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The early Roman church consisted of both Gentiles and Jewish converts to Christianity. It is in this context that the Apostle Paul addresses the conflict between the ‘weak’ and the ‘strong’ in Romans 14 and 15. In the church in Rome, there seems to be a tendency for those with a better understanding of the Christian gospel to be impatient with the inhibitions of the ‘weak’ (e.g. abstaining from certain foods or the religious observation of days) as legalistic bondage. On the other hand, the ‘weak’ could be condemning the ‘strong’ for their behaviour (e.g. not abstaining from certain foods) which seemed to be lawless license to them. Hence Paul addresses these critical practical issues in order that the believers will not undermine the growth of the Body of Christ in Rome.
Inherent in our fallen state is the tendency to pass judgement rather than to love and encourage one another in the church. Followers of Jesus Christ, however, are called to relate to one another in a radically different way – the way of love. Paul is not satisfied at just telling members of the Roman church to stop judging each other; he tells them to go the extra mile and abstain from practices which might place obstacles in the pathway of a fellow ‘weak’ believer. Hence the well being of the Christian brother/sister takes precedence over the simple enjoyment of food and drink.
In all of this, Paul points all parties to Jesus Christ who, in His ministry, accepts both the ‘weak’ and the ‘strong’. Paul attempts, in his letter to the Roman church (Romans 1-11), to convey the true understanding of God’s righteousness. When we have this understanding of God’s righteousness, we can live out Jesus’ love in our daily lives. How are we doing as a church in Katong today in the practical working out of our Christian faith? We are to “love one another” and “encourage one another” in the maturing process of each other in our common life of faith in Jesus Christ. Then the non-Christian relatives and friends who are around us will notice “how they love one another” and want to turn to Jesus Christ for salvation.
