Paul’s Advice for Christian Unity

Burger Wars – In-N-Out or Whataburger?

A couple of years ago they put in a new In-N-Out restaurant in The Woodlands. I’d always heard that their burgers were good, so Ashley and I decided to give it a shot. We were prepared to give it a fair and unbiased review. We were disappointed. Nothing about the burger excited us…back to Whataburger.

Whether you like In-N-Out, Whataburger, Freddy’s, McDonald’s, or Wendy’s is up to you. That is perfectly okay. Your favorite burger place is completely personal and reflects your individual preference.

Romans 14 is a rich chapter that is a treasure for Christians because it teaches us to place our focus on righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit and not non-essential personal preferences that often destroy relationships.

Diversity Shouldn’t Destroy Unity in Christ

I think this passage speaks to all of us. I know that I have been guilty of pushing my own personal preferences and probably will be again, but we need the Word of God to speak to us and remind us that Christ unites us all. I think that verses 17 and 18 really sum up Paul’s thoughts in this passage…

Romans 14:17–18 NIV

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

… this realization doesn’t come easily. To get there we’ll have to unpack some of Paul’s statements in this chapter. The first really important thing to discover is this

Romans 14:1 NIV

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.

Paul is talking about “disputable matters”. In other words, it is referring to opinions of what is right and what is wrong; however, these things are not clearly defined teaching. Let me use an example that is not as common as it was 50 years ago – smoking. Smoking has divided Christians, yet there is no scripture that says not to smoke. You may be thinking about the scripture that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, but are we eating Twinkies, processed foods, sodas, chemicals, and on and on. I don’t think smoking is wise, but it is not addressed in Scripture. Our world is filled with “disputable matters”, and we need to figure out how to navigate them for the sake of harmony in the Body of Christ.

Personal opinions can lead to conflict and discord, so he counsels his readers to avoid criticizing fellow believers. Augustine put it this way:

In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity

- Augustine[1]

Truths Mature Christians Should Understand

Let’s just get ready to get our toes stepped on! I really want to look at this passage from the viewpoint, “What can we learn from this passage that will help us become mature Christians who will bring the body of Christ closer and not drive them away?” So, there are a few principles that we will find. The first one is this…

Christians Are NOT Cookie Cutter People

Romans 14:1–3 NIV

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.

Paul begins the chapter by pointing out that some in the body of Christ are strong and some are weak. Let’s avoid the “strong” means “better” or the “weak” means “lesser”.  Paul’s meaning is that some are newer to the faith.

Who is weak in faith, and who is strong? Every believer is weak in some areas and strong in others. A person’s faith is strong in an area if he or she can survive contact with sinners without falling into their patterns. The person’s faith is weak in an area if that individual must avoid certain activities, people, or places in order to protect his or her spiritual life.[2]

How could Christians end up eating meat that had been offered to idols? Remember that the Roman Christians were living in a society that worshipped other gods.

An ancient sacrificial system was at the center of religious, social, and domestic life in the Roman world. After a sacrifice was presented to a god in a pagan temple, only part of it was burned. Often the remainder was sent to the market to be sold. Thus a Christian might easily, even unknowingly, buy such meat in the marketplace or eat it at the home of a friend. Some thought there was nothing wrong with eating meat that had been offered to idols because idols were worthless and phony. Others carefully checked the source of their meat or gave up meat altogether to avoid a guilty conscience. This problem was especially acute for Christians who had once been idol worshipers. For them, such a strong reminder of their former paganism might weaken their newfound faith.[3]

In a world like this Paul says, “Look, if you decide to avoid meat altogether, good for you. If your conscience has no problem with eating meat, good for you.” Don’t let these types of issues divide Christians.

Let’s move on to our next point…

Having Different Convictions is Okay

[I am going to hang onto verse 4 for a little while before coming back to it.]

Romans 14:5–8 NIV

One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

Mature Christians need to understand, “You are not me, and I am not you”. Now Paul deals with the celebration of special days:

For Jews, this holy day would have probably been the Sabbath; for Christians, the Lord’s Day (Sunday). The believers had differing opinions about the sacredness of certain days. For example, if a Jew who once worshiped God on the required Jewish holy days were to become a Christian, he might well know that Christ saved him through faith, not through his keeping of the law. Still, when the feast days came, he might feel empty and unfaithful if he didn’t dedicate those days to God. Other believers might not have any concern about that and might think that every day is alike—in other words, every day is holy to the Lord. (See also Colossians 2:16–17.)

Paul doesn’t care what day is celebrated, but he does add that each person should have a personal conviction about this matter through prayer and careful thought examining whether that action is what he or she believes God wants him or her to do.[4]

Modern Issue                   Romans 14                                           Principle Guiding Attitude

Politics                                   Each acts to honor the Lord                    Respect differences

Alcohol                                   Don’t cause others to stumble             Love limits liberty

Worship Style                   All worship is to the Lord                            Celebrate diversity

Cultural Engagement.   Follow conscience faithfully             Don’t pressure others

Health Decisions          Pursue peace and mutual edification              Understand motives

Schooling                             Each answers to God                                    Grace for different choices

Entertainment                 Act from faith                                                        Maintain integrity

Mature Christians are willing to accept, listen to, and respect others. Differences of opinion need not cause division. They can be a source of learning and richness in our relationships.[5]

This brings us to another truth…

Each of Us Have a PERSONAL Relationship with Christ

On Wednesday nights we are studying a series “Don’t Give the Enemy Your Seat at the Table”. It is based on Psalm 23 and the statement, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” We are learning that we should never surrender the place that God has given us to the enemy. God wants a PERSONAL relationship with you.

Romans 14:4 NIV

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

Romans 14:10–12 NIV

You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ ” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

It is ironic that Christians will ask someone if they have a personal relationship with Jesus and then try to make them into Christian version 2.0 of themselves. Holy Spirit deals with us uniquely as individuals AND that we individually will give an account to God. “He alone is our judge. For any believer to claim to have the authority to tell others how they should think or act in matters of opinion is to usurp the position that Christ alone holds.”[6]

Romans 14:13–23 NIV

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Paul lays out some great truths here:

Put a stop to judging one another in disputable issues

Often Christians base their moral judgments on opinion, personal dislikes, or cultural bias, rather than on the Word of God. When they do this, they show that their own faith is weak, and they demonstrate that they do not think God is powerful enough to guide each of his children. When we stand before God’s judgment seat (14:10), we won’t be worried about what our Christian neighbor has done (see 2 Corinthians 5:10).[7]

He is convinced that nothing is unclean in itself.

Some Christians want to label everything either good or bad. But it is possible that the thing itself is has no moral value. For example, the Bible tells us that the love of money is bad. Money itself is neutral. At the Jerusalem council (Acts 15), for example, the Jewish church in Jerusalem asked the Gentile church in Antioch not to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Paul accepted this request, not because he felt that eating such meat was wrong in itself, but because this practice would deeply offend many Jewish believers. Paul did not think the issue was worth dividing the church over; his desire was to promote unity…Paul’s practice was to honor, as far as possible, the convictions of others.[8]

We have to navigate this in our society and culture. Some Christians avoid secular media or certain holidays; others engage culture redemptively. Paul acknowledges differences in conscience. Believers should not pressure others to adopt their level of freedom or restriction.

Consider Limiting Your Freedom Out of Love for Others

If my behavior is causing someone distress, I need to seriously consider stopping that activity. In the Life Application Bible, Barton makes this observation:

Both “strong” and “weak” Christians can cause their brothers and sisters to stumble. A stumbling block or obstacle refers to something that might cause someone to trip or fall into sin. The strong but insensitive Christian may flaunt his or her freedom, be a harmful example, and thus offend others’ consciences. The [rigorous] but weak Christian may try to fence others in with petty rules and regulations, thus causing dissension. Paul wants his readers to be both strong in the faith and sensitive to others’ needs. Because we are all strong in certain areas and weak in others, we constantly need to monitor the effects of our behavior on others (see also 1 Corinthians 8:9).[9]

Strong believers should not flaunt their freedom in ways that offend their weaker fellow believers…Weak Christians also have a responsibility. They should not obstruct the strong over trivial matters, nor should they seek to use their position as “a weaker brother” to control or limit the activities of “the strong.” Comfort makes a valid point in this regard:

While Paul urges us to be sensitive to those whose faith may be harmed by our actions, we should not sacrifice our liberty in Christ just to satisfy the selfish motives of those who are trying to force their opinions on us. Strong believers need not judge their own liberty by the troubled consciences of the weak. Each believer is to follow Christ. (1994, 268)[10]

Christian fellowship should be characterized by harmony and building each other up (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:11). False believers and immature Christians have been known to use the “weaker brother argument” to support their own opinions, prejudices, or standards. “You must live by these standards,” they say, “or you will be offending the weaker brother.” In truth, the person would often be offending no one but the speaker. While Paul urges us to be sensitive to those whose faith may be harmed by our actions, we should not sacrifice our liberty in Christ just to satisfy the selfish motives of those who are trying to force their opinions on us. Strong believers need not judge their own liberty by the troubled consciences of the weak. Each believer is to follow Christ.[11]

Believers ought to try to steer clear of actions forbidden by Scripture, of course, but sometimes Scripture is silent. Then we should follow our conscience. To go against a conviction will leave a person with a guilty or uneasy conscience. When God shows us that something is wrong for us, we should avoid it. But we should not look down on other Christians who exercise their freedom in those areas.[12]

The Bottom Line – Accept One Another!

Romans 14 calls the church to something higher than agreement—it calls us to Christlike acceptance. In a time when many divide over personal convictions, Paul’s words echo powerfully:

Romans 15:7 NIV

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

In today’s polarized culture, this is revolutionary. The chapter calls American Christians to:

· Hold convictions deeply, but humbly.

· Exercise freedom wisely, with love as the limit.

· Resist elevating nonessentials to tests of faith.

· Seek unity in Christ above all secondary issues.

That’s the heart of unity: not uniformity, but mutual love grounded in the grace we’ve all received.

[1]William F. Lasley and Richard Dresselhaus, Romans: Justification by Faith: An Independent-Study Textbook, Third Edition (Springfield, MO: Global University, 2010), 191.

[2]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 629.

[3]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 629.

[4]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 630.

[5]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 629.

[6]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 630.

[7]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 630.

[8]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 631.

[9]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 631.

[10]William F. Lasley and Richard Dresselhaus, Romans: Justification by Faith: An Independent-Study Textbook, Third Edition (Springfield, MO: Global University, 2010), 192.

[11]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 631–632.

[12]Bruce Barton et al., Life Application New Testament Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale, 2001), 632.