Quote:
Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa
In the light of the entirety of the Pauline epistles Romans 14 is dealing with those weak in the faith (immature) arguing their positions against the elders in the faith (mature). Paul wants the elders who are mature to guide the immature with patience. Not overwhelming them to the point of discouragement to the point of destroying what little faith they have left. Paul wants the elders to not use their freedom to the point where the weak brother is led astray. In Galatians 2:13, where Peter's hypocrisy in Antioch caused even Barnabas to follow him in avoiding Gentile believers, contradicting the Apostolic truth, until Paul confronted Peter publicly. In Romans 14, Paul is addressing elders on how to act with an around weaker believers. No where in the New Testament can we see were the Apostle believed we should be weak in the faith indefinitely. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. Paul taught those coming to the faith had it partially, knowledge was partial, the prophetic only could be understood partially. Yet, all the partial understanding becomes complete when we become an adult in Christ. We then see the full picture. The only thing which would cause even that little we had in the beginning to vanish away, would be the unwillingness of yielding to the love of God. Paul wanted the elders to work with the weaker saints with the love of God. Therefore helping them grow in strength and knowledge to fully mature adults. |
Matthew 13:11-13 explains that understanding the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven is a gift given to the devoted disciples of Jesus Christ but not others. This is why Jesus spoke in parables because the unwilling "see but do not see, and hear but do not hear to understand." This passage emphasizes a spiritual principle: those with a receptive sincere mind gain more knowledge, while the unreceptive lose what little they once had, explaining Jesus' use of stories to reveal truths to only the devote faithful while concealing them from the stubborn immature. The Apostle Paul explains how the love of God, charity works through the life of a disciple to bring them to full maturity
1 Corinthians 13:1-7. Paul starts off the chapter by saying even if he could speak with the language of man (elementary) and the language of angels (advanced) yet have not charity those languages are useless as white noise.
This is how Paul desired to have the elders in Rome to treat those who weren't yet mature as they were. Paul ends the chapter, using the same thought as Jesus in
Matthew 13:11-13. When Paul points out
1 Corinthians 13:8 that God's love/charity never stops, continues to reach for us and in us. Yet, if we refuse to allow God's love to work through us, the prophetic will stop, speaking in tongues will stop, knowledge will become useless. Knowledge, and the prophetic was partial with the younger saint, but when they become fully grown what they knew as partial knowledge would become complete. They would know as they are known. Paul finishes it with "when I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I stopped acting like a child.
Matthew 25:14-30 is the parable of the talents each individual is given a certain amount by the Master. All had increase their talents with profit. Yet, one individual never does anything with what he was given. He buries his portion. At the return of the Master the servant who buried what he was given is rebuked. The Master tells him "you wicked, lazy servant!" In
Matthew 25:28-29 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away." Paul in
1 Corinthians 13 applies the same thought of allowing God's gift to mature us, and increase us. Spiritual understanding and growth require receptivity, while refusal leads to loss, illustrating how those who use what they're given (faith, love, knowledge) receive more, while the unwilling or stagnant are diminished, this is the New Testament theme of stewardship and spiritual maturity.
Romans 14 Paul explains how the elders are to welcome the immature saint, but not to argue with them over their immature opinions, focusing on unity and mutual understanding rather than judging them to condemnation. Paul's main focus as always is to seek unity, fellowship and maturity. "This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ." The Apostle never intended for the saints to remain weak in faith, but to grow strong with the help of the elders and the leading of the Holy Ghost.
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