What does "God has accepted him" teach about God's view of believers' differences? Setting the Scene • In the Roman house churches some believers felt free to eat all foods, while others—often those from Jewish backgrounds—restricted their diet. • Paul calls these conflicting practices “disputable matters” (Romans 14:1) because Scripture had not bound the New-Covenant believer to one side. • Into that tension Paul writes: “The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who does not eat must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him” (Romans 14:3). The Phrase in Focus: “God has accepted him” • “Accepted” translates a word meaning “to welcome warmly into fellowship.” • It is past-tense and completed—God already performed this welcoming act. • The basis is Christ’s finished work, not the believer’s diet, calendar, or culture. What “Accepted” Reveals about God’s Heart • God values unity in essentials and freedom in non-essentials. • He looks at the heart, not the menu (1 Samuel 16:7). • Differences in secondary matters do not jeopardize our standing with Him. • Each believer answers ultimately to the Lord, not to fellow Christians (Romans 14:4). • Acceptance is covenantal, not conditional; it rests on grace, not performance. Implications for Our Differences Today • Despising or judging a brother over secondary practices insults God’s prior acceptance. • The church becomes a mosaic, not a monotone—diverse ethnicities, traditions, and consciences fit together under one Savior (Galatians 3:28). • Spiritual maturity shows in the ability to hold convictions without demanding uniformity. • Our common ground is Christ’s lordship; everything else finds its proper place beneath that banner. Echoes in Other Scriptures • Romans 15:7 — “Therefore accept one another, just as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.” • Acts 10:34-35 — God “shows no favoritism.” • 1 Corinthians 8:8 — “Food does not bring us nearer to God.” • Ephesians 2:19 — We are “fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household.” Living Out God’s Acceptance • Welcome brothers and sisters whose worship styles, cultural habits, or minor doctrinal positions differ from yours. • Speak of their faith with respect; God calls them “accepted.” • When conscience clashes occur, pursue peace and mutual edification, not victory (Romans 14:19). • Let every interaction answer one question: “Does this mirror the way God received me in Christ?” |
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