Romans: Laying a Solid Foundation

The Bible Teacher's Commentary

Paul J. Bucknell

on Romans 14:1-6

Paul J. Bucknell

The Conflict

Romans 14:1-23 Intro | Romans 14:1-6 Conflict | Romans 14:1-2 Accept Others
Discerning Moral and Amoral Issues
Romans 14:3-4 Pride | Romans 14:5-6 Conscience
Romans 14: 7-12 Accountability | Romans 14:13-23 Love
Video Podcast | Bible Study Questions | Romans 14:1-23 Handout

Purpose

Romans 14:1-6 The Conflict provides an outline for Romans 14:1-6 to help carefully understand the importance and meaning of Paul's argument. These verses are often used out of context. Part of The Bible Teacher's Commentary on the Book of Romans.

Romans 1-6 - The Conflict

Not only is this first section, 14:1-6, shaped by the command in verse 1, but the whole chapter is. “Accept the one who is weak in faith.” In fact there are three various commands mentioned in verses 1-6.1 They set the foundation of all what Paul says in Romans 14.

• (1) Accept those who are weak in faith (14:1-2)
  

• (2) Not regard those who eat with contempt (14:3-4)
  

• (3) Be fully convinced in his own mind (14:5-6)

"1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One man has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 Let not him who eats regard with contempt him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him.

4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God” (Romans 14:1-6).

He defines, expands and defends how the ‘strong’ are to accept the ‘weak’ in faith. The person who finds freedom in his conscience to treat all food and days alike is ‘strong’ not ‘weak’.

This person must be careful to accept the weak in faith though no one is to be critical (i.e. of others).

Application

Attitudes are important. Many of us, however, have never learned to hold positive attitudes toward those that we differ towards. Because of this, we end up disdaining the ones we disagree with rather than praying for and building up those that we disagree with.

• Do you usually get negative thoughts about those that disagree with you? Explain.

Continue on to a closer examination of Romans 14:1-2 Accepting Others

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