Receive The Weak in Faith

Receive the Weak in Faith

No, not all Christians believe exactly alike.  By the grace of God we have an essential unity which does not necessitate an absolute uniformity.  About many things we agree.  We believe in the One True God, Jehovah; in the One Savior, Our Lord Jesus Christ; in the work of the Holy Spirit; in the necessity of repentance and faith in Christ for salvation; in the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, and in the other Cardinal doctrines which run as a common thread through the hearts of God’s people in generation after generation, binding them to one another.

About other things we may be convicted very differently “for one believeth that he may eat all things:  another who is weak, eatheth herbs….”  How then are we to deal with such diversity?  Paul’s initial answer in the first verse of this chapter is a good foundation for handling diverse convictions.  We ought to wisely, lovingly, and firmly fellowship with those who are weak in faith.  We need to employ the eye of Christian discernment concerning “him that is weak in the faith.”  We should discern that his weak person has an over abundance of self-induced convictions which may not have any genuinely strong basis in Scripture.  His weakness lies not in his lack of convictions but his excessive scrupulosity. Having a wise understanding of that, we employ the heart of Christian acceptance, and as Paul puts it, “receive” him.  That this person is somewhat eccentric in his beliefs ought not to put us off from the excercise of genuine Christian graciousness.  We ought to receive him with genuine Christ-like love.

Having said that, Paul hastens to add that this reception is “not to doubtful disputations.”  Here we must employ the hand of Christian discipline.  That we receive such a weak Christian as a brother in the Lord does not entitle him to overzealously propagate or obnoxiously declaim his peculiar views to the potential damage or division of the church.

Great understanding, gracious acceptance, and godly firmness will enable us to live together in harmony, while we remain in diversity.