God — not any fellow believer — is the ultimate judge of a believer’s actions.
In Romans 14:4 Paul says a believer stands or falls before his own master, God, and in 1 Corinthians 4:5 he tells believers to judge nothing before the Lord comes. Les Feldick applies this by saying only God can see the heart, so no believer has the right to judge another believer’s salvation or choices.
Romans 14:4 — Shows that God, as the master of every believer, is the one before whom each believer stands or falls.
1 Corinthians 4:4-5 — Paul names the Lord as his judge and commands believers to judge nothing before the Lord comes.
Scripture places the judgment of a believer’s life in God’s hands. In Romans 14, Paul tells believers to receive those who are weak in the faith without doubtful disputation, and he asks, 'Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.' Paul also writes of himself, 'he that judgeth me is the Lord,' and instructs, 'Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come' (1 Corinthians 4:4-5). Romans 8:33-34 asks who can lay anything to the charge of God’s elect or condemn them, because 'It is God that justifieth' and 'It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again.'
Les Feldick makes the practical application clear: no believer has the right to judge another believer’s heart or eternal destiny. He tells his audience, 'Don’t ever, ever look at anybody... and say, Hey you’re going to hell,' because that is God’s prerogative and only God can see the heart. In Romans 14, Les says Paul is dealing with disputes between believers, such as eating meat offered to an idolatrous temple, and that the weak in faith are to be received without doubtful disputation. Les teaches that matters like diet and alcoholic beverages are not necessarily delineated in Scripture and become the option of the individual believer before God. At the same time, believers are to be careful not to cause a weak believer to stumble. Les also notes that Paul had no authority to judge the lost world, and that the unbelieving world is often more critical and judgmental of believers than God is.
No fellow believer has that right. The Bible describes a believer as another man’s servant who stands or falls before God, his own master. Paul says he is judged by the Lord and that nothing should be judged before the Lord comes. Les Feldick teaches that only God can see the heart, so believers cannot judge whether someone is truly a child of God or whether that person will be saved.
No. Paul raises this exact issue in Romans 14, where eating meat offered to an idolatrous temple was one of the biggest disputes among believers in Paul’s day. Les says the same principle applies to diet and alcoholic beverages and other matters not specifically forbidden in Scripture. These become the option of the individual believer before God. The only limitation is love — a believer should not do something that would cause a weak believer to stumble.
In 1 Corinthians 5:12 Paul asks, 'For what have I to do to judge them also that are without?' Les explains that Paul had no authority to judge the lost world. In the same way, believers are never to tell someone they are going to hell, because that is God’s prerogative.
Romans 14: Disputes Between Believers
Les sets the scene by showing Paul addresses weak believers and disputes, such as eating meat offered to an idolatrous temple, and instructs them to be received without doubtful disputation.
God’s Prerogative to Judge
Les tells viewers never to look at anyone and say they are going to hell, because salvation and heart-knowledge are God’s prerogatives, not ours.
Judge Nothing Before the Time
Les explains that no one can judge Paul except the Lord, so believers are told to judge nothing before the Lord comes and rewards are given.
God Justifies; No One Can Condemn
Les emphasizes that God, not any neighbor or family member, justifies believers, and since Christ died and rose, no one can condemn them.
Only God Sees the Heart
Les teaches that we can form human conclusions from outward appearances, but only God can look on the heart, so we cannot judge whether a person is a child of God.
Individual Believer’s Liberty Before God
Les says matters such as diet and alcoholic beverages are not necessarily spelled out in Scripture and are the option of the individual believer before God, though we must not cause a weak believer to stumble.
No Authority to Judge the Lost
Les shows Paul had no authority to judge those outside, and this practical teaching is part of everyday Christian behavior.
Liberty and Causing Others to Stumble
Les explains that while a believer has liberty under grace, he should be willing to stop doing something if it would offend or tempt others, since the world is often more critical than God.
Romans 14:1-4: Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
This is the main passage on judging fellow believers over disputed matters.
Romans 8:33-34: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Shows that God is the one who justifies, and Christ’s death and resurrection silence any condemnation.
1 Corinthians 4:4-5: For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Paul explicitly names the Lord as his judge and commands believers to wait until the Lord comes.
1 Corinthians 5:12: For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
Shows that Paul did not claim authority to judge those outside the church.
No. Romans 14:4 says a believer is another man's servant only to his own master, God. Paul also says to judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes (1 Corinthians 4:5). Matters such as diet are between the individual believer and God.
Les Feldick teaches that only God can see the heart, so believers cannot judge whether someone is a true child of God. We can hear testimony and draw human conclusions, but only the Lord knows the heart and only the Lord places a person into the Body of Christ.
Les says a believer may have liberty in matters not clearly forbidden in Scripture, but if a weak believer would be caused to stumble, the loving response is to stop doing it out of concern for that person.
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