Peace!

Romans 14:1-12 (King James Version)

 1Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 

5One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

 7For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

 10But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

 11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

 12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

Having put up with Paul’s letter to the Romans a dozen Sundays, from June 28 and all through the summer, our last reading from Romans is at hand. Most of Paul’s letters are fairly straightforward and fathomable. Romans can be difficult at times. Being, many scholars say, his final letter, and his only one to a church he did not establish and whose people he does not know personally -- and also having preached his gospel to the Gentiles for a while and having had time to develop his own views -- Romans is more sophisticated theologically than his other writings.

And yet, Romans is still and nevertheless, like Paul’s other correspondence, an “occasional” letter. Paul knows that there are both Jews and Gentiles in the church in Rome. Evidently he has heard that there is friction among them, arising from their different backgrounds. Everyone doesn’t see things the same way, everyone isn’t following the same rules and practices. The Gentiles will eat anything, the Jewish members eat only Kosher. The Jews insist on strict observance of the Sabbath; to the Gentiles one day is like another, open the shop and do business. Each side is certain that they are right and that the other side should adopt their view. They are squabbling among themselves about who is correct.

Ever the gentle encourager, Paul tells them that it’s perfectly fine for people to have different views on such things. Some come from one cultural heritage, some from another. He urges them not to criticize and judge each other. It’s alright to have different views and practices, but under God they are united, they are all one people. 

Paul’s words that were so apt for Christians in Rome two thousand years ago seem just as appropriate for us today. Christians differ among ourselves. Different churches have different views and practices, different views of the Bible, different views on Baptism, different views and customs about the Lord’s Supper, both observing it and the theology of it. Some wear vestments, some don’t. Some ordain women, others not. Among different churches, and within churches, there are differences about gay people. Paul at Romans 14 encourages us to live with our differences and not let them stir dissension and division.

With 9/11 coming up, Paul’s exhortation might have even wider application than just among Christians, eh?

Peace! After T. S. Lee, seaweed and Peace.

TW+