Romans pt 8: On Christian Constraints and Freedoms (Ro 14:12-23)

Jan 25

by Tommy Preson Phillips

Do we as Christians live by Constraints, or by Freedoms?

"If anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died" (Ro 14:14–15).

Having freedom usually means that you are in the majority in some way; the more ways that you are a minority, the less freedoms you actually have. Just because you have freedom to do something as a majority doesn’t mean that you can disregard the conscience of another. (1) That is what Paul calls a stumbling block.

Paul had to address this in the church in Corinth as well:

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others” (1 Co 10:23–24).

So with that verse, Paul addresses one of the main arguments that the strong have against the weak: “I have the right to do anything within the bounds of my convictions.” Paul's reply is, “of course you do, but if you are seeking your own good over and against the good of others, you aren’t being Christlike.” So there is a balance in the Christian life, and wisdom dictates that we should not act selfishly to fulfill our own desires but rather the spiritual health of the whole.

James D.G. Dunn says:

“The liberty of the Christian assembly should be able to embrace divergent views and practices without a feeling that they must be resolved or that a common mind must be achieved on every point of disagreement. Indeed, one of the central tenants of the early church was its ability to sustain a diversity of opinion and lifestyle within its walls. Grace is what is required for our common life together.” (2)

Why did Paul use Their Labels?

This question arises quite naturally in your mind when you begin to understand the context of this letter. The labels seem problematic, even oppressive. So why would Paul use these labels if they were pejorative?
Also: “Did Paul approve of these labels? Why/why not?”.

Labels are framing devices, they both identify and then define those who use them. Labels almost always originate with the majority because they have the most power in any given situation. Obviously, the majority are unlikely to refer to themselves as the weak ones, they would much more likely pick something that paints themselves in a good light, we know this because we see politicians doing this all the time, giving their side rosy labels and giving the other side pejorative labels to dissuade people from associating with them. And so the majority labelled themselves the strong, and labelled their opponents the weak. (3)

Here’s is what I believe Paul is doing:
I don’t think Paul approves of these labels, but I believe he uses them in order to disrupt their arguments and dismantle the label.

Paul is a man who constantly has his feet in different worlds; Technically, he is a member of the Weak because he is Jewish. But in 14:14, Paul identifies with the Strong on eating meat sacrificed to idols. This would make the strong happy because Paul has high status in the community, and its like when evangelicals realize that a professional athlete goes to church. It's the same reason that a 22-year-old man who played in the NFL is likelier to be on the platform at an American church than a woman with a PhD in Theology - it is less about doctrine than status - and I believe that Paul uses the language of the gentiles because typically if you don’t speak the language of the majority, and if you don’t identify with them somehow, then your words have a high likelihood of being rejected and even suppressed.

Paul adopts the label of the Strong, and then he submits to the weak in order to show the strong what strength actually looks like.

In the Roman Empire, just like in the American Empire, strength speaks. Strength and Power are displayed through coercion and force. But in the kingdom of God, strength and power are displayed in weakness, in the cross of Christ, and in the cross-shaped acts of those who follow him.

Discussion Questions:

How did Jesus display this posture for us?
How can we who have more power than others in the community use that power in a way that lifts up the powers amongst us?
Have you ever seen someone give up their power and humble themselves in order to bring healing to others? What did that look like?