Romans 14:22,23 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Hast thou faith That these things are lawful? Have it to thyself, before God In circumstances like these keep it to thyself, and do not offend others by it. Happy is he that condemneth not himself For using his liberty in an undue manner, respecting those things which he practises, or judges lawful in themselves. Or, as others understand the apostle, that condemneth not himself by an improper use of even innocent things. And happy is he who is free from a doubting conscience, which he that hath may allow the action which he does, and yet condemn himself for it, and thereby make himself miserable. And he that doubteth Namely, whether it be lawful for him to eat, (or do any other thing,) or not, is damned Or condemned, contracts guilt and wounds his conscience; if he eat That which he doubts of, or does that the lawfulness of which he questions; because he eateth not of faith With a persuasion of its lawfulness. For whatsoever is not of faith is sin Whatever a man does without a full persuasion that it is lawful, it is sin to him. The reader will observe that here, as in Romans 14:22, faith does not signify the believing in Christ, and in the truths and promises of his gospel, but a persuasion that what one doth is lawful. And thus understood, the apostle's declaration is perfectly just in every case; because if a man acts without that persuasion, he acts without any principle of virtue, being guided merely by his own inclinations. And therefore, although what he doth may, in some instances, be materially right, it is sin in the sight of God, as being done without a sense of duty. From this it follows, that if a person acts contrary to his conscience in anything, he is exceedingly blameable.