You are welcome to another edition of Insights from Gods Word, a Bible study programme that is committed to sharing Gods Word by allowing the Bible to speak for itself. My dear friends, i greet you in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Today, i want us to consider the question: What is the meaning of Pauls words in Romans 14:5-6? Friends, like i mentioned in our previous Bible study, Pauls words are tough. (2Peter 3:15-16) However, when we humble our hearts before the Holy Spirit and compare Scripture with Scripture, we will be amazed at the incredible light that God will shed on His Word. The passage we are considering today reads: One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. (Romans 14:5-6) The million dollar question we need to ask ourselves is this: What is Paul trying to tell the Christian church in Rome, where he was now a prisoner? The message of Paul in Romans 14:5-6 was intended first for the Christian believers in Rome. If we can understand what Paul intended for them, then we can be in a better position to learn from it now. For us to have a clearer understanding of this passage, we must do three things: 1. We must consider the setting or background of the people who were the intended recipients of the message. 2. We must consider the entire passage in Romans 14. 3. We must check whether Paul has dealt with similar issues in letters to other churches. Combining these principles, i believe, will lead us to interpret Pauls message as he intended it for the believers in Rome. First, i want us to consider the background of the recipients of Pauls message. This, i believe, will help us to make good progress. Paul is writing to believers in Christ situated in Rome, a Gentile land. The congregation of this church is made up of two main groups. We have Jewish believers who were converted from Judaism and Gentile believers who were converted from Heathenism or idol worship. The sharp difference in the background of these two groups usually created problems of judging in Christian churches in Gentile lands. This problem was not found in the Christian church at Jerusalem due the fact that the congregation was about 100% Jews. The problems of judging that arose in churches situated in Gentile lands was highly related to the background of the differing congregation. For instance, some Jewish converts still held in high esteem; practices and ordinances such as circumcision (Acts 15) , and feast days and sabbaths that were related to the sanctuary service (Lev. 23) , even though the death of Christ had brought these ordinances to an end. (Matt. 27:50-51, Dan. 25:27, Eph. 2:15, Col. 2:14-16) The problem Paul had with the Jews, was not even related to the fact that they were regarding ordinances that had no place in the Christian church at the time, but the fact that they actually went forward to judge their Gentile brethren as poor Christians because they refused to honour such ordinances. In addressing this issue in his letter, Paul was careful not to injure the strong ego of the Jewish converts who thought they were somehow superior to their Gentile brethren due to their Abrahamic roots. And so he used these carefully drafted words: One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks (Romans 14:5-6) For the first part of the message which related to the regarding of certain special days, we have already established from our previous study on Colossians 2:16, that the Jews, as well as Gentiles, did not have any problem attending worship services on the Sabbath day. (Acts 13:42-44, Acts 16:13-15, Acts 17:1-2) Friends, from the texts above, we clearly recognize that Sabbath worship was not an issue of contention among the two groups of believers. Hence, the problem Paul was addressing in Romans 14:5-6, concerning whether disciples of Christ may choose to honour some special days or not, was not related in any way to the keeping Holy of the Seventh-day sabbath. In fact, the issue had to do with the ceremonial sabbaths and holidays that the Jews continued to hold in high esteem even after the death of Christ. For this same reason of judging, coming from Jewish believers in the Colossian church, Paul had to encourage the Gentile believers: Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. (Colossians 2:16-17) The second part of Pauls message in Romans 14:5-6, had to do with another aspect of judging that came from the end of the Gentiles. The Gentile believers also judged their Jewish brethren for taking meats or foods that they thought had been sacrificed to pagan idols. Because of the background of the Gentile converts, they had a good knowledge about how these pagan rituals had a connection with meats sacrificed unto their idols. Now, after the pagans had gone through their rituals with the meats that had been sacrificed to their various idols, some of this meat was brought to the marketplace and sold to the general public. The Gentile believers, did not want to have anything to do with such meats or food, because of their experience with such practices; which they believed was against the commandments of God. (Acts15:28-29) In fact, since the Gentile brethren could not discern which meats had been sacrificed to idols, and which were not, they decided not to even touch any meat brought to the market place, thus relying only on herbs. (Romans 14:2) The Jewish believers on the otherhand, did not see things in exactly the same light as their Gentile brethren. True Jewish believers had been worshipping the One true God in time past, and did not have any knowledge of what went into idol worship. As far as they were concerned, once the food was clean meat, they could eat of it because they knew there was only One God and that the eating of foods sacrificed unto some idols could do them no harm. They even went further to despise their Gentile friends, seeing them as weak in faith because of their refusal to eat such meats. (Romans 14:1-3) Pauls advice to the Gentile believers was to refrain from judging their Jewish brethren on issues of such foods sacrificed unto idols. At the same time he had counsel for the Jewish believers not to also despise their Gentile friends, thinking they were weak in the faith. Friends, regarding this issue of meats sacrificed unto idols, a similar problem of judging arose in the Corinthian church which Paul had to address. For a good understanding of the passage we are considering today in Romans 14, i will encourage you to read the entire chapter of 1Corinthians 8:1-13. This will open your understanding to appreciate what Paul meant in Romans 14 on the second issue of meats. Friends, the passage at Romans 14, has nothing to do with the supposed christian liberty to eat unclean foods; to the extent that, some even dare to think that it is a weakness for one to be a vegetarian. Beloved, this study is not about vegetarianism. But when it comes to eating for good health, even modern science has made it quite clear that a plant - based diet is preferable for good health than an animal - based diet. The weaker brethren mentioned in Romans 14:1-2 actually refer to the Gentile brethren because of their knowledge of the idol (Check 1 Cor. 8:7) , while the one who believes he may eat all things in Romans 14:2, actually refer to the Jewish believers. (Check 1Cor. 8:6-9) With this background understanding of the problem of judging which was going on in the Roman church, we are able to understand Paul, when he makes the following statement in relation to flesh food: Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brothers way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil spoken of: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (Romans 14:13-19) In the context of what we have studied so far, it is obvious that Paul was not giving permission to the Roman believers to now eat unclean foods or meats that have clearly been forbidden by God. (Deuteronomy 14:1-21) Moreover, most Christians today, will want to see the message in Romans 14:5-6 as a permission to worship on any day of their choice, thus justifying their keeping of Sunday. However, great heroes of the gospel in time past, agreed to the biblical fact that Gods Ten Commandments including the Seventh-day sabbath are still relevant and binding upon His children. Lets consider two mportant quotes from W. D. Killen and John Wesley: 1. The Great Teacher never intimated that the Sabbath was a ceremonial ordinance to cease with the Mosaic ritual... Instead of anticipating its extinction along with the ceremonial law, He speaks of its existence after the downfall of Jerusalem. [See Matthew 24:20] - W. D. Killen (Irish Presbyterian), The Ancient Church (1883 ed) , p. 188. 2. The handwriting of ordinances our Lord did blot out, take away, and nail to His cross (Colossians 2:14). But the moral law contained in the ten ommandments, and enforced by the prophets, He did not take away...The moral law stands on an entirely different foundation from the ceremonial or ritual law...Every part of this law must remain in force upon mankind in all ages. (JOHN WESLEY, SERMONS ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS, 2 EDITION, VOL 1 PAGES 221-222) Exhortation: For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee. (Psalm 84:11-12) For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:4,9) Have a blessed day and keep shining for King Jesus. Maranatha!!! To join our growing Bible study class, just send a hello to our whatsapp number +233243105287. You will then be receiving our Bible studies right on your mobile phone. Do not hesitate to send us your Bible questions, prayer requests or issues requiring direct counselling. From: Samuel Nyarko Speaker/Director, White Throne Media
Posted on: Fri, 19 Sep 2014 20:03:59 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015