Understanding Romans 14:1-13

 "1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge anothers servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.

5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 

7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 

11 For it is written: 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' 12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way." -- Romans 14:1-13

When it comes to defending Christian Sunday worship over holding up the true Sabbath of God, this scripture above is one of the most quoted scriptures in defending it. I must admit though, at face value. it is a compelling scripture, but is it taken out of context? Let’s dig into this commentary by the apostle Paul and see what he is really saying, not just based on this scripture alone, but on the context we can find elsewhere.

Let me point out right from the start in Verse 1. Who is Paul referring to? He is referring to the weakin faith! The reference to “weak” is really pointing to both sides of the argument, and anyone who is condemning the other.

And those who don’t understand what I’m trying to do here will lump me into that category of being weak and condemning, but in turn that shows their weakness because of their condemnation. But I am not condemning anybody, I am agreeing with Paul. I am also putting Paul’s comments into context with other scripture, including other things Paul has written.

Many just take a stand-alone scripture reference and make a doctrine out of it when there are other scriptures that may lend context to what the writer was actually saying. That’s not to say that the Bible contradicts itself; it doesn’t. It is how we are trying to read the mind of the writer of a scripture with just a couple of verses. In doing that, it’s very easy to take things out of context. So, with all that said, let me try to explain it using contextual scripture.

It is clear reading through the Book of Acts that the apostles were dealing with a lot of false doctrine, just as we are today since some scholars estimate that there are approximately 33,000 denominations of Christianity in the world. That’s an astounding number, and shows the confusion that has been created among men.

Of course, we all know and will agree who the architect of false doctrine is, and that’s none other than Satan himself, but what’s hard to agree on is whose doctrine is false. Satan knows exactly what Jesus was saying when He said, “...a house divided against itself cannot stand” (Mark 3:25). So, what better way to attack the true Church, but through infusing false and confusing doctrine.

Let me start out by pointing to what Jesus said when John told him that there were some who were not following them that cast out demons in Jesus’ name in Mark 9:38-41. I know you might be thinking, what has this got to do with our opening scripture? Just hang on and you’ll see my point:

“38 Now John answered Him, saying, ‘Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.’

39 But Jesus said, ‘Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.’”

Let me preface this by saying that God certainly knows, better than us, how hard this life is living in a fallen world where Satan and his demonic force are roaming free and attacking minds of men in order to distort the truth of God.

Jesus, on the other-hand, has personal experience on what it’s like and how hard it is to refrain from temptation. Now, before I get called a blasphemer, I am not saying Jesus struggled with temptation, I am not saying that at all. I am saying Jesus had firsthand experience on how hard Satan will try to get a person to step outside the will of God.

I know each and every one reading this can vouch for that. We know that Jesus was tempted by Satan after fasting for forty days in the wilderness. Yet, Jesus did not succumb to that temptation. Let’s face it, hunger is a very powerful force. So much so that people will kill one another for just a morsel of food. So, the temptations that Jesus resisted in the wilderness after forty days of fasting are temptations that have been proven over the millennia that mankind cannot resist.

With that said, and getting back to the topic at hand, both Jesus and God the Father are merciful and full of grace. When it came to those who were casting out demons in Jesus’ name, and the apostles wanted them to stop because they were not following them, Jesus saw it differently.

The Bible tells us that God looks at the heart. And in doing so, he can see things about a person that we can’t, at least not through our human eyes. Yet, someone who has the Holy Spirit and allows the Holy Spirit to let them see a person how God sees them, should also be able to recognize a person’s heart.

In this particular case in Mark chapter 9, Jesus is telling John, in not so many words, that they must be doing something right in order for the power and authority – that only comes through Christ and the Holy Spirit who is working within a person – to get that power to work on Christ’s behalf.

Because we have scriptural evidence of those who attempted to work that power, who clearly did not have a true heart for Christ. We see that with the story of the seven sons of Sceva, who was a Jewish chief priest. But these seven sons of his, tried to utilize the power that the apostles displayed, but clearly were using it with the wrong motives, and clearly not with a true heart for Christ.

The result was recorded in Acts 19:15, after they attempted to cast out a demon. The demon responded by saying, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” The demon then attacked them and overpowered them to the point where they ran away naked and wounded.

So, how does this relate to our scripture I opened with? In a nutshell what Paul was saying was that just because someone may not have the same understanding as you and I, even if we are right and they are wrong, does not mean their heart is not truly for Christ.

I think we can all look back at our own growth in Christ and see where at times we may not have had complete understanding about a particular area of doctrine, but that didn’t disqualify us of being in Christ. As a matter of fact, my first healing miracle that I experienced came when I didn’t have a lot of understanding as a fairly new born-again Christian. You can read about that in my testimony.

I know for a fact that I have been humbled many times regarding my understanding. And being one who wants to teach what I’ve learned to others in order to bring them to Christ, I sometimes have had to humble myself and admit I was wrong in a particular area, and correct myself with them.

There are many who preach the Gospel who stand firm on a particular doctrinal issue even though they may have seen a different point of view through the Holy Spirit’s correction. Yet, will deny that the Holy Spirit is actually correcting their former stance, and allowing their ego to overrule their situation.

Again, this is a matter of the heart, and whether that person truly has a heart of flesh that is willing to submit to the Holy Spirit even if it means a little humbling on their part.

But like that preacher who is unwilling to correct a doctrinal issue they may have that the Holy Spirit is bringing to their attention, Paul is calling those weak who are unwilling or just blinded to the fact that someone else may still be growing in that particular area.

As much understanding as they may have, they are lacking in grace and mercy toward one who may not have the same knowledge and understanding. There are some out there who preach that once the Holy Spirit is received, you have all knowledge and understanding. Well of course, the Holy Spirit has all knowledge and understanding, but that doesn’t mean you do.

On the contrary, we are a people who are on a journey. We start out like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:2, “I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it.”

Even though we may have received the Holy Spirit, like a baby starts out with milk before the solid food, we also need to start with the milk of the word before we tackle difficult subjects like, for example, the Book of Revelation. We need to learn the basics of our faith and understand and be able to explain things like, why Jesus had to die for us. You’d be surprised at how many Christians would not be able to give you a coherent answer on that important point.

But Paul is saying that if a person can’t answer that question about why He had to die for us, doesn’t mean they are not in Christ. Just like if you tried feeding a baby a sirloin steak and they couldn’t eat it, you wouldn’t say the baby is not a person because he or she couldn’t eat the steak.

They just need to grow up a bit by taking lighter things like milk, then cereal before they can progress to steak. The same goes for those who may eat only vegetables, and those who esteem one day over another like we read in the opening scripture. Assuming you have the true understanding, it doesn’t make them any less in Christ.

Is there a growing process? Yes! The apostle Peter references that in 2 Peter 3:8, “...but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

To those who condemn others for not understanding a particular doctrinal issue, they need to grow in the area of grace and mercy, and allow those who need to grow, the time to grow. Condemnation is not helpful when one needs to grow, but showing them grace and mercy, and believing the Holy Spirit will continue to mold them, is helpful and will never antagonize or discourage anyone like condemnation would.

Let me end with where I started when I mention Sunday worship as compared to Sabbath keeping. I struggled with this for years in my early journey in Christ. You can read my testimony here. But I eventually concluded that the true Sabbath is the seventh day of the week for the many reasons I explain throughout the articles on my website.

But, because I may see it this way, doesn’t mean that a person who sees Sunday as the proper day to worship, isn’t truly in Christ. Again, it is a matter of the heart. Clearly, not all of us are going to see things the same. That is the beauty of how God created us.

Whether I am right or I am wrong, God still loves me and the Holy Spirit will still work with me. If I am wrong, I should want clarification and also be open to clarification through the Holy Spirit, should that come. I have always been open for correction, and I’m sure I’ll be corrected again. But I’m humble enough to accept that and grow from there.

So, when it came to learning about the importance of the Sabbath as a Christian, it was a shock to my spirit. Why? Because it was a foreign idea for a Christian, particularly one growing up in the Catholic Church to accept. Number one, none of us like to admit we were wrong or deceived about something, especially something that is handed down through the family line. You can say it is ego that can keep you from admitting being wrong, but it also stems from family tradition, and having to give that up when you are the only one in your family who sees that.

So, in conclusion, what Paul said in the opening verse is not about the food we eat or the days we worship and whether one is right or wrong, he was using those as an analogy for spiritual growth. It’s really about the individual, his or her heart and the process of growing in the knowledge and understanding of God.

There is no reason whatsoever that this set of verses in Romans 14, should be used to clarify a position either way on the foods we choose to eat and the days we choose to observe for worship. If it were meant for that reason, I do believe Paul would have been more descriptive in explaining it.

With all this said, are the Sabbath and Holy Days still important to God? Yes! These days are a blueprint of God’s plan for mankind. The first portion of the plan has been accomplished through Christ. He has become our Passover Lamb, and the first fruits of the Kingdom of God. And through the apostles He began the Church Age at the fulfillment of Shavuot, or what Christians know today as Pentecost (Acts chapters 1 & 2).

These days need to be handed down through the generations so our children will understand, and they teach their children. That is why God tells us in Deuteronomy 11:18-21:

“18Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 19 You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 20 And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.”