Our Changed Relationship to the Weak in Faith – Part 1 Romans II Series [22] Romans 14:1-12 Pastor David Ho Sang 2

INITIAL REFLECTIONS ON DISAGREEMENTS WITH FELLOW CHRISTIANS ON NON-ESSENTIALS Usually, our problem is not on agreeing that there are essentials and non-essentials, but WHAT the essentials and non-essentials are. It is important for us to examine and know the Scriptures well in order to develop good convictions on the essentials and non-essentials. The Biblical principle is firmness on essentials, and flexibility on non-essentials. Life experience and Christian maturity reveal that the category of non-essentials is exceedingly large, while the category of essentials is exceedingly small (though exceedingly important).

INITIAL REFLECTIONS ON DISAGREEMENTS WITH FELLOW CHRISTIANS ON NON-ESSENTIALS 5. Disagreements often come over issues where Scripture seems silent, implicit or equivocal about these issues (which sometimes mean that we ignore, select or twist Scripture for our own purposes). 6. The important issue is not that we will have disagreements as Christians, but how we deal with them with each other. 7. This passage gives a great example of Spirit-sensitivity to sensitive people and sensitive issues. 8. This passage gives a great example of the value of integrating Biblical theology and daily life.

HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH? [DISAGREEMENTS ON NON-ESSENTIALS] 1) Be ACCEPTING of fellow-servants…The Lord is the first ACCEPTER (vs. 1-4). 1As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.  2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (vs. 11-12a)  

HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH ? [DISAGREEMENTS ON NON-ESSENTIALS] 1) Be ACCEPTING of fellow-servants…The Lord is the first ACCEPTER (vs. 1-4). Welcome with no contempt or condemnation. Judgment is the responsibility of the Master, not other servants. The Lord is the gracious Accepter, not harsh judge.  

HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH? [DISAGREEMENTS ON NON-ESSENTIALS] 2) Be CONVINCED of personal stance…The Lord is the focus of our ACTIONS (vs. 5-6). 5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. (vs. 11-12a)  

HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH? [DISAGREEMENTS ON NON-ESSENTIALS] 2) Be CONVINCED of personal stance…The Lord is the focus of our ACTIONS (vs. 5-6). Full conviction on disputable matters is important. The day or diet observer’s practices are directed towards the Lord. The non-day or non-diet observer’s practices are directed towards the Lord.  

HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH? [DISAGREEMENTS ON NON-ESSENTIALS] 3) Be ORIENTED to new reality…The Lord is the center of our LIFE (vs. 7-9). 7For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both  of the dead and of the living. (vs. 7-9)  

HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH? [DISAGREEMENTS ON NON-ESSENTIALS] 3) Be ORIENTED to new reality…The Lord is the center of our LIFE (vs. 7-9). Christians no longer live under a self-centered paradigm. Christians now live under a Lord-centered paradigm. Christ demonstrated that He is Lord of death and life.  

HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH? [DISAGREEMENTS ON NON-ESSENTIALS] 4) Be NON-JUDGMENTAL of fellow Christians…The Lord is the final JUDGE (vs. 10-12). 10Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;  11for it is written, "As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."  12So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (vs. 7-9)  

HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH HOW SHOULD WE DEAL WITH THE WEAK IN FAITH? [DISAGREEMENTS ON NON-ESSENTIALS] 4) Be NON-JUDGMENTAL of fellow Christians…The Lord is the final JUDGE (vs. 10-12). Simple fact. Scriptural support. Summary restatement.