Romans 14
So my friends we begin a new chapter in Romans as we rapidly approach the final stages of our studies in Romans. Paul turns from duty to judgement and deals in some depth with how we should view one another. At first reading it may not seem all that relevant to us here today or it may be that reading it simply confuses you.
Before we start a detailed study of the verses perhaps it is important to set it in context. There were in the early church profound differences of opinion. Some thought that certain days should be observed in certain ways. Some thought that certain foods could be eaten others didn't. One party suggested that converts needed to be circumcised or else they weren't truly Christian, some thought it didn't matter. There were disputes about worship, disputes about communion services as many different views clashed. That then is the reality of the Church and by and large such disputes and arguments came and went. The problems arose when one party claimed to be the holders of divine truth and reckoned that all the others were disobeying God. You know the kind of situation and what a timely word for our church this is!
It seems sometimes to come to some people as a surprise that we don't all either think alike or act alike in the Church. Somehow they see this as being a problem. It isn't and it is that kind of attitude Paul is addressing here.
Think about our own Church here. There are those who approve and support the ministry here and those who do not. There are those who think this congregation is too evangelically minded and is heading in the wrong direction. Then of course there are others who think that we are nowhere near being evangelical enough. On the more mundane level there are those who think we sing too many modern hymns and those who think we don't sing nearly enough! There are those who think we don't have enough Bible Studies or that they are conducted in the wrong way and there are those who couldn't care less about whether we had any. There are those who think the Minister can do no right....but I guess few who think he can do no wrong.
Such feelings, attitudes and views are the norm and are not abnormal in the Church. We just need to be grown up enough to realise it. However there is a fundamental danger here and one that is showing its ugly head in our congregation. This danger needs not only to be addressed but driven out of our congregation for it comes not of God but from the Devil himself whose greatest desire is to rip our congregation apart and cause us to fall from the faith.
So what is the danger? The danger comes when those who hold different views decide they are right and the rest of us are all wrong and out of step. It's worse than that not only do they think they are right but they think they are right because God is on their side. They know what God wants. They know that God wants it this way or that but certainly not the current way. Now that is dangerous. It flies in the face of rationality. It says I've read my Bible and you are wrong PAL! It allows for no space for anyone to think differently and we must all therefore conform.
When for example we were involved as a Church in the Billy Graham Mission event there were those who wanted no part in it. And that is fair enough. But to suggest that they were in someway beyond the pale would be utterly wrong or indeed the reverse to suggest that those who were involved were beyond the pale would be utterly wrong.
I hope by now you are beginning to get a clear picture of the problem. The problem is not the diversity of views held and expressed but the adoption of the attitude that says my view is God's view on the matter. The Church is, was and always will be a gathering of Christian people of many different views and attitudes.
Paul then addresses exactly the same problem in the Church at Rome so far from being irrelevant it is quite relevant to our current needs.
So it begins, "Welcome the person who is weak in faith, but do not argue with him about his personal opinions."
Two things immediately jump into focus as we read this opening verse. First and foremost: it says Welcome the person. There is no suggestion that we must welcome them only if we agree with them, only if they will come round to our point of view, only if they will sign up to our point of view. No the instruction is quite simple WELCOME THE PERSON. Bring them in. Be glad they are here, be glad they are coming into the house of God. The second important point is that we are instructed not to argue with them about their personal opinions. In other words we are not to start saying to them, "oh but you can't possibly think that and be a Christian...." or similar and related phrases and attitudes. The primary focus here is on welcoming and we cannot be truly welcoming people if we spend all our time haranguing them about their opinions and attitudes.
However there is a phrase here that requires further examination. What does Paul mean when he writes about those who are weak in the faith. What does that mean "being weak in the faith"?
Now in order to understand this we might now ask the question, who is Paul talking about. The problem is that we don't actually know but it may have been those who while accepting the faith still wanted to and did practise all of the Jewish Law as well however that doesn't tie in with the stated facts in this passage that they abstained from all flesh and ate only vegetables. Although there is a possibility that they may have been members of a strict Jewish sect similar to the Essenes - whose community was where the Dead Sea Scrolls were unearthed. Josephus the historian who was not a Christian and had nothing to do with the Church did write in his observations that some of the Jews at Rome lived on fruits exclusively from fear of eating something unclean.
Now it says here "weak in faith" that is more properly put as "weak as to faith". As Hodge says, "Faith, here means, persuasion of the truth. A man may have a strong persuasion as to certain truths and a very weak one as to others. Some of the early Christians were, no doubt, fully convinced that Jesus was the Messiah and yet felt great doubts whether the distinction between clean and unclean meats was entirely done away with. Hodge continues with these words: "this was certainly a great defect of Christian Character and arose from the want of an intelligent and firm conviction of the gratuitous nature of justification and of the spirituality of the Gospel. Since however this weakness was not inconsistent with sincere devotion to Christ such persons were to be received. "
Hodge then helpfully adds this translation of the verse, "him that is weak in faith, take to yourselves as a Christian brother, treat him kindly."
It is the same idea Paul expresses in Romans 15v7 "Accept one another then for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you."
Now such teaching is quite clear.
But it doesn't seem to be very much accepted in the church.
Let me cite just two examples of the kind of behaviour which is contrary to the Gospel teaching on this matter.
Firstly a fairly silly one. There are those and some even within our own congregation who think that we can't be truly Christian here because we use the Good News Bible. Among evangelicals there has arisen this asinine attitude that the test of a person's orthodoxy is whether or not they use the N.I.V. version. Even as I say this I can't believe it is true and I have been both abused and pitied for having GNB pew Bibles in Mure Memorial.
The Second is a much more serious point and one that I address fairly fully I hope in the Link which is out today.
There are some who think that the coming General Assembly will bring about a split in the church. There are some who think that the current Moderator ought to driven from the Church. People who think that way are seriously flawed in their thinking. Now you can have little doubt that I personally profoundly disagree not only with the Moderators views but also with the substance of many of the reports going before the Assembly. However I do not doubt for one minute that the Moderator is my bother in Christ. I do not doubt for one minute that his call to the Ministry was as genuine a call from God as the one I experienced. I think he is weak in the faith as Paul describes it, I think he is misguided but I do not doubt his faith, his election or his right of entry to heaven as some would - as Paul so clearly says "accept one another then for the glory of God as Christ has accepted you."
I certainly would take no part in any campaign against this man even although I profoundly disagree with him. And those who would deny him the use of a pulpit and indeed those within our fair city who refuse to let any but those who think their way into their pulpits are sadly misled on this matter and are indeed weak in the faith themselves.
Likewise with the reports and acts that lie now before the General Assembly - these aren't the products of evil men and women. They are the results of deep thought and prayer. I disagree with many of them profoundly and think that they are unscriptural - but I am not about to walk out of the church over these things any more than any other right minded person is. There seems to be a rising tide of intolerance within the church which I will have no part of - we are different and varied - and all brothers and sisters in Christ. Those who talk of splits and those who start walking out and seeking other churches will find a lonely and tragic road lies ahead for they are not being guided by God over this matter or any other matter.....and that applies universally in the church. It is a bold man or woman who says my views are God's views an therefore you are wrong........ now that's a parody but one that reflects a dangerous and growing trend within the church.
So let us close by reminding ourselves of this verse, "Welcome the person who is weak in faith but do not argue with him about his personal opinions." And also "Accept one another then for the glory of God, as Christ has accepted you."