Romans Study For Kids (Romans 14:1-12)

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Here is the study guide for Romans 14:1-9…

Remember this study is written to go along with the NASB translation.

 

Today we begin digging into Romans 14. In this chapter Paul goes back and begins teaching us again about how we are to treat other believers. In Romans 12:1-13 Paul began teaching us how we are to live out our faith with each other and then in Romans 12:14 – 13:14 he showed us how we are to practice our Christianity before everyone every where. Now here in Romans 14 he brings us back to how we are to treat each other in the church. The church, being the body of Christ.  

Read Romans 14:1 and answer the questions below.

Who are we to accept?

the one who is __ __ __ __  in __ __ __ __ __

What are we NOT to do with the one who is weak in faith?

pass judgment on his __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Is being weak in faith a sin?

Yes              No              I don’t know

Does this verse sound like it is talking about sin?

Yes               No              I don’t know

THINK ABOUT IT…

What makes an opinion and what makes a sin? The word for “opinion” used in Romans 14:1 in the Greek means a thought, inward reasoning; the reasoning of those who think themselves to be wise. 

What is your favorite color?

Why is it your favorite color? 

What about brushing your teeth? Do you like brushing your teeth?

Do your parents tell you what has to be your favorite color or do they let you pick it? I bet they let you pick it. It doesn’t matter whether your favorite color is pink or green. That is your opinion and you are free to choose it.

What about brushing your teeth? Do your parents tell you that you have to brush your teeth or do they just let you choose whether or not you do? Brushing your teeth is probably an instruction or command that is given to you by your parents and if you do not obey, there are consequences. These consequences can come from your parents, but there are also natural consequences that come from disobeying this… like cavities.

There are things that God allows His children to have different opinions on and if that opinion is different from ours it doesn’t mean they are sinning. It just means they might be weaker than us in their faith or stronger than us in their faith. This is what Romans 14 is all about.

Let’s keep digging!

Read Romans 14:2 We are about to compare and contrast two different types of believers. Look at the pictures below. Which picture best shows who Romans 14:2 says is weak in faith? Circle it.

Romans 14 popyeye Rom 14 garfield eating   

So does this mean that we don’t have to eat our veggies!

Unfortunately, no. That’s not what Paul is talking about. This is where historical context comes in.

Paul is writing this letter to the church in Rome, and remember we have already learned that this church was filled with both Jewish believers and Gentile believers. Jewish believers were raised under the Law of God and Jewish traditions. Gentiles were raised making sacrifices to false gods. Many times Jewish people would only eat vegetables because they were afraid they would eat meat that had been sacrificed to an idol. 

When these Jews and Gentiles became believers some were strong in their new freedom in Christ, others were not. 

Read Romans 14:3. If we are the one who eats what are we not to do?

regard with __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ the one who does not eat

The word contempt here means to make of no account, to despise utterly. If you have access to internet type this  in the url bar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xrw0gbnNuU

Did you see that look on Daffy’s face? 

Rom 14 daffy despise

                         

He’s decided that Bugs Bunny is of no value to him and is of no account. He is regarding him with contempt. If we are not careful we will look at other believers who are weaker than us in the same way. 

Now how does this relate today?

We are going to divide some things into three different categories. I am going to make a list and I want you to decide whether it is Biblical, unbiblical,  or non-biblical. 

(B) Biblical means that God has told us that it is okay. 

(U) Unbiblical means that God has told us it is sin. 

(N) Non-biblical means that God doesn’t tell us what we have to believe about it.

Let’s begin.

____     Wearing blue jeans to church

____     Using drums in Sunday morning worship

____     The color of the carpet in the Sanctuary

____     Jesus is not the only way to be saved

____     Teaching the Bible to children

____     Only some of us are born sinners

____     Telling lies to keep from hurting feelings

____     Honoring our parents

Now let’s take it a step farther. If you marked a statement as Biblical or Unbiblical look up the Bible verse that proves it and write it to the side of the statement.

Good job! 

Read Romans 14:3 again. We have learned that the one who does eat is not to regard with contempt the one does not eat, but what is the one who does not eat NOT supposed to do.

__ __ __ __ __ the one who eats

What does it mean to judge someone? Let’s say you are the person who believes it is wrong to wear blue jeans to church. If you believed it was wrong how should you respond to the person who comes to church in blue jeans?

Should you respond like the picture below? Circle your answer.

Romans 14 judgeYes               No

Read Romans 14:3 one more time. Does God accept the one who eats and the one who does not eat? 

Yes            No      

Does God accept the one who wears blue jeans and the one who doesn’t?

                               Yes             No

If God accepts them, then should we?

Romans 14 accept one another

Yes             No 

                    

Read Romans 14:4. If you believe in Jesus are you God’s servant? 

Yes             No

If someone else believes in Jesus are they God’s servant?

Yes             No

According to Romans 14:4 who is the only person who is allowed to judge God’s servant?

___ ___ ___ 

Read Romans 14:5. Look at the pictures below. Shout it out if you know what days the pictures represent.

Romans 14 special days Romans 14 special days 2 Romans 14 special days 1

                     

If you were to ask 20 different people how they felt about these days you would probably get several different opinions about them. Each person would probably be fully convinced that their opinion was the right one. 

Read Romans 14:6. Regardless of how we feel about the day or how we choose to celebrate it or not celebrate what should be our reason behind it?

we do it for the __ __ __ __ 

and we give __ __ __ __ __ __  to  __ __ __

Read Romans 14:7. According to this verse how many of us lives for ourselves or dies for ourselves? Circle your answer.

not one of us        some of us         all of us

Read Romans 14:8. If we live or if we die, who is it for?

the  __ __ __ __

Read Romans 14:9. Why did Christ die and live again? 

so that He might be __ __ __ __ both of the __ __ __ __ and of the __ __ __ __ __ __  

THINK ABOUT IT…

We all come to Jesus at different times and from different backgrounds. Some kids grow up in homes where they go to church and their parents are teaching them the Bible at home just like yours, but some kids have never been to church and their parents do not even know about Jesus. They may even believe wrong things about him, worship a different god, or may believe that there is no God at all.

Some kids grow up in churches where it is wrong to wear make-up and for girls to wear pants and some kids grow up in churches where drums and other musical instruments are not allowed. However God does not want us to look down on others who have more rules and He doesn’t want us to judge others who have less rules.

Jesus died for both and Jesus lives for both and both love Jesus and doing what they truly believe will please Him. What matters most is that Jesus is their Lord. 

If He is their Lord and He is our Lord then that makes us family and on the same team. If God doesn’t call it a sin, then we shouldn’t either. It is simply an opinion.  

Read Romans 14:10. Paul asks us two questions. What verse does he remind us of again with these two questions. Circle your answer.

Romans 14:6       Romans 13:10        Romans 14:3

 

According to Romans 14:10 who will stand before the judgment seat of Christ?

__ __  will  ___ __ __

 

Look up and read the following verses:

Romans 2:16 

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 

1 Corinthians 4:5 

2 Corinthians 5:10

What are these verses teaching us about?

the __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __  seat of  __ __ __ __ __ __

 

Now look and read Revelation 20:11-15. Is this verse talking about the judgment seat of Christ?

Yes            No          I don’t know

 

No, it’s not! These are two different judgments. All believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and our work for Jesus will be graded. This is why it does matter how you live as a believer. This life is like a test, and you are going to be graded. I want you to pass the test and so does God! That’s why He gave us all the answers in the Bible and even gave us real life examples to study and learn from. He wants us all to make A+++!

The second judgment is known as the Great White Throne judgment. This judgment is only for those who never believed in Jesus. This is the judgment where people who would choose to believe the lie instead of the truth are sent to the lake of fire. We do not want any one to face this judgment and neither does God. That’s why He sent Jesus and that’s why He wants us to tell others that He sent Jesus. 

Read Romans 14:11. How many knees will bow and how many tongues will give praise to God?

everybody’s       nobody’s       only those who believe

 

Read Romans 14:12. Who all will give an account of themselves to God?

__ __ __ __   __ __ __ of  __ __

 

That’s right. Each one of us will give an account of ourselves to God. We will either be found believers and go stand before the judgement seat of Christ and get graded or our names will not be found in the book of life and we will be found guilty of sin and sent to the lake of fire… but even those who go to the lake of fire will bow their knee before God and praise Him as God.

That’s enough for today! Tomorrow we will start digging again 🙂

 

 

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