Thursday, December 8

Disputed matters

Scripture: Hosea 10-12, Romans 14

Romans 14:1–4 Welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.

Romans 14:13–15 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died.

Observation

In Romans 14-15, Paul gives advice on how to handle disputed matters. He cites two examples: dietary rules and days of worship. Most commentators believe that this was a Jewish/Gentile Christian issue. Perhaps the Jewish Christians were still keeping the Mosaic dietary restrictions based on their Scriptural convictions, and wanted their Gentile brothers and sisters to do the same. Ditto with the Sabbath.

Paul gives two different streams of advice.

First, don’t judge each other on matters of conscience (“disputed matters”). Each person is free to do what they believe is right before the Lord. But there was an important restriction on that freedom…

Second, don’t do anything that might hurt another believer. Don’t let your freedom harm another—walk in love, for “love does no harm to a neighbor.” (Romans 13:10)

Application

There are so many disputed matters that can divide Christians, and like these believers in Rome, we can cite chapter and verse to buttress our opinions. Add to that our human emotions, our tendency to quickly get entrenched and our natural propensity toward judgment—it gets messy in a hurry. 

So Paul wrote these two chapters, and they’re very helpful. Just not real easy. 

I’m currently engaged in some disagreements where this advice is not only pertinent, but important. I’m praying about how to bring it to the table. 

Prayer: Lord, help us! Help us in our disagreements to listen, to learn, to trust, and to do both these things: not judge and not harm.