Romans Chapter 14 (Continued) {The Dual Functions of the Church Age Believer - Priest and Ambassador} 18~~For he who serves the Christ in this   {'this' being to function under the Royal Family honor code of   verses 14-17} . . . {keeps on being} well pleasing to the God   {the Royal Priesthood function -   as per Romans 12:1; Hebrew 11:6; Ephesians 5:10;   I Thessalonians 4:1}, and respected by men.   {the Royal Ambassador function} {Note: Christ means 'the anointed one' but more accurately means the 'appointed one'. He was appointed by God the Father to come to the earth and take the form of man and die on the cross for the sins of all mankind.} {Objectives of the Honor Code} 19~~Consequently/'so then' {ara oun}, we 'run after'/pursue {dioko} those things/doctrines related to the prosperity/'inner peace' {eirene}   {the categories of blessing which come to the mature believer}, and those things   {bible doctrines to be transferred from Scripture to soul} related to the edification {complex} {oikodome} 'from which {comes blessing}' {tes} . . . to each other. {Note: 'ara oun' is another grammatical method of showing a new sentence and this time with a great result of what preceded it.} {Verses 20-21: Strong Believer's Application of the Honor Code to the Weak Believer} 20~~Because {heneka} of food/meat {broma}, do not demolish/destroy {kataluo} the work {ergon} of the God. To be sure {men}, all things {foods in context} . . . {keep on being/are} 'ceremonially pure'/clean {katharos}   {no spiritual problem in eating anything anymore}, but . . . {it becomes} evil {kakos} for that man {anthropos - mankind - here the mature believer} who 'gives offense by means of eating' {dia proskomma esthio} {to the positive yet 'weak in doctrine' believer}   {dia proskomma esthio - idiom literally 'with offense by means of eating'}. {Note: Katharos means to be 'clean' (not harmful) to the gentile to eat and to be ceremonially pure to the Jew.} 21~~{It keeps on being} honorable {kalos} the not {me} eating meat {kreas} nor {mede} to drink wine in this specific situation   {in this case, where a weak believer might be distracted} nor {mede} do anything else by which your brother {the weak believer} stumbles {falls away from the intake of doctrine} {proskopto}. {Note: The combination above with the 'mede' followed again by 'mede' indicates that in the first example is the 'specific situation'. So NOT eating meat or drinking wine is honorable in this specific situation. The next mede indicates then a general rule will follow - so generally speaking we should so nothing that hinders the growth of a 'weak in doctrine' believer - the Law of Love overriding the Law of Liberty.} {Note: Drinking is not a sin. To get drunk is a sin. Again this is the 'law of love' where a mature believer knows that it is ok to drink alcohol, but does not in the presence of a weak in doctrine believer who incorrectly judges that God prohibits alcohol drinking. If by the mature believer drinking, it hinders the growth of the weak believer, then do not do so and it is NOT being a hypocrite.} {Note: KJV has added 'or is offended or is made weak'. It is not in the original and most reliable manuscripts.} 22~~You there {strong believer}, the doctrine {pistis} which you have, be having it in relationship to yourself in the sight of the God. Happy . . . {is/'keeps on being'} that one {strong believer} who does not condemn/judge himself in what he approves. {Note: 'In what he approves' means to compare your actions with the norms and standards in your soul. If your actions match that commanded by doctrine, then be happy. So, in this case, if a mature believer withholds from eating meat he is not being a hypocrite. He is acting on the doctrine resident in his soul should NOT judge himself as being incorrect EVER in following how the Word instructs us to behave. We have a Royal honor code based on the norms and standards in our soul from the intake of doctrine. Do not be ashamed of it - in fact you will have a special happiness if you do not judge yourself.} 23~~But he who doubts {weak believer}   {the situation is the strong believer eats meat . . . and this violates   the weak believer's own personal taboos   yet he seeks to emulate the strong believer   so he is confused and may be hindered in his spiritual growth} is condemned {by his own conscience} if he eats {eating meat contrary to his taboos}   {he wants to emulate the strong believer   but he commits the mental attitude sin of 'guilt'   if he emulates the strong believer eating the meat here} because he does not eat by means of doctrine   {being a 'weak in doctrine' believer, he does not understand   properly that eating the meat is ok based on the Written Word in   this dispensation - so he does not have the correct doctrinal   norms or standards in his soul} and everything which is not eaten by means of doctrine   {what HE believes to be correct doctrine anyway} is equivalent/tantamount to sin   {not sinful in itself, however, the resultant guilt complex that   follows is sinful}.