As students of Christian Theological Seminary you know how important it is to dive into the word of God. Keeping in the spirit of acquiring knowledge, we wanted to take a closer look at Romans 14:5, our Verse of the Month!
“One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.” Romans 14:5 NIV
Historical Background
Most scholars agree that the epistle was likely written by the apostle Paul sometime between 56-57 AD, a time of significant transition. From Judea to Rome, the world was changing. In a city as large as Rome, it was inevitable that people of different backgrounds and cultures coming together under one religious banner would have disputes. Before these conflicts could start, Paul wrote to the Roman church, providing instruction on how all these various people should come together in the most important ways.
Context
Romans Chapter 14 focuses on the contrast between those who were weak in their faith with those who are strong. Those who are strong are characterized as having a clearer understanding of Christian doctrine and are encouraged to be patient and understanding when interacting with those who are still growing in their faith. When issues arise over matters that do not affect the integrity of Christian doctrine, such as the consumption of certain foods or honoring specific days as holy, Paul encouraged believers both weak and strong to be united.
What We Learn
Verse 5 tells us that in matters that aren’t paramount to the foundation of Christian doctrine, there are bigger issues at play. While the conscience isn’t the last word on judging right and wrong, the Bible recognizes it as a gift from God. Violating one’s conscience is a sin like any other. That doesn’t mean that wrong actions committed with a clear conscience suddenly become right, but it does mean that as Christians we should be aware of how we interact with one another. If someone considers Saturday to be a holy day and another Sunday, it wouldn’t do to fight and rage about who is wrong or right. The important thing is unity in Christ.