“Everybody likes Lance,” Jessalyn thought as she flipped through a magazine. “He’s so popular at school, and he gets along with Mom and Dad much better than I do. Even Tobin likes Lance better than me.” As Jessalyn turned the page, three-year-old Tobin came over and pulled at her arm. “Play with me,” he begged.
“No,” answered Jessalyn crossly. “Play by yourself.”
“Jessalyn!” Mom called from the back yard. “Come help me weed the flower beds.”
Jessalyn left Tobin and went out on the patio. “Do I have to?” she whined.
“Yes, you do,” replied Mom, so Jessalyn unwillingly joined her mother in the garden. “You can start over there,” said Mom, pointing to the end of a row.
Jessalyn pouted as she slowly pulled weeds. She swatted at a mosquito. After a little while, she noticed a ladybug on one of the plants. “Look, Mom,” she said. “A ladybug. Should I whack it?”
“No!” said Mom. “Ladybugs are our friends. I read somewhere that they eat harmful insects that destroy crops. The article said they’re sometimes caught and shipped to farmers and fruit-growers all over the world and then released in the fields and orchards. We need them!”
“So mosquitoes are just pests, but ladybugs are popular because they’re helpful?” asked Jessalyn. Mom nodded.
Just then Lance stepped out on the patio. “I finished cleaning the garage, Mom,” he called out. “Tobin wants me to take him to the playground. Is there something else I should do, or is that okay?”
“That’d be great!” said Mom. “Thanks, Lance.”
“Mom, why does everybody like Lance so much?” asked Jessalyn as she watched her brothers start down the sidewalk.
“Well . . . why do you think?” replied Mom.
“I guess because . . .” As Jessalyn hesitated, she saw another ladybug. “Because he’s helpful and does nice things for people,” she decided. “He’s like a ladybug, right?” Mom nodded. “I’ll tell him that,” said Jessalyn with a grin. “Do you think he’ll like being compared to a ladybug?”
Mom laughed. “He probably wouldn’t mind, once you explain it.”
“I wouldn’t mind,” replied Jessalyn. “It’s better than being a mosquito.” She thought to herself a moment, then smiled at Mom. “I’d better get back to pulling these weeds!”
The apostle makes a surprisingly strong affirmation of his conviction that in the matters he is discussing there is nothing fundamentally right or wrong about the meat or the day. But if the other person has a strong conscience about the wrongness of participation in the meat or the rightness of recognition of the day, then to that person it is a matter of right or wrong. From a purely biblical point of view, it is not possible to argue the “teetotal” position. If a person feels that partaking of alcoholic beverages is wrong, then it would be wrong for him to partake. But he cannot and must not impose that view on his brother. At the same time, it would be wrong for the brother who has no scruples in this matter to bring pressure to bear on his more scrupulous brother. When understood, the apostle’s words are clear in their direction.
The word “destroy” means to tear down or to keep something or someone from reaching its potential. A lack of love and care for another can cause them to engage in behaviour that wounds their conscience and keeps them from growing spiritually. By the apostle’s definition the strong person is the one who is free in areas of God-given freedom and sees no need to build regulations around his freedom, while the weak brother is the one who feels that he needs help in the area of freedom and adds principles which of themselves may be quite right but which are not biblical in origin.
A Christian’s testimony can be hurt if what he or she does in the name of good is spoken of as evil by others. Paul is not recommending surrendering one’s freedom but using it wisely. The believer’s focus should be on the values of the kingdom of God, not worship styles or modes of dress. The Enemy does all he can to drive people toward division. The Spirit drives God’s family toward unity. Meanwhile the brother who has scruples must live within his own limits because if he contravenes them, he must remember “he who doubts is condemned if he eats”. The inevitability of differences and the possibility of controversies in the Christian church can be viewed either positively or negatively. Paul teaches the Roman believers that they must allow for differences, but they must avoid division. In summary, they must commit themselves to working in love to produce a unified body that demonstrates the diversity of God’s wonderful handiwork.
Paul is talking about “the work of God” in another person’s life. Every believer is “His workmanship created in Christ Jesus,” not to be destroyed or frustrated by another believer’s lack of love or self-control. Christians should use their freedoms to advance the work of God in others’ lives.
If we are not sure that something we would like to do honors God—if we cannot do it in faith—then we should refrain. If we do, we will violate our consciences, experience guilt, and perhaps be driven back into deeper legalism instead of moving toward freedom. A weak believer may be hurt when he sees a brother do something he believes is sinful. But still worse, the strong believer may cause his weaker brother to violate his own conscience. Love will ensure that the strong Christian is sensitive and understanding of his brother’s weaknesses. When unbelievers see a strong Christian abusing his freedom in Christ and harming a weaker brother, they will conclude that Christianity is filled with unloving people, which reflects badly on God’s reputation. The strong believer maintains a healthy conscience because he does not give a weak believer a cause to stumble.
More mature Christians are sometimes tempted to flaunt their knowledge or faith. Paul’s advice is to keep it between oneself and God. Paul’s words in Galatians 5:13 are a good summary of his whole argument in Romans 14:” Do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
(An audio version of this message can be found by clicking this link: Romans 14 verses 14-23 The Strong Help the Weak)
Bibliography
- Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1564)
- Briscoe, D.S., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 247-249)
- Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
- MacArthur, J. F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
