Each Shall Give Account of Himself to God; Judge Not One Another (Romans 14:6–12)

Rom. 14:6. He who observes a day observes it for the Lord, and he who eats eats for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God. And he who does not eat does not eat for the Lord and gives thanks to God..

The holy Apostle holds that both act with the intention of pleasing God. “He who observes a day”—he who distinguishes days and foods, “observes it for the Lord”—he distinguishes them in the confidence that this pleases Him. “And he who does not observe a day”—he who does not distinguish days and foods, “does not observe it for the Lord”—he does not distinguish in that confidence, believing that faith in the Lord has freed him from all such obligations. “Whoever distinguishes days does so for the Lord, as one who is reverent; and whoever does not distinguish days does not do so for the Lord, as one already perfect in Christ and raised above legal observances,” says the blessed Theophylact. Thus both act, wishing to please the Lord and acting for the Lord. “God knows the intention of those who eat and those who do not eat, for He does not look merely to the deed but examines the reasoning with which it is done,” says the blessed Theodoret. Therefore He receives both. — God receives both, yet you condemn: how is this consistent? And what do you make yourself to be?

“He who eats eats for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God.” By giving thanks to God for providing food for enjoyment, satisfaction of hunger, and sustenance of life, he shows that he eats to the glory of God and for the Lord. Since he gives thanks to God in receiving food, “he eats for the Lord.” “And he who does not eat does not eat for the Lord and gives thanks to God.” He gives thanks to God for granting him strength to abstain and offer Him this sacrifice of self-denial. Eating becomes eating for the Lord through thanksgiving; not eating is directly for the Lord and has thanksgiving as its consequence, adornment, and sanctification. The holy Chrysostom says: “The Apostle’s meaning is that it does not matter whether one eats or does not eat. Rather, the question is whether each acts for God and whether both end with thanksgiving. According to the Apostle, both give thanks to God. And if both give thanks to God, then the difference is not great.” Photius writes similarly in Oecumenius: “He who eats gives thanks to God for receiving food—for the fact that God gave food for satisfaction and sustenance of life. And he who does not eat gives thanks to God for granting men abstinence and patience as aids to overcoming carnal passions. But in any other sense, the eater or faster would be subject to condemnation, as some heretics say. The Apostle’s words should be understood in relation to those who fast and eat in a way pleasing to God, and not otherwise. Not all can be spoken of thus, but only those who conduct themselves properly in both cases. Therefore these words are not altogether fitting for the one spoken of earlier—he who distinguishes foods in the Jewish manner. Such a one does not eat, but not in disregard of the glory of Christ, but as weak and not yet established in faith. Yet he too should not be condemned, considering the circumstances of the time, for it was then only the beginning of preaching. But let no one condemn the one who eats every day (with thanksgiving) or fasts for entire days or longer (through abstinence), for both do what they do to the glory of the Lord.”

The holy Paul affirms that both he who distinguishes days and he who does not act for the Lord, though he knew it was possible to do either without regard for the Lord; he also affirms that both he who eats and he who does not eat act for the Lord and give thanks to God, though he knew that in both it was possible for neither to occur. Why then does he speak thus? In order to remind them that, acting in this way, they should act in precisely this spirit, and to teach us not to judge them except in a good sense. Since we cannot know what is in their heart, but we know that they must act for the Lord in all things and give thanks to God for everything, and have committed themselves to this obligation, we have no ground for supposing they do not act thus; having no ground, we cannot judge them: to condemn them would be slander.

Rom. 14:7. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself..

In verses 7–9 is set forth the universal law that our entire life without exception must be devoted to the Lord, and therefore eating or not eating. This confirms what was said above: “observes it for the Lord” or “does not observe it for the Lord.” The Apostle thought it necessary to dwell at length on this matter to teach all to sanctify every particular of life by this law and to unite all and concentrate them in this common orientation of spirit. For only by this can eating or not eating and all else be equally pleasing to God. The expression “none of us lives to himself” or “dies to himself” does not mean that all do this, but that all should do this—this is the universal law of the Creator and God, that no one should live to himself or die to himself. The word “to himself” can be understood both as “for himself” and as “by himself”: no one should live and die for himself alone, and no one lives and dies by his own power. Both can be understood together, the latter providing the foundation for the former—thus: our life and death are not from us and not in our power; therefore we should not live and die for ourselves. The words “to live” and “to die” are like expressions used in common speech: “for life and for death,” or “to live and die with you.” They express the entirety of our existence. Therefore one need not inquire into how one lives for himself and dies for himself in order to see how, on the contrary, to act so as to fulfill the Apostle’s commandment; nor need one inquire into how we do not live by our own power and do not die by ourselves. Rather, in general, confess that the entire sum of our existence is not from us and not sustained by us; therefore it should not be spent for ourselves alone.

Rom. 14:8. If we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord. Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s..

Consistent with what was said above: if we live, or as long as we live (as the blessed Theodoret says), for the Lord we should live; and if we die, or when the end comes, in whatever manner, we should die or part from life in such a way that this too is for the Lord, to His glory. Or thus: if we live, or as long as we live, by the Lord we live—His right hand sustains us, His power gives us life; and when we die, by His determination we die, and in dying we are not torn from His almighty hands. The Lord is the Master of life and death. To Him the entire sum of our existence is devoted and should be devoted. The holy Paul himself showed the example of this, standing with all boldness, hoping and trusting that “Christ will be magnified in his body,” whether “by life or by death” (Phil. 1:20). He hoped for this because he devoted all to the Lord, who does not put to shame His servants.

“Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” “We are not masters of ourselves: and while we live, we are the Lord’s, and after death we are still the Lord’s,” says the blessed Theodoret. “Do you see how mighty is His dominion? Do you see how invincible is His power? Do you see how all-embracing is His providence?” asks the holy Chrysostom. “We are the Lord’s;” the power of God encompasses our existence; there is nowhere to flee. This is the most compelling incentive to devote all to the Lord and, taking heed, to be pleasing to Him. If you please Him by devoting all to Him, you will be in His right hand—for all blessedness; if you do not please Him, gratifying only yourself, you will be in His right hand—for endless torment. Such is the law. Therefore cast off self-pleasing and do all for the Lord. The Apostle does not draw this conclusion, but desires that each one draw it for himself. For to this the purpose of his instruction in verses 7–9 tends. From this he will then again begin to draw persuasions toward not condemning the brethren.

Rom. 14:9. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living..

That we are in the hands of God and are God’s is taught even by the natural law of faith. It is written in every heart by nature that both the beginning, the continuance, and the end of our existence—all are in the hands of the Lord. “We are the Lord’s,” and He is our Master. But in writing to Christians, the Apostle adds to the natural also a Christian assurance in this. Our Lord Jesus Christ died and rose and lived again for this very purpose: to have dominion over all, both those who are alive and those who are dead. By this He has become our Master a second time. He is already our Master as Creator and Providence; but willing to establish the marvelous way of our salvation, He has become our Master also as our Redeemer. He has purchased us and has dominion over us. We are His servants and must serve Him alone. This is the same as what the Apostle has so frequently expressed already: all should be for the Lord with us. “He is the Master of all—He who gave Himself up to death for us, destroyed the dominion of death, and grants all of us the promise of resurrection. Therefore we are subject to Him, as having received life from Him,” says the blessed Theodoret. “Creation was made by the Lord, but because of sin it was separated from its Creator and became captive. God the Father, that His work might not perish, sent His Son from heaven to earth and taught what must be done to escape from the hands of plunderers. For this He endured death from enemies, that, descending into Hades, He might free those held by it. Therefore, since He showed the way of salvation to the living and offered Himself as a sacrifice for them, and freed the dead from Hades, He has dominion both over the living and over the dead: for from the perishing He has made them servants to Himself,” writes Ambrosiaster.

Rom. 14:10. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ..

Having thus established that we are servants of the Lord both by creation and providence, and even more so by redemption, the Apostle again turns to exhort us not to judge one another. We are servants of the Lord; therefore, we are fellow-servants and brothers one to another. All our concern should be directed toward pleasing our Lord, not toward how others who are with us serve that same Lord. He had said before: what do you judge “another man’s servant?” He is God’s servant, not yours; to you he is a fellow-servant, as you are to him. Now he turns attention to another aspect of the matter: we are brothers and equally servants of one Lord; we should be concerned to please Him, not to watch over one another; for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, where each will give account for himself alone. Your brother, whom you judge, will give account for himself; what have you to do with it? You yourself will give account; you will answer also for this very act of judgment. So it is better that you refrain from judging, but rather look to yourself, lest you find in yourself something worthy of condemnation at the judgment seat of Christ.

In these words the Apostle offers a general exhortation against judging; yet at the same time he expresses himself so that those who gave occasion for it could not fail to see that he does not overlook them in particular; for in saying “you” and then “you” again, he seems to point, as with a finger, now at the weak Jew who does not eat all things in the Jewish manner yet condemns all eaters, now at the strong one in faith who rebukes the first despite his weakness. To reconcile them one with another, driving out condemnation and rebuke that sound discord, the Apostle tries to persuade them that they are equal to one another—equal as brothers, and equal as those who likewise must stand before the judgment seat of Christ. On the one hand, the feeling of brotherhood, on the other the common danger are powerful to dispose one to abandon mutual attacks and instead to be concerned with securing safety, both for oneself and for all mutually. “Thus does the Apostle end the disputes first by calling them brothers, then by reminding them of the awesome day of judgment,” says the holy Chrysostom. “He is our Investigator, He is our Judge, before His throne we must necessarily stand,” says the blessed Theodoret. Him therefore we shall endeavor to appease with all care, having ended our mutual condemnations and rebukes.

Rom. 14:11. For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will confess to God..

This is written in the Prophet Isaiah, in chapter 45, verse 23. “As I live”—an oath-like assurance from the mouth of God, frequently used in Scripture when speaking of important matters that require absolute faith. These words mean the same as: “I swear by myself” (Isa. 45:23), as it stands in holy Isaiah. And this expression is used as frequently in Scripture as the first. Since both express the same thought, they can substitute for one another, as the holy Paul did. In holy Isaiah’s aforementioned chapter is depicted the return of Cyrus bringing the Israelites back from the Babylonian captivity, the restoration among this people of true knowledge of God and worship of Him, and then the spread of this to all peoples of the earth. All shall come and turn to the true God, confessing that they acted wrongly in worshiping that which is not God. The turning of all peoples points to the preaching of the Gospel, which is to fill the whole earth and be concluded by the awesome judgment. Thus in the words of holy Isaiah is prefigured both the first coming of the Lord and through it the second. Whether one or the other be held in mind in reading these words in holy Paul will equally accord with the purpose for which they are cited. He had said before that the Lord is our Master, we are His servants, and we shall give Him account of how well we worked for Him. In bringing prophetic testimony, the Apostle could direct it both to the first—that is, the lordship of God and our servitude to Him—and to the second—that is, our account before Him at His judgment seat. The first is fulfilled when we believe in the Lord and worship Him as God, which the Gospel’s preaching accomplishes; the second will be fulfilled at Christ’s second coming. With the first understanding, the connection in the Apostle’s words would be as follows: we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ; for He is our Lord, as it is written: “to me every knee will bow”; to Him and not to another belongs judgment over us. With the second, the connection is direct: for the words cited by the Apostle paint before us a picture of Christ the Lord’s appearing at His second coming: all peoples from every corner of the earth gathered, and seeing the Lord coming from heaven with multitudes of Angels, all will tremble and bow to Him and confess Him as their God, before whom they are accountable, whether they believed in Him before or not. — Then the universal confession of Christ the Saviour as God will be properly manifested and solemnly proclaimed. Until then there will be those persisting in unbelief. Therefore it may be supposed that the words of the Prophet directly point to this. And the holy Paul, in citing them in this sense, does not give them a thought foreign to the Prophet. The holy Chrysostom says: “The holy Paul brought forward the words of the Prophet, who bears witness that both those who lived under the Old Testament and all without exception are subject to God, and are subject to Him in all things. For it is not simply said: every knee will bow; but ‘will confess’—that is, will give account of what he has done. Therefore, imagining our common Master sitting on the throne, be attentive to yourself,” and do not judge others.

Rom. 14:12. So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

“Each one of ‘us’—softens the word and places himself in line with all who give account—each one of us will give account to God for himself,—an answer or accounting—accounting for all that was done, good and bad; but such words are especially brought forward to remind of the impending accountability in the bad, to frighten those who do wrong and move them toward amendment. Imagine yourself standing at the judgment and being questioned why you did this and that, when you knew you ought not to do it, and could have refrained from doing it, having at hand the means of grace—and you will never sin. Intending to turn Roman Christians away from wrongdoing, and in them all of us, the Apostle impresses on the mind this impending and unavoidable accountability. One of the saints said: the very best place where you ought to stand is the judgment seat of Christ; establish yourself there and do not move, and all will go well with you—both the cry of prayer, and the struggle against passions, and the doing of every virtue; the fear of God will always overshadow you and guide you. The most common sin among us is condemnation, which we do not even count as sin, and we have become unaccustomed to even noticing it in ourselves. But when we remember our accountability at the judgment seat of Christ, we will learn to notice this sin and to resist giving in to it. The holy Paul therefore points out the most effective means for healing the weakness of the Romans that he is correcting.”