Disagreeing with Grace (Romans 14:5)

Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from radical.net. Romans chapter 14, verse five, one person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike, each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
– Romans 14:5

This is such a great chapter. And a great picture in the Bible that depicts Christians, followers of Jesus who love God and His Word. Christians that have different convictions on minor issues in this case, whether to esteem one day as better than another. And likely this is a reference to the Sabbath, but it’s not the only example that Romans 14 gives. It talks about how some people have convictions about not eating certain foods. And other Christians might not have the same convictions about whether to eat those foods or not. And it’s good for the body of Christ, for brothers and sisters in Christ to be able to disagree on those things. It is good to be convinced in their own minds, to have conviction.

It’s not that these things aren’t important. I almost expect Paul in these areas of disagreement to say, “Hey, it’s just not that big a deal. You don’t even need to be that convinced about what you believe.” Instead, he says, “You need to be fully convinced”. Know what you believe and have firm conviction on these issues. But realize these issues are not at the same level as so many other things.

Romans 14:5 advocates for gospel unity.

He’s talking about unity in the gospel, the good news of Jesus’s death on the cross as a propitiation for our sins. His substitutionary sacrifice in our place for our sins; that’s a truth we’re convinced of. We live for this, and die for this. That’s the truth that unites all followers of Jesus. The gospel, the authority of God’s Word, the clear, direct commands that we have in God’s Word; those unite us.

But whether or not to eat these certain foods, whether or not to esteem these certain days, followers of Jesus may have some differences about those things. And it’s okay. It is a sign of health to be able to disagree with other Christians about less important issues and still be able to love one another. And the whole tone in Romans 14 and Romans 15 is to welcome one another and prefer one another. It is to yield to one another and do whatever you can to honor one another.

This goes totally against the grain of the culture that I’m a part of in my country, and even in the church in my country. Here it’s so common for Christians to raise every issue to the same high level of importance. And then if somebody disagrees with you about that, then you attack them as if they’re almost not even a Christian.

Romans 14:5 calls for Christian unity amidst disagreement.

That’s wrong. That’s the way of this world to cancel and criticize each other like that. This is not the way of God’s people in God’s Word. And so I just want to pray for this kind of unity amidst disagreement in the body of Christ. And encourage us to cultivate a Romans 14 and Romans 15 attitude. Even amidst disagreement with other brothers and sisters in Christ on less important issues. That we would be able to love one another, bear with one another. And partner together in proclaiming what’s most important; the gospel and all that which is most clear and direct in God’s Word.

So we pray, God help us as Your Church to experience the unity You prayed for us, Lord Jesus, in John 17. That we might be one as You are One, as the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Help us experience You and the Trinitarian Oneness that You prayed for us to experience.

God, we pray for that over the body of Christ in our day. We pray for this over the Church for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to mark our relationships with each other. Especially amidst disagreements, just like we see in Your Word amidst disagreements between Paul and Barnabas, amidst disagreements in Your Church in Acts 15, and the way your Spirit brought about unity in Acts 15. The way Your Spirit brought about reconciliation between Paul, Barnabas and John Mark.

This verse calls us to set a Christian example for the world to see.

God, we pray for that kind of unity in Your Church today. Help us to be convinced in our minds how to live according to Your Word. And at the same time, on issues like these in Romans 14 in our day, to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ amidst disagreement.

To honor one another, to bear one another, and to live, to build up one another so that the world might see Your love in the unity of Your People, Your Church. God, we pray for that. We pray the world would see a different way to disagree in the Body of Christ, so that we can be united by the gospel that we give our lives for.

The good news that You have come to us in the flesh, Jesus, to live the life we couldn’t live and to die the death we deserve to die on a cross. And You’ve conquered sin and death and the graves through Your resurrection, so that anyone anywhere who trusts in You and turns from their sin will be forgiven of all our sin and restored a relationship with You forever, by grace, through faith in You alone. Jesus, help us to live, to proclaim this good news to the ends of the earth.

A Prayer for the Molesalam People

Help us to give our lives even when we have disagreements on lesser issues, to make this gospel known among all the nations, among the Molesalam people of India. For 93,000 Gujarati-speaking Molesalam men, women, and children in India. May they be reached with the gospel through the unity of Your Church on mission to them and thousands of other people groups like them. God, please, may it be so, just like You prayed, Jesus. May we experience the unity You’ve designed for us. That the world might know You have been sent by the Father to bring salvation from sin and restoration to God for anyone, anywhere who trusts in You. May it be so. God, we pray all this according to Your Word in Romans 14:5. In Jesus’ Name, in the Name of the One who makes us brothers and sisters, family united in You. Amen.