Day 20 Let Christ Correct His Own Servants
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master, he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special does so to the Lord. He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for himself alone, and none of us dies to himself alone. Romans 14:4-7
While differences might have arisen between Christians in Rome over different issues, the core issue seems to have been observance of the Jewish law. The ‘weak’ were mainly Jewish believers who could not bring themselves to abandon the requirements of the law they had observed all their lives. They could not, as Christians, simply ignore the food laws and Sabbath observance. The ‘strong’ in contrast, felt no need to observe these laws. Most of them were almost certainly Gentile Christians, although their ranks included some Jewish Christians too. The weak condemned the strong for dismissing God’s laws, while the strong condemned the weak for holding on to old ways. Paul sides with the strong on the basic issues but his overriding concern is to get each group to stop criticising the other and to accept each other in a spirit of love and unity.
Paul has begun the chapter with a strong command: ‘Accept the one whose faith is weak, without passing judgement on disputable matters’ (14:1). ‘Disputable matters’ are matters of belief not essential for salvation. In those truths necessary to be believed to be ‘saved’ our faith is primary. Love must never become an excuse for denying them. But in areas not fundamental to salvation, love is primary. We must never find ourselves appealing to our zeal for our faith as an excuse for failing to show real love. It’s true that faith gives liberty but it’s equally true that love limits its exercise.
Paul’s first argument in 14:2,3 was that the weak in faith were to be welcomed because God accepted them (‘for God has accepted them’ [14:3]). His second argument in 14:4-9 is that the weak in faith are to be welcomed because Christ died and rose to be Lord of all.
Paul begins this section with an illustration. ‘Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? ’ (14:4). In the culture of their day, it would be unthinkable to correct another man’s servant. But by judging one another, the Christians in Rome were usurping Christ’s position. He is the master of all Christians and we are all His servants. ‘To his own master, he stands or falls’ (14:4). Another Christian is not responsible to us nor are we to him. ‘And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand’ (14:4). In condemning another Christian, we are effectively claiming to be that Christian’s master and he can only have one ultimate master, Christ Himself.
Paul now cites a second ‘disputable matter’ that has been creating tension between the two main groups within the church – judging certain days to be more sacred than others. These were probably the Jewish holy days, including the festivals and the Sabbath. ‘One man considers one day more sacred than another (the weak); another man considers every day alike’ (the strong [14:5]).
Paul’s first concern for them is that: ‘Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind’ (14:5). Assuming that each, the weak and the strong, has reflected on the issue and reached a firm decision, Paul expects the outcome to become part of that person’s Christian discipleship. ‘He who regards one day as special does so to the Lord’ (14:6). His motive in doing what he does is to honour Christ. The same is true of those who treat every day alike. The subject then turns from the calendar to the culinary. ‘He who eats meat, eats to the Lord, for he give thanks to God; and he who abstains, does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God ’ (14:6). If we are able to receive something from God, with thanksgiving, as His gift to us, then we can embrace it as part of our service to Him. The two movements, from Him to us and from us back to Him belong together. Can I thank God for this? Can I do this as unto the Lord?
Paul’s directives display unusual grace and wisdom. Can you embrace that grace and wisdom? Could you treat a Christian you considered ‘weak’ as Paul has outlined here?