Receive One Another

Romans 14:1-3, “Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.” 

Today’s text urges us to welcome the one who is weak in faith. This primarily takes place within our churches, and we are to do this without quarreling over opinions. Let’s consider the historical context of this command. Some believers in Rome feared that eating meat purchased in pagan markets would taint them, while others felt free to buy some bargain meat. The Apostle Paul does not solve the dietary question first. he solves the heart question. God has already received both the cautious soul and the confident one through faith in Christ Jesus. Therefore, to refuse fellowship on secondary issues is to claim a standard higher than God’s. If the cross was wide enough to include me, it is certainly wide enough to include my brother whose preferences on secondary issues are different from mine. Obedience to this verse demands humility. I must lay down the pride that disguises itself as theological precision when, in fact, it is sectarianism. The family table of God cannot become a battleground for my preferences. 

Truth unites and divides, but personal preferences should not split our fellowship.