Accepting the Weak for a Stronger Church - Part 3

When we are seeking to keep differences in minor areas of doctrine and practice from becoming WALLS between us in the church, the Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 14:

• ACCEPT one another into your hearts, as God does; and
• Don't CONDEMN one another, the Lord is both Master and Judge of you and your brother.

That is the first big principle Paul teaches.
The SECOND principle is found in vv13-23:

Don't TRIP UP your brother, BUILD him up!

• What is the STRONGER brother to do with his CONVICTION that he is free to do what the WEAKER brother believes he is forbidden from doing?
• He is to CONSIDER his WEAKER brother. He does this by asking:

-Will this distress or hurt my brother? What is HIS conviction in this matter? v.15a

-Could my actions (following my convictions of freedom) encourage my brother to do what he believes is wrong and thus cause him self-condemnation for not acting by faith? v.15b

-Am I encouraging my brother to condemn me by my actions? v.16

There are several COMMITMENTs the STRONGER brother will make, in love, as he considers his WEAKER brother:

• He will do what pleases His Master and his brother by concentrating on what is of TRUE VALUE in the Kingdom of God: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. He will not make the badge of his Christian freedom eating and drinking (v.17). He will use his freedom to SERVE HIS BROTHER IN LOVE (Galatians 5:13).
• He will pursue what BUILDS his brother UP, v.19.
• He will RESTRICT his freedom, when he is in the presence of his weaker brother to what his brother would approve of. v.21
• He will keep his CONVICTIONS to himself when with his weaker brother, not pressuring him to change to please the STRONGER brother. v.22

A couple of important principles to close with:

• Be sure that you are convinced in your mind and comfortable in your conscience before you do whatever you do. v.5
• If you cannot do something by FAITH that it is right and pleasing to the Lord, if it causes you to DOUBT, DON't DO IT! It would then be sin. v.23

The overarching principle in all of this relating to one another with our differences is:

LOVE.

The STRONGER brother who supposedly has the greater knowledge and understanding is therefore responsible to show the GREATEST love! With clarity comes responsibility.