I’ve been writing about the importance of the book of Romans. We should read it, study it, and meditate on it. I have suggested several reasons why Romans is vital to our understanding of how to be rightly related to God and how to live in his will. You may want to scroll back through some of my previous posts on this subject to review my introductions to the earlier chapters in Romans.
Chapter 14 gives us another reason Romans is helpful: Christians do not think alike on many issues. So how are we to behave toward each other when there are honest differences of opinion about debatable matters? Paul lays out some guiding principles. He knew there would be disagreements on some issues and he did not want them to devolve into open conflict that would threaten the witness of the churches.
In the Christian assemblies in Rome there were believers in Jesus who came from strict Jewish backgrounds. They were used to observing holy days and religious festivals related to the Old Testament ceremonial law (v.5). They also followed an eating plan that was regulated by the Jewish dietary rules. Since they could not be sure that meat sold in the public markets had been prepared according to their Kosher laws, they chose to avoid it altogether and eat only vegetables (v.2).
The danger for these Christians would be to judge those who did not observe their religious practices as unspiritual or even unchristian.
The Gentile Christians, on the other hand, were not bound by Jewish dietary scruples. They had not been conditioned by custom or culture to observe Jewish holy days, either. Their consciences were free, unbound by religious tradition. They were confident of their standing with God based upon their relationship to Christ, not upon religious rules.
The danger for these Christians would be to disregard or exclude the others who had sensitive consciences.
It might be surprising to some readers that Paul regarded those whose lives were regulated by religious rules as “weak.” He labeled as “strong” the ones who understood and practiced their Christian liberty in these matters. These differences in outlook could have caused division in the churches. Paul wrote this part of the letter to the Romans to say that Christian fellowship is not based upon agreement on disputable questions.
“Disputable matters” (v.1), are matters of personal judgment, which are neither absolutely right or wrong. The scriptures are silent about them. The New Testament neither condemns nor commands them. In the case of the Romans, there were disagreements about food and holy days. In our day there may be differences of opinion about personalities, leadership styles, music, versions of the Bible, legal matters, politics, cultural backgrounds, and any number of other things, sometimes trivial things. How we treat those who differ reveals our level of spiritual maturity.
Paul wrote to guide the believers in Rome in how to manage differences with kindness and love, and the relentless pursuit of unity. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6).
As you read Romans 14, you can see how Paul says for us to do it.
Welcome each other (Romans 14:1-12). Since God has accepted us in Christ, how can we refuse to accept each other? We are brothers and sisters in the same family. As Christians, we are all under the lordship of Jesus Christ and equally accountable to him.
Build up each other (Romans 14:13-23). In order to do this those who are stronger in faith may need to limit their exercise of liberty for the sake of others’ consciences. We are in this this together, Paul says, and the spiritual growth of the weak is more important than the strong getting their own way. Is eating whatever one wants more important than the interests of God’s kingdom? The strong, because they are strong, must do all they can to avoid damaging the faith of those who are weak. “Mutual edification” (v.19) refers to our responsibility to build up each other, not tear down each other.
Bear with each other (Romans 15:1-7). The artificial chapter division gets in the way. Paul’s teaching continues in the next paragraph. More than mere tolerance, Paul is calling on the strong believers to uphold those who are less mature with patience and encouragement (v.5). Paul’s appeal is rooted in the theology of the gospel. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God”(v.7).
In my more than half-century of Christian ministry, I have observed how this has happened in the churches I have served. Despite differences, I have seen those strong in faith bearing with and encouraging those weak in faith. I have seen the mature building up the faith of the less mature. I have witnessed what happens when a congregation is a welcoming and accepting gospel community. It has brought praise to God!
Pastor Randy Faulkner