Romans 14:1-12

As you can tell from the reading of the passage, the Christians at Rome were “quarreling over disputable matters” (v. 1). One group of people was treating the other with contempt, and that group of people was judging the other (v. 3). And this could have resulted in rival factions in the church (think of what we read in the opening chapters of 1 Cor) or it could have resulted in the different groups meeting in separate house churches (cf. Rom 16; geography vs. affinity).[1]

Paul, therefore, seeks to heal this division with the truths of the gospel. As we get close to the end of this book, let’s not lose sight of what Romans is all about: the gospel, which is the power of God that brings salvation to Jews and Gentiles alike [both] (1:16). The gospel has saving power, and the gospel has unifying power. As one author puts it, “’Justification by faith’ includes ‘fellowship by faith.’”[2] Therefore, let’s use this passage to answer the question, how does the gospel heal our divisions in the church?

[1] Moo, Romans, NICNT, 847; Wright, “Romans,” in NIB, 10:732.

[2] Wright, “Romans,” in NIB, 10:733.