Not long ago I had a conversation with a Christian believer from another church about certain biblical topics, and I was very blessed about it because this time it happened in a manner which was edifying and not a "fight about doctrines". As I got involved with the Bible and began attending fellowships I had quite intensive "talks" and "arguments" with other Christians about questions relating to faith and aspects of the Christian walk when someone else wouldn't understand things in quite the same way as I did. That such heated discussion didn't happen this time and everything proceeded in an edifying manner was reason for joy and encouragement, because this is how it really should be among Christians.
In his epistle to the Romans, there is a longer section in which the apostle Paul speaks about such matters and in which he endeavors to set forth the proper manner how "those who are strong" and "those who are weak" in the faith are to meet with one another. The truths which are revealed in that context are very helpful for all of us in our conduct toward others, and they lead all of us to the place where we can do together what is the real issue in all our endeavors — to praise God with one mouth.
Romans 15:7:
Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
All that we do in our walk as sons of God should serve the one purpose of praising and glorifying God. As we can read here, this is also the purpose for receiving one another. This verse here concludes a section which actually Paul began 14:1.
Romans 14:1-3:
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
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.
It seems as if there had been some differences in the churches at Rome between certain members of the church and in reference to some aspects of the Christian walk an church with each having their different opinions about this matter.
The admonition also to us is to receive on another. Especially those who are strong are thus admonished to receive him that is weak in the faith, and the word "to receive" means really "to heartily welcome, to greet and receive or take in". This receiving the other is not to be for the purpose of "doubtful disputations" (arguments or disputations about opinions). And yet, this is exactly why sometimes Christians receive other Christians because they are looking for the opportunity to finally be able "to show the other what the Bible says", and it is clear before they even start talking who it is who knows what the Bible says! Quite often such disputes develop into fighting and arguing, and even Paul already says that these are really only "opinions" which are being disputed.
Even if we are of different opinions about certain points of our understanding of the biblical doctrine and its resulting practice, we still are to receive one another without it developing into fights and disputations!
Paul also speaks of the tendencies of both positions (the weak in the faith, as well as the strong ones): Those who are strong have a tendency of "despising" the other, i.e. regard as less, treat with contempt, look down upon, etc. The one who is weak has a tendency "to judge" the other, i.e. to basically condemn him in one form or another. Both are not to happen and are equally non desirable. They are non desirable because God already has received both! It is interesting that the word for "received" in verse 3 is the same word in the Greek text as the word for "receive" in verse 1.
The immediate matter of concern here was the eating of meat, and we need to recognize that in those days the best meat often times was the meat from temples of idols which afterwards was sold in the markets. Perhaps certain laws of the Mosaic Law also had influence in this matter here with those believers who were of the circumcision as the further context indicates. Some other points are added later on, but all these things are really "nothing", they are unimportant when compared to the situation in which we all were when God received us!
Romans 14:4:
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.
Each servant is responsible to his own lord, and no one else is in a position to judge him either. Now, the believers all have one lord, Jesus Christ, whom they have confessed and in whose service they have entered; therefore non of the believers has now the right to despise or condemn another believer. The lord will do that which is appropriate — and despite of differing opinions of one man, God is still able to make him stand and keep the servant in an upright position!
Romans 14:5-9:
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
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.
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
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.
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
The lord is the concern of all members of the church. Seven times "the Lord" is being mentioned in these verses!
In addition to the eating of meat, the observance of days was another topic which caused different opinions. Paul remarks that in these instances really both positions can be lived out of a good and clean conscience before the Lord Jesus. The Lord is who is decisive in these matters, unto him the ones do these things and unto him the others refrain from doing them, because that's how they perceive it respectively in their conscience. The importance of the individual conscience is emphasized, because each one "be fully persuaded in his own mind". The Lord is the judge, we are all responsible unto him, and in what we do we are to be fully persuaded. Later on it is explained why this is really important.
Romans 14:10-12:
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.
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Setting at nought (on the part of one who is strong) just as much as the judging (on the part of one who is weak) are both undesirable and wrong attitudes and conduct! None of us is in a position where we would have such a right. Instead, it is true of all of us that we will one day stand before the judgement seat of God and each of us will give an account of himself to God. This truth is being emphasized by Paul with a quotation from Isaiah 45, where such truth is already indicated.
Since we are all responsible before God for our walk, it is appropriate that we do not judge or set at nought out brothers, but rather that we endeavor to not give an occasion for stumbling to another believer.
Romans 14:13:
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 way.
Paul utilizes a bit of a play on words here with the word "judge": If someone wants to be "judging" something, he ought to be judging his own mind, which he is to direct toward a walk in love 1 by not putting an occasion to fall into his brothers way.
Thus far, Paul has as of yet not taken up a position to the situation at hand, such as to show which in fact was perhaps the "right" or "true" position. This he now explores in the next statement.
Romans 14:14:
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.
We can see that those who were "strong" actually were right with their opinion and it was really not a sin as such to eat meat. The previously existing differentiation between clean and unclean has been eliminated in Christ. But, the matter is not quite that easy, because this truth is only of value to him who has made it his own out of his own conviction; for someone else there is still a problem. If one were to now try and "force" this freedom in Christ on him one would most likely achieve just the opposite of what had originally been intended!
Romans 14:15-18:
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
Here we now see the essential and important point, because there is more to be considered than simply eating and drinking. As mentioned briefly before, the issue is the walk in love toward our brethren, and our obligation in that regard is to step back from one's own interests and one's own freedom and to esteem the other higher than oneself. Someone may be right in such a matter as seen from his perspective, and yet he could be totally wrong in regard to the real decisive issue at hand! For when the time of the appearing before the judgment seat of Christ or the throne of God comes, meat and drink are not going to be the issues but rather whether or not I caused someone else to sin or not.
Paul explains that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but rather God's rule is manifested and seen in righteousness, peace and joy among the fellowship of believers.
Romans 14:19-23:
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
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.
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Once again Paul sets forth how important the conscience of each individual is for him because in these things the personal freedom in Christ is not a general rule of practice except for the fact that the work of God, the edification of the church, ought to be absolutely in the forefront of all concerns. To give up some of one's personal freedom is better than to force something on someone else which that one cannot (not yet) deal with in his own mind and heart. One need not give up one's freedom altogether, because the faith which you have you can have for yourself before God (for example, you can eat your meat at home by yourself or in situations where it would not be a stumbling block for anyone else).
Any action out of doubt will finally lead to sin, and therefore we are to have respect for one another and esteem the other higher than ourselves. It seems that Paul was more concerned that the "weak" would be suffocated by the despising of the "strong", and did not think that the judgmental attitude of the "weak" would perhaps cause the "strong" to experience a conflict in their conscience. Thus, once again he addresses the strong.
Romans 15:1:
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Paul includes himself in the group of the strong and he admonishes that the strong are to bear the infirmities of the weak and they are to help the weak. Instead of despitefully looking down upon them, they are to bear the infirmity of the weak!
The other person is to be in view and toward him our interest is to be directed. We are not to please ourselves. We are to live in a manner which will please our neighbour for his edification and his good, and not to our own advantage. Jesus Christ, our lord, gave us a vivid example.
Romans 15:2-4:
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
It is quite remarkable that in these words from Psalm 69 the reproaches are mentioned which Christ suffered, for this is also what is of concern here in these matters in that the strong are tempted to reproach the weak and to despise them. Instead the strong are to rather take on themselves the reproach of others than to live to please themselves and to despise the other!
The exhortation is that we should not live for our own - and in this case even true and correct - opinion, but rather to bear the infirmity of the weak and to follow Christ's example by doing so.
Verse 4 is sort of a parenthesis to point our that the previously written truths in the Scriptures are not without importance for us as well! We are to learn from them!
Romans 15:5-7:
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
On our own and by our own means and power we do not have the necessary patience and consolation to follow this exhortation for receiving one another. Well, we read here, that it is not really that much of our own doing anyway, but God is ready and willing and able to help us and to grant us to be likeminded one toward another! And the aim of this likemindedness we are told in the next expression, "according to Christ Jesus"! He is the measure which serves as our orientation — and more specifically we are not to live to please ourselves but rather to please our neighbour for his good and edification.
In addition, this likemindedness has a further aim and goal, "that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God"! Praising God is a major point, for we as the redeemed are to praise God for all His goodness, for all the blessing which He has bestowed upon us in Christ. He deserves praise and glory and honour in the church! If there is division and a lack of love and likemindedness and every one insists on their opinion all the time, then there will hardly be a praising God "with one mind and one mouth".
In verse 7 we close the circle of our study in a sense, because here Paul speaks once again of that which already had been the main focus at the outset of this section: "Wherefore receive ye one another"! And the manner of receiving one another is shown us with the example of Jesus Christ who received us when we definitely were not worth being received and most certainly were among those who are "weak". And yet, this did not keep him from receiving us to the praise of God!
Therefore, nothing really should be keeping us from receiving a brother and to be likeminded with him and with one mouth praise God and glorify God together with him. For surely, to God be praise, glory and honor in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all ages.
1 Cp. Romans 13:8-10: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.