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Romans 14 · a question people ask

"whatever is not of faith is sin" (14:23). What does that mean?

In the text

The words close a verse about one who doubts: "But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin." (14:23). The verse before says, "Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves." (14:22) (tap Happy). These notes say no more about these words than the two verses do, and apply them to no one and to no question of conscience today.

The verses

“Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who doesn’t judge himself in that which he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because it isn’t of faith; and whatever is not of faith is sin.”
Romans 14:22-23 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Romans 14

Romans 14: We are the Lord’s

Romans 14 opens with "Now accept one who is weak in faith" (14:1) and says "God has accepted him" (14:3); in the Greek, accept and accepted are one verb, and it comes back in "accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you" (15:7). And the chapter ends in praise "to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ" (14:26).

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Last reviewed October 7, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions