My last blog installment began to address the issue of Christian liberty concerning the question every Christian must ask oneself. Shall I or shall I not receive a COVID-19 vaccine? This question is necessary because every decision, every act entails our beliefs because what we believe about an issue matters. If we act contrary to our beliefs, we sin (Romans 14:23). One Christian is “strong in faith” concerning the COVID inoculations, believing that they are not evil in themselves, is free either to receive or to reject the vaccine without sinning. Another Christian, who is “weak in faith” concerning the COVID serums, thus uncertain whether they are evil in themselves, is not free to receive a vaccine and would sin by being injected.
The gospel of our Lord obligates every Christian to be fully convinced in one’s own mind concerning matters that God does not forbid, particularly regarding disputable matters (Romans 14:5). Likewise, the gospel beckons every Christian to attain the desirable posture, “strong in faith” with a “conscience” free from constraints imposed by fellow humans either to act or not to act on matters of indifference, things God does not forbid (Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 8-10). Because as the Apostle makes clear that his directives extend to such trivial matters as what you “eat or drink or whatever you do” you are obligated to “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). So, this includes whether to receive or to reject a COVID inoculation and doing so to God’s glory. As the Apostle Paul appeals to all of us to attain a “free conscience,” one not bound by the dictates of others concerning matters that God does not forbid, he provides directives on how Christians are obligated to behave toward one another and how both the “strong in faith” (a free conscience) and the “weak in faith” (a bound conscience) are to conduct themselves concerning disputable matters that are in themselves indifferent.
Before engaging an overview of the Apostle Paul’s appeals in Romans 14, it is helpful to have a basic and proper working knowledge of his terminology. Who are the “strong” and the “weak” whom the Apostle Paul addresses? These and other questions need to be addressed.
Common Misunderstandings of the Strong and the Weak
First, concerning incorrect identifications of the “strong” and the “weak.” Paul does not identify those who are “strong in faith” because they have strong convictions about disputable matters of indifference. Likewise, he does not distinguish those who are “weak in faith” because they have weak convictions about such matters. In fact, concerning the matters of indifference of which the Apostle explicitly speaks, whether certain days or food or drink are sacred or evil, it is the “weak in faith” who hold strong convictions, believing that God prohibits what the “strong in faith” are convinced God has not forbidden.
Second, another common error is to suppose that the “strong in faith” are the spiritual and the “weak in faith” are unspiritual. This mistake is due to a misunderstanding of the Apostle Paul’s uses of “spiritual” and “unspiritual,” particularly in 1 Corinthians 2-3. Contrary to popular notions, Paul describes Christians as spiritual and those who are not believers in Christ Jesus as unspiritual. “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things but is himself to be judged by no one. ‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:14-16).
Likewise, a third mistaken notion is that the “strong in faith” are mature Christians and the “weak in faith” are immature believers. One might expect that this is correct, but one’s faith—strong or weak—correlates with one’s instruction in the gospel. Even the Apostle Peter and Barnabas, Paul’s associate, needed to be instructed concerning the freedom that the gospel brings regarding the meal fellowship of Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 2:10-14). Thus, the “strong in faith” and the “weak in faith” are not to be identified as the mature and the immature, respectively.
Proper Identifications of the Strong and the Weak
The “strong in faith” are Christians who are convinced in their minds and consciences that they are free to make use of all things God created and to enjoy things that God has not forbidden. It is also conceivable that believers who are “strong in faith” with regard to one matter, such as the consuming of wine without sinning, may be not so “strong in faith” concerning other matters, such as believing that one day is more sacred than other days. Of course, given the Apostle’s admonitions, the “strong in faith” believer readily, eagerly, and joyfully embraces Paul’s directives to regulate one’s Christian freedom in relation to others, whether the others are unbelievers, believers who are “weak in faith,” or believers who behave like Pharisees concerning matters that God has not forbidden. The “weak in faith” are Christians who are convicted in their minds and consciences that they are not free to make use of all things that God created or to enjoy things that God has not forbidden. The “weak in faith” are subject to the dictates of fellow humans. Often, they have never broken free from the bondage their upbringing imposed on them by their tradition and culture. Even so, many are mistakenly labeled “weak in faith” when in fact, they resemble the Pharisees of old. What is the difference between Christians who are truly “weak in faith” and those who are Pharisaical? For example, when someone who resembles the Pharisees sees a Christian enjoying a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon with a meal at Olive Garden, that person condemns the “Strong in faith” believer for drinking what that one regards as forbidden. Such an individual is not inducible to order a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and drink it. Too readily, the Pharisaic individual does not address the believer but spreads slanderous indictments to others to sully the targeted person’s reputation. On the other hand, if a believer who is “weak in faith” dines with one who is “strong in faith,” and the latter orders a glass of wine and sips with enjoyment, the “weak in faith” believer is of such a nature as to be inducible to act impulsively against one’s conscience to indulge in an act that the conscience forbids, and thus sin. In other words, believers who are “strong in faith” need to understand the impact their freedom has upon those who are “weak in faith” and those who behave like Pharisees. Because those who lack true freedom tend to be either jealous of or intimidated by Christian freedom, the burden to care for the consciences of others rests squarely on believers who are “strong in faith.” Pastors must provide proper instruction for all believers because this responsibility is not only his. Proper care in these matters belongs to all who are “strong in faith.”
Thus, clearly, the Christian who is “strong in faith” has a moral obligation toward both the one who resembles a Pharisee and the one whose conscience is pliable to imitate the freedom of the “strong in faith” believer. In keeping with the Apostle Paul’s directives in Romans 14 toward the Pharisaical believer, the “strong in faith” Christian must avoid allowing one’s freedom to be condemned (Romans 14:16). Again, if one is obedient to the Apostle’s instructions toward a believer who is truly “weak in faith” and inducible to imitate the free actions of the “strong in faith” believer, the latter must, out of love, restrict the free exercise of freedom in the presence of one whose faith binds the conscience concerning something God has not forbidden. For example, if one who is “weak in faith” observes a Christian who is “strong in faith” using something, such as wine, the “weak in faith” person is of such a nature as to be easily tempted to act impulsively to indulge in an act that one’s own conscience forbids. In this case, take note that the inducement to act contrary to one’s conscience is not a conversation about the freedom to consume wine; it is the “weak in faith” person’s seeing the “strong in faith” believer drinking wine. If it were merely speaking about such freedom, the Apostle Paul could hardly have written what he has in Romans 14. No, it is not speaking about Christian freedom that induces the “weak in faith” to act contrary to faith. Such induction to act contrary to faith is brought about by the unguarded free acts of the “strong in faith.”
The Apostle Paul’s Instructions for the Strong and the Weak
In Romans 14, the Apostle offers thirteen directives concerning how the “strong in faith” and the “weak in faith” must coexist in the same body, the same church.
These thirteen admonitions are accompanied by my own translation of Romans 14:1-15:7.
1. Those who are strong in faith must accept, not coddle, those who are weak in faith (14:1-2).
Now accept the weak in faith, not for the purpose of disputing about his scruples. One is convinced to eat anything, but the one who is weak eats vegetables.
2. Do not judge one another (14:3-4).
The one who eats should not despise the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat should not condemn the one who eats. For God has accepted him. Who are you that judges another’s servant? To his own Lord, he stands or falls, and he shall stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
3. Be fully convinced in your own mind (14:5-8).
One judges one day above another day, but another person judges every day as the same. Each one must be fully convinced in one’s own mind. The one who takes note of a day takes note of it to the Lord. And the one who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God. And the one who does not eat does not eat to the Lord, yet he gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives to oneself and not one of us dies to oneself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, if we live or if we die, we are the Lord’s.
4. Christ died and rose again, so he is Lord over all (14:9).
For unto this end Christ died and came to life, in order that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
5. Everyone must give an accounting before God (14:10-12).
Now then, why do you judge your brother? Or also, why do you despise your brother? For we all shall stand before the judgment seat of God, for it is written, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God.’” Therefore, then, each of us shall give an account concerning oneself to God.
6. Yield to the weak in faith lest you destroy them (14:13-15).
Therefore, let us no longer pass judgment against one another. But rather pass judgment on this, not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block before a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is “common” in itself, except to the one who reasons that something is “common.” To that one, it is “common.” For if your brother is grieved on account of food, you are no longer walking according to love. For the sake of food, do not destroy one for whom Christ died.
7. Yield to the weak in faith lest what you regard as good be condemned (14:16-18).
Therefore, do not allow your good thing to be impugned. For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For the one who serves Christ in this is well-pleasing to God and approved by all men.
8. Strive for peace and mutual edification (14:19-21).
Therefore, then, we must pursue the things which make for peace and the things which work for the edification of one another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things are clean, but they are evil to the man who is inclined to eat by reason of a cause for stumbling. It is good not to eat meat nor to drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles.
9. Use liberty where it will not be condemned by other Christians (14:22).
You, the faith which you have, have it as your own before God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself in that which he approves.
10. To act contrary to one’s belief is to sin (14:23).
But the one who doubts is condemned if he eats because it is not from faith. And whatever is not from faith is sin.
11. Bear with the deficiencies of the weak in faith. Do not please yourself but please others for their own good, for their edification (15:2-3).
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those who are without strength and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please one’s neighbor, unto good, for edification. For even Christ did not please himself, but just as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproach me have fallen upon me.”
12. Be united that you may glorify God (14:4-6).
For as many things as were written in advance were written for our instruction, in order that through perseverance and through the consolation of scripture we should have hope. Now may the God of perseverance and of consolation grant to you to be of one mind with one another in keeping with Christ Jesus, in order that with one accord by one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
13. Accept one another as Christ has accepted you (15:6-7).
Therefore, accept one another just as also Christ has accepted you unto God’s glory.
Now that I have filled this blog entry with a focus on the Apostle Paul’s instructions to the “strong in faith” and to the “weak in faith,” at least one more installment needs to be added. The one that awaits provides pastoral application of these directives from the Scriptures.