Opinions and Judgement

Introduction

How do we understand unity? This was one of the great questions of the reformation...

In this text, we see unity defined in our attitudes towards one another and not on the basis on uniformity of opinion. We are able to rejoice and live graciously with one another if we strive to live before the face of God rather than taking his place as judge.

The Issue: Christians with Different Levels of Faith

The Christians in Rome are urged to welcome the one who is weak in faith, but not to quarrel over opinions. The rest of the text will be explaining this command from the Apostle. For us to understand this text, we must look into who these who were “weak in faith” and what Paul is referring to here when he talks about “opinions”.

First, the one who is weak in faith as opposed to the one who is strong in faith does not refer to saving faith or personal relationship with God, but rather their understanding of faith. Doug Moo explains:

Romans Stop Judging One Another (14:1–3)

“Faith” refers not directly to one’s belief generally but to one’s convictions about what that faith allows him or her to do.

So what makes these people’s faith weak? In mentioning weak faith and strong faith, it is apparent that whatever the issue is here, Paul does think one side is correct and the other is not. What is difficult for us is trying to discern what the issue here actually was. Again, Doug Moo comments on this:

Romans Bridging Contexts

This text affords a classic example of a passage in which the author and readers share intimate knowledge of a situation we do not have access to.

This is common in the Epistles, especially in Paul’s longer letters like Romans and 1st and 2nd Corinthians. There are no less than 7 theories about what the issues is here.

However, of all these theories one definitely stands out as being the most likely. The issue is probably between Jewish and Gentile believers, since the theme of unity between the two has been at the forefront of the book and this section closes in chapter 15 with references to OT passages dealing with salvation being for Jew and Gentile.

A portion of the Jewish population in the church are likely the weak ones here, abstaining from meats which in Rome were not kosher, avoiding wine since it may have been used in pagan rituals, and observing festivals and Sabbaths in order to serve God according to OT precepts like the prophet Daniel did (Dan 1:8). Essentially, the early Jewish converts were sometimes a bit slow to let go of the traditions and customs that had been prescribed in the OT law. This is different from the situation in Galatia where some were saying that observance of the OT law was necessary for true salvation, which Paul condemned as a heresy and a false gospel. Here, the Jewish believers are continuing OT customs because for them, converting to Christianity was not a full change of religion like it was for the gentile believers. It was a fulfillment of the OT which they had always looked to as God’s word. The difficulty is now that they need to interpret the OT in a way that points to Christ, and it is difficult for them to reject these customs without feeling like they are breaking God’s law.

So the weakness of faith here is that, while they have believed the Gospel, they struggle to apply it as the full completion of the OT in their lives, especially regarding practices such as Sabbath keeping and laws about food. We already know that an issue in this church was the role of the OT law and the acceptance of Gentile believers, which Paul has spent much of the letter addressing.

The truth is that the OT ceremonies, Sabbaths, festivals, and laws regarding what you can eat were fulfilled in the coming of Christ. They were illustrations of a greater reality which has come to fulfillment in Christ. The Sabbath is now not a day but a spiritual rest one can partake in when we are in Christ. The dietary laws were symbolic of holiness from the world, which is fulfilled in the Christian’s obedience in faith and separation from the things in the world that are defilement to a godly conscience. However, the weakness of faith in these believers caused them to continue these practices, even as the Apostles did for a time at the beginning of the book of Acts.

With this likely being the issue, we can look at the substance of Paul’s command.

The Command: Cultivate a Welcoming Attitude Towards One Another

Most of what Paul says is to the strong believers who are not bound by law or conscience to refrain from foods or observe special days, such as the Sabbath Day. They are to welcome these of weak faith, and not so that they can have a lively debate over their views on these matters. The heart of the command to both parties is this: there much be a welcoming and open attitude to one another that is not tarnished by the opinions held when it comes to these matters. The strong cannot look down pridefully at the weak, and the weak cannot look judgmentally at the strong.

Instead, each must be “convinced in his own mind” on how they are to conduct themselves without much thought to the conclusions their fellow believers come to on the matter.

This kind of welcoming takes a great deal of grace and humility. There is a great desire for conformity in a tribe, because we feel safer that way. If everyone is doing the same thing, we feel comfortable and secure. With the introduction of believers with different opinions of what to eat and when to worship, unity is forced to transcend these minor issues and unite on what is important: the Gospel which saves us from our sin.

The issues we could name today that would fit in this category are numerous: should we only use the KJV of the bible? should women wear head coverings? what movies are appropriate for Christians? Can Christians dance? What types of music are appropriate? Can Christians eat meat that is labeled ‘halal’? Is Sunday the Christian Sabbath day and what can Christians do on Sunday? Can Christians drink alcohol? The list goes on, and I’m sure you could add a few items yourself.

Implicit in this is the need to discern the difference between outright sin and matters of opinion. There are things that do not fit into this category of ‘opinion’ such as sexual immorality, drunkenness, gluttony, arrogance, carelessness for God’s people, heretical doctrines, and so on. We see Paul in 1 Corinthians 6 and Galatians 1 rebuking those who have wandered outside the faith severely.

However, many times these opinions have been taken to be vital to the Gospel by those who hold them. It is important that we keep the balance of understanding what is an opinion that does not affect one’s standing in Christ, and a doctrine or lifestyle that distances someone from God and his true church.

When it comes to opinions, Paul says that what is important is that our opinions lead us to thanksgiving. An opinion can be held onto as important to oneself, but when we judge others we are really just using that opinion as a way to play God. Instead, the practice of our convictions, whether it be to eat or not to eat, to keep the Sabbath day or not, should lead to thanksgiving. Ultimately, God is concerned most with this. Because the strong believers are right, there is freedom to eat whatever they like. However, the end must be thanksgiving, and whatever opinion one holds on these lesser issues, so long as it is done in faith with thanksgiving, God is pleased.

The Reason: The Individual’s Responsibility Before God

Now, Paul’s reason for believers to be so welcoming to one another with different opinions is not simply just be nice and we’ll all get along. Paul has a very important reminder behind this exhortation:

That reminder is the reality of personal judgement and responsibility. Essentially, the reason we should be welcoming to one another without judgement is because we are stepping outside of our role and, in the process, forget that we ourselves will stand in judgement for our actions and not the actions of other Christians.

This is a sobering reality that is ignored when we stand in condemnation over other believers.

Conclusion: The Strong should not look down on the Weak, nor the Weak condemn the Strong

Paul quotes Isaiah 45:23, which is in the context of the majesty of God being revealed to all the world. This majesty in our view producing godly fear.

With a fear of God and an awareness of our own future judgement comes a humility and meakness that works itself out in a welcoming attitude. When we encounter those of various opinion on things that don’t have to do with biblical holiness or salvation, our minds will be set on our own judgement and not on theirs. We will then be able to focus on showing the love of Christ and persevere in an attitude of thanksgiving in which we know God is pleased.

If we have a judgmental attitude towards those of other opinions, it shows a lack of a fear of God. We are more concerned about other people measuring up to our standards than we are about our own condition before God.

While the church must be kept pure from obvious sin and false teaching, let us focus on ourselves and the cultivation of a Christlike heart. On the day of judgement, I am confident to say, God will not be interesting in the translation you used, your position on head coverings, baptism, or food. What will concern him is your own faith and whether you acted on what has been revealed to you.

Let us always, then, define our unity in Christ and not in opinions. Let our focus be our own lives before the eyes of him to whom we will give an account, cultivating unity despite our differences so that we may all, fully convinced, live in thanksgiving and peace before God our Father in the Lord Jesus Christ.