The Book of Romans: The Final Say

The Book of Romans

Welcome:

Friends, welcome to Eastern Shore Baptist Church. My name is Stuart Davidson, and I have the privilege of serving as the pastor here. I’m so glad that you’ve come to worship with us today. Whether you’re here in the room, joining us online, or visiting with us for the first time, we are grateful that you’re here. I believe the Lord has you worshipping with us today for a reason and I also believe He has a Word for all of us today. 

I also want to point your attention to our prayer line. The number is 251-222-8977. You can text a prayer request to that number, and a member of our prayer team will receive it right away and begin praying for you. If there is something on your heart, something you’re walking through, something you’re celebrating, we would be honored to pray with you and for you.

Introducing Today’s Message:

You know, if you’ve watched much baseball lately, you’ve probably noticed something new. Major League Baseball has been experimenting with a computerized system to help call balls and strikes. Instead of just relying on the umpire behind the plate, teams can challenge a call, and it goes to a system that tracks the pitch precisely. The system is called “The Hitter’s Eye” and it’s pretty amazing technology. 

Now think about that for a moment. The pitcher throws the ball, the catcher receives it, the umpire makes the call, and sometimes everybody disagrees. 

The batter doesn’t like it. 

The pitcher questions it. 

The dugout reacts. 

The fans certainly have their opinion. So what happens? They challenge it.

When they do, everything pauses. The stadium gets quiet. The big screen lights up. The system reviews the pitch. It shows exactly where the ball crossed the plate.

No emotion.

No bias.

No guessing.

Just the truth.

When that decision comes back, that’s it. No more arguing. No more debating. That system has the final say.

By the way, the system is public. The entire crowd gets to see on the Jumbotron whether or not the umpire got it correct. Imagine when the umpire is wrong and his mistake is called out for everyone to see.

Church, we live in a world where everybody has an opinion. Everybody has something to say about everybody else.

We judge.

We evaluate.

We critique.

We size people up.

Romans 14 reminds us of something we desperately need to hear.

Friends, I am not the umpire, and neither are you. I am not the reviewer, and neither are you. We are not the ones with the headset making the final call.

God is.

That’s why today’s message is called, “The Final Say.”

Today’s Message:

“The Final Say”

Introducing Today’s Thought:

Church do me a favor and fill in the blanks right there under today’s thought…you’re not the judge…you’re not the jury and you’re not in charge. Jesus it is.

Again, you’re not the judge, you’re not the jury, you’re not in charge….Jesus is.

Friends, there is something in all of us that wants control. 

We want to have the final word. 

We want to make the call. 

We want to decide what is right and what is wrong, not just for ourselves, but often for everybody else around us. 

That instinct shows up in our homes, in our workplaces, on social media, in our relationships, and even in the way we view the world.

At the same time, there is something else in us that resists authority. We do not mind being in charge, but we start to rebel when someone else is. 

We push back. 

We question. 

We want to take the seat that does not belong to us. 

That tension reveals something important about the human heart. We are comfortable acting like we are in control, even when we are not.

The truth is simple, and fairly humbling. There is a throne, and only one person sits on it. 

It is not me. 

It is not you. 

It never has been, and it never will be. 

Our lives make a lot more sense when we stop trying to take that place and instead recognize who rightfully holds it. You and I are not in charge of anyone’s eternal destination. God is the Ultimate King, He has the final say. 

Friends, I know what you’re thinking. At least I know what some of you may be thinking. If we’re not the judge, we’re not the jury, we’re not in charge, and Jesus is, does that mean we never make any judgments at all? Does that mean when we see something that is clearly wrong, clearly sinful, we just stay silent?

The answer is “no”.

Scripture never calls us to ignore sin. Scripture never calls us to pretend that wrong is right. In fact, we are called to hold one another accountable. We are called to speak the truth in love. We are called to help one another walk in obedience to Christ.

Here is the difference. Holding someone accountable is rooted in love and guided by God’s Word. Judging someone is rooted in pride and assumes a place that belongs to God alone. Accountability says, “I care about you and want to see you walk with Jesus.” Judgment says, “I have the right to stand over you and pronounce the final verdict on your life.”

One points people toward Christ.

The other tries to take the place of Christ.

One stands up for Jesus and the other puts himself or herself in the place of Jesus. 

Remember…”You’re not the judge. You’re not the jury. You’re not in charge. Jesus is.”

Today’s Thought:

You’re Not the Judge, You’re Not the Jury, You’re Not in Charge, Jesus Is!

Introducing Today’s Quote:

That truth has been recognized and preached by faithful men of God for generations. One of those voices is the late, great R.C. Sproul, a pastor, theologian, and teacher who spent his life helping people understand the holiness and authority of God.

In his book, “The Holiness of God”, Sproul pulls us back from our tendency to elevate ourselves and puts us where we belong, under the authority of a holy and sovereign God.

Listen to what he says:

Today’s Quote:

“God is not obligated to explain Himself to us. He is the Lord, and we are not. Our role is not to sit in judgment over Him, but to bow before Him in submission. The question is never whether God will answer to us, but whether we will answer to Him.”

-R.C. Sproul’s “The Holiness of God”

Introducing Today’s Scripture:

If you were with us last week, you know that we spent our time in the first part of Romans 14, verses 1 through 6. Paul was dealing with what he calls “disputable matters”. He was addressing those areas where sincere believers can disagree, preferences, convictions, practices that are not clearly commanded or forbidden in Scripture.

You might remember, Paul spoke to two groups. The strong and the weak. 

One group felt freedom to eat anything, the other felt conviction to limit their diet. 

One group saw all days alike, the other held certain days as especially sacred. 

The issue was not really food or days. The issue was how they were treating one another in the middle of their differences.

Some were looking down on others.

Some were judging others.

So, what was Paul trying to communicate? 

Stop despising one another. 

Stop passing judgment on one another. 

Each believer stands before the Lord. 

Each believer answers to Him.

That brings us to the next section of the passage. He moves from how we treat one another to a sobering reminder of who ultimately has authority over our lives. 

So let’s turn our attention now to Romans chapter 14, verses 7 through 12.

Statement of Belief:

“We are opening the living and powerful Word of God…truth without error, breathed out by Him, and fully sufficient for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. It is our authority, our guide, and our hope. In honor of the God who gave us His perfect Word, I invite you to stand with me as we read it together.”

Today’s Scripture:

Romans 14:7-12 CSB

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. [10] But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. [11] For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God. [12] So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Pastor: “This is the Word of the Lord.”

Congregation: “Praise His name. Praise His holy name.”

Remember Church, God…

I. Rules Over Our Lives vs. 7–9

Friends, we’ve now come to the heart of today’s message. You can see it there on your outline where it says, “Remember Church, God…” and you can fill in the blank.

God rules over our lives.

Friends, let’s go back and read verses 7 through 9 together.

“For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. 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. Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:7–9 CSB)

Church, there on your outline is a short explanation of this first point.

“Our lives are not our own. We belong completely to Christ, who reigns as the Lord over every part of us.”

When you think about human history, there have been rulers who tried to control every aspect of people’s lives. One of the most well-known examples is King George III.

During his reign, especially leading up to the American Revolution, many believed that the crown was overreaching into everyday life. Taxes on basic goods. Restrictions on trade. Limited voice in government. Decisions being made far away with little concern for the people affected by them. From their perspective, it felt oppressive. It felt heavy. It felt like a ruler who was taking more than he was giving.

Eventually, people pushed back. They resisted. You all remember the Boston Tea Party?

Still, those colonists longed for freedom. They did not want someone ruling over every detail of their lives in a way that felt unjust and self-serving.

God is not like that.

God is not a distant, disconnected ruler who makes demands for His own benefit. 

God is holy. 

God is righteous. 

God is good. 

When God rules over our lives, He is not taking something from us, He is giving us life. He is not oppressing us, He is leading us. He is not burdening us, He is blessing us with purpose, direction, and identity.

God’s rule is not limited to one area or one realm. He rules over all things, and every dimension. He rules over the physical universe, every star in the sky, every breath we take, every moment of our lives. He also rules over the spiritual realm, over angels and demons, over life and death, over time and eternity. There is not one corner of creation where God is not sovereign, not one detail that escapes His authority. His rule is complete, perfect, and without rival.

God’s rule is also not temporary, it is eternal. There is coming a day when His kingdom will be fully and finally revealed. 

No more elections. 

No more uncertainty. 

No more divided opinions. 

No more waiting on decisions to be made. 

When we step into eternity as believers, we will live under the perfect rule of a perfect King. 

His justice will be right. 

His leadership will be good. 

His presence will be constant. 

Everything will be as it should be, forever under His righteous authority.

Church, the truth is this. We do not belong to ourselves. We belong to Him. Every part of our lives falls under His loving and rightful authority.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 CEV

You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God.

Remember Church, God…

I. Rules Over Our Lives vs. 7–9

II. Rejects Our Judgments vs. 10–11

My friends, let’s move to our second point.

Remember, church, God rules over our lives, and that is not up for dispute.

Now look there on your outline at point number two.

God rejects our judgments.

Friends, let’s go back to God’s holy Word and read verses 10 and 11.

“But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written: As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.” (Romans 14:10–11 CSB)

My brothers and sisters, God will confront our false judgments of others, reminding us that He alone is the rightful Judge.

“God will confront our false judgements of others, reminding us that He alone is the rightful Judge.”

Friends, you know, our judgments are often so wrong.

We see someone walking toward us and we make a snap decision about them before they ever say a word. We decide who they are, what they are like, and what they must be thinking. Then five minutes later, after a conversation, we realize we completely misread them.

The other day I was driving down Highway 98, and I got stuck behind a white Toyota Corolla that was driving so slow. I thought to myself, “My goodness, is this person just being inconsiderate? Why won’t they speed up?” I finally got a chance to pass them, and when I did, I looked over and saw a young lady, probably in her early 30s. She was on the phone, clearly in distress. She was crying. Her mascara was running. I do not know what she was going through. Maybe it was a marital issue. Maybe something with a child. Maybe she had just lost someone she loved. In that moment, instead of making another judgment, I said a prayer for that stranger, and God reminded me just how flawed my judgments can be.

We see a parent with a child who is acting out in public and we immediately think, “They need to get that kid under control.” Then later we find out that family may be walking through something we know nothing about.

We judge someone’s absence from church.

We judge someone’s tone in a conversation.

We judge someone’s decision without knowing the full story.

We do it quickly.

We do it confidently.

We do it incorrectly.

The truth is, we rarely have all the facts. We do not see the whole picture. We do not know the heart. Yet we step into a role that does not belong to us and make judgments as if we do.

That is exactly why Paul speaks so directly in this passage.

One of the clearest examples from the Old Testament is Samuel in 1 Samuel 16.

God sent Samuel to anoint the next king of Israel. When Samuel saw Eliab, David’s older brother, he immediately thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed.” Eliab looked the part. He was tall. He was strong. He had the appearance of a king. Samuel made a judgment based on what he could see.

God rejected that judgment.

The Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature…for the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Samuel was sincere, but he was wrong. He judged by the outside. God was looking at something deeper.

Now move to the New Testament and think about Peter in Acts 10.

When God was preparing to send Peter to the Gentiles, Peter had a vision of animals that he had always considered unclean. His immediate response was to reject what God was showing him. He said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” Peter made a judgment based on tradition, upbringing, and personal conviction.

God rejected that judgment.

The Lord told him, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” Peter had to learn that his categories were too small. His assumptions were off. God was doing something bigger than Peter understood.

In both cases, the pattern is the same.

They saw something.

They made a judgment.

They were wrong.

God stepped in.

God corrected them.

God reminded them that His perspective is always greater than ours.

That is exactly what Paul is getting at here. When we judge others as if we have the final say, we step into a role that belongs to God alone.

Church, we can trust God’s judgment because God never gets it wrong. 

His judgment is not clouded by emotion. 

His judgment is not distorted by limited information. 

His judgment is not influenced by bias or preference. 

He sees everything clearly. 

He knows every detail completely. 

He understands every motive perfectly. 

God does not just see what we do, He sees why we do it. He does not just hear our words, He knows our hearts. 

His judgment is always right because He is always righteous. That is why we can rest in His authority and release the need to take His place.

James 4:12 ESV

There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

Remember Church, God…

I. Rules Over Our Lives vs. 7–9

II. Rejects Our Judgments vs. 10–11

III. Reviews Our Lives vs. 12

Church, we’ve made it to our last point here in today’s sermon.

Remember, God rules over our lives.

God rejects our judgments.

And lastly…

God reviews our lives.

Church, go back to your Bible. Let’s read verse 12 together.

“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12 CSB)

“Every believer will personally stand before God and give an account for how they lived.”

Now I know what some may be thinking.

“But pastor, if we’re in Christ, we’re not going to be judged, are we? I mean, we’ve been saved. We’ve been redeemed. We’ve been bought. We’ve been snatched from the flames.”

Yes, that is true.

Church, we’ve made it to our last point here in today’s sermon.

Remember, God rules over our lives.

God rejects our judgments.

And lastly…

God reviews our lives.

Church, go back to your Bible. Let’s read verse 12 together.

“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12 CSB)

“Every believer will personally stand before God and give an account for how they lived.”

Now I know what some may be thinking.

“But pastor, if we’re in Christ, we’re not going to be judged, are we? I mean, we’ve been saved. We’ve been redeemed. We’ve been bought. We’ve been snatched from the flames.”

Yes, that is true.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Our sins have been forgiven. Our eternity has been secured. We will not stand before God to be condemned.

Scripture is just as clear that we will stand before God to be evaluated.

Every person.

Believer and unbeliever.

The righteous and the unrighteous.

The holy and the unholy.

Hebrews 9:27 ESV says, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 GNT reminds us, “For all of us must appear before Christ, to be judged by him. We will each receive what we deserve, according to everything we have done, good or bad, in our bodily life.”

I do not know exactly what that moment will look like. I do not know if we will stand in a grand courtroom where the God of the ages reviews our lives. I do not know if it will be like a holy theater where every moment is laid out before us. Scripture does not give us those details.

Scripture does tell us this.

Nothing will be hidden.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Our sins have been forgiven. 

Our eternity has been secured. 

We will not stand before God to be condemned.

Scripture is just as clear that we will stand before God to be evaluated.

Every person.

Believer and unbeliever.

The righteous and the unrighteous.

The holy and the unholy.

Hebrews 9:27 ESV says, “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 GNT reminds us, “For all of us must appear before Christ, to be judged by him. We will each receive what we deserve, according to everything we have done, good or bad, in our bodily life.”

I do not know exactly what that moment will look like. I do not know if we will stand in a grand courtroom where the God of the ages reviews our lives. I do not know if it will be like a holy theater where every moment is laid out before us. Scripture does not give us those details.

Scripture does tell us this.

Nothing will be hidden.

All will be exposed.

1 Corinthians 4:5 ESV goes on to say, “the Lord…will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart.”

Church, think about that.

Every motive.

Every thought.

Every action.

Every word.

All of it laid bare before a holy God.

On this side of eternity, we have a tendency to create a kind of moral hierarchy, even within the church. We may not say it out loud, but we think it. “I know I’m a sinner, but I’m not as bad as that person.” We measure ourselves against others and somehow convince ourselves that we are doing okay.

That will not happen on that day.

When we stand before God and He reviews our lives, we will not be comparing ourselves to anyone else. We will be standing before perfect holiness. In that moment, we will see clearly just how far we fall short. Just how sinful sin really is. Just how desperately we need grace.

I imagine a sweeping fear will come over us.

I imagine a deep awareness of our guilt.

I imagine a desperate search for an answer.

And in that moment…

At our most desperate…

At our most exposed…

At our most aware of our need…

Jesus steps in.

Thanks be to God for Jesus.

God sees our sin.

God knows our failures.

God understands our guilt.

Yet for those who are in Christ, He does not see us as condemned. He sees His Son.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Romans 8:1 ESV reminds us, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Church, on that day, our only hope will not be our goodness. It will not be our effort. It will not be our comparison to others.

Our only hope will be Jesus.

That is why today matters.

That is why this moment matters.

Because today can be the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “Now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Do not wait.

Do not delay.

Do not assume there will be another opportunity.

Turn to Christ. Trust in Him. Give your life to Him today.

Friend…

Are You Ready To Meet The One True Righteous Judge?

Closing Prayer:

Father God, You are holy, You are righteous, and You alone have the final say over our lives. Forgive us for the times we have tried to take Your place, judging others and living as if we are in charge. Teach us to walk in humility, to trust Your authority.

Lord, for anyone here today who needs You, may this be the moment they turn to Christ. Even now, they can call out to You, “Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I believe You died for me and rose again. Forgive me, save me, and take control of my life. I trust You as my Lord and Savior.” Father, thank You that You hear that prayer and You save.

God, if there are those You are leading to this church family, give them the courage to step forward and be a part of what You are doing here. And as we leave today, help us to live under Your rule, trust Your judgment, and rest in the grace of Jesus.

We ask it in His name, Amen.