God. 

“And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.” — ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬

“My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all courage, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” — ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬

So then, in whatever we are doing, whether observing or not, whether eating or abstaining, whether honoring careful tradition or living freely in Christ, whether serving God in life or in death, do it all unto the glory of God. Christ came and lived, died, rose, and ascended so that sinners would be saved for this very purpose, so that God might receive the glory of our praise and obedience to Him.