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The weak and the strong, Part 3

Romans 8v13b-23

20th September 2014

In Romans 14v1-6 Paul warns us not to risk damaging our brothers and sisters in Christ by arguing with them about disputable matters. Then, in verses 7-13a, he makes it quite clear that we have no right to judge our brothers and sisters, because they're God's servants, not ours. He now writes:

Romans 14v13b-16
Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling-block or obstacle in your brother's way. As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.

As we've seen, if our brother or sister in Christ feels strongly that some activity is wrong, and we believe that it's not, then we must refrain from picking an argument with him about it. But that's not enough. We must also refrain from indulging our freedom when we're together.

Everybody would agree that, if our brother is addicted to alcohol, we shouldn't open a bottle of wine when he comes round for dinner. That would be most unloving, putting our taste for alcohol above his weakness in the face of such temptation. But Paul's saying much more than that; He's saying that we shouldn't open a bottle of wine if he thinks it's wrong to drink alcohol.

Paul uses food as an example. Some Christians at that time thought that all Christians should observe the Jewish dietary laws. Others thought that Christians shouldn't eat food that's been offered to idols. He says that even if we're convinced that it's fine to eat pork, or drink alcohol, or whatever, we shouldn't do so in front of them, because to do so would damage them - love your neighbour as yourself. The other person's conscience is as important as yours, and it's much more important than what you eat or drink.

He says, if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. If anyone witnesses us doing something that for him is unclean, he will be distressed. It's better to eat a less appetising meal, or drink a less appetising drink, than to bring distress to another person, especially another Christian. This is a real test of whether we love our neighbour as ourselves; We wouldn't want him to cause us distress by offending our conscience, so we mustn't cause him distress by offending his.

We could seriously damage an alcoholic's life by offending in this way. But in lost of ways, like what we eat, or how we behave on Sundays, we can damage other people's consciences by tempting them to do what they believe to be wrong, or by bringing division between them and us by acting in an unloving, insensitive way, or by causing them to think worse of us that they need to.

Paul sums this up by saying:

Romans 14v17-18
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.

What a wonderful thought! Through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, God brings us into His divine, benevolent, glorious kingdom. And in that kingdom, what we eat and what we drink really doesn't matter much. What matters is:

Compared to all this, what does my exact choice of menu matter? What does alcohol matter? What does any material pleasure matter? If it offends my brother, and causes him to experience less righteousness, peace and joy, then I'll do without.

Romans 14v19-23
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Not just in matters of food and drink and Sabbath observance, but in all things that are merely matters of this world, let us behave in the way that most maintains the bond of peace between Christians (Ephesians 4v3) and most builds up our brother in his holy faith. Contrary to what the world often teaches, it's not always good to talk. Sometimes, talking does more harm than good. And it's not always good to assert our individual rights. The well-being of the other person is just as important as our own.

Is this the sort of Christianity that interests you? The sort that actually cares about all the members of the church? Or do you prefer an individualistic Christianity, where you work focus on your own relationship with God as if you have no responsibility for helping other with theirs?

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