Romans 14:1-5 (2)

The issue in these chapters is not “who is right.”  Even though Paul gives us his view (14:14) he does not press us to agree with him.  The issue is love: how do we get along with our differences, not how do we settle our differences.

On the other hand Paul does indicate that those who do not enjoy freedom in these issues is weak in the faith (14:1).  What does this mean?  Weak is the word for sick.  It means something is not right and, in due time, should change.  Faith can be used to refer to doctrine or our daily walk with God.  Both uses are related, of course.  The one who does not enjoy liberty in Christ or who will not permit others to enjoy that liberty, ultimately has a doctrinal problem.  

In this case the doctrinal problem has to do with the Law of Moses.  While the Old Testament is valuable for Christians in providing examples, exhortation and encouragement (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11) we are not under law.  The Galatian churches had a problem because Jewish believers were going back to the law, to the weak and beggarly elements (Gal. 4:9).  The problem in Rome was that new Jewish believers, who were moving towards liberty in Christ, had not come far enough.  They were growing in faith but still weak in faith. 

So again the question was one of fellowship.  How were those who had liberty in these things to treat the weaker brothers?  Were they to stand their ground, to practice their own freedoms and to try to convince others to do the same?  Or were they to eliminate contention by enforcing the most restrictive answer to the question.  Neither of these is the answer as we will see.

We will see in this passage (14:1-15:13) that there is no admonition from Paul for the weak to just grow up and quit being so easily offended.  All the instruction is to the libertarian, the more mature brother.  The bottom line is that we are to receive the weak (14:1) whom God has received (14:3), and we must receive him as Christ has received us (15:7).  

Furthermore, we are not to receive them just so we can argue with them (14:1).  The word for “disputes” means to discern.  We are supposed to discern right from wrong and truth from error.  As a matter of fact Jesus “received” (same word) Peter to reprove him in Matt. 16:22f.  But the issue was whether or not Jesus would go to the cross; Peter needed to be straightened out.  (Same word, similar need for correction, in Acts 18:26.)  But in our situation the “doubtful things” (Greek word means arguments) do not rise to the level of reproof.  People are not to be welcomed into the fellowship just so you can change them.  There are more important issues here than what we eat or when we worship.

Perhaps, like me, you are one of those who love a good Biblical argument.  Let us understand that winning every argument is not that important in many things.  For now let us put off the old, proud insistence that others think the way we do on everything.  Then with renewed minds we can put on the Lord Jesus Christ!