Romans 14:14,15 - Nothing is unclean in itself

14:14

Paul now comments on the issue itself, rather than how people handle the matter. Paul agrees that “nothing is unclean in itself”. This follows the words of Jesus in Mark 7:18-23. Everything was created by God, so cannot “in itself” be unclean. However, Paul does not say that therefore anyone who considers certain foods to be unclean is wrong. Instead, he says that for that person the food would indeed be unclean. 

14:15

Paul then takes things a step further. Someone might say “alright, it is unclean for them, but not for me, so it is fine for me to eat the food, even in the presence of the ‘weaker’ brother”. This is not so, for your eating may well cause distress, and unnecessary distress, to the other person. This would not be acting in love. In fact it could cause serious problems for the other person, something which Paul expresses most strongly, talking about “destroying” the person. And that person would be someone for whom Christ died. A similar example today would be over the matter of drinking alcohol. One person might think drinking alcohol is absolutely wrong, another is quite happy to drink in moderation. The latter person should still be wary of drinking in the presence of the other.