Romans 14:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"Everything that is not from faith is sin." When, he says, a man is not persuaded and does not believe that it is clean, how can he avoid sinning? Paul says all this about the matter at hand, not in a universal sense. See how much care he takes not to offend another. Above he said, "If your brother is grieved because of food, you are no longer walking in love." If one must not grieve him, much less must one offend him. Again he says, "Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food." If destroying a church is criminal and impious, much more is destroying a spiritual temple. A man is more honorable than a church, for Christ died not for walls, but for these temples. Therefore let us be cautious in everything on our part, and let us give no one even a small occasion to attack us. The present life is an arena. Everywhere it is necessary to have many eyes. We must not think ignorance is sufficient for our defense. It is possible, entirely possible, to be punished even for ignorance, when that ignorance is inexcusable. The Jews were ignorant, yet their ignorance was not accepted as an excuse. The Gentiles were ignorant, yet they too have no defense. When you do not know what it is impossible to know, you will not be accused. But when you do not know what you can easily know, you will undergo the severest punishment. In general, if we are not excessively careless but use every means that depends on us, God will extend His hand to us even in what is unknown. Thus Paul said to the Philippians, "If in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal this also to you" (Phil 3:15). But when we do not wish to do what lies within our power, we shall be deprived even of this assistance. This is what happened to the Jews. "Therefore I speak to them in parables," Christ says, "because seeing they do not see" (Mt 13:13). How did they see and not see? They saw demons being cast out, and said, "He has a demon." They saw the dead being raised, and did not worship Christ, but plotted to kill Him. Cornelius was not like this. Since he carefully did everything that depended on him, God added what remained. Therefore do not ask why God overlooked some Gentile who was good and just. First, it is impossible for men to know who is just. This is known to Him who formed the heart of each. Then one may also say that this Gentile often did not care or make any effort himself. But how, you say, could he do this, since he was a simple man? Look, however, at this simple and humble man in worldly affairs. You will see that there he uses great diligence. If he had chosen to use it in spiritual matters, he would not have failed, for the truth is clearer than the sun. Wherever a man turns, he will easily attain his salvation if he wishes to be attentive and does not consider salvation a trivial matter. Such things are not confined to Palestine alone. They are not shut up in one small corner of the world. Have you not heard what the prophet says: "They shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest" (Jer 31:34)? Do you not see that reality has proved this true? What excuse can those have who see that the teaching of truth has spread everywhere, yet do not inquire or care to learn it? You will say, "Do you demand this from a peasant and a barbarian?" Not only from a peasant and a barbarian, but even from one who proved rougher than the present barbarians. Tell me, whom do you consider simpler and rougher: Abraham's contemporaries, or yours? Clearly, Abraham's contemporaries. When was it easier to find piety, then or now? Clearly, now. Now the name of God has already been proclaimed to all. The prophets foretold, the events have already been fulfilled, and paganism has been exposed. But then most people remained without teaching. Sin reigned, the law was not yet a tutor, and there were no prophets, miracles, teaching, multitude of those who knew God, or anything of the sort. Everything lay as though in deep darkness, on a moonless winter night. Yet that wondrous and noble man, amid so many obstacles, came to know God, practiced virtue, and stirred many to the same zeal. He had no experience at all in secular wisdom. How and where could he have learned it, when even letters had not yet been invented? But because he did everything on his part, God also did not abandon him. Nor can one say that Abraham inherited religion from his fathers, for his father was an idolater. Yet, coming from such ancestors, being a barbarian, being raised among barbarians, and having no teacher in piety, he came to know God. He so surpassed all his descendants, who had both the law and the prophets, that it cannot be expressed. Why? Because he did not care too much for worldly things, but devoted himself entirely to spiritual things. Did not Melchizedek live in the same times? Did he not shine so brightly that he was called priest of God? It is impossible, utterly impossible, for one who is watchful ever to be despised. Let this not trouble you. Knowing that everything depends on disposition, let us attend to ourselves, so that we may become better. Let us not demand an accounting from God, nor investigate why He left one and called another. Otherwise we shall resemble the rejected servant who, with excessive curiosity, intruded into his master's household arrangements. Wretched and poor man! When you ought to care how you yourself will give account and appease the Master, you demand an account about what you yourself must answer for. You neglect the very things for which you will be punished. "What, then," you ask, "shall I say to the Gentile?" Say what has been said above. And care not only about what to say to the Gentile, but also about how to correct him. When he examines your life and is offended by it, then on that basis consider what you should say. For though he is offended, you will not give account for him. But for your own life, if it causes harm, you are in extreme danger. When he sees that you philosophize about the Kingdom, yet cling to the present life, fear Gehenna, yet tremble at earthly troubles, then take care. When he sees this and reproaches you, saying, "If you desire the Kingdom, why do you not despise the present? If you expect the dread Judgment, why do you not despise earthly misfortunes? If you hope for immortality, why do you fear death?" when he puts such questions to you, consider what you will answer. When he sees that you expect heaven, yet fear the loss of money, rejoice greatly over every small coin, and give up your soul for a little silver coin, then think. This, this precisely, offends the Gentile. Therefore, if you care for your salvation, prove it not by words but by deeds. No one has ever blasphemed God because of that question. But because of an evil life, countless blasphemies are heard everywhere. Therefore strive to correct it, for the Gentile will again ask you: "How am I to know that God commanded what is possible? You, being a Christian by birth itself and raised in this excellent religion, do none of these things." What will you say to this? Without doubt you will answer, "I will show you others who do them, namely monks dwelling in the deserts." But are you not ashamed to call yourself a Christian and refer him to others, as though you cannot prove by your own works that Christians act this way? The Gentile will immediately answer you: "Why must I go to the mountains and search the deserts? If it is impossible to practice wisdom while living in cities, this may be a great accusation against the Christian life, if it requires leaving cities and fleeing to deserts. Show me a man who has a wife, children, and a house, and yet lives piously." What shall we say to this? Shall we not have to lower our eyes and be ashamed? Christ did not command that. What, then, did He command? "Let your light so shine before men" (Mt 5:16), not in the mountains, not in deserts, not in impassable wildernesses. I say this not to reproach those who live in the mountains, but out of pity for city dwellers, who have driven virtue out of the cities. Therefore I beseech you to bring the wisdom of the desert-dwellers into the cities also, so that they may become true cities. This can correct the Gentile and guard him from countless occasions of offense. Therefore, if you wish to free him from offense and acquire countless rewards for yourself, correct your life and make it radiant in all things, "that men may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Mt 5:16). Then we shall also enjoy the ineffable and great glory to come. May we all be counted worthy to receive it, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ. With Him, to the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, dominion, and honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

In such a case, when others are scandalized by it, it is better for the man who eats meat or drinks wine not to do so. In himself, of course, he does not sin, since he does not regard this eating as sin. Yet he sins by scandal. But if someone is directly convinced that this or that eating is forbidden by God or by the Church, then he sins even in himself. He eats against conviction or against conscience. He also sins against others, leading them into scandal. Although this teaching of the Apostle about food referred most immediately to the first Roman Christians, who were in particular circumstances, in its essential point, that is, concerning non-condemnation, it concerns all Christians in general. We too must not be divided because of food, although the Church has now already clarified what may be eaten and what may not, when one must fast and when one may eat without prohibition. Likewise, as before, so now the man who eats and drinks contrary to the prohibition of the Church's law and conscience sins. Moreover, he sins both for himself and for others, leading them into scandal and giving occasion for condemnation. According to the word of Saint John Chrysostom, "It is not foods that make a man unclean, but the disposition with which he eats. Therefore, if you do not correct the disposition, all your labor is vain and harmful. It is one thing to consider something unclean, and another to eat what you consider unclean. In the latter case you sin doubly. By your dispute you strengthen the prejudice and compel him to eat what is unclean," that is, what is considered such against conscience. "Until you have persuaded him, do not compel him. On the contrary, abstain yourself for his sake, your brother's sake. Abstain not as from something unclean, but because he is scandalized, and he will love you more."

The reason is this: because it is not from faith. He is condemned not because the thing is unclean, but because he does not act with faith. He was not certain that it was clean, but thought he was touching what was unclean. By this the Apostle teaches how much harm is done when people compel the unpersuaded to touch what, in their opinion, is unclean. He wishes at least by this to restrain them from reproaching the weak in faith" (Saint Chrysostom). "And whatever is not from faith is sin." This is a general principle for all cases, on which all Saint Paul's instructions are based. From this it follows that everyone is obliged to have a clear conscience concerning what he undertakes and does. Everything must be done with clear awareness of the rightness of the deed. Saint Chrysostom teaches: "The present life is an arena. At every step one must have many eyes, and one must not think that ignorance is sufficient for justification. You will be punished, certainly punished, even for ignorance, if it is inexcusable. The Jews were in ignorance, yet their ignorance was not counted as an excuse for them. The Gentiles also were in ignorance, yet they have no justification. When you do not know what it is impossible to know, you will not be guilty. But when you do not know what can easily be known, you will bear the severest punishment. Moreover, if we are not exceedingly careless, but use every possible measure, God will give us His hand even in what is difficult to know. Thus Paul said to the Philippians, 'If in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you'" (Phil 3:15).