Living With Diversity

Romans 14:1–4 NKJV

1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

In the last two chapters Paul has been unpacking what it is to be a Christian. That life is characterised by a Christ-like love which dominates every relationship that we have. We must love the Lord, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our neighbours, strangers, our enemy, our rulers.

Now Paul begins a section which will take us about half way through chapter 15 where we will see examples of Christ-like love within the church. Specifically we will see how we overcome differences of opinions regarding non essentials of our faith.

Paul addresses two groups within the church in Rome referring to them as those who are weak and those who are strong.

Receive One Who is Weak

So Paul first addresses the strong in the church by exhorting them to receive one who is weak.

By receive it is meant that we accept them into friendship and fellowship with love, or to receive them as we would receive a guest into our home, we show them hospitably, kindness, compassion. We will see the opposite of receiving within the context would be to despise them. So rather than despise them, preferring rather to have nothing to do with them the stronger brothers and sisters should embrace them, love them, and accept them.

Who are they to receive?

One who is weak in the faith.

What is meant by “weak”?

This is not a person who is weak in character or will. Paul is not talking about someone who is easily overcome by temptation. And although Paul refers to them as weak they are in the faith. So who are these people.

They are Christians who are devote in their faith but Paul does not hesitate to call the weak in the faith. Their weakness it would seem relates to a weakness in assurance of their faith in that they do not have liberty in Christ. In Verse 2 Paul says that the one who is weak eats only vegetables, they observe special days vs 6, does not drink wine vs 21. What does this all mean? Paul is referring probably to Jewish converts in the church at Rome who although they have received Christ they still feel they must observe the Law of Moses concerning food, and the various special days.

I think that although they feel that in their conscious they don’t don’t have liberty in these things we can assume that they are not legalistic

Legalistic meaning that they do not believe that they are justified by these things. They know they are justified by faith alone and that these things are things they feel they must do in order to be obedient to Christ. And are not trying to enforce these Laws on others.

Why do I say that. Because if we read Galatians we find that Paul has a very different approach to legalist.

Galatians 3:1–4 NKJV

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?— 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

So these are Christians who believe they are justified by faith but due to lack of faith they do not have liberty in certain things so they obtain from certain foods, from wine, and they observe Jewish festivals and holy days. They probably live disciplined lives with high standards so why does Paul call them weak then? Well, because they are wrong. They have doubts about these things because of a lack of faith. and yet Paul will tell them in vs 23 that if they do have doubts about eating or drinking then it is a sin for them to do so. So for all us who believe in absolute truth we may struggle with what Paul teaches here. Paul says essentially that what is not a sin for one person is a sin for another. The key element being faith.

Now I’ve jumped ahead a bit in order to get a picture of who this person is. This is the person that Paul tells the stronger in the faith to receive. That is accept them, love them, and don’t feel that you must fix them.

Don’t receive them just to argue about these things. don’t dispute over doubtful things. Churches are diverse communities of people who are able to come together in unity over the key elements of our faith. Christ dies for our sins, He rose again on the third day, He sits at the right hand of the Father, our hope is in his return and the resurrection of the dead. We are all partakers of the Holy Spirits who unites un it the bonds of love. But we have different opinions on many different things. That doesn’t mean that there is not absolute truth regarding these non-essential things, it just means that for the sake of unity if there is any offence then let’s leave it be.

Do Not Despise and Do Not Judge

Two instructions are given in verse 3 for these two people represented in the church.

Romans 14:3 NKJV

3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.

These instructions are specific to the strong and the weak.

The strong should not despise the weak. This means don’t esteem them to be less that yourself. Don’t think to yourself “oh he’s just not as mature as I am” or “ he’s not as wise as I am”

And to the weaker he says do not judge those who eat. Paul gives these instructions because that is the tendency of the attitude of these two people.

Paul’s reason for both is “for God has received him”. Who are you to reject one who God has received and who are you to judge one who God has received. Before Paul said love your neighbour as yourself but here he goes a step farther as says love others as God loves them.

You think “but I must enlighten them so they can have the liberty that I have” or I must enlighten them because they think they have liberty but they are sinning. If God accepts them as they are then so should you. They have the Holy Spirit indwelling them just as you do and when God is ready to teach them He is able to do it. Don’t try to play God and force it.

Now just as a side note lest we drift too far, these matters that Paul is dealing with are “Doubtful things” These are specific issues. If a brother or sister is drifting away truth into sin, then this is another matter which this text is not dealing with. If we are truly concerned about what we perceive to be sin in the life of a brother or sister then first we should ask ourselves is this a doubtful thing? Is this explicitly called out a sin in the Bible? Does this effect essential truth? More often than not, it is not essential but if it is then prayerfully and humbly approach the situation considering yourself and your sin. But be careful you do not reject and do not judge.

Who Are You to Judge Another Man’s Servant

Romans 14:4 NKJV

4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

In a culture that still have slaves Paul uses this image. No one judges or corrects another person’s servant. It is the place of his master to do this. The picture here make a similar point as before. If God has received him then who are you to reject. If the master id happy then who are you to interfere?

The word stand here has the meaning stand fast or persevere. I believe Paul has in mind our salvation. It to God that we will either persevere to the end or fall away. God is the final Judge of all. His scrutiny is what we all must face. Paul elaborates on this in vs 10-13. If you or I stand or fall at the last day then that is the Lord’s business.

But Paul, as quickly as he says it corrects his statement.

Indeed! he will be made to stand.

Why

For God is able to make hime stand.

The servant of God will be made to persevere. Why? Because God is able to make Him persevere.

How do I know that I will still be a Christian tomorrow? How do I know that I won’t abandon the faith? Because Gos is able to make me persevere. This is our hope brother’s and sisters. If God doesn’t make you persevere then you are lost indeed.

The church is full of diversity. People have different opinions about al sorts of different things. In this age of tolerance there has never been more intolerance. In the world if you disagree with someone you can hardly maintain a friendship. The issues being debated have draw hard lines. People declaring that if you don’t agree with me then you are an absolute idiot.

But it is not so for us. We are God’s children. We have unity in Christ and the doubtful disputes must not be allowed among us.

If a brother of sister is weak. Maybe their conscience doesn’t allow them the same freedom that you enjoy in Christ. Do not think that you are more spiritual or more knowledgable or wiser just receive them in love. Or maybe you someone else doesn’t hold the same standards that you do. Do not judge them. If they are indeed God’s servant then He has received them He loves them and He will make them persevere to the end when we all must stand before the judgement.