Albert Barnes Commentary Romans 14:20

"Overthrow not for meat`s sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean; howbeit it is evil for that man who eateth with offence." — Romans 14:20 (ASV)

For meat. By your obstinate, tenacious attachment to your own opinions about the distinctions of food and drink, do not act in such a way as to lead a brother into sin and ruin his soul. Here a new argument is presented why Christians should pursue a course of love—that the opposite would tend to the ruin of the brother's soul.

Destroy not. The word used here is one properly applied to tearing down a building, and the apostle continues the figure of speech he used in the previous verse. Do not tear down or destroy the temple which God is building up.

The work of God. The work of God is what God does, and here it especially refers to his work in building up his church. The Christian is regarded particularly as the work of God, because God renews his heart and makes him what he is. Therefore, he is called God's building (1 Corinthians 3:9), his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:10), and is also called a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The meaning is, "Do not act, concerning the distinction of foods as clean or unclean, in such a way as to cause your brother to sin and to impair or ruin the spiritual work God is accomplishing in his soul." This expression refers not to man as being the work of God, but to the piety of the Christian—to what God, by his Spirit, is producing in the heart of the believer.

All things indeed are pure. . This is a concession to those whom he was urging toward peace. Under the Christian system, all foods are permissible to eat. The distinctions of the Levitical law are not binding on Christians.

But it is evil. Though pure in itself, it may yet become an occasion of sin if another is grieved by it. It is evil for the person who acts in a way that will offend a brother, pain him, tend to drive him away from the church, or lead him into sin.

With offence. That is, acting so as to offend a brother by doing something he considers to be sin, and which will cause him grief.