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May 27th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Romans 14:1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.

Divisions in churches have existed since the Church began. Among the earliest divisions concerned certain Christian freedoms with regard to eating (14:2), observing some days as holier than others (14:5), and drinking (14:21). Although there were some Christians who understood their freedom in Christ and had no restrictions on their behavior that the Scriptures did not address, others, for whatever reason, put themselves under great restrictions while judging all those who did not. Addressing this issue in 14:1, Paul’s explanation proceeds through 15:13.

There are a handful of viable options as to who the “weak” were in v. 1. Most likely, Paul is referring to Jewish Christians who, having been saved out of some of the ritualism of the Mosaic Law, were struggling to understand their freedom in Christ with regard to certain foods and holy days (cf. 15:8-12). These issues were quite prevalent in the early Church (cf. Mark 7:19; Acts 10, 15; Gal. 2:11-15), and they created tensions with the “strong” Christians (cf. 15:1), namely those who possessed a more clear understanding of their freedom in Christ. Notwithstanding, this “strong” group was prone to scorn their weaker Christian brothers, prompting Paul to address the issue. There may have even been rival congregations within the city of Rome and elsewhere.

The Greek term “weak” (Gr. astheneō) is used throughout the Gospels for physical sickness. Yet in Acts and the epistles it is also used for a fragile faith or a frail conscience (cf. Acts 20:35; Rom. 6:19; 14:1; 1 Cor. 8:9-12). Figuratively, it is used in reference to those who are spiritually slow, fearful, or timid (2 Cor. 11:21; Jas. 5:14), namely those who doubt, hesitate, vacillate, or whose minds are easily disturbed (Rom. 14:2, 21; 1 Cor. 8:9, 11-12). Paul’s use of the word in Romans 14-15 falls into this figurative category, specifically for those whose Christian faith was not as mature as those who understood their freedom in Christ as Paul and others did. In this it is clear that Paul is indeed speaking to Christians, for within the Church there are both strong and weak believers. Both must deal appropriately with the other, for unity is of utmost importance, beginning with stronger Christians accepting their weaker Christian brothers, not judging them.

The term “accept” (Gr. proslambanō) in 14:1 is a present imperative verb, a command for continual action to unite with weaker Christian brothers in spite of difficulties. Welcome them! Yet welcoming them must never be for the purpose of “passing judgment” (Gr. diakrisis) on them. Elsewhere in the NT “passing judgment” is used for discerning truth from error in various teachers (1 Cor. 12:10) and distinguishing “good from evil” (Heb. 5:14). Paul, however, is using the word in a more negative sense, namely to not quarrel or dispute about “opinions”— thoughts, or reasonings. In short, accepting and welcoming weaker believers into one’s home was to be for Christian fellowship, not as a ruse for arguing a weaker brother into greater maturity per se.

In Paul’s context, those “weak” in faith are not weak in their Christian faith; instead, they lack assurance in what their saving faith permits them to do. Since it is clear in epistles like Galatians that Paul staunchly opposed a false gospel that required rituals (e.g., circumcision) for salvation., that is not Paul’s concern here. If it were, Paul would have certainly condemned such.

Food For Thought
It seems clear that Paul preferred weak believers (those given to rituals and legalism) to become strong believers (those who understand their liberty in Christ). Yet he never condemns the weak; rather, he promotes unity. Let us recall this each time we scorn those we deem as weak. There will always be folks in the church who condemn alcohol, dancing, public schools, etc., and there will always be those who try to fix them. Yet our task is to accept one another.