Twin City church of Christ Blog
“Sept 9, 2024 - When Opinions Differ”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsWhen Opinions Differ
Reading: Romans 14:1-4
Paul turns his attention in this section to the difficulty of Jews and Gentiles living together in the Christian community in Rome. There seem to have been strong differences based on the diets and religious calendars the people observed before becoming Christians. “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions”(Rom 14:1). “Welcome him” means that our general posture is one of acceptance of our brothers despite the fact that we do not agree on every opinion. “One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables”(Rom 14:2). I believe Paul is referring particularly to Jewish Christians who still hold the kosher laws, struggling with the idea that Jesus frees them to eat all foods.
Paul’s instruction is twofold. “Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him”(Rom 14:3). When opinions differ, the one who feels free to eat should not “despise” the one who abstains. This would mean looking down on him simply because he believes eating is wrong. Meanwhile, the one who abstains is not to “pass judgment” on the one who eats. This would mean condemning him as if he has done evil simply because he does not hold my view. When opinions differ, despising and judging are inappropriate and destructive.
The entire Roman letter has been building to this point. Paul has stressed throughout that both Jew and Gentile are under sin, saved by grace (not their own works), and grafted together as God’s people. Where we were different, we are now one in Christ. Yet even now, we will not always agree. God wants us to welcome one another and show kindness and respect despite our differences of opinion. We must learn to distinguish between matters of faith and matters of opinion—and learn to accept others who think differently than we do.
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One Thing to Think About: Why do I struggle accepting others whose opinions differ from mine?
One Thing to Pray For: Willingness to accept others—and a place where I am accepted—despite differences over opinions
