I was so intrigued as I was preparing for my Adult Breakout Class at church tonight. We have been in the writings of Paul to the church and the saints of God in Rome.
Romans 14:1 KJV,
1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
As born again saints of God we have been touched by the Lord in our own unique way and therefore we have our own personal convictions. These convictions are between us as individuals and God. I believe it is essential that we are to hold to these convictions between ourselves and the Lord. But I do not believe we are to preach our personal convictions to other people as the Gospel or as salvation.
Now there are those things that are clearly labeled “sin” in Scripture. We as saints of God agree with God, and not only give up those things that are labeled sin in His Word, but we also seek to purge those sins from all our fellowships.
There is a whole range of practices which do not bear that biblical label and, at various times various church groups have considered practices not called “sin” to be inappropriate for those who have the Spirit of God dwelling within them. I have been raised in the United Pentecostal Church all of my life, therefore I have been raised up with the taught convictions against smoking, drinking alcohol, going to movies, television, dancing, women cutting their hair, and other things I probably would not have been aware of if I had been raised in some other denominational setting.
Since everyone in the church congregation has been taught these convictions, no major conflicts have arisen over these teachings of convictions as a whole.
But folks in the first-century congregation in Rome did have conflicts over convictions. Some thought it was not appropriate for saints of God to eat meat especially if it came from those who sacrificed to idols. Some thought Sunday ought to be kept as a special day, much as the Jews kept the Sabbath, while others simply did not agree with these teachings.
Soon the harmony and unity of the church was in jeopardy; as saints of God became judgmental, began to criticize, and look down on one another.
If you have ever wondered how to handle those differences that drive wedges between saints of God, (this is between saints in a local congregation and differences between denominations,) Romans 14 will be an especially exciting chapter for you to read and study. We will see that if we are truly full of the Holy Ghost we can warmly welcome saints of God without judging their convictions, whether they are stronger or less than our own convictions. Thus we can be affirming Jesus Christ lordship in each and every one of our lives, yet all the while we can be sensitive to other saints of God’s convictions while doing what promotes peace and growth for the church. Personal convictions should be kept to oneself, as a matter between us as individual and our Lord.
In this chapter Paul spoke of the “strong” and the “weak.” What did he mean by these terms? Simply put, the strong are those who have a mature perspective on what Paul called “disputable things” or what we term as convictions or standards. The weak are those who do not yet have a mature or an accurate grasp of such issues.
The striking thing is that Paul did not side with the strong against the weak, or with the weak against the strong! Instead he modeled exactly what he called for in Romans 14: acceptance of each other. Without looking down on either, or criticizing either, he shows that each saint of God is a valued member of the local body of Jesus Christ. Each is welcome. Each is loved. Each belongs.
This is something that we as saints should understand and know. Wherever you or I may be on the journey of faith and salvation, we are one with those before us, and behind us. In the fellowship of Jesus, we are all one body.
“…but not to doubtful disputations.”
A “disputable matter” is any practice which God has not labeled “sin” that some saints of God feel is alright, and others feel is wrong. We may use a biblical principle as basis for feeling that a particular practice is not appropriate for saints of God to do or participate in. But unless God has clearly stated a practice is sin, our personal opinion is “disputable.”
That word, “disputable,” reminds us to stay humble. We may be right in our opinions about a matter but it is disputable. But we may possibly be the one who is wrong. So while we follow our consciences and do what we believe is right, we also free others to reach their own convictions. You and I must surely do what we believe will be most pleasing to the Lord. But in “disputable matters” we have no right to try to impose our ideas of convictions on others.
Rom 14:2-4 KJV,
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Paul immediately launched into the very heart of the issue. “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.”
That is really what this is all about. Not who is wrong and who is right, just the acceptance of one another as brothers and sister in Christ Jesus.
The Greek word translated “accept,”– proslambano is one of the most powerful relational terms in the New Testament. It means to actively welcome. It is with a glad happy smile, arms reached out to hug, a hand on an arm drawing a newcomer into a circle of close and loving friends.
Psychologists tell us how important acceptance is. If a child fails to feel acceptance from his parents, he or she is likely to grow up ridden with doubt and a sense of unworthiness. If an adult fails to feel acceptance from others, he or she will always be uncertain, fearful, isolated, and alone.
Paul reminds us that the church of Jesus Christ is the family of God. Here every child of God is to experience welcome, and so feel the great value God places on him or her. The CHURCH should be the one place where we can relax from the strife torn world and the place where we can be ourselves. Yes the CHURCH is the place we should feel and know that here we belong and here we are loved by everyone who is here.
Acceptance is one of the most important gifts you can give another person. It is one of the most valuable gifts you will ever receive. No wonder Paul began his discussion of disputable matters with the command, “Accept him.”
However each one of us may differ from others about issues the Bible does not label as “sin,” and however passionately our convictions are held, our brother or sister in Christ has already been accepted by God. Because God has accepted them we are to welcome him or her into this place of worship also.
You can easily generate your own list of “disputable matters.” Here is how you do it. First, start with Paul’s two cases: eating meat vs. vegetarianism, and strict vs. lax observance of “holy days.” Then add to your list everything you can think of that is like these two.
Then note how disputes over such issues affect relationships. Some folks start judging others. They are critical and condemning. Others ridicule. They treat people with differing convictions with contempt. Now add to your list any issues that seem to have such effects on saints of God that you know.
When you have your list completed, post it in a place for you to observe it yourself. Then remember, these are the things that you are to pay no attention to at all as you build Christian friendships you do not judge others by this list. God has accepted those who differ with us on all issues like these. Since God has welcomed them unto Himself, then we surely must welcome them too.
Rom 14:5-8 KJV,
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
If you look over those convictions that you have taken as your own personal convictions you will undoubtedly have an opinion about each and every one of these convictions. How can you as an individual tell what position you should take on each matter, not publicly, but for yourself?
Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, in the way that some of you think one day is more holy than another day, while the others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable unto the Lord. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.
Paul is tells all of us that we do not live for ourselves nor do we die for ourselves. In our living or in our dying we belong to God and we are to honor Him.
Each and every one of us should personally study, read the Bible, listen to your pastor preach about each issue so that you become convinced yourself. But whatever you can or cannot do, you do it to please the Lord and in it all you are to give thanks to the Lord, not doing it with piety or drudgery. When you are “fully convinced in your own mind,” do what you believe is right without fear of what other people might think. It is your conviction and you do it to please the Lord.
Rom 14:9-12 KJV,
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Paul is writing to the saints of Rome, letting them know that Jesus Christ is the one that died and He is the one that also arose on the third day, therefore He is the Lord of the living and the dead. What does Christ’s lordship in disputable matters mean? First, that you and I are responsible to Jesus to do only that which we honestly believe will please Him who is Lord. And second, that our Christian brothers and sisters are not responsible to us, we did not die for them!
If Jesus is Lord, then judging is His job. And I am free forever from the burden of determining what is right and wrong for other people to do.
Saints of God I must tell you from a pastor’s perspective how good this freedom feels. I do not have to condemn others. I don’t have to try to argue them over to my point of view. All I have to do is love others, accept them, and share the joys of our common faith in Jesus Christ.
It is a terrible burden for a church, a pastor, or for you as individual saints to play God. How freeing it is to let Jesus be Lord, and focus all my attention on serving Him.
Rom 14:13 KJV,
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's
Have you ever noticed how some people flaunt their spiritual freedom? These kinds make it a point to do things that shock the other saints of God or these kinds will even offend them, just to show they can.
Most often these who class themselves as spiritual giants among the congregation condemn and judge everyone else according to their own personal convictions. Paul said for us to stop condemning each other… Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
Paul was used to overreaction from the saints of God he had nurtured over the years of his ministry as an Apostle of the Lord. So he guarded against overreaction even in the ending of his ministry. We are free to live according to our own personal convictions. We are not free to use our convictions to club a brother or sister to death!
This is an overriding concern that should be felt by every mature saint of God. We really are to care about other saints of God’s feelings and their welfare. Since flaunting our freedom with piety most often provokes us to judge and tell others who are not yet mature what they can or cannot do. This will often encourage a young immature saint of God to act against his or her own conscience and start practicing things that they are not yet convicted of never allowing them to be convicted of this by the Lord Himself. So in their doing this they are doing it to be accepted by man and it never becomes a personal conviction of their own and they struggle with this the rest of their lives and often it causes them to stumble and fall. Saints of God this is why we must exercise our freedom with restraint.
Rom 14:14-21 KJV,
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
So often the principles that Paul is teaching in this chapter are so misapplied, and we let those with the least understanding in disputable matters impose their views on the whole church. This causes stress among the saints and confusion in the church and people become a castaway instead of being converted.
Paul was an Apostle who preached relationships, above church restrictions. He was telling you and me that when we suspect something we are free to do might harm a less mature brother or sister, then for Jesus Christ sake we should freely choose not to do it!
What a joyous freedom this is. It is the freedom we really want. Not a freedom to do what we like, or what we know is lawful for us. But a freedom to do what is loving, gentle and kind. To do what expresses the warmth, the wonder, the joy of putting the welfare of others before even our own “rights.”
Rom 14:22-23 KJV,
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
The best way to handle “disputable matters” is simply not to talk about them. To discuss and argue, to try to convince others we are correct, does nothing to promote harmony in the body of Christ. And it does nothing to build up a brother or sister in his or her faith. All that disputing is likely to do is to create doubts and uncertainty, because even if I am right, my bad attitude and bad spirit is wrong.
That is why Paul reminds us that whatever “does not come from faith is sin.” Whatever we do, we must do it in the conviction that we are pleasing Jesus Christ.
You may believe there's nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Paul said blessed are those who do not feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you will be sinning if you go ahead and do it, because you are not following your own convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
Saints of God you must be convinced in your own mind before you act. When you are convinced, feel free to do what you believe is pleasing to the Lord. But at the same time, be sensitive to the convictions of others, and how your actions affect them. Value your brother’s and sister’s well-being even more highly than your rights. Listen to this statement well, never, never make personal convictions the subject of debate.
PERSONAL ADVICE…Only talk about your personal convictions when asked and then VERY CAREFULLY, make sure you label them personal…do not impose them on anyone else nor teach them as salvation…
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About Me
- YENDOR SNEKNAB
- I am 67 years old, Married to Sandy Bennett Bankens 48 yrs. Have 2 sons Robert and Kevin.