1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. (Romans 14:1–3, NKJV)
There are quite a number of folks who try to insert questions of morality and doctrine into Romans 14. For them, “let each be fully convinced in his own mind” (verse 5) means you are at liberty to choose from a variety of studied views on topics of moral and doctrinal import. We can all be united, they say, by letting each one decide what is right for himself and herself on subjects like divorce and remarriage, drinking alcohol, immodest clothing, and many other such things, that, when taught or practiced, constitutes sin in the Scriptures. But, this is not at all the context and application of Romans 14. In this chapter, the items over which conscientious disputes are to cease are matters that, when practiced, do not produce sinful immorality or doctrinal error. We are to receive each other when our scruples of conscience differ over issues of liberty. These are “doubtful things” – not sinful things. If one can put moral and doctrinal differences into Romans 14, then God is made to have already “received” those in immorality and error (v. 3). That, He does not do; and neither must we (2 Jno. 9-11).
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