Paul wrote, “But him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet not for doubtful disputations. One man hath faith to eat all things; but he that is weak eateth herbs” (Romans 14:1-2).
The preaching of the gospel to all nations and the blending of those nations into one, harmonious body brought varying customs and practices. Some of the practices produced issues and threatened the harmony among disciples. The Old Covenant had commandments against eating certain meats; the New Covenant had no restrictions. Those Jews who obeyed the gospel found they no longer were forbidden to eat certain meats. Some of those Jews could eat with no problem at all, but others found it hard to eat; they could not eat those meats without feeling they were sinning when they did so.
Among the Gentiles there were also issues which troubled their conscience. They offered meats in sacrifice to the idol gods they worshipped. Much of those sacrifices were sold to the merchants in the marketplace and people bought the meat which had been “sacrificed unto idols.” When Gentiles were converted, some had no problem with buying and eating that meat. They knew that there is no God but one; that an idol is nothing. But there were some who became Christians who could not completely rid themselves of their former faith and practice. If they ate meat offered in sacrifice to idols they still felt they offered worship to the idol they once served. Christians fr“Him That Is Weak in Faith, Receive Ye”om both Jews and Gentiles needed instructions regarding this problem and the Holy Spirit provided those instructions. Portions of Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 and 10 are devoted to the issue. Romans 14 tells us “those who are weak in faith are to be received.” “Faith” in these chapters is not a reference to the gospel; “faith” is used in Romans as a reference to one’s conscience. At the conclusion of Romans 14 Paul wrote, “But he that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” In short, if one eats or does something about which he has doubts, he sins, he has “violated his conscience.”
The problem was not just a problem for the weak: it was a problem for the strong. The strong were those who had no problem with doing what they once could not do; or, in the case of the Gentiles, recognizing that there is only one God and that an idol “is nothing.” The problem lay with how they treated those who were weak among them. Paul wrote both to the “strong” and “weak” charging them: “Let not the strong set at naught him that is weak”; “He that is weak is not to judge him that is strong.” The “weak” could condemn the strong, the “strong” could “set at naught” the weak. He could mock and chide him for his “objections;” he could ridicule him so much that the weak brother might, in embarrassment, do what he had grave doubts about. Or, the strong brother might, by exercising his liberty in the presence of the weak, lead the weak to follow his example despite his own misgivings.
The greater responsibility fell upon the strong. He was warned, “For if because of meat thy brother is grieved, thou walkest no longer in love. Destroy not with thy meat him for whom Christ died” (Romans 15:4). “Overthrow not for meat’s sake the work of God” (Romans 14:20). “Let not then your good be evil spoken of” (Romans 14:6).
Liberty is freedom to do certain things but does not demand that we do what we have liberty to do. Therefore, if in exercising my liberty, I cause a weak brother to do something he believes is wrong, I am wrong. I should not do something I believe is acceptable while knowing that if I do it, I may cause a weak brother to stumble and be lost. Paul said of himself, “Wherefore, if meat causeth my brother to stumble, I will eat no flesh for evermore, that I cause not my brother to stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:13). He urges the strong, “The faith which thou hast, have thou to thyself before God. Happy is he that judgeth not himself in that which he approveth” (Romans 14:22).
We cannot do something which is acceptable to do, but at the same time causes a brother to stumble. Love for our brother demands that we refrain from what we have liberty to do. Romans 12:10 declares, “In love of the brethren be ye tenderly affectioned one toward another; …”
Jim McDonald