ACC ~ Romans 14 v22

HAPPY IS ONE WHO PERSEVERES IN DOING GOOD. ORIGEN: This person should keep his faith to himself and not try to impose it on others. … It is reward enough to have God’s approval.

There are many people who start off with good intentions, e.g., they decide they are going to live a celibate life, but in the course of time, either by negligence or desire, what they originally decided to do gets spoiled and corrupted. He is an unhappy person, therefore, who pronounces himself defeated in what he has tried to do, for he judges and condemns himself. A happy person is one who perseveres and thus has no reason to judge or to reprove himself for what he does. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

NO NEED TO JUDGE OTHERS. AMBROSIASTER: This means that if you are happy to eat because you know that everything God made is good, there is no need to judge anyone else. Rather, you should be at peace with your brother, for this is what God wants. COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

RESIST VANITY. CHRYSOSTOM: It seems to me that here Paul is gently warning the stronger ones against the temptation of vanity. He does not want them to go around boasting of their superiority but to be happy with having a clear conscience. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 26.

BY OFFENDING THE WEAK WE CONDEMN OURSELVES. AUGUSTINE: This should be read in connection with [verse 16] above. … Let us make good use of what we have, lest we sin against our brothers by creating a stumbling block for the weaker ones. For when we offend the weak we condemn ourselves by the very good by which we approve ourselves when this faith pleases us. AUGUSTINE ON ROMANS 81.

DO NOT WEAKEN ANOTHER’S FAITH BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU EAT. PELAGIUS: If you consider yourself faithful in this matter, eat in such a way that nobody is weakened by your example. The man who, in demonstrating his own strength, does not think of himself but of the salvation of the weak, is truly blessed.PELAGIUS’S COMMENTARY ON ROMANS.

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