Yet, there is one kind of division that is more subtle and, in comparison, seems mild, perhaps even tolerable. Two or more people stand in agreement, but look down on those who do not agree with them. Everyone still meets together, worships together, works and eats together, but there exists an attitude of superiority on the part of some. Christians judge other Christians.
That was the kind of division that the Apostle Paul addressed in the church at Rome. (See Romans 14.) The issue was about eating meat that was unclean.
I don’t think we have judgmental attitudes in our day when it comes to food. However, Paul’s teaching can be applied broadly whenever an “Us & Them” attitude develops over matters of conscience. Consider Paul’s teaching and think about areas in which it might apply in your life or in your congregation.
Paul addressed the meat issue in verse two:
One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only.The one “who is weak” is not an immature Christian or someone about to turn away from Christ. The weakness refers to his conscience that causes guilt feelings if he eats the meat. However, others in the same congregation felt that they had the liberty to eat meat; no guilt.
For illustration purposes I'll use the terms carnivore and vegetarian, though they do not fit precisely. So, the carnivores looked down on the vegetarians thinking that they should just ‘get over’ their objection and join them in eating meat. However the vegetarians could not eat the unclean meat as a matter of conscience. Of course, the vegetarians, because of their strict moral belief, judged the carnivores, thinking the carnivores should give up meat to be righteous. Paul instructed:
The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him.An “Us & Them” atmosphere had developed in the church at Rome. It was a mild kind of division, but it was division and it was destructive.
Division diverts all attention to the problem. It causes a church to stagnate and lose effectiveness. Often outsiders know there are problems.
How did Paul resolve the problem in Rome?
He acknowledged that eating the meat was OK (v. 14). (Those silly vegetarians now know what is correct.) Problem solved, right? Wrong!
Knowledge was not the issue, but rather a moral conviction, i.e. the conscience. So in verse 21 Paul instructed:
It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.Paul instructed Christians that they must not violate their conscience. To do so is sin (v. 23). So, there is a responsibility for every Christian to insure that he does not cause a fellow Christian to stumble by violating his conscience.
Our elders need to be watching out for early signs of division. As a preacher, I want to keep us alert as a congregation so that we can each guard against division. Do you know where division starts???
Paul answered that question succinctly in a companion passage that also deals with division:
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
—1 Corinthians 8:1 (NASB95)
November 15, 2020
