Romans 14:1-6, 10a, 13-23
14 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2 One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother?
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. 14 As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. 15 If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. 16 Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.
22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
We now live in a time where it is common if one person or group disagrees with another, quite often their disagreement turns into a heated argument and sometimes escalates into physical violence. We see it all the time on social media and on television in the news. It seems that now days many people have a very “short fuse” about something and the slightest disagreement sets them off.
The issues of disagreement have no limits, it can be over not wearing a mask in public, the way someone else drives, it can be over a person’s moral or religious beliefs. Presently there are disagreements concerning the presidential election and at least until November 2nd we will be inundated with arguments concerning the presidential candidates and the political party they represent. The point I am making is not that there is anything wrong with disagreeing with another person even though if that person is a Christian, but issue is how some Christians express their disagreements with one another. As Christians we will have disagreements with other Christians and many are what the apostle Paul calls “disputable matters”, Romans 14:1.
When we read parts of Romans chapter 14 one might think that what Paul is writing about does not apply to us today unless you are a vegetarian. That is not the point that Paul is making. Paul is addressing the attitude and actions of Christians toward each other when there is a disagreement about what they think is right or what they think is wrong.
In verses 1 to 12, Paul talks about two types of Christians, a Christian whose faith is weak and the other whose faith is not. It is important to note that the Christian whose faith is weak does not necessarily mean that there is something is wrong with them; in most instances they are just new in their relationship with Jesus and or they are spiritually immature and not knowledgeable about the Word of God.
In verses Romans 14:2-3 Paul gives an example of what he calls in verse 1 “disputable matters”. This example is concerning a Christian who has no problem with what he eats and the other is Christian who is a vegetarian. The main issue that Paul is pointing out is not what one eats and what one does not eat, but the attitudes that each one has towards the other, or how one thinks about the other because of what they eat and do not eat.
3 The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him.
If I “look down” on someone, it is because I think I am better than they are, which is pride. To “condemn” someone is also a display or evidence of pride because if I am condemning another believer, I am judging them. Who am I to think that I can reject, belittle or judge a Christian whom God has accepted and loves? Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?
In these next two days and probably sometime after, the opposing points of view are not what a Christian can or cannot eat, but who are you going to vote for or did you vote for. Are we looking down, criticizing, condemning (and much more) another Christian because they do not agree with who you think Christian’s should vote for? In my disagreement and the way, I disagree with other Christians about issues of politics, am I being mindful of how my attitudes and words affect the other Christian? Am I aware how my attitudes and words display to them my spiritual maturity or in some instances my spiritual immaturity?
Romans 14:5-6
5 One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.
In verses 5 and 6 Paul gives examples concerning the issues of disagreement that some Christians in that Roman congregation had at that time. He points out, that in spite of a Christian’s spiritual maturity or immaturity which governs their attitude and actions in relation to “disputable matters”; our focus should be on the motivation and intention of why the other Christian is doing what they are doing? In these examples that Paul states, the point he is making is not about the “disputable matters” that are being done, but why it is done it is done. That is why he points out that the heart and intention of the other Christian is to honor the Lord, and or give thanks to the Lord. But how does this apply to us today? We might be in disagreement about some “disputable matters”, but are we considering the other person’s motivation and sincerity, that they are doing it to honor the Lord?
Concerning these “disputable matters”. How are we expressing our views and living out our convictions? Are we only thinking of ourselves while disregarding how what we believe and do affect other Christians?
On the other hand, William Barclay points out an important point that must be taken into account. “Note that Paul is not saying that we must always allow our conduct to be dictated by the views of others…” or in other words, by the spiritual immaturity maturity of others. If this is true, what does the Bible tell us what can we do? First of all, whatever we believe and how we do it, we always must be under the control and guidance of the Holy Spirit and not our emotions. We also must differentiate between personal preference and or tradition and what the Word of God teaches. The following are just a few examples.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14, And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
- 2 Timothy 4:2, Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.
- Titus 2:1-7, You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.
When whatever we do, using God’s Word with the guidance of the Holy Spirit concerning “disputable matters”, God will always be honored and the other Christian will be edified and not judged and distroyed.
Romans 14:10, You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother?
In chapter 14 it is important to understand that Paul is not talking about matters of Biblical “principle” or of major importance such as the God’s sovereignty, the deity of Christ, the deity of the Holy Spirit who is a person not just a manifestation of God’s power, or the inerrancy of the Bible and so forth. There are many other issues that are Biblical non-negotiable issues that do not change because God does not change, such as the value that God’s places on life, God’s standard for sexual morality and purity, God’s standards of a Holy Christian life, the qualifications and spiritual character for Christian leadership.
The issues that Paul was addressing were issues of life that are not bound by Biblical mandate, issues of life that can be binding to one person but not to another such as; Do we go to church on a Saturday or Sunday? Do we pray on our knees or can we pray standing or walking? Is the rapture going to happen before the tribulation, in the middle of the tribulation or at the end? Do we allow our kids to go trick or treating? Or can Christians have Christmas trees?
Paul’s concern was how we disagree when we disagree, how we think about each other and treat each other when we disagree. Sometimes we are faced with the reality and the challenge when our disagreements turn into anger. Note what Paul tell the Ephesian Christians. Ephesians 4:26-27, 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
How many times we have heard in person or read on Facebook Christians arguing about “disputable matters” and what is said and or written does not honor God or reflect an intimate relationship Jesus? In Ephesians 4:29-32 Paul tells us something that also applies when we are in a disagreement with another Christian concerning “disputable matters”.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Are we acting in love as Paul refers to in chapter 14 verse 15? If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.
The Bible says a lot about loving one another even though you will probably have disagreements about the minor topics of life. This love is not conditional nor is it selective as we can see buy what Jesus tells us.
John 13:34-35, 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 15:12, My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Only with the Love of Jesus governing our thoughts, our emotions and words can we be and do as Paul tells the same group of Christians who were disagreeing with each other about “disputable matters”.
Romans 12:9-10, 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Pastor John
