Dealing With Differences of Opinion, Part 1

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. 5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; [a]and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Romans 14:1-9

Paul has shown that the Jews and Gentiles can both be accepted in Christ as righteous before God. In chapters twelve and thirteen he tells how all Christians are to live righteously before God, with one another, in the world, with the government, by loving others, and utilize their time in a way to save their souls. Now he speaks of how Christians can maintain unity in the midst of diverse opinions.

Simple instructions from Paul are complicated by forcing the context of Romans 14 – 15:13 to be a proof text for tolerating the preaching of false doctrines and the practice of immoral behavior. This passage must be understood in harmony with all the teachings of the Bible and the greater context of this epistle to the Romans.

Receive One Another, 14:1-3

• The Strong to Accept the Weak

The command to “receive” means to welcome with acceptance. The ones they are to accept are the “weak”. They are defined as those who “eat only vegetables” (14:1b). To be weak in faith does not mean “the faith,” that is, their conviction in the Gospel message concerning Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Faith in this case is to do with the personal convictions one has with regard to what they personally must or must not do in relationship to God. In the context, is has to do with the individual Christians convictions as to what he should not eat.

Many of the Christians who had been Jews struggled with their diet. According to the Law of Moses, the faithful Israelite had to eat foods which had been properly prepared so as not to defile themselves (cf. Dan. 1:8f). Even Peter had problems eating unclean food several years after Pentecost. In a vision the Lord told him to rise kill and eat unclean beasts. Peter replied to the Lord, “not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean” (Acts 10:14).

Many Gentiles struggled over eating meats which had been offered up to idols. The apostles Paul deals with their struggles and the reaction of their fellow saints in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. Romans 14 is most likely dealing with the convictions of the Jews over what foods to eat.

• The Strong Not To Dispute with the Weak

The purpose of their acceptance of the weak is “not to disputes over doubtful things” (14:1c). The strong do not just welcome the weak for the purpose of judgment or even trying to reason with him as to why he is wrong. The idea is to have tolerance of their convictions without having them over to the house just to debate the issue. The strong are to accept them without changing their mind.

• The Strong are Not to Despise the Weak

“Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat” (14:3a). The word “despise” in the Greek text “is a strong term that carries the idea of looking on someone as totally worthless, as being nothing or less than nothing. It does not connote simple dislike or disrespect, but utter disdain and abhorrence” (MacArthur 279).

• The Strong are Not to be Judged by the Weak

Not only are the strong not to judge the weak, but the weak are not to “judge him who eats” (14:3b) that is, the strong. This command seems to be in contradiction with all the passage where the saints to commanded to judge the sinner. Remember it is hypocritical judgment and judging by appearance which are condemned by our Lord (Matt. 7:1-6; John 7:28).

• The Strong are to be Accepted by the Weak

The strong are those who can eat anything without it causing them to violate their convictions. They are to accept them because “God has received him” (14:3c). If God accepted the strong in eating anything the weak are commanded to accept them. If the weak are found acceptable to God when they eat only vegetables than all the more reason why all the saints should extend a welcoming hand of fellowship to them. It is the apex of self-righteousness and egotism for one to reject those who God has accepted.

Serve The Lord Without Judging One Another,14:4-9

Paul introduces this next line of arguments with a question: “Who are you to judge another’s servant?” (14:4a). Can you imagine someone coming into your home and firing your maid or gardener just because they disagree with how often they empty the vacuum or water the flower basket hanging on your front porch. In like manner, Paul warns both the weak and the strong to refrain from passing condemning judgment upon one of God’s servants. Both have God as their master. Both are to serve Him. Neither have the right to stand in for God and start bossing the other around in matters of indifference to their Lord.

The reason one should not judge God’s servant is given: “to his own master he stands or falls” (14:4b). God alone has the right to determine the acceptability of the weak or the strong in matters of indifference or opinion.

Not only can God’s servants not “fire” each other over their own personal convictions, they cannot sustain their position as a servant before God. In other words, Christians can neither hire, fire nor maintain the employment of any of God’s servants. The good standing or the poor performance before God is not going to be affected by anyone else’s assessment. Keep in mind this does not preclude a saint judging others with regard to their immoral behavior or false teaching (1 Cor. 5; Gal. 6:1; 2 Thess. 5:6,14; Matt. 7:14f; 1 John 4:1).

Concerning dedicating different days to the Lord or not, Paul commands them to “let each be fully convinced in his own mind” (14:5a). Some believe the day under consideration is the Sabbath day. However, it is more likely personal days of prayer and fasting as the Pharisees set aside Monday and Thursday as such. Such personal days are of no consequences, so long as the individual Christian is convinced in his heart this is the right thing he must do. To others every day is equally a day unto the Lord. He must be equally convinced.

No matter what a Christian does with regard to his diet or days, his dedication unto the Lord as his Master is far more important. Eat what you will, just be able to give thanks for what God has blessed you with. The key to the Christians personal convictions is whether the motivation of his conduct is to the Lord. A slave did not have a life of his own in the first century. His life belonged to his master. The repetition of “Lord” in verses seven through nine indicate the Christian is a slave to the Lord. The Lord’s servants do not live to please everyone else. They live and breathe and even die in serve to the Lord.

Furthermore, the very reason Christ came and died on the cross and rose to life again from the dead was to be the Master over those who are “both the dead and the living.” Each Christian has been redeemed or purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ and are His. To pass judgment on a fellow-servant’s personal opinions or matters of indifference to his Lord is disparaging the mission of Christ.

– Daniel R. Vess