Verses 10-13 "But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way." 

Peter asked the Lord about John on one occasion: John 21:20 "Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? 21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me."   

The context of the Lord's judgment seat used in chapter 14 is the judgment seat of a master judging his servants.  As his servants, the Lord judges all of us.  The Lord gave us an example of this in the 25^th chapter of Matthew:

Matt. 25:14 "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. 16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. 20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strowed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strowed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."

The Lord judged the three servants in the above passage.  The first two were judge and rewarded as faithful servants.  The lost servant was judge and chastened as an unprofitable and wicked servant.  All three stood before the judgment seat of Christ.  Likewise we stand before the Lord's judgment seat to be judged as to our service to the Lord.  No one else had the right to judge these servants in this way as we are the Lord's servants.   

Now the scriptures do speak of times that we are to judge, especially as the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.  We are to judge when members bring a reproach on the church and ultimately a reproach on the name of Christ (1 Cor. chapter 5).  But this is not the same judgment as the Lord is teaching us in Romans chapter 14. 

Paul concludes his admonition by saying, "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."  When we start engaging in doubtful disputations, we are putting a stumbling block in our brother's way or we are giving our brother an occasion to fall.  This we are admonished not to do. 

Verses 14-18  "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men." 

Paul said that it is a truth that there is nothing unclean of itself.  So whether we eat meat, or whether we eat pork and catfish, these things are not unclean of itself.  But Paul points out that if a person esteems something to be unclean, then in his mind and belief system it is unclean.  Even though it is not really unclean, yet he believes it to be unclean and therefore to him it is unclean.  Paul is setting the stage to show us that we need to walk charitably towards those who hold such ideas.   

He said that if my brother is grieved with the fact that I eat meat, or he is grieved with the fact that I eat pork and catfish, then I should be charitable.  I shouldn't destroy my brother just to eat some pork or catfish before him.  Christ died for him and I have no right to destroy him from the faith that was once delivered to the saints.   

"Let not your good be evil spoken of."  While it may be good for me to eat meat, yet if I eat meat or do that which will offend my brother, then I am letting my good to be evil spoken of.  

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."  The kingdom of God does not stand in the things that we eat and drink.  It does not stand on ritual or the observance of a holy day.  Rather the kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  The Old Testament service had much ritual and eat and drink associated with it.  The New Testament worship and service in the Kingdom of God does not have such associated with it.  There are only two ordinances in the church and they both show forth the death and resurrection of Christ.   

"For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men."  To serve Christ in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost is acceptable to God and approved of men.  Even of those who observe meat and drink, serving Christ in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost is approved of them.   

Verses 19-23 "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. 21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." 

Bickering over whether or not we should eat meat or not does not make for peace.  Bickering over whether we should eat pork and catfish or not does not make for peace.  Bickering over whether we should observe Sunday as a holy day does not make for peace.  In contrast, preaching and believing the gospel of Jesus Christ does make for peace.  Living upright and holy lives does make for peace.  Following the biblical pattern for worshipping God in Spirit and in truth does make for peace.  Praying for one another does make for peace.  Admonishing and encouraging one another does make for peace.  Contending for the faith that was once delivered to the saints does make for peace. 

"For meat destroy not the work of God."  Whether I eat meat or not has no effect on the work of God.  God's elect will live in the glory world.  God's elect will be born of the Spirit of God at God's appointed time.  All of God's elect are justified by the blood of Christ.  A diet including meat or a diet of all vegetables and fruit will not change these precious truths.  A diet including or not including pork and catfish will not destroy the work of God.  Observing or not observing a first day of the week Sabbath will not destroy the work of God.   

"All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.  It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."  Armed with the knowledge that meat or pork and catfish are not unclean does not make it right for me to offend a weak brother.  It is evil for me to take advantage of my knowledge to offend a weak brother.  Paul says that "it is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."  Thus, I should consider the condition of my brother and not purposely do anything to offend him or wound his weak conscience.  It is evil in the sight of God for me to eat and offend my brother in so doing.   

"Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth."  One of the meanings of the word, faith, is conviction.  We should have conviction of what we believe in our own minds before God.  If I believe in my own mind that eating pork is wrong and yet I indulge in eating pork, then I condemn myself in what I have done.  This is true even if there is nothing wrong with eating pork.  But, if I believe it is wrong to eat pork and I do not eat pork, then I am happy because I am doing what I believe is right. 

"And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."  What if I do not know whether it is right to eat pork or not?  Can I go ahead and eat pork and hope that it is okay to do so?  Paul says that this is sin.  To do something in ignorance hoping that it will be okay, but not knowing that it is okay is sin.