Not To Please Ourselves

We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.
Romans 15:1-2

Is sin always sin?  Strange question, isn’t it?  Jm 4:17 says that “to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”  This verse tells us that what is sin to one individual may not be to another.  The level of spiritual maturity, the depth of knowledge, and the things that are uniquely temptations for an individual are all factors that determine what is sin for each person.  Sure, there are actions that are broad enough to be considered sin for all.  Take the first of the ten commandments for example: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Ex 20:3) Idolatry is always sin; however, what constitutes idolatry for each individual may be different.  For the average person, a meal may simply be a way to sustain the body; however, for a glutton, a meal becomes a spiritual battle of epic proportions!

According to Webster’s, a scruple is “an ethical consideration or principle that inhibits action”.  Some people should not do the same things that others have liberty to do.  When we question ourselves regarding a particular activity and wonder if it’s okay to engage in it, our best course of action when we have doubts is to not do it.  That’s your God-given conscience nagging you!  The worst thing you could do would be to violate your conscience.  To those in the early church that questioned eating meat that had been offered to idols, Paul warned that “he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.” (Rom 14:23)

So, what if we’re on the other side of this situation.  Our conscience does not struggle with such an activity.  What do we do when in the presence of those that do struggle?  I love the instruction in our text.  Simply put–don’t please yourself!  Taking the example of eating these sacrificial meats, what if a strong believer who had no issue with eating that meat really had a taste for meat that night, and a weaker brother shows up?  That stronger brother can almost taste those juicy steaks!  After all, it’s not sin for him.  Shouldn’t that weaker brother just understand?  The instruction of the Lord is always that the stronger should suffer for the weaker’s sake!  Isn’t that steak of little consequence in light of eternity?!!  How often do we let small, insignificant things get to us?  Our love for the souls of others should be so great that we would gladly do without for the sake of their eternal good!

“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” (Rom 15:2) The edification, or the spiritually building up, of others is the goal.  Every action should be to that end per 1 Cor 14:26: “Let all things be done for edification.”  After all, isn’t that the example Christ set for us?  Our passage in Romans continues on, “For even Christ did not please Himself…” (Rom 15:3) He didn’t suffer for His sake; He suffered for our sakes!  Let us honor Him by doing the same.  Then this dying world will see Christ, the only hope they have, through us.  What evidence do we have anyway that we truly love Him except that we do what He commands? (Jn 14:21-24) “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (Jm 1:22)

Jamie

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