The letter to the Romans is an amazing book on walking out our Christian life. It informs us that everyone that follows Christ is given a measure of faith, not to be proud and that we all have our place within the one true body of Christ.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
(Romans 12:3-8 KJV)
How to be a compassionate loving brother and how to behave with the world:
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
(Romans 12:9-21 KJV)
But the letter to the Romans also touches on something quite interesting, especially as different “denominations” and even “independent Christians” fight so fervently on this front. This fight is over the day of the week or days of the week rendered unto the Lord. This particular chapter also goes into food, which is another sticking point with in so-called Christendom. Lets look at Romans 14 together.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
(Romans 14:1-23 KJV)
Starting at the end we get an idea of why this chapter was needed:
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.
(Romans 14:19-23 KJV)
This lesson teaches that we need to conduct our activities and our manners in a way that makes peace and produces edification within the body. It shows that there are activities or actions that can be done with and without faith based on the persons individual faith. This means food or day of the week rendered to the Lord makes no difference unless it causes the person to act without faith and thus sin. We are learning how to not cause a brother to sin. With this idea at hand, lets return to the beginning of the chapter.
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
(Romans 14:1 KJV)
This verse simply teaches that some are strong in the faith but others are weak. And as the strong we receive the weak with one caveat, “…not to doubtful disputations.” The in context definition of “doubtful disputations” is laid out in coming verses but lets take a quick look at the Webster’s 1828 to see if we can glean anything early.
Websters 1828
DOUBTFUL, a.
- Dubious; not settled in opinion; undetermined; wavering; hesitating; applied to persons; as, we are doubtful of a fact, or of the propriety of a measure.
- Dubious; ambiguous; not clear in its meaning; as a doubtful expression.
- Admitting of doubt; not obvious, clear or certain; questionable; not decided; as a doubtful case; a doubtful proposition; it is doubtful what will be the event of the war.
- Of uncertain issue.
We have sustained one day in doubtful fight. - Not secure; suspicious; as, we cast a doubtful eye.
- Not confident; not without fear; indicating doubt.
With doubtful feet, and wavering resolution. - Not certain or defined; as a doubtful hue.
DISPUTATION, n. [L.]
- The act of disputing; a reasoning or argumentation in opposition to something, or on opposite sides; controversy in words; verbal contest, respecting the truth of some fact, opinion, proposition or argument.
- An exercise in colleges, in which parties reason in opposition to each other, on some question proposed.
The dictionary shows the intent of doubtful disputations in English is to help the reader understand that this is not talking about general reasoning which is required of by our New Testament teachings.
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
(Jude 1:3 KJV)
The reasoning here is contentious, it is wavering, is causing non-biblical division. And we know that anyone who is wavering is:
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
(James 1:6 KJV)
This leads to our first unnecessary disputation:
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.
(Romans 14:2-3 KJV)
We are taught here that what you eat is dependent on your own belief, if you are strong in the faith, you can eat whatever you want. If you are weak in the faith there may be limitations. However we are not, not, not supposed to judge one way or the other. We are not to judge if someone eats something we do not, and we are not supposed to judge someone if they do not eat something we do. This is NOT up for debate because it has to do with faith. If it not done or if it is done in faith that is what matters. Remember:
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.
(Romans 14:20-21 KJV)
Continuing:
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.
(Romans 14:4 KJV)
This has less application in the western world, but simply states that with servants, do not judge any that are not your own. Likely with the intention that you do not have full understanding of the situation.
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.
(Romans 14:5-6 KJV)
This is a big one. Here we are taught that someone may have a day given to the Lord and others may not. This leads to three camps today, Saturday Sabbath, Sunday Sabbath, and everyday Christ as the Sabbath. Camps will vehemently defend their position, some even go as far as saying the mark of the beast in revelation is one of them. However this goes exactly against Romans 14. “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.” Why, because it comes to acting in faith. Remember verse one:
Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
(Romans 14:1 KJV)
The weak in faith say you must worship and set aside Saturday as the sabbath. The weak in faith say the sabbath is for Sunday. Let them come unto you, you who are strong. But not if they come to you saying you must do it our way. The strong in faith “esteem” or “regard” every day unto the Lord. However as long as we do this in faith, then we do not sin. I follow the everyday sabbath as Christ is my Sabbath Rest so I do my best to do everything unto Him every day of the week. I teach to my family every day of the week, I live unto Christ continually. Ultimately this is what He wanted from His royal priesthood:
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
(1 Peter 2:9 KJV)
And the example was set in Acts of what the true body of Christ was supposed to do.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
(Acts 2:46 KJV)
So here I can teach on God’s word to edify the body of Christ, however under no circumstances am I able to judge and say that one is wrong because they meet on Sunday or Saturday. I can only expound on why I do what I do. I must accept those who are weaker in the faith, and must not cause them to sin by forcing them to act outside of faith.
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. 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.
(Romans 14:7-12 KJV)
These verses explain it all! I do not live or even die to myself, no-one does. So in this I cannot judge a brother, this specific judgement of “…set[ting] at nought thy brother…”. This simply means judging to make the other feel wrong, to prove a point, to make them feel like nothing or that they are insignificant because of their decision in this matter. We all have to answer unto the Lord and to give an account on these matters. Walk in faith.
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.
(Romans 14:13 KJV)
God knows that these ideas are an “occasion to fall” and knows that we humans regenerated or not would and do dispute about them. We dispute and argue and condemn those that don’t do what we do, however this is something that will be judged by the Lord. We as loving brothers in Christ should not there judge these matters causing a brother to stumble through acting outside of faith. SIN. Do not cause your brother to sin.
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.
(Romans 14:14 KJV)
Each person based on his faith might be convinced that something is right and something else is wrong, and where the New Testament has no ruling do NOT judge. Where we have instruction, we must follow.
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
(Romans 14:15 KJV)
Charity says it all. Lets get a definition from the Webster’s dictionary.
CHARITY, n.
- In a general sense, love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men.
To do good to them and a universal good will to men. Does causing unneeded division within the body do this? Does telling someone they are in sin when Romans 14 tells you they are not, follow the definition of this word? No, it puts a stumbling block before those that are weaker or even comparably weak in the faith.
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. 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.
(Romans 14:16-23 KJV)
“For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink” or any of the other doubtful disputations. The Kingdom of God is; “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
Serve Christ in all you do, condemn not yourself, and cause not your brother to stumble.
I love you all,
Timothy