Romans – A Treatise
Chapter Fourteen
CHRISTIAN TOLERATION
Scripture Reading: verse 1
HIM THAT IS WEAK IN THE FAITH RECEIVE YE, BUT NOT TO DOUBTFUL DISPUTATIONS.
In Romans 12, Paul deals with various moral obligations, in Romans 13, with political obligations, and in this, with reciprocal obligations of church members to each other regarding differences of opinions. The unity of the Body of Christ, and, to a degree, its uniformity, are necessary and commendable; but the ability of the Christian fellowship to survive in situations where strong differences of opinions tends to disrupt unity required that specific instructions be given to the problem of containing within the sacred fellowship contradictory views, not on matters essential, but regarding indifferent matters. This problem has confronted the church of every generation, again and again causing divisions over secondary, even trivial things. Romans 14:1-12 provides instructions for the overscrupulous Christian who makes indifferent things a matter of conscience; and, as we shall soon see, Romans 14:13-23 outlines instructions for the proper employment of Christian liberty. .
There is a marked difference between the problems discussed here and the similar problems of the Galatians and Corinthians (1 Cor. 8; Gal. 4:10). Those Christians scrupled at eating meat sacrificed to idols, whereas those addressed here did not eat meat at all and apparently drank no wine (Rom. 14:21).
In this chapter of Romans Paul makes little if any effort to correct the errors of weak brethren, withholding any denunciation comparable to that which he hurled at the Galatians. Instead, rather than rooting out the error, he seeks to contain the problem within the boundary of Christian love, establishing the fact that the errors of the “weak brethren” in Rome were in some manner different from the similar group in Galatia and Corinth. It might be assumed that those brethren had gone far beyond scrupulous private observances and were attempting to bind their scruples on others, whereas the Romans held to their scruples more or less on a private basis.
The most surprising thing in this chapter is that the “weak brother” is identified as the over-strict one, and not as the one who exercised his liberty in Christ.
As we read let’s keep in mind that the apostolic age in which Paul is writing was one of transition. Both Jewish and Gentile believers had been brought into the Body of Christ and undoubtedly they had brought with them many of their old practices and prejudices. Some of these were evil and had to be abandoned. Others were not necessarily evil but had simply been outmoded, still, they did not belong in Christianity. This would apply largely to the observances cited later in this chapter, which were characteristic of Israel before the regime of the Hebrew Bible was eclipsed by the greater light of the New Testament. There must be a time of transition. Therefore, Paul tells Christians not to be intolerant of one another and to allow time for the liberating power of the Gospel to have its effect on individual lives. We should not confuse weakness with sin or lack of strength to keep from sinning. Here weakness is inability to come to a full spiritual apprehension of the faith.
Characteristicly, most of us are eager to see our fellow believers come into line with what we think is right. Too often we are intolerant of their adherence to traditional elements in their religious life which have been outmoded. Allowance must be made for weakness in the faith.
“Him that is weak in the faith receive ye …” The sacred fellowship of Christians must not be broken over differences of opinion regarding indifferent or secondary things. Christ has received all Christians, and the least they can do is to receive each other. How utterly unlike Christ is the bitter and vindictive rejection of a brother in Christ over things involving his weak conscience. Paul’s teaching here clearly demands the conclusion that a Christian can be wrong about some things, and yet entitled to full fellowship. The weak brethren in view here were plainly wrong about their vegetarianism, but were to be retained in fellowship despite this. Of course, error in regard to vital truth is not the theme Paul had under consideration here.
“… but not to doubtful disputations.” This is translated in several ways; and perhaps the Holy Spirit chose words with a broad range of meaning in order to include a number of ideas. Since trying to decide the correct meaning seems to be an insoluble problem, we might assume that several shades of meaning are intended. The weak brother should be received, but in such a way as not to make his petty scruples the rule of the congregation, and not for the purpose of disputing with him concerning those scruples – not for doubtful disputations – not for the purpose of subjecting the weak brother to any pressure with regard to changing his scruples. He should be accepted and loved, scruples and all.
It is both interesting and charming to see how the Lord makes allowance for weakness. It is said of Him prophetically that “a bruised reed shall He not break and smoking flax shall He not quench.” Perhaps all of us would have been beaten down long ago in the battle of life if it had not been for the Lord’s kindly consideration of our weaknesses. While God is not tolerant of evil-doing, and He hates sin, having nothing but reproof for the evildoer, yet our Lord is patient and long-suffering with the weak and faltering. How often in life have we felt like the bruised reed? Perhaps we came to a place in life when it seemed as if the weight of opposing forces was crushing us and wounding our spirit so much that we were blown in the wind without power of resistance. It seemed like our life was a useless fragment, bare stems of barrenness without foliage or fruit, and friends turned their backs because we were unproductive. We were unable to keep up the pace in the virulent race of life. Then we heard the words of loving-kindness from our Lord, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” In Him we found a refuge from the storm and we also found that He was gracious toward our weaknesses. A bruised reed He would not break.
The picture of smoking flax is also illustrative of the Lord’s toleration of our weaknesses. Flax makes one of the most useless fires, with very little flame and a great deal of smoke and almost no warmth. Sometimes we go through stages like that in our spiritual lives when we are like useless embers, radiating little or no warmth. The flame of spiritual zeal has died down and nothing but the smoke of affliction rises from our lives to becloud the atmosphere. “The smoking flax shall He not quench.” Perhaps men would like to push us out of the way but the Lord Jesus receives us. Never forget the One who has said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out!” When all men fail, and we seem to be at the lowest ebb in the stream of life, we will find a sure refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ.
To Him our weakness clings
Through tribulation sore;
We seek the covert of His wings
‘Till all be o’er.
And when we’ve run the race
And fought the faithful fight;
Then we shall see Him face to face
With saints in light.
(Dr. William Harrison)
Now if the Lord Jesus treats us like that, we ought to treat one another after the same fashion. “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.” If we find a brother who is weak and has his religious peculiarities – and we all have some of them-then we are enjoined first to receive him; secondly, not to receive him simply for the purpose of getting into an argument with him about his views. This is a most wholesome teaching for the age in which we live.
