The Disputable Matters Romans 14:1-15:13 December 4, 2011 When our short-term mission team was in Bangladesh last month, I heard a story about one of the first men from a Muslim background who came to faith in Christ. So few Muslims had trusted in Christ that those Bengalis who were Christians were a little suspicious of him. Had this Muslim man really come to a genuine reliance upon Jesus for salvation? That man once attended a Christian conference where the meal one night included pork. As soon as this man saw the pork, he was hesitant. He had never eaten pork because Muslims don t eat pork. The others were watching him. This would be a good test to see whether he had really become a Christian and given up Islam. They took out their Bibles and turned to Mark 7:19 where it says that Jesus declared all foods clean. They encouraged him to eat up. If this man had truly become a follower of Christ, he would eat the pork. The next night that man arranged for the main course at the conference to include beef. The other people at the conference were horrified. Beef? We don t eat beef! The traditional Christian church in Bangladesh is made up of people who come from a Hindu background, and Hindus don t eat beef. The traditional Christians had carried that Hindu practice into their Christianity. When the believer from a Muslim background saw their reactions, he took out his Bible and turned to Mark 7:19 where Jesus declared all foods clean. He encouraged them to eat up! He wanted to see if they were truly Christians. You and I hear that story, and we just smile, don t we? It is so far removed from our experience. What s the big deal? But we have our own issues, don t we? Think about some of the things that we Christians disagree over. I came up with a list of activities that I ve heard Christians debate: Attending movies Watching television Playing cards Reading fiction Wearing make-up Piercing an ear (or some other body part) Getting a tattoo Getting a face lift Watching sports on Sunday Shopping on Sunday Going to a restaurant on Sunday Going to a restaurant that serves liquor Drinking wine Cooking with wine Using tobacco Drinking coffee Disco dancing Square dancing Any kind of dancing Being a Democrat Being a Republican Working out in leotards Swimming with members of the opposite sex Playing guitars in church Playing drums in church Playing any musical instruments in church Buying insurance Going to a psychiatrist And that s just a short list! While we are at it, let s think about other issues that we don t always see eye-to-eye on. Baptism Charismatic gifts Predestination The best Bible translation to use The interpretation of the days of Genesis 1 The role of women in the church Bible prophecy and the end times Throughout the history of the church followers of Christ have had their disagreements. Our modern debates are nothing new. Even Christians in the first century had their issues. In chapter 14 of his letter to the Romans we find Paul going into a lengthy discussion of what he calls disputable matters or doubtful things (NKJV) or opinions (NASB, ESV). This section starts at Romans 14:1 and it runs all the way through chapter 15 verse 13.
In first century Rome there are two issues being debated. What kind of food should a Christian eat, and what holidays should be observed? To the Christians who had come from a Jewish background those were not trivial issues! Jewish food customs and the observance of feast days were sensitive matters. They marked off the people of God from the surrounding pagans. To imagine that followers of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, would neglect those important customs why the idea is outrageous! These are not trifling matters! These are serious issues! It was interesting to see how you responded to those lists that I read a minute ago. You laughed at some of the things, but it got real quiet when I read some of the other things. Just like the Jewish Christians of the first century, we feel very strongly about some issues, don't we? Some we don't care much about, but we think that others are extremely important. That's why we need to understand this crucial teaching in Romans 14 and 15. The teaching of these chapters is vital to the life and health of the church. There are three major lessons that emerge from these chapters. Admit that there are disputable matters. First, we need to admit that there are disputable matters. Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters (Rom. 14:1). The assumption behind that instruction is that there are issues among Christians that can be disputed or debated. Not everything is debatable in the Christian faith (1 Cor. 15: 1-8; Gal. 16-9). Let s be quick to say that. Some truths are essential. Think of Paul s teaching in the first eight chapters of this letter to the Romans. He explains the good news about Jesus Christ and his death and resurrection. Paul would insist on the truth of what he teaches in those chapters. There are things in the Christian faith that non-negotiable. On the other hand, we need to recognize that there are things that are not essential. On those things it is OK to disagree with each other. Of course, the question is: How do you decide what s essential and what s not? Let me suggest three guidelines to you. These guidelines are not infallible, but I do think that they can help us. First, does the action or belief violate a direct teaching of Scripture? If it does not, then it probably qualifies as a disputable matter. Reading fiction, playing drums in the church, and drinking coffee no commands from God s Word are being violated in those activities. They qualify as disputable matters. Here s a second guideline for determining what is a disputable matter: Do Christians frequently dispute it? I realize that sounds kind of obvious, but it is worth considering. If Christians frequently debate a particular issue, then it is probably a disputable matter. That s not always true. Christians sometimes debate things they shouldn t. But, in general, if things are frequently debated, then the issue is probably a disputable matter. That guideline leads to a third one: Have Christians debated this issue over a long period of time? It s here that church history can be so helpful. Think about baptism. That s not a new issue. For centuries Christians have held different views on baptism. It is extremely unlikely that we are going to settle it now once and for all. It is a disputable matter. We need to recognize and admit that. Arrive at your own conclusions. So what should we do with disputable matters once we admit that they exist? In Romans 14:5-9, Paul teaches that you and I should arrive at our own conclusions. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind (Rom. 14:5). Arrive at your own conclusions. I want to emphasize that. Just because there are disputable matters, it does not mean that you should not have any opinion on them. On the contrary, you should be "fully convinced" in your own mind.
Let's take the subject of alcoholic beverages. (Now the room gets quiet.) Is this a disputable matter? Have Christians disputed it frequently and over a long period of time? Yes. Does the Bible give directly address the subject? Psalm 104:15 describes wine as a gift from God "that gladdens human hearts. But Proverbs 23:31-32 give us a warning. "Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper." What do you do with those two different teachings? I don t see any way to make an airtight case from the Bible either for or against alcohol. But does that mean that you shouldn't come to any conclusion at all on the subject? No! Be fully convinced in your own mind! With alcoholism being the problem that it is in our society, and with the tragic consequences that it can bring, you need to know where you stand on that issue. Search the Scriptures on all that the Bible says on this subject. Listen to other Christians and the reasons for the conclusions that they have come to on this subject. Proverbs 15:22 says, Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Listen to others and learn from them. And then make up your own mind. Because if you don't, someone else will pressure you and will make your decision for you. And that may lead to a lot of problems! Arrive at your own conclusions. Allow others to live according to their convictions. The Bible says that we should admit that there are disputable matters and that we should arrive at our own conclusions. It also says that we should allow others to live according to their convictions. Paul repeats that instruction several times in our Scripture reading. 1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.... 4 Who are you to judge someone else s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.... 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God s judgment seat.... 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another.... (Rom. 14:1, 4, 10, 13a) All of us probably agree with that in principle. But it is hard to live it out. Life is easier if the people that you regularly associate with agree with what you believe and do. Isn t that true? I know that s true in my life. Several years ago I spent a month and a half in Scotland. The Christians I was living took a very strong stand on what a Christian should do and should not do on Sundays. They took a much firmer position on that subject than I do. That made me feel a little uncomfortable. Is was a little threatening. It made me wonder if I had been sinning all these years by doing some of the things that I do on Sunday. Have you ever had that same kind of experience? We all naturally like people to confirm us in what we believe and do. So when some Christian comes along who challenges us, our natural tendency is to push that person away. Of course, we would never admit that we re doing that, but we can do that, can t we? Yet here in Romans 14 and 15 God is asking us to live with our differences and not judge each other. That s a challenge. Let s not underestimate it. Every now and then someone will say to me, Pastor Fred, I don t always agree with what you say in your sermons. That s OK. I m your pastor not your Master! I am your pastor, and I do hope that you will give serious consideration to what I preach. But more than that I hope that what I say will drive you back to God s Word so that you will study for yourself what the Bible teaches. If you arrive at conclusions that are based on your study of God s Word but that differ from my conclusions, I ll be glad at least, I ll try to be glad to let you live according to your convictions. (And I hope you will also allow me to live according to mine.) I think of a little prayer that Peter Marshall, the former chaplain of the United States Senate once prayed. He said, Lord, where we are wrong, make us willing to change; where we are right, make us easy to live with.
The Evangelical Free Church of America This morning we ve considered three important principles. Admit that there are disputable matters. Arrive at your own conclusions. Allow others to live according to their convictions. I want to conclude by pointing you to a modern application of what this passage teaches. I m referring to the Statement of Faith of the Evangelical Free Church of America. I was not raised in the Free Church. In fact, I didn t know anything about the Free Church until I went to seminary. It was there that I first got acquainted with this denomination. One of the things that impressed me with the Free Church was its Statement of Faith. Our church stands for something, and I am glad of that. We have a ten point doctrinal statement that explains our theological convictions. We believe that these teachings are important. We do not follow the modern tendency of our culture that implies that anything goes as long as you use the words God and Jesus and love. There is more to the Bible s message than those three words. We do stand for something, but at the same time the Free Church does not spell everything out. For example, the first point of our Statement of Faith says, We believe in one God, Creator or all things... We do not believe that this world came about by mindless chance. We believe that God created this world! But the Free Church does not specify any one particular interpretation of the days of Genesis 1. On that particular issue we know that Christians of equal commitment to God s Word have come to different conclusions, so we leave that open. Our Statement of Faith says, We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments,... [and is] the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. We believe in the inspiration and authority of Scripture, but we do not require the use of just one Bible translation. Thank God that we have lots of good Bible translations. Our doctrinal statement says that we believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service. We do believe in the Holy Spirit and his work in our lives, but we do not take a stand either for or against the charismatic gifts of the Spirit. There s a little phrase that is often used in the Free Church to describe this aspect of our Statement of Faith. It s the significance of silence. 1 We are silent about certain issues that Christians often disagree over. That silence is deliberate. It is also significant. It is a conscious decision on the part of the Evangelical Free Church that we are not going to divide over disputable matters. We are going to focus on what is crucial and then lovingly feel free to disagree on other issues. Centuries ago a German pastor memorably summarized the idea with these words: In essential unit; in non-essentials liberty; in all things charity. That s a good summary of Paul s teaching in Romans 14. Let s make it our goal to live by those principles both as individuals and as a church. This sermon was preached at the Evangelical Free Church of Bemidji on December 4, 2011 by Dr. Frederic M. Martin.!"#$%&'%(
Evangelical Free Church of America Statement of Faith Adopted by the EFCA National Conference on June 26, 2008 The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of autonomous churches united around these theological convictions: God 1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory. The Bible 2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises. The Human Condition 3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed. Jesus Christ 4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus Israel's promised Messiah was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate. The Work of Christ 5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation. The Holy Spirit 6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service. The Church 7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer. Christian Living 8. We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God s Word, the Spirit s power, and fervent prayer in Christ s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed. Christ s Return 9. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission. Response and Eternal Destiny 10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.