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Disputable Matters

             Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 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. (Romans 14:1-4)

                When Paul wrote this, it was common for the meat that people served to have been sacrificed to some god, including God. Some people thought that it was evil to eat meat sacrificed to any god except God. It’s not quite the same thing, perhaps, but would you eat a meal that was prepared in honor of Adolph Hitler, Jeffrey Dahmer, or the leader of the political party you don’t prefer? And, as with all things human, I’m sure the question grew into a conundrum. Keep in mind that we’re not talking about the question of whether Jesus is Lord, or how one is saved. What do we do about those evil people who think it’s acceptable to ______? And what do we do about those evil legalists who demand that those who _____ be cancelled?

                First, we need to define what is, and what is not, “disputable matters.” And the eating of meat sacrificed to idols is the first example given. The second is sacred days. Two more modern issues that could probably fit into this category are speaking in tongues and worship music. Non-disputable matters would include: the triune nature of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:3–4), justification by faith alone (Eph 2:8–9), and the authority of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16–17). Under the authority of Scripture, we must include its authority in matters of sin. We must study Scripture to discover what issues it calls us to hold no matter what. On those matters, we must stand firm.

                In other matters, we are to study Scripture as well, but while we must hold to what we believe to be true, we’re not to attack those who disagree. Discuss the issue? Yes. Argue? If it can be done politely and lovingly. But in the end, we must agree to disagree. This is what community does.

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