A Holy Charge (13)

 

 

“Help the weak” (1 Thess. 5:14).

 

Continuing to consider how Romans 14:1 – 15:7 relates to 1 Thessalonians 5:14:

 

“Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself” (Romans 15:1 – 3a).

 

What would life look like if we practiced pleasing one another?

 

“So then, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another” (Rom. 14:19).

 

What would we look like, as God’s People, if we pursued peace with one another? If we pursued building up one another? If we were constantly asking, “How can I build up my brothers and sisters?”

 

What would happen if, when seeing a brother or sister, we asked ourselves, “How can I build this brother up right now?” “How can I please this sister in Christ?”

 

Let’s note that Paul does not write that we are to deny what we think about food and drink and whether one day is more important than another day. We are not to pretend we are one way when we are really another way – this is true for all of us, for the weak and for the strong and for everyone in between. We are not to be something we aren’t.

 

We are, however, to put our brothers and sisters ahead of ourselves, we are to pursue peace.

 

Note the similarity of thought between Rom. 15:1 and 5:6. “When we were without strength, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.” “We who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength.”

 

As Christ Jesus is, so are we to be toward others.

 

“Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food” (14:20).

 

Is it not sobering to remind ourselves that our brothers and sisters are the work of God? If they are indeed the work of God, then who are we to tear down God’s work? Don’t you think that would be pretty foolish?

 

Who wants to hear God say, “Why did you tear down My work?” What response could we possibly have to such a question?

 

We must be honest about who we are and where we are in our practice and understanding, and we must also be deferential toward one another, seeking peace and building up one another in the grace and love of Jesus. I doubt that we will always get this right, such is the nature of life and relationships. However, if we love one another and are gracious to one another, we can work through the times when we don’t get it right, when we have misunderstanding, bursts of selfishness and ego, insistence on our own agendas, and hurt feelings.

 

“Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law…it [the Law] is summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8 – 10).

 

Perhaps there is also an element of 1 Corinthians 9:19 – 22 in our subject? “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some” (1Cor. 9:22).

 

Can we not also say, “To the weak I became weak, so that I might encourage them in Christ”? “So that I might display the love of Christ to them”? “So that I might lead them deeper into a relationship with Jesus”? In other words, what is a principle of mission, is also a principle within the Body of Christ. By all means we want others to know Jesus more intimately.

 

(Speaking of 1 Corinthians, see also Chapter 8, similar to Romans 14, and Paul’s words, “For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whom Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ” (1 Cor. 8:11 – 12).

 

Do we understand that when we are ugly with one another, impatient with one another, selfish with one another, put stumbling blocks in front of one another, and judge one another, that we are sinning against Christ?

 

Of course, Romans 14:1 – 15:7 is about more than eating and drinking and special days, it is about our life in Christ as His Body, His People; it is about us loving one another as Jesus Christ loves us. This is about our Way of Life with one another.

 

I have been blessed to serve professing Christians from virtually all backgrounds, and I’ve seen the unity and love that flows when we focus on Jesus rather than on ourselves and our particular way of viewing religious tradition. I recall a new member of a small group, some years ago, who was fervent in his way of thinking. There were around 6 different Christian traditions in our group before he arrived, so he made 7. 

During his first few weeks with us he did his best to advocate his particular way of looking at things; whenever a subject came up in our Bible study, it never seemed to occur to him that there might be different perspectives on the Bible passage and how to obey the passage. For the most part we all just listened to him when he spoke, he was so adamant about what he said that he couldn’t really hear anyone but himself.

Eventually he began to appreciate and enjoy the other men, to trust them, and then to listen to what they said and why they said it. We didn’t always agree, but we were always agreeable – we valued our unity, we wanted the best for each other, and we wanted to live in the peace of Jesus Christ.

 

As Paul reminds us, “The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

A Holy Charge (12)

 

 

“Help the weak” (1 Thess. 5:14).

 

Perhaps we all have our strengths and weaknesses, no doubt we all have our blind spots. With many of us, our greatest strengths can be our greatest weaknesses if they are not crucified with Christ, for self-sufficiency is the death of life in Christ and ministry.

 

But I think “the weak” in this passage are likely those who are constitutionally weak; folks who have a tough time with life, with faith, with understanding; who often struggle as a way of life. This is who they are, it does not mean that this is who they will always be, but this is who they are now and we need to be careful about not putting stumbling blocks before them and deliberate about encouraging them and helping them along the Way of Jesus.

 

We see what this looks like in Romans 14:1 – 15:7; you will need to ponder this passage yourself to gain deeper insight into it, but for now we’ll consider some highlights.

 

“Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions” (Rom. 14:1).

 

“Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God” (Rom. 15:7).

 

Here is an inclusio of “acceptance.” That is, acceptance brackets all that is between 14:1 and 15:7, and what is between these verses is an element of church life, that element in which we don’t all see the same things the same way – what to do when we have this common occurrence?

 

Paul says that, in this context, we are not to judge one another. “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand” (14:4).

 

“But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (14:10).

 

Note that we can have confidence in Jesus, our Master, to make us all stand (see also Phil. 1:6; 1 Thess. 5:24; Jude 1:24). In this confidence we can accept and encourage one another.

 

There are three communal issues that Paul deals with in Romans 14; eating, drinking, and whether or not to religiously observe some days above others. These are all issues that have to do with our relationships with one another, for the Body of Christ meets together and eats together as it shares the Life of Christ together. That is, these issues cannot be avoided if we are going to have relationships with one another.

 

Let me point out that Paul is not engaging in points of doctrine in this chapter, at least not doctrine as we typically understand it. Elsewhere Paul is clear that the time of holy days has come to an end, that the season of viewing food as clean and unclean has come to an end; and we see this, of course, in Jesus and in Peter as well. This is important to realize for two reasons.

 

The first reason is that we ought not to read doctrine about holy days and clean and unclean food into this passage – unless it is to see that there is a certain degree of patience and liberty and grace we need to extend to one another. The second is that we are indeed called to be gracious and patient about these things – not that we place ourselves under bondage to them, as the Galatians were doing, but that we give grace to others who are (hopefully) working through them.

 

Let’s also note that this is a two-way street, Paul is writing to both the strong and the weak.

 

“The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him” (14:3).

 

There is accountability on both sides, on the side of the weak and of the strong. Furthermore, let’s keep in mind that this letter is being read publicly in the congregation(s), the weak are hearing this just as the strong are hearing it. What is going through their minds? Are they classifying each other?  Are they asking themselves, “Which one am I?”

 

Are the weak thinking, “This is me, I am weak. Do I want to remain this way?”

 

Are the strong thinking, “O my. I have been judgmental, forgive me Jesus! Help me Jesus to help my brother and sister.”

 

I have confronted these things in my own life, and I am ashamed about many of my actions and attitudes over the years. I thank God He has not left me to myself or what a cesspool I would still be in. I have played the part of the weak and of the strong. Thank God for His mercy!

 

What about you? As you read Romans 14:1 – 15:7 can you see yourself? What roles have you played? What have you learned? What are you learning?

 

We’ll return to this in our next reflection, the Lord willing.