Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 1 of 5

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-03-08

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver introduces a series on avoiding conflicts between Christians, focusing on Romans 14:1-3. He emphasizes that conflicts arise from differing degrees of faith and maturity among believers. The sermon outlines three key principles: recognizing varying degrees of faith, receiving weaker brethren with love and patience, and avoiding arguments over disputable matters. Practical Christian living must be rooted in sound doctrine, and believers are called to minister to one another according to their spiritual maturity, just as Christ received us.

[John Weaver] Let's open our Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Romans chapter 14. Romans chapter 14. I want to bring a brief series, and I say brief, it will probably be at least three messages, maybe four, but at least three, on the subject of how to avoid conflicts between Christians. How to avoid conflicts between Christians. Obviously, today will be an introduction, and we're going to cover several important points. However, next week, next Sunday, Lord willing, I want to bring a message. It's still going to be by the same title, How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians, but I'm going to show you the uselessness of arguing and having internal problems. So I would encourage you to Be faithful for each of these three Sundays. Notice, if you would please, Romans chapter 14 verse 1 and 2. In fact, we'll read through verse 3.

[John Weaver] Him that is weak in the faith, receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him.

[John Weaver] Now, conflicts are inevitable simply because we're sinners. However, we need not have them as frequently as we do, nor do they necessarily need to be as complex as they are, and they would never be as complex as they are if we would simply follow the clear teachings of Scripture upon the issue. The Apostle Paul gives us many principles by which we're to conduct our lives, and you have to remember Circumstances change, feelings change, but principles never change. Principles do not have funerals. Principles do not die.

[John Weaver] When you come to the Book of Romans, you have to understand that the Book of Romans is basically divided into two sections. The first section, which is chapters 1 through 11, is doctrinal. The second section, which is chapter 12 through 16, is practical. And I want you to understand, I want to emphasize this point, that the Apostle lays out doctrine first and then he lays out the practical application. So what the Apostle Paul is trying to teach us is a very simple concept and that is that practical Christian living is always based upon doctrine.

[John Weaver] Let me say this another way. It is impossible to live biblically, to live holy and godly without understanding doctrine and its applications. One of the reasons there's so much loose living today and so much ungodly conduct even among professing Christian people is because there's a lack of doctrinal teaching and doctrinal understanding as well as application. I want you to hold Romans 14, we're coming right back there.

[John Weaver] But look in your Bibles to 1st Peter chapter 1, I'm sorry, 1st Timothy chapter 1. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 3. 1st Timothy chapter 1, and look in verse 3. Look what the apostle Paul said. I want to point this out, I've pointed it out previously, but it's very important that we get this one principle. 1st Timothy chapter 1, verse 3, Paul writes Timothy, And he said, I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some, that they teach no other doctrine. Literally he is saying that they teach not heterodoxy, but orthodoxy. In other words, there's one doctrine, and that is biblical doctrine.

[John Weaver] And then he says in verse 4, Neither give he defables, and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith so do." Now look at verse 5.

[John Weaver] Now the end of a commandment is charity or love out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. Now I want you to see what the Apostle Paul tells Timothy. He said in verse 3, he was charging him that he might charge some that they teach no other doctrine. Why did he only want biblical true doctrine taught? Now when you skip down to verse 5, he says now the end of the commandment is. What commandment? Then you have to go back to verse 3, the word charge. The Greek word is perigaleos, which is also translated commandment. So he's commanding Timothy to command others that they teach only biblical doctrine. When you understand that only biblical doctrine is to be taught, then you come down to verse 5. He tells you the end or the result of that commandment. He said the result of that commandment of teaching pure doctrine is charity out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, out of faith unfeigned or unhypocritical. So to understand the true outcome of biblical doctrine, you have to turn that upside down.

[John Weaver] Real, pure, biblical doctrine produces first, an unhypocritical faith. Secondly, it produces there a good conscience. And thirdly, it produces love out of a pure heart. So, what the apostle is teaching us here again is, that if you understand biblical doctrine, if you base your life upon doctrine, Biblical doctrine, inevitably, you're going to be living a holy, godly, obedient life. Now, I understand that there are a lot of people in churches that have made a profession of faith who are not possessors of faith. They're just there. They're lost. They're lost church members.

[John Weaver] That's all there is to it. They have never, ever been converted. However, There are an awful lot of real genuine Christians in many churches that just simply never been taught. They're absolutely totally ignorant of biblical doctrine and how to apply it to their lives. You will never live a godly life without understanding doctrine. You will never live a godly life without applying that doctrine to your everyday life.

[John Weaver] Now this is what the Apostle Paul is trying to teach us in Romans chapter 14. He's showing us the absolute importance of doctrine that is already laid out in chapters 1 through 11. And he comes to verse 1 of chapter 14 and he says, him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. Do you realize what the Bible says concerning the wicked in Romans 3 and verse 19?

[John Weaver] Let me just quote it. The Bible says the wicked does not know the way of peace. But then on the other hand, in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 15, the Bible teaches us that God has called us to peace. Well, if God has called us to peace, we should be living in peace. And living in peace, is accomplished by living biblically. Okay? We have to work our way through Romans chapter 14 and observe and learn the truths that the Apostle Paul gives us that teach us how to live peaceably with others. So in verse 1 again, Paul says, him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations.

[John Weaver] I only want to give you about three things today, but they are very, very important. First of all, as you look at verse one, the very first thing that you are to learn is there are degrees of faith. Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. You know, we have a tendency to think, well, saving faith is saving faith. And it is true, if one has saving faith, he is saved, period. But the Bible teaches that there are also degrees in faith. And the problem that drew the Apostle Paul's attention in Romans chapter 14 was a problem that arose because there were some who were strong in faith and some who were weak in faith and there was contentions and there were conflicts arising.

[John Weaver] And these problems and these conflicts did not arise over strong doctrinal issues like the person and work of Christ or the inspiration and veracity of scripture, no. Rather they arose over differences of understanding and differences of enlightenment.

[John Weaver] Now, if there is a weak faith, then obviously there has to be the opposite, a strong faith. If there is a weak faith, and if there is a strong faith, then obviously there must be varying degrees of faith in between those two extremes. And of course, the Word of God teaches there are those varying degrees of faith. In fact, if you'll look in your Bibles, to Romans chapter 4 at verses 19 through 21.

[John Weaver] Let me show you what the Bible just says concerning Abraham. How it gives a negative and then a positive concerning his faith. Romans chapter 4 beginning there with verse 19. Watch carefully, Romans 4 verse 19 talking about Abraham. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he

[John Weaver] had promised he was able to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to note how there is a negative in verse 19, and being not weak in faith, so he was not a person with a weak faith, And then there is the positive that he was strong in faith in verse 20. So you have obviously a weak faith and a strong faith. When you look back at Romans 14 and verse 1, God says, but he that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations. Verse 2, For one believeth that he may eat all things, he's the strong brother. Another, who is weak, eateth herbs." So obviously, there is a weak and there is a strong. If you look in Romans 15 in verse 1, we'll come back there later. But the apostle says, we then that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves. Now right now, I'm just trying to show you how obviously, there is indeed a difference between the weak and the strong.

[John Weaver] And I will put this out. First Corinthians chapter eight always also deals with this issue between the weak and the strong. And we will probably get to look at that passage at least in the third message. And just to show you the source of some of these conflicts. So now, if we understand that there is varying degrees of faith, that all men do not have the same light, nor do they have the same amount of light, nor do they have the same light or the same amount of light at the same time.

[John Weaver] If we really understand that, then we don't necessarily expect everyone to understand exactly what we do, believe exactly the way we believe, act exactly the way we act, or even talk and think the way we talk and think. In other words, there are varying degrees of faith.

[John Weaver] Now, whole Romans 14, but look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2, and I want to just show you how clearly the Bible teaches these varying degrees of faith. Notice if you would, 1 John chapter 2, beginning there with verse 12. The Apostle John writes and he divides these believers into three groups. 1 John 2 and verse 12, he says, I write unto you little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I write unto you fathers, because you have known him, that is from the beginning. I write unto you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you little children, because you have known the father. I have written unto you, because you have known the father. I have written unto you fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one. Now I want you to note how John divides believers.

[John Weaver] He divides them into three categories to young children or babes, to young men and to fathers. Now everyone in this room understands that little children differ from young men and young men differ from the fathers. We understand that the understanding and the attitude of a two-year-old child is different from the understanding and attitude of a 19-year-old young man. And we also understand that the understanding and attitude of a 50-year-old man is different from a 19-year-old young man. One does not expect a little child to act like a teenager, to talk like a teenager, to think like a teenager. And one does not expect a teenager to walk, talk, and think like someone that's 50 or 60 years of age. It's absolutely impossible.

[John Weaver] And what John is telling us right here is this. There are different degrees of understanding. Different degrees of faith. It may be saving faith. You may have that childish faith. Or you may have the faith of a young man. Or you may have the faith of an old man. The childish faith is known just simply for its simplicity. You no doubt heard about the pastor, I forget which one it was now, prayed for rain because there's a drought going on. As he started out the door, his little daughter, who was five or six years of age, who had prayed with him, as he started out the door, she said, Father, aren't you going to carry your umbrella? I mean, that was her simple faith. We prayed for rain, you better carry your umbrella. It's going to rain. So obviously, here's the child in his simplicity. Here's the young man in his energy and his strength. And here's the father in his experience and his wisdom. So there are varying degrees of faith. Varying degrees of attitudes and understandings.

[John Weaver] And I might point out that the children and the young men should always seek to be taught by the fathers. When John divides these believers into children and young men and fathers, the children are what you and I would call mere novices in Christianity. They're babes in Christ. They may understand some of the rudiments of the doctrine. They may understand some basic fundamentals of the Bible, but they don't really understand the totality of everything. The young men, as I pointed out, are noted for their zeal and their strength. They're eager to serve and they've got all kind of zeal and all kind of energy. But you notice the apostle also talks about some who have a zeal without knowledge. But young folks are known for their zeal and energy. And yet the fathers are known for their faith and their experience. They're the old heads. They're the old disciples.

[John Weaver] Luke wrote in Acts 21 verse 16, I want you to just listen. Acts 21 verse 16, Luke wrote and he said, there went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea and brought with them one nation of Cyprus, an old disciple with whom we should lodge. He was known as an old disciple, which means probably he was a father in the faith. And it's those old, mature, and fatherly disciples that are to teach us and to lead us.

[John Weaver] So, the Apostle John makes these distinctions. Babes, young men, and fathers.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look in John 21, our Lord himself teaches this, and he's talking to Peter. Look in the book of John, chapter 21, and begin there with verse 15. John 21, verse 15. Look what our Lord says. John 21, verse 15. So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He said unto him, yea, Lord. Thou knowest that I love thee.

[John Weaver] He, that is Christ, saith unto him, feed my lambs. He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He said unto him, yea, Lord. Thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus said unto him, Feed my sheep.

[John Weaver] John 21, verses 15 through 17. Now, let me ask you a question. Jesus told Peter, first of all, if he loved him, to feed his lambs. Then the next two times, he said, if you love me, feed my sheep. Here's my question. Are lambs different from sheep? And the answer is yes. They may be a sheep, but they are baby sheep. One is a baby and immature.

[John Weaver] The other is an adult and mature. Let me ask you, do you feed a baby lamb differently than you do an adult sheep? And the answer is yes. Very clearly, yes. One never expects a lamb to act like a sheep, because the lamb is a baby. And there would be something seriously wrong if a sheep began to act like a lamb. You don't ever expect a sheep to act like a lamb. No. There's a difference. One's a child, one's an adult.

[John Weaver] There are different levels of maturity. Now, I want you to see how our Lord still emphasizes this. So turn in the book of Mark. Mark chapter 4, and look if you would please at verse 28. Mark 4, verse 28.

[John Weaver] I'm just showing you there are varying degrees. Life may be there. Saving faith may be there. But there's still varying degrees. Look what our Lord says in Mark 4 in verse 28. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

[John Weaver] Now, our Lord is giving us the different levels of maturity using grain or a garden. Here's an example. A number of you folks have already planted your gardens. And if you put that seed in the ground and the Lord waters it with rain, after five or six, seven or eight days, the next thing you see is that little shoot coming up out of the ground. When you see that little shoot coming up out of the ground, how many of you run out and harvest your garden at that point? Nobody. Nobody. And even when that little shoot becomes a plant and you see the blooms or the little beginning of fruit on those vegetables, how many of you run out and harvest them at that particular time? No, you don't.

[John Weaver] You wait until there is full corn in the ear. So when you look at the plant, you can tell there are varying degrees. There are different stages. If you and I can recognize that there are varying degrees and different stages in plant life, if we understand there's varying degrees and different stages in animal life, if we recognize and understand there are different stages in human life, babes and young people and fathers, why cannot we understand that there are varying and different degrees of maturity in Christian people?

[John Weaver] Not everyone has the same amount of understanding. Not everyone thinks alike. Why should we therefore expect everyone to think like we think and to understand the way we think? Do you recognize the fact that there are not only differences spiritually speaking, there are differences culturally, emotionally, educationally, There are even differences among personalities. A northerner may be a genuine and sincere Christian and we must receive such a one as a brother in Christ. However, there are real cultural differences between a northerner and a southerner. There are real cultural differences between a Westerner and an Easterner and a Southerner. In other words, we have to take all of these differences into consideration. Because all of these differences can create conflict.

[John Weaver] All my life I've been raised, if you're not 15 minutes early, you're late. Some of you folks in here just marched to the beat of a different drummer. The way I was raised is totally different from the way you were raised. All of this can be a source of conflict. One of the major areas of which conflicts arise is what is known as Christian liberty or over things that are indifferent.

[John Weaver] I want you to note what the Apostle Paul said. Look back in your Bibles, Romans 14 in verse 1, and let me begin by emphasizing this. He says, him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. The question must be asked, what are we to do with those who are weak in the faith? They're oftentimes obnoxious, temperamental, foolish, and even childish in the things of faith.

[John Weaver] What in the world are we to do with them? Well, the Apostle Paul tells us exactly what we're to do. After we recognize there are varying degrees of faith, here's the second thing, receive them. Him that is weak in the faith, receive you. In other words, we are to receive them as weaker brothers. He says we're to receive them but not to doubtful disputations. We're to receive them and treat them exactly like they are, like brothers, like fellow believers. Now the word receive is a very interesting word.

[John Weaver] It is pros lambano in the Greek. Pros is a preposition which means to or toward. Lambano is the verb which means I take. So it literally means to take to or toward oneself. It has the implication then of taking one and receiving one into his home with kindness, friendship, and fellowship. It also has the implication of taking one into one's heart and receiving him into his heart.

[John Weaver] The word implies a real fraternal love, affection, which is demonstrated by attitude and action. And the apostle is telling us we must admit the weaker brethren into our society fellowship and receive them kindly in love and without a cold and harsh rebuke. It is very easy for you and I to receive people that we agree with and that we like or who are notable in the cause of Christ. Do you know there was a man by the name of Epaphroditus who worked with the Apostle Paul? And he worked so hard that he actually made himself sick. And the Apostle Paul had to send him back to the Philippians. And I want you to listen to what Paul wrote in Philippians 2 and verse 29. When Paul sent Epaphroditus back, he told the Philippians, receive him therefore the Lord with gladness.

[John Weaver] and hold such in reputation. Receive him in the Lord with gladness and hold such in reputation. There's not a one of us, if the Apostle Paul was alive today, who would not gladly receive him into our homes. Or the Apostle Peter. Or Luke. Or Mark. Even prominent preachers today, we would receive them in our home with gladness. It's easy to receive someone that we like, someone that we agree with, or someone that is notable. It is not quite so easy to receive someone that ticks you off all the time. You know what the Apostle Paul said to Philemon? You remember, and I preached on this in the last year or so, Onesimus the runaway slave When the Apostle Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon, he wrote this, Whom I have sent again, thou therefore receive him, that is mine own vows. In other words, you treat him just like you would treat me. You receive him just the way you would receive me. Paul said, Onesimus is my spiritual child. And if you love me, You will receive him exactly the same way that you would receive me.

[John Weaver] Did you know that there was one man in the Bible who was so wicked, so vile, so contemptible, that one of his flagrant sins was a failing to receive the brethren. If you look in your Bibles to 3rd John, 1st, 2nd, 3rd John, there's only one chapter there, So I want you to look in verse 10, 3rd John, and verse 10, and look if you would what the Bible says about diatrophies. 3rd John, verse 10, John writes, in fact let's read verse 9, okay, just so you can see it here. John wrote, I wrote unto the church, but diatrophies, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. wouldn't even receive the Apostle John.

[John Weaver] Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words. He lied, he slandered, he rebuked them. And not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. So here, Deuteronomy is loveth to have the preeminence. Did you know that the word preeminence only occurs two times in the New Testament. The first time it occurs is found in the book of Colossians chapter 1 concerning Christ, that in all things He might have the preeminence. Now says,"...who loved to have preeminence." In other words, He would usurp the position of Jesus Christ. Why? Because He was forbidding those in the church to receive the brethren who would. He was acting as if he was Lord of the church. He would not even receive the Apostle John. Nor would he allow anyone else to receive the brethren as well. So what the Apostle Paul is telling us is this. We have to receive the weak brethren and treat them as true believers.

[John Weaver] We cannot deny them fellowship. And we cannot deny them friendship. Just simply because they're weaker brethren. And I can hear some of the objections right now. Because someone can say, but you don't understand, Pastor, how childish they are, how judgmental they are, how so ignorant they are. And I just don't have the time and I just don't have the patience to answer all of their stupid questions and try to establish a friendship with them. They're always asking questions, they're always bothering me, hindering me, and stopping me from serving the Lord. That's an interesting concept. You're so busy serving the Lord, you don't have time to minister to His people.

[John Weaver] You ought to ask Alice how many times I'm interrupted a day by telephone call or by people coming out to see me. And by asking me questions that I've answered a thousand times. You know what we've forgotten? We have forgotten that the way to serve the Lord is to serve His people. To minister to His people. Hebrews 6 and verse 10, listen carefully. For God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love and your work and your labor of love which you have showed toward His name in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister. Did you hear that? For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and your labor of love which you have showed toward His name in that you minister to the saints and do minister." Have you ever stopped to think that God has sent someone your way for you to teach them and for you to minister to them?

[John Weaver] And I'll tell you what I have found. I found when I'm studying hard, and you know, I've got a deadline and I've got to get this out, and all of a sudden someone comes up or I get a phone call, and some of my phone calls are well over five minutes, usually an hour, hour and a half minimum. I found when I stop and I minister to the saints the way I should, God always aids me, God always assists me, He always helps me make up the time that I thought that I would lose by ministering to those people.

[John Weaver] He allows things to come easier, more quickly, and with less difficulty. Why? Because God is not going to be any man's debtor. And if you minister to Him by ministering to His people, however weak they are, however ignorant they are, God's always going to make it up to you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans 15 and look at verse 7. And I understand the time and the patience and the work and the labor involved in ministering to weak, ignorant saints. I understand that. But look at Romans 15 and verse 7. Look what the Scripture says. Wherefore, receive you one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

[John Weaver] Now I have a question for you. Are you not glad that God had time to receive you and your ignorance in your obnoxiousness, in your stubbornness, and in your sin. You weren't born perfect. And you didn't come to God through Christ perfect. You had your problems. You had your hang-ups. You had your idiosyncrasies. And what does he say in verse 7? Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God. How are we to receive each other? Exactly the way Christ received us to the honor and glory of God.

[John Weaver] He patiently, consistently drew you to Himself and convicted you and taught you Irrespective of your childless excuses and your rebellion." In other words, he took time for you. So he tells us we have to take time for the brethren. It's just that simple. Him that is weak in the faith, receive you. And we're to receive each other exactly the way Christ received us to the glory of God.

[John Weaver] Now there's another aspect of receiving each other. Let me point this out. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10 and look at verse 41. Matthew 10 verse 41. Look what he says. Matthew 10 verse 41. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. How many of God's saints are righteous? All of them.

[John Weaver] Does it matter if they're weak? Does it matter if they're strong or in between? So if we receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, we're going to receive a righteous man's We're not going to lose our reward if we take the time and be patient and receive them the way that we should.

[John Weaver] Now, look at Matthew 18 in verse 5. And I want you, as you turn to Matthew 18, go ahead and turn over to Mark chapter 9 as well. Mark chapter 9, we're going right there next. I do not have time to go over all the context of these right now, but look in Matthew chapter 18 and verse 5. And our Lord said this, And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

[John Weaver] Now he took a little child here to use as an illustration, but later on he's talking about God's children, he's talking about all. of the saints. He said, and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. So if Christ knocked on your door and wanted to come in and spend an hour or two with you and ask a few questions, would you allow him to do that? Would you stop from your busy work schedule and allow him? Sure you would. Well, what if it's a weak saint who just has to have some questions answered? Our Lord said if you receive one of these little babes, you receive Him.

[John Weaver] Now look in Mark chapter 9 and verse 37. Let's go a little further. Our Lord said it like this. Mark 9 verse 37. Whoso shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me. And whoso shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me. So our Lord says it like this, if you receive that weak child in my name, you're receiving me. And you're not just receiving me, you're receiving him that sent me, that is my father.

[John Weaver] So we need to understand that when God sends the weaker brethren our way, often the ones who irritate us the most and can't see and can't understand, which I'm going to deal with next week, We're to receive them and to be patient with them and to teach them and to help them because we're to receive them even as Christ received us for the glory of God the Father. Let me tell you something, folks.

[John Weaver] It is hard and it is difficult to start all over. You say, what are you talking about preacher? You ought to visit some of the churches that I have visited. Some would say, Brother Weaver, we need you to come be our pastor. You know what I think? Oh Lord have mercy. I don't have 40 more years to bring you folks up to speed. That's my thought. It's just like, Alice and I laugh, and some of you may not think this is funny, but we get to laughing. I'm so glad I don't have to start out getting married and breaking somebody else in all over again.

[John Weaver] And she's the same way. You know, you think of Clay and Jennifer. Look at everything they've got to face and go through. And I'm so thankful I don't have to do all that. You know, I'm just saying. You reach a point in life when, you know, you don't want to start over. And it's difficult, it's hard. And yet, what you have to do when you have a new babe in Christ, You have to start all over.

[John Weaver] Because he's not going to understand a thing that you say if you try to talk to him on a fatherly basis. For instance, when Clay's and Jennifer's child gets here, the first thing I want to do is hold that child in my arms and I want to teach him about covenantal theology. And I'm going to explain the differences between dichotomy and trichotomy and infralapsarianism and supralapsarianism. Do you think he's going to understand that? No. If I hold that child, I'll probably be saying goo goo ga ga just like that's all he can say. So you can't start out with a child talking like a mature adult.

[John Weaver] You have to come down and put it on their level, period. I'll explain that. Notice if you would, Romans 14 verse 1. Watch carefully. Romans 14 verse 1. First of all, we understand there are varying degrees of faith. It's saving faith, but it's from weak to strong and everything in between.

[John Weaver] Secondly, we have to receive each other because Christ, for God's sake, hath received us. And thirdly, he says in verse 1, him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations. In other words, we must not argue, fight, or bicker. We're not talking about major Bible doctrines. We're talking about disputations that arise over a number of things. Without endorsing C.S. Lewis, I want to give you one quote from his book, Mere Christianity. He says this, one of the things Christians are disagreed about is the importance of their disagreements. When two Christians of different denominations start arguing, It is usually not long before one asks whether such and such a point really matters. And the other replies, matter? That's absolutely essential. And it's not just different denominations. It's Christians with different views on different subjects. It's absolutely amazing how you and I wish to determine for ourselves what is important and what is not important. It's interesting how we wish to determine for ourselves what is a matter of fellowship and what is not a matter of fellowship, instead of allowing God to do so.

[John Weaver] What the Apostle Paul is teaching us in verse 1 is we're not to receive the weaker brethren for the purpose of telling them off, straightening them out, and demanding that they grow up. That's like me walking up to a two-year-old child and saying, grow up, dummy! How can he? How can I expect him to go from a two-year-old to a 50-year-old instantly. It's impossible. That's like me going out to a lamb and saying, all right, by tomorrow I want you to be a sheep. Doesn't work that way.

[John Weaver] I can go to my garden all day long that Alice planted. I can go to that garden all day long and say, I want a watermelon tomorrow. It doesn't work like that. I can't demand that those plants produce. And if you and I come to a weaker brethren with a mightier-than-thou attitude, or you'd better listen to me, buster attitude, we're not going to help them. We're going to harm them. We're going to harden them. And we're going to drive them away in their ignorance. The Apostle Paul says, yes, we receive them, but we receive them into our company to converse, to have communion with them, to deal with them, to teach them, to help them. We treat them as brethren in Christ. We treat them as equals in Christ with all possible endearments. We're not there to quarrel. We're not there to argue. We're not there to be divisive. We're there to help and administer to them. I want you to listen to what Albert Barnes wrote on verse 1 of Romans 14.

[John Weaver] He said this, Do not admit him to your society for the purpose of debating the matter in an angry and harsh manner, of repelling him by denunciation, and thus by the natural reaction of such a course confirming him in his doubts. Or no, do not deal with him in such a manner as shall have a tendency to increase his scruples about meets, dates, etc. The leading idea here which all Christians should remember is that a harsh and angry denunciation of a man in relation to things not morally wrong, but where he may have honest scruples, will only tend to confirm him more and more in his doubts. To denounce and abuse him will be to confirm him. To receive him affectionately, to admit him to fellowship with us, to talk freely and kindly with him, to do him good, will have a far greater tendency to overcome his scruples.

[John Weaver] And questions which now occur about modes of dress, about measures, about means of promoting revivals, about rites and ceremonies, this is by far the wisest course. If we wish to overcome the scruples of our brethren and induce them to think as we do. In other words, he's saying we must deal with him kindly and graciously. So the Apostle Paul says, him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not for doubtful disputations. So, today you must learn, number one, there are varying degrees in faith. Number two, God demands that we receive each brother in Christ, as long as he is a brother, regardless of where he is in the faith. And thirdly, when we receive him, it's not to argue, it's not to bicker, it's not to fuss, it's not to take a mightier than thou attitude and straighten him out. No, we will teach.

[John Weaver] but we cannot impatiently demand that he grow up instantaneously. When you stop and think, how long did it take you to get where you are in your Christian faith? You didn't get there overnight, I can assure you. Wherever we are, we are there only by the grace of God. Now, let me make some applications and I want you to think with me on these. The first one is this. We must learn to receive each other and to minister each other according to the stage at which one is in his Christian life.

[John Weaver] That means there are going to be some babes, there are going to be some young men, there are going to be some fathers. Not a person in this room would go to a six-month-old baby and give him a T-bone steak for dinner. First, he couldn't chew it.

[John Weaver] Secondly, if he could swallow it, he probably could not digest it. But what you're going to give that six-month-old baby is either milk or something very soft. You're going to feed that child according to his age group. Likewise, you have to learn to minister to each Christian to wherever he is in his Christian life. If he's a babe, if he's a young man, or if he's a father. If we wish to avoid conflicts, and if we wish to live peaceably with each other, And with other saints, we have to learn to recognize the varying degrees, to receive each other but not to doubtful disputations, and learn to minister to each other wherever they are in their Christian life. Okay? Here's the second application.

[John Weaver] Learning to receive those with whom we are impatient and easily irritated with should be a real challenge and enable us to grow in grace. It is hard, difficult, and laborious work to start at the beginning and go over everything in detail. I recently had someone at my home that we sat and discussed theology for hours till my voice was almost gone. I tried to help. I tried to teach. And there are several moments where I believe, you know, the light was beginning to break through.

[John Weaver] But did I see any fruit right then? The answer is no. No. Let me tell you about a learning experience that I had many years ago. I have taught from 4th grade all the way through college. And I remember my first year of teaching 4th grade, I had my 4th grade history book and the history book was about this thick. Three quarters of an inch at the most.

[John Weaver] And I thought, oh no. I'll be through with this book in two months. Then what am I going to do for the rest of the year? Well, my first week, I covered three chapters. And I gave my first quiz to all those fourth graders. And many of them were very bright. Out of all that class, every one of them failed the quiz. And I got to thinking, well it can't be the students, because I know most of them are really genuinely smart. It's got to be the teacher. So you know what I had to do? I had to go back, start on chapter one, and then it dawned on me I'm going to have to teach chapter one for two weeks. I mean, chapter one was something I could have comprehended and covered in 15 minutes. But those fourth graders could not comprehend it in a week. All I'm trying to show you is this. There has to be an understanding that if you're going to teach someone, You have to be patient. And they're not going to get it right away.

[John Weaver] And you'll have to go over and over and over and over the same material until it sinks in. I'll explain that more next week. The third application is we will never reach other saints by thinking that we can force them, overpower them, intimidate them, and harass them into believing correctly. I hope you know that each of us, each of us is still just sinner enough that if you try to force us, we're going to show you, and you're not going to do it. That's a fact. That's a fact, folks. You try to make me do something, and you're going to have a hard time.

[John Weaver] Especially if I don't want to. If you ask me, I'd probably do it. But if you try to force me, no. Same thing with believing. You try to force someone to believe something, no. Sometimes someone might say, well alright, I yield just to get out of there. But that doesn't mean you've taught them anything. It doesn't mean that they've really embraced what you're trying to say. And we're never ever going to get anywhere by quarreling, by bickering, by arguing. You're never going to do it.

[John Weaver] So he says, receive you one another, but not to doubtful disputations. So learn three things today. Number one, there are varying degrees of faith. Number two, we must receive every true believer no matter where he is. And number three, when we receive them, It's not to be to arguments and quarrels and bickerings. It is to minister to them and to build them up in the most holy faith.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your love. We thank You for Your mercy. And we pray that You will teach us, Father, and help us to be able to help others and to bring them into the fullness of faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. In whose name we pray, amen. Amen.

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 1 of 5

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	uEnyh2CQx_g
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-03-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 153: How to Avoid Conflicts — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	74

Formatted Transcript

Introduction to the Series and Text

Weaver introduces a series on avoiding conflicts between Christians, reading Romans 14:1-3 and noting that conflicts are inevitable but can be minimized by following Scripture.

Let's open our Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Romans chapter 14. Romans chapter 14. I want to bring a brief series, and I say brief, it will probably be at least three messages, maybe four, but at least three, on the subject of how to avoid conflicts between Christians. How to avoid conflicts between Christians. Obviously, today will be an introduction, and we're going to cover several important points. However, next week, next Sunday, Lord willing, I want to bring a message. It's still going to be by the same title, How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians, but I'm going to show you the uselessness of arguing and having internal problems. So I would encourage you to be faithful for each of these three Sundays. Notice, if you would please, Romans chapter 14 verse 1 and 2. In fact, we'll read through verse 3.

"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him." Now, conflicts are inevitable simply because we're sinners. However, we need not have them as frequently as we do, nor do they necessarily need to be as complex as they are, and they would never be as complex as they are if we would simply follow the clear teachings of Scripture upon the issue. The Apostle Paul gives us many principles by which we're to conduct our lives, and you have to remember: circumstances change, feelings change, but principles never change. Principles do not have funerals. Principles do not die.

Doctrine as the Foundation for Practical Living

The book of Romans is divided into doctrinal (chapters 1-11) and practical (chapters 12-16) sections, teaching that godly living must be based on sound doctrine.

When you come to the Book of Romans, you have to understand that the Book of Romans is basically divided into two sections. The first section, which is chapters 1 through 11, is doctrinal. The second section, which is chapter 12 through 16, is practical. And I want you to understand, I want to emphasize this point, that the Apostle lays out doctrine first and then he lays out the practical application. So what the Apostle Paul is trying to teach us is a very simple concept and that is that practical Christian living is always based upon doctrine. Let me say this another way. It is impossible to live biblically, to live holy and godly without understanding doctrine and its applications. One of the reasons there's so much loose living today and so much ungodly conduct even among professing Christian people is because there's a lack of doctrinal teaching and doctrinal understanding as well as application. I want you to hold Romans 14, we're coming right back there.

The Purpose of Pure Doctrine: Love and a Good Conscience

Using 1 Timothy 1:3-5, Weaver explains that teaching pure doctrine produces unhypocritical faith, a good conscience, and love from a pure heart.

But look in your Bibles to 1st Peter chapter 1, I'm sorry, 1st Timothy chapter 1. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 3. 1st Timothy chapter 1, and look in verse 3. Look what the apostle Paul said. I want to point this out, I've pointed it out previously, but it's very important that we get this one principle. 1st Timothy chapter 1, verse 3, Paul writes Timothy, and he said, "I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some, that they teach no other doctrine." Literally he is saying that they teach not heterodoxy, but orthodoxy. In other words, there's one doctrine, and that is biblical doctrine.

And then he says in verse 4, "Neither give heed to fables, and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith so do." Now look at verse 5. "Now the end of the commandment is charity or love out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." Now I want you to see what the Apostle Paul tells Timothy. He said in verse 3, he was charging him that he might charge some that they teach no other doctrine. Why did he only want biblical true doctrine taught? Now when you skip down to verse 5, he says, "Now the end of the commandment is." What commandment? Then you have to go back to verse 3, the word "charge." The Greek word is parangelias, which is also translated "commandment." So he's commanding Timothy to command others that they teach only biblical doctrine. When you understand that only biblical doctrine is to be taught, then you come down to verse 5. He tells you the end or the result of that commandment. He said the result of that commandment of teaching pure doctrine is charity out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, out of faith unfeigned or unhypocritical. So to understand the true outcome of biblical doctrine, you have to turn that upside down.

Real, pure, biblical doctrine produces first, an unhypocritical faith. Secondly, it produces there a good conscience. And thirdly, it produces love out of a pure heart. So, what the apostle is teaching us here again is, that if you understand biblical doctrine, if you base your life upon doctrine, biblical doctrine, inevitably, you're going to be living a holy, godly, obedient life. Now, I understand that there are a lot of people in churches that have made a profession of faith who are not possessors of faith. They're just there. They're lost. They're lost church members.

Degrees of Faith: Weak and Strong

Romans 14:1 shows there are degrees of faith; conflicts often arise between weak and strong believers over non-essential matters, not core doctrines.

I only want to give you about three things today, but they are very, very important. First of all, as you look at verse one, the very first thing that you are to learn is there are degrees of faith. "Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations." You know, we have a tendency to think, well, saving faith is saving faith. And it is true, if one has saving faith, he is saved, period. But the Bible teaches that there are also degrees in faith. And the problem that drew the Apostle Paul's attention in Romans chapter 14 was a problem that arose because there were some who were strong in faith and some who were weak in faith and there was contentions and there were conflicts arising. And these problems and these conflicts did not arise over strong doctrinal issues like the person and work of Christ or the inspiration and veracity of scripture, no. Rather they arose over differences of understanding and differences of enlightenment.

Now, if there is a weak faith, then obviously there has to be the opposite, a strong faith. If there is a weak faith, and if there is a strong faith, then obviously there must be varying degrees of faith in between those two extremes. And of course, the Word of God teaches there are those varying degrees of faith. In fact, if you'll look in your Bibles, to Romans chapter 4 at verses 19 through 21. Let me show you what the Bible just says concerning Abraham. How it gives a negative and then a positive concerning his faith. Romans chapter 4 beginning there with verse 19. Watch carefully, Romans 4 verse 19 talking about Abraham.

Scripture Reading — Romans 4:19-21

"And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he

Biblical Evidence for Varying Maturity

Scripture illustrates spiritual maturity levels: Abraham's strong faith (Romans 4:19-21), John's categories of children, young men, and fathers (1 John 2:12-14), Jesus' lambs and sheep (John 21:15-17), and the growth of grain (Mark 4:28).

Scripture Reading — Romans 4:19-21

"And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he

had promised he was able to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness." Now I want you to note how there is a negative in verse 19, "and being not weak in faith," so he was not a person with a weak faith, and then there is the positive that he was strong in faith in verse 20. So you have obviously a weak faith and a strong faith. When you look back at Romans 14 and verse 1, God says, "but he that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations." Verse 2, "For one believeth that he may eat all things," he's the strong brother. "Another, who is weak, eateth herbs." So obviously, there is a weak and there is a strong. If you look in Romans 15 in verse 1, we'll come back there later. But the apostle says, "we then that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves." Now right now, I'm just trying to show you how obviously, there is indeed a difference between the weak and the strong.

And I will put this out. First Corinthians chapter eight always also deals with this issue between the weak and the strong. And we will probably get to look at that passage at least in the third message. And just to show you the source of some of these conflicts. So now, if we understand that there is varying degrees of faith, that all men do not have the same light, nor do they have the same amount of light, nor do they have the same light or the same amount of light at the same time. If we really understand that, then we don't necessarily expect everyone to understand exactly what we do, believe exactly the way we believe, act exactly the way we act, or even talk and think the way we talk and think. In other words, there are varying degrees of faith.

Now, whole Romans 14, but look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2, and I want to just show you how clearly the Bible teaches these varying degrees of faith. Notice if you would, 1 John chapter 2, beginning there with verse 12. The Apostle John writes and he divides these believers into three groups. 1 John 2 and verse 12, he says, "I write unto you little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I write unto you fathers, because you have known him, that is from the beginning. I write unto you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you little children, because you have known the father. I have written unto you, because you have known the father. I have written unto you fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one." Now I want you to note how John divides believers.

He divides them into three categories: to young children or babes, to young men and to fathers. Now everyone in this room understands that little children differ from young men and young men differ from the fathers. We understand that the understanding and the attitude of a two-year-old child is different from the understanding and attitude of a 19-year-old young man. And we also understand that the understanding and attitude of a 50-year-old man is different from a 19-year-old young man. One does not expect a little child to act like a teenager, to talk like a teenager, to think like a teenager. And one does not expect a teenager to walk, talk, and think like someone that's 50 or 60 years of age. It's absolutely impossible.

And what John is telling us right here is this. There are different degrees of understanding. Different degrees of faith. It may be saving faith. You may have that childish faith. Or you may have the faith of a young man. Or you may have the faith of an old man. The childish faith is known just simply for its simplicity. You no doubt heard about the pastor, I forget which one it was now, prayed for rain because there's a drought going on. As he started out the door, his little daughter, who was five or six years of age, who had prayed with him, as he started out the door, she said, "Father, aren't you going to carry your umbrella?" I mean, that was her simple faith. We prayed for rain, you better carry your umbrella. It's going to rain. So obviously, here's the child in his simplicity. Here's the young man in his energy and his strength. And here's the father in his experience and his wisdom. So there are varying degrees of faith. Varying degrees of attitudes and understandings.

And I might point out that the children and the young men should always seek to be taught by the fathers. When John divides these believers into children and young men and fathers, the children are what you and I would call mere novices in Christianity. They're babes in Christ. They may understand some of the rudiments of the doctrine. They may understand some basic fundamentals of the Bible, but they don't really understand the totality of everything. The young men, as I pointed out, are noted for their zeal and their strength. They're eager to serve and they've got all kind of zeal and all kind of energy. But you notice the apostle also talks about some who have a zeal without knowledge. But young folks are known for their zeal and energy. And yet the fathers are known for their faith and their experience. They're the old heads. They're the old disciples.

Luke wrote in Acts 21 verse 16, I want you to just listen. Acts 21 verse 16, Luke wrote and he said,

Scripture Reading — Acts 21:16

"There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple with whom we should lodge."

He was known as an old disciple, which means probably he was a father in the faith. And it's those old, mature, and fatherly disciples that are to teach us and to lead us. So, the Apostle John makes these distinctions. Babes, young men, and fathers.

Now, if you look in John 21, our Lord himself teaches this, and he's talking to Peter. Look in the book of John, chapter 21, and begin there with verse 15. John 21, verse 15. Look what our Lord says. John 21, verse 15. "So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He said unto him, yea, Lord. Thou knowest that I love thee."

"He, that is Christ, saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He said unto him, yea, Lord. Thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus said unto him, Feed my sheep."

John 21, verses 15 through 17. Now, let me ask you a question. Jesus told Peter, first of all, if he loved him, to feed his lambs. Then the next two times, he said, if you love me, feed my sheep. Here's my question. Are lambs different from sheep? And the answer is yes. They may be a sheep, but they are baby sheep. One is a baby and immature.

The other is an adult and mature. Let me ask you, do you feed a baby lamb differently than you do an adult sheep? And the answer is yes. Very clearly, yes. One never expects a lamb to act like a sheep, because the lamb is a baby. And there would be something seriously wrong if a sheep began to act like a lamb. You don't ever expect a sheep to act like a lamb. No. There's a difference. One's a child, one's an adult.

There are different levels of maturity. Now, I want you to see how our Lord still emphasizes this. So turn in the book of Mark. Mark chapter 4, and look if you would please at verse 28. Mark 4, verse 28.

I'm just showing you there are varying degrees. Life may be there. Saving faith may be there. But there's still varying degrees. Look what our Lord says in Mark 4 in verse 28.

Scripture Reading — Mark 4:28

"For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."

Now, our Lord is giving us the different levels of maturity using grain or a garden. Here's an example. A number of you folks have already planted your gardens. And if you put that seed in the ground and the Lord waters it with rain, after five or six, seven or eight days, the next thing you see is that little shoot coming up out of the ground. When you see that little shoot coming up out of the ground, how many of you run out and harvest your garden at that point? Nobody. Nobody. And even when that little shoot becomes a plant and you see the blooms or the little beginning of fruit on those vegetables, how many of you run out and harvest them at that particular time? No, you don't.

You wait until there is full corn in the ear. So when you look at the plant, you can tell there are varying degrees. There are different stages. If you and I can recognize that there are varying degrees and different stages in plant life, if we understand there's varying degrees and different stages in animal life, if we recognize and understand there are different stages in human life, babes and young people and fathers, why cannot we understand that there are varying and different degrees of maturity in Christian people?

Receiving the Weak in Faith

Believers are commanded to receive weaker brethren with kindness and love, not for arguments, treating them as Christ received us (Romans 15:7).

What in the world are we to do with them? Well, the Apostle Paul tells us exactly what we're to do. After we recognize there are varying degrees of faith, here's the second thing, receive them. "Him that is weak in the faith, receive you." In other words, we are to receive them as weaker brothers. He says we're to receive them but not to doubtful disputations. We're to receive them and treat them exactly like they are, like brothers, like fellow believers. Now the word "receive" is a very interesting word.

It is proslambano in the Greek. Pros is a preposition which means to or toward. Lambano is the verb which means I take. So it literally means to take to or toward oneself. It has the implication then of taking one and receiving one into his home with kindness, friendship, and fellowship. It also has the implication of taking one into one's heart and receiving him into his heart. The word implies a real fraternal love, affection, which is demonstrated by attitude and action. And the apostle is telling us we must admit the weaker brethren into our society fellowship and receive them kindly in love and without a cold and harsh rebuke. It is very easy for you and I to receive people that we agree with and that we like or who are notable in the cause of Christ. Do you know there was a man by the name of Epaphroditus who worked with the Apostle Paul? And he worked so hard that he actually made himself sick. And the Apostle Paul had to send him back to the Philippians. And I want you to listen to what Paul wrote in Philippians 2 and verse 29. When Paul sent Epaphroditus back, he told the Philippians, "Receive him therefore the Lord with gladness."

"and hold such in reputation." Receive him in the Lord with gladness and hold such in reputation. There's not a one of us, if the Apostle Paul was alive today, who would not gladly receive him into our homes. Or the Apostle Peter. Or Luke. Or Mark. Even prominent preachers today, we would receive them in our home with gladness. It's easy to receive someone that we like, someone that we agree with, or someone that is notable. It is not quite so easy to receive someone that ticks you off all the time. You know what the Apostle Paul said to Philemon? You remember, and I preached on this in the last year or so, Onesimus the runaway slave. When the Apostle Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon, he wrote this, "Whom I have sent again, thou therefore receive him, that is mine own bowels." In other words, you treat him just like you would treat me. You receive him just the way you would receive me. Paul said, Onesimus is my spiritual child. And if you love me, you will receive him exactly the same way that you would receive me.

The Danger of Not Receiving Brethren

Diotrephes (3 John 9-10) is an example of one who refused to receive brethren, loving preeminence; receiving a weak brother is receiving Christ (Matthew 10:41; 18:5; Mark 9:37).

Did you know that there was one man in the Bible who was so wicked, so vile, so contemptible, that one of his flagrant sins was a failing to receive the brethren. If you look in your Bibles to 3rd John, 1st, 2nd, 3rd John, there's only one chapter there, so I want you to look in verse 10, 3rd John, and verse 10, and look if you would what the Bible says about Diotrephes. 3rd John, verse 10, John writes, in fact let's read verse 9, okay, just so you can see it here. John wrote,

Scripture Reading — 3 John 1:9-10

"I wrote unto the church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not."

wouldn't even receive the Apostle John.

Scripture Reading — 3 John 1:9-10

"Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words."

He lied, he slandered, he rebuked them.

Scripture Reading — 3 John 1:9-10

"And not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church."

So here, Diotrephes loveth to have the preeminence. Did you know that the word preeminence only occurs two times in the New Testament. The first time it occurs is found in the book of Colossians chapter 1 concerning Christ, that in all things He might have the preeminence. Now says, "...who loved to have preeminence." In other words, He would usurp the position of Jesus Christ. Why? Because He was forbidding those in the church to receive the brethren who would. He was acting as if he was Lord of the church. He would not even receive the Apostle John. Nor would he allow anyone else to receive the brethren as well. So what the Apostle Paul is telling us is this. We have to receive the weak brethren and treat them as true believers.

We cannot deny them fellowship. And we cannot deny them friendship. Just simply because they're weaker brethren. And I can hear some of the objections right now. Because someone can say, but you don't understand, Pastor, how childish they are, how judgmental they are, how so ignorant they are. And I just don't have the time and I just don't have the patience to answer all of their stupid questions and try to establish a friendship with them. They're always asking questions, they're always bothering me, hindering me, and stopping me from serving the Lord. That's an interesting concept. You're so busy serving the Lord, you don't have time to minister to His people.

You ought to ask Alice how many times I'm interrupted a day by telephone call or by people coming out to see me. And by asking me questions that I've answered a thousand times. You know what we've forgotten? We have forgotten that the way to serve the Lord is to serve His people. To minister to His people. Hebrews 6 and verse 10, listen carefully.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 6:10

"For God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love and your work and your labor of love which you have showed toward His name in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister."

Did you hear that?

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 6:10

"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and your labor of love which you have showed toward His name in that you minister to the saints and do minister."

Have you ever stopped to think that God has sent someone your way for you to teach them and for you to minister to them?

And I'll tell you what I have found. I found when I'm studying hard, and you know, I've got a deadline and I've got to get this out, and all of a sudden someone comes up or I get a phone call, and some of my phone calls are well over five minutes, usually an hour, hour and a half minimum. I found when I stop and I minister to the saints the way I should, God always aids me, God always assists me, He always helps me make up the time that I thought that I would lose by ministering to those people. He allows things to come easier, more quickly, and with less difficulty. Why? Because God is not going to be any man's debtor. And if you minister to Him by ministering to His people, however weak they are, however ignorant they are, God's always going to make it up to you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans 15 and look at verse 7. And I understand the time and the patience and the work and the labor involved in ministering to weak, ignorant saints. I understand that. But look at Romans 15 and verse 7. Look what the Scripture says. "Wherefore, receive you one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God."

Now I have a question for you. Are you not glad that God had time to receive you and your ignorance in your obnoxiousness, in your stubbornness, and in your sin. You weren't born perfect. And you didn't come to God through Christ perfect. You had your problems. You had your hang-ups. You had your idiosyncrasies. And what does he say in verse 7? "Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God." How are we to receive each other? Exactly the way Christ received us to the honor and glory of God.

He patiently, consistently drew you to Himself and convicted you and taught you irrespective of your childless excuses and your rebellion. In other words, he took time for you. So he tells us we have to take time for the brethren. It's just that simple. "Him that is weak in the faith, receive you." And we're to receive each other exactly the way Christ received us to the glory of God.

Now there's another aspect of receiving each other. Let me point this out. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10 and look at verse 41. Matthew 10 verse 41. Look what he says. Matthew 10 verse 41. "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward." How many of God's saints are righteous? All of them.

Does it matter if they're weak? Does it matter if they're strong or in between? So if we receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, we're going to receive a righteous man's reward. We're not going to lose our reward if we take the time and be patient and receive them the way that we should.

Now, look at Matthew 18 in verse 5. And I want you, as you turn to Matthew 18, go ahead and turn over to Mark chapter 9 as well. Mark chapter 9, we're going right there next. I do not have time to go over all the context of these right now, but look in Matthew chapter 18 and verse 5. And our Lord said this, "And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me."

Now he took a little child here to use as an illustration, but later on he's talking about God's children, he's talking about all of the saints. He said, "and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me." So if Christ knocked on your door and wanted to come in and spend an hour or two with you and ask a few questions, would you allow him to do that? Would you stop from your busy work schedule and allow him? Sure you would. Well, what if it's a weak saint who just has to have some questions answered? Our Lord said if you receive one of these little babes, you receive Him.

Now look in Mark chapter 9 and verse 37. Let's go a little further. Our Lord said it like this. Mark 9 verse 37.

Scripture Reading — Mark 9:37

"Whoso shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me. And whoso shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me."

So our Lord says it like this, if you receive that weak child in my name, you're receiving me. And you're not just receiving me, you're receiving him that sent me, that is my father.

So we need to understand that when God sends the weaker brethren our way, often the ones who irritate us the most and can't see and can't understand, which I'm going to deal with next week, we're to receive them and to be patient with them and to teach them and to help them because we're to receive them even as Christ received us for the glory of God the Father. Let me tell you something, folks.

Ministering According to Maturity and Avoiding Arguments

We must not argue or force growth; instead, patiently teach and minister to each believer at their level, as illustrated by teaching children and gardening.

It is hard and it is difficult to start all over. You say, what are you talking about preacher? You ought to visit some of the churches that I have visited. Some would say, Brother Weaver, we need you to come be our pastor. You know what I think? Oh Lord have mercy. I don't have 40 more years to bring you folks up to speed. That's my thought. It's just like, Alice and I laugh, and some of you may not think this is funny, but we get to laughing. I'm so glad I don't have to start out getting married and breaking somebody else in all over again.

And she's the same way. You know, you think of Clay and Jennifer. Look at everything they've got to face and go through. And I'm so thankful I don't have to do all that. You know, I'm just saying. You reach a point in life when, you know, you don't want to start over. And it's difficult, it's hard. And yet, what you have to do when you have a new babe in Christ, you have to start all over.

Because he's not going to understand a thing that you say if you try to talk to him on a fatherly basis. For instance, when Clay's and Jennifer's child gets here, the first thing I want to do is hold that child in my arms and I want to teach him about covenantal theology. And I'm going to explain the differences between dichotomy and trichotomy and infralapsarianism and supralapsarianism. Do you think he's going to understand that? No. If I hold that child, I'll probably be saying goo goo ga ga just like that's all he can say. So you can't start out with a child talking like a mature adult.

You have to come down and put it on their level, period. I'll explain that. Notice if you would, Romans 14 verse 1. Watch carefully. Romans 14 verse 1. First of all, we understand there are varying degrees of faith. It's saving faith, but it's from weak to strong and everything in between.

Secondly, we have to receive each other because Christ, for God's sake, hath received us. And thirdly, he says in verse 1, "him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations." In other words, we must not argue, fight, or bicker. We're not talking about major Bible doctrines. We're talking about disputations that arise over a number of things. Without endorsing C.S. Lewis, I want to give you one quote from his book, Mere Christianity. He says this, "One of the things Christians are disagreed about is the importance of their disagreements. When two Christians of different denominations start arguing, it is usually not long before one asks whether such and such a point really matters. And the other replies, 'Matter? That's absolutely essential.'" And it's not just different denominations. It's Christians with different views on different subjects. It's absolutely amazing how you and I wish to determine for ourselves what is important and what is not important. It's interesting how we wish to determine for ourselves what is a matter of fellowship and what is not a matter of fellowship, instead of allowing God to do so.

What the Apostle Paul is teaching us in verse 1 is we're not to receive the weaker brethren for the purpose of telling them off, straightening them out, and demanding that they grow up. That's like me walking up to a two-year-old child and saying, grow up, dummy! How can he? How can I expect him to go from a two-year-old to a 50-year-old instantly. It's impossible. That's like me going out to a lamb and saying, all right, by tomorrow I want you to be a sheep. Doesn't work that way.

I can go to my garden all day long that Alice planted. I can go to that garden all day long and say, I want a watermelon tomorrow. It doesn't work like that. I can't demand that those plants produce. And if you and I come to a weaker brethren with a mightier-than-thou attitude, or you'd better listen to me, buster attitude, we're not going to help them. We're going to harm them. We're going to harden them. And we're going to drive them away in their ignorance. The Apostle Paul says, yes, we receive them, but we receive them into our company to converse, to have communion with them, to deal with them, to teach them, to help them. We treat them as brethren in Christ. We treat them as equals in Christ with all possible endearments. We're not there to quarrel. We're not there to argue. We're not there to be divisive. We're there to help and administer to them. I want you to listen to what Albert Barnes wrote on verse 1 of Romans 14.

He said this, "Do not admit him to your society for the purpose of debating the matter in an angry and harsh manner, of repelling him by denunciation, and thus by the natural reaction of such a course confirming him in his doubts. Or no, do not deal with him in such a manner as shall have a tendency to increase his scruples about meats, dates, etc. The leading idea here which all Christians should remember is that a harsh and angry denunciation of a man in relation to things not morally wrong, but where he may have honest scruples, will only tend to confirm him more and more in his doubts. To denounce and abuse him will be to confirm him. To receive him affectionately, to admit him to fellowship with us, to talk freely and kindly with him, to do him good, will have a far greater tendency to overcome his scruples."

"And questions which now occur about modes of dress, about measures, about means of promoting revivals, about rites and ceremonies, this is by far the wisest course. If we wish to overcome the scruples of our brethren and induce them to think as we do." In other words, he's saying we must deal with him kindly and graciously. So the Apostle Paul says, "him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not for doubtful disputations." So, today you must learn, number one, there are varying degrees in faith. Number two, God demands that we receive each brother in Christ, as long as he is a brother, regardless of where he is in the faith. And thirdly, when we receive him, it's not to argue, it's not to bicker, it's not to fuss, it's not to take a mightier than thou attitude and straighten him out. No, we will teach.

but we cannot impatiently demand that he grow up instantaneously. When you stop and think, how long did it take you to get where you are in your Christian faith? You didn't get there overnight, I can assure you. Wherever we are, we are there only by the grace of God. Now, let me make some applications and I want you to think with me on these. The first one is this. We must learn to receive each other and to minister each other according to the stage at which one is in his Christian life.

Applications for Peaceful Relationships

Applications include ministering according to spiritual stage, growing in grace through patience, and rejecting forceful or argumentative methods.

That means there are going to be some babes, there are going to be some young men, there are going to be some fathers. Not a person in this room would go to a six-month-old baby and give him a T-bone steak for dinner. First, he couldn't chew it. Secondly, if he could swallow it, he probably could not digest it. But what you're going to give that six-month-old baby is either milk or something very soft. You're going to feed that child according to his age group. Likewise, you have to learn to minister to each Christian to wherever he is in his Christian life. If he's a babe, if he's a young man, or if he's a father. If we wish to avoid conflicts, and if we wish to live peaceably with each other, and with other saints, we have to learn to recognize the varying degrees, to receive each other but not to doubtful disputations, and learn to minister to each other wherever they are in their Christian life. Okay? Here's the second application.

Learning to receive those with whom we are impatient and easily irritated with should be a real challenge and enable us to grow in grace. It is hard, difficult, and laborious work to start at the beginning and go over everything in detail. I recently had someone at my home that we sat and discussed theology for hours till my voice was almost gone. I tried to help. I tried to teach. And there are several moments where I believe, you know, the light was beginning to break through.

But did I see any fruit right then? The answer is no. No. Let me tell you about a learning experience that I had many years ago. I have taught from 4th grade all the way through college. And I remember my first year of teaching 4th grade, I had my 4th grade history book and the history book was about this thick. Three quarters of an inch at the most.

And I thought, oh no. I'll be through with this book in two months. Then what am I going to do for the rest of the year? Well, my first week, I covered three chapters. And I gave my first quiz to all those fourth graders. And many of them were very bright. Out of all that class, every one of them failed the quiz. And I got to thinking, well it can't be the students, because I know most of them are really genuinely smart. It's got to be the teacher. So you know what I had to do? I had to go back, start on chapter one, and then it dawned on me I'm going to have to teach chapter one for two weeks. I mean, chapter one was something I could have comprehended and covered in 15 minutes. But those fourth graders could not comprehend it in a week. All I'm trying to show you is this. There has to be an understanding that if you're going to teach someone, you have to be patient. And they're not going to get it right away.

And you'll have to go over and over and over and over the same material until it sinks in. I'll explain that more next week. The third application is we will never reach other saints by thinking that we can force them, overpower them, intimidate them, and harass them into believing correctly. I hope you know that each of us, each of us is still just sinner enough that if you try to force us, we're going to show you, and you're not going to do it. That's a fact. That's a fact, folks. You try to make me do something, and you're going to have a hard time.

Especially if I don't want to. If you ask me, I'd probably do it. But if you try to force me, no. Same thing with believing. You try to force someone to believe something, no. Sometimes someone might say, well alright, I yield just to get out of there. But that doesn't mean you've taught them anything. It doesn't mean that they've really embraced what you're trying to say. And we're never ever going to get anywhere by quarreling, by bickering, by arguing. You're never going to do it.

So he says, "receive you one another, but not to doubtful disputations." So learn three things today. Number one, there are varying degrees of faith. Number two, we must receive every true believer no matter where he is. And number three, when we receive them, it's not to be to arguments and quarrels and bickerings. It is to minister to them and to build them up in the most holy faith.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Doctrine as the Basis for Christian Living

Summary: Practical Christian living must be grounded in sound biblical doctrine; without it, godly conduct is impossible.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'It is impossible to live biblically, to live holy and godly without understanding doctrine and its applications.'

Varying Degrees of Faith and Maturity

Summary: Believers have different levels of faith and understanding, from weak to strong, and conflicts often arise from these differences.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'There are degrees of faith... the problem that drew the Apostle Paul's attention... was a problem that arose because there were some who were strong in faith and some who were weak in faith.'

Receiving Weaker Brethren with Love

Summary: Christians are commanded to receive those weak in faith with kindness and fellowship, not for the purpose of arguing or harsh rebuke.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Him that is weak in the faith receive you... we are to receive them as weaker brothers... treat them exactly like they are, like brothers, like fellow believers.'

Avoiding Disputes over Non-Essentials

Summary: Believers must not engage in quarrels or arguments over disputable matters; instead, they should patiently teach and build up others.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We're not to receive the weaker brethren for the purpose of telling them off, straightening them out, and demanding that they grow up.'

Ministering According to Spiritual Maturity

Summary: Just as children, young men, and fathers have different needs, believers must be ministered to at their level of spiritual growth.

Evidence: Weaver illustrates, 'You have to learn to minister to each Christian to wherever he is in his Christian life. If he's a babe, if he's a young man, or if he's a father.'

Key Arguments

Conflicts are inevitable but reducible through Scripture

Summary: While conflicts arise because we are sinners, they can be less frequent and complex if we follow biblical principles.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Conflicts are inevitable simply because we're sinners. However, we need not have them as frequently as we do... if we would simply follow the clear teachings of Scripture.'

Doctrine produces love and a good conscience

Summary: Teaching pure doctrine results in unhypocritical faith, a good conscience, and love, which are essential for peaceful relationships.

Evidence: Weaver explains from 1 Timothy 1:5, 'The result of that commandment of teaching pure doctrine is charity out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, out of faith unfeigned.'

Weak and strong believers differ over non-essential matters

Summary: Conflicts in Romans 14 were not over core doctrines but over differences in understanding and enlightenment on indifferent matters.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'These problems and these conflicts did not arise over strong doctrinal issues... rather they arose over differences of understanding and differences of enlightenment.'

Receiving the weak is receiving Christ

Summary: To receive a weak brother is to receive Christ and God the Father, making it a serious matter of obedience.

Evidence: Weaver cites Mark 9:37, 'Whoso shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me. And whoso shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me.'

Argumentative approaches harden rather than help

Summary: Harsh denunciation and quarreling over non-moral issues only confirm a person in their doubts and drive them away.

Evidence: Weaver quotes Albert Barnes: 'A harsh and angry denunciation of a man in relation to things not morally wrong... will only tend to confirm him more and more in his doubts.'

Scripture References

Romans 14:1-3

Context: The primary text for the sermon, introducing the command to receive the weak in faith without disputing over doubtful matters.

1 Timothy 1:3-5

Context: Used to show that teaching pure doctrine leads to love, a good conscience, and unhypocritical faith.

Romans 3:19

Context: Quoted to contrast the wicked who do not know the way of peace with believers called to peace.

1 Corinthians 7:15

Context: Cited to affirm that God has called believers to peace.

Romans 4:19-21

Context: Illustrates Abraham's strong faith, showing the contrast between weak and strong faith.

Romans 15:1

Context: Mentioned to show the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.

1 John 2:12-14

Context: Demonstrates three categories of believers: little children, young men, and fathers, indicating varying maturity.

Acts 21:16

Context: References Mnason as an 'old disciple,' illustrating a father in the faith.

John 21:15-17

Context: Jesus' command to feed lambs and sheep shows different levels of spiritual maturity.

Mark 4:28

Context: The growth of grain (blade, ear, full corn) illustrates stages of spiritual maturity.

Philippians 2:29

Context: Paul instructs the Philippians to receive Epaphroditus with gladness, modeling how to receive fellow believers.

Philemon 1:12

Context: Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul himself.

3 John 1:9-10

Context: Diotrephes is condemned for not receiving the brethren and loving preeminence.

Hebrews 6:10

Context: God does not forget the labor of love shown in ministering to the saints.

Romans 15:7

Context: Commands believers to receive one another as Christ received us, to the glory of God.

Matthew 10:41

Context: Receiving a righteous man brings a righteous man's reward, encouraging reception of all believers.

Matthew 18:5

Context: Receiving a little child in Jesus' name is receiving Christ.

Mark 9:37

Context: Receiving a child in Christ's name is receiving Christ and the Father who sent Him.

Historical References

Albert Barnes' commentary on Romans 14:1

Context: Weaver quotes Barnes to support the idea that harsh denunciation over non-moral issues confirms doubts, while kind reception overcomes scruples.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Context: Weaver quotes Lewis on how Christians disagree about the importance of their disagreements, illustrating the tendency to elevate non-essentials.

Important Quotes

Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him.

Significance: This is the foundational Scripture for the entire sermon, establishing the command to receive the weak without arguing.

Conflicts are inevitable simply because we're sinners. However, we need not have them as frequently as we do, nor do they necessarily need to be as complex as they are, and they would never be as complex as they are if we would simply follow the clear teachings of Scripture upon the issue.

Significance: Summarizes the problem and the solution: conflicts are inevitable but can be minimized through biblical obedience.

It is impossible to live biblically, to live holy and godly without understanding doctrine and its applications.

Significance: Emphasizes the necessity of doctrine for practical Christian living, a key theme of the sermon.

Now the end of the commandment is charity or love out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.

Significance: Shows that the goal of teaching pure doctrine is love and genuine faith, which are essential for avoiding conflicts.

Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations.

Significance: Repeated emphasis on the command to receive the weak without arguing, central to the message.

Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

Significance: The ultimate standard for receiving others: as Christ received us, with patience and grace.

Whoso shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me. And whoso shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me.

Significance: Elevates the act of receiving a weak brother to receiving Christ and the Father, underscoring its importance.

Discussion Questions

What are some examples of 'doubtful disputations' in today's church that can lead to conflicts between believers?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that conflicts often arise over non-essential matters, not core doctrines.

How can we discern whether a disagreement is over a core doctrine or a disputable matter?

Context: The sermon distinguishes between strong doctrinal issues and differences of understanding.

In what practical ways can we 'receive' a weaker brother without engaging in arguments?

Context: Weaver explains that receiving means taking into one's heart and home with kindness, not for debate.

How does understanding the different stages of spiritual maturity (children, young men, fathers) change the way we interact with fellow believers?

Context: The sermon uses 1 John 2 and other passages to illustrate varying maturity levels.

Why is it difficult to be patient with those who are weak in faith, and how can we grow in this area?

Context: Weaver acknowledges the challenge of starting over with new believers and the need for patience.

What does it mean to minister to someone according to their spiritual 'age'? Can you give an example?

Context: The application section stresses feeding spiritual babes milk, not meat.

Applications

Minister according to spiritual maturity

Summary: Believers must learn to receive and minister to each other based on their stage of Christian growth, not expecting babes to act like fathers.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'You have to learn to minister to each Christian to wherever he is in his Christian life.'

Grow in grace through patience with the weak

Summary: Learning to receive those who irritate us should challenge us to grow in grace, as it is difficult but necessary work.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Learning to receive those with whom we are impatient and easily irritated with should be a real challenge and enable us to grow in grace.'

Reject forceful or argumentative methods

Summary: We will never reach other saints by forcing, intimidating, or harassing them; such approaches only harden and drive away.

Evidence: Weaver warns, 'We will never reach other saints by thinking that we can force them, overpower them, intimidate them, and harass them into believing correctly.'

Receive all true believers as Christ received us

Summary: We must receive every genuine believer, regardless of their maturity, with the same patience and love Christ showed us.

Evidence: Weaver applies Romans 15:7: 'Receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:51:33Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T03:42:18Z

Clean Transcript

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 1 of 5

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Let's open our Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Romans chapter 14. Romans chapter 14. I want to bring a brief series, and I say brief, it will probably be at least three messages, maybe four, but at least three, on the subject of how to avoid conflicts between Christians. How to avoid conflicts between Christians. Obviously, today will be an introduction, and we're going to cover several important points. However, next week, next Sunday, Lord willing, I want to bring a message. It's still going to be by the same title, How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians, but I'm going to show you the uselessness of arguing and having internal problems. So I would encourage you to be faithful for each of these three Sundays. Notice, if you would please, Romans chapter 14 verse 1 and 2. In fact, we'll read through verse 3.
#1 | 0:16 to 1:24 | cleaned
"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him."
#2 | 1:24 to 1:43 | cleaned
Now, conflicts are inevitable simply because we're sinners. However, we need not have them as frequently as we do, nor do they necessarily need to be as complex as they are, and they would never be as complex as they are if we would simply follow the clear teachings of Scripture upon the issue. The Apostle Paul gives us many principles by which we're to conduct our lives, and you have to remember: circumstances change, feelings change, but principles never change. Principles do not have funerals. Principles do not die.
#3 | 1:44 to 2:25 | cleaned
When you come to the Book of Romans, you have to understand that the Book of Romans is basically divided into two sections. The first section, which is chapters 1 through 11, is doctrinal. The second section, which is chapter 12 through 16, is practical. And I want you to understand, I want to emphasize this point, that the Apostle lays out doctrine first and then he lays out the practical application. So what the Apostle Paul is trying to teach us is a very simple concept and that is that practical Christian living is always based upon doctrine.
#4 | 2:26 to 3:08 | cleaned
Let me say this another way. It is impossible to live biblically, to live holy and godly without understanding doctrine and its applications. One of the reasons there's so much loose living today and so much ungodly conduct even among professing Christian people is because there's a lack of doctrinal teaching and doctrinal understanding as well as application. I want you to hold Romans 14, we're coming right back there.
#5 | 3:09 to 3:43 | cleaned
But look in your Bibles to 1st Peter chapter 1, I'm sorry, 1st Timothy chapter 1. And look, if you would please, beginning there with verse 3. 1st Timothy chapter 1, and look in verse 3. Look what the apostle Paul said. I want to point this out, I've pointed it out previously, but it's very important that we get this one principle. 1st Timothy chapter 1, verse 3, Paul writes Timothy, and he said, "I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some, that they teach no other doctrine." Literally he is saying that they teach not heterodoxy, but orthodoxy. In other words, there's one doctrine, and that is biblical doctrine.
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And then he says in verse 4, "Neither give heed to fables, and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying, which is in faith so do." Now look at verse 5.
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"Now the end of the commandment is charity or love out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." Now I want you to see what the Apostle Paul tells Timothy. He said in verse 3, he was charging him that he might charge some that they teach no other doctrine. Why did he only want biblical true doctrine taught? Now when you skip down to verse 5, he says, "Now the end of the commandment is." What commandment? Then you have to go back to verse 3, the word "charge." The Greek word is parangelias, which is also translated "commandment." So he's commanding Timothy to command others that they teach only biblical doctrine. When you understand that only biblical doctrine is to be taught, then you come down to verse 5. He tells you the end or the result of that commandment. He said the result of that commandment of teaching pure doctrine is charity out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, out of faith unfeigned or unhypocritical. So to understand the true outcome of biblical doctrine, you have to turn that upside down.
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Real, pure, biblical doctrine produces first, an unhypocritical faith. Secondly, it produces there a good conscience. And thirdly, it produces love out of a pure heart. So, what the apostle is teaching us here again is, that if you understand biblical doctrine, if you base your life upon doctrine, biblical doctrine, inevitably, you're going to be living a holy, godly, obedient life. Now, I understand that there are a lot of people in churches that have made a profession of faith who are not possessors of faith. They're just there. They're lost. They're lost church members.
#9 | 6:05 to 6:55 | cleaned
That's all there is to it. They have never, ever been converted. However, there are an awful lot of real genuine Christians in many churches that just simply never been taught. They're absolutely totally ignorant of biblical doctrine and how to apply it to their lives. You will never live a godly life without understanding doctrine. You will never live a godly life without applying that doctrine to your everyday life.
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Now this is what the Apostle Paul is trying to teach us in Romans chapter 14. He's showing us the absolute importance of doctrine that is already laid out in chapters 1 through 11. And he comes to verse 1 of chapter 14 and he says, "Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations." Do you realize what the Bible says concerning the wicked in Romans 3 and verse 19?
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Let me just quote it. The Bible says the wicked does not know the way of peace. But then on the other hand, in 1 Corinthians 7 and verse 15, the Bible teaches us that God has called us to peace. Well, if God has called us to peace, we should be living in peace. And living in peace is accomplished by living biblically. Okay? We have to work our way through Romans chapter 14 and observe and learn the truths that the Apostle Paul gives us that teach us how to live peaceably with others. So in verse 1 again, Paul says, "Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations."
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I only want to give you about three things today, but they are very, very important. First of all, as you look at verse one, the very first thing that you are to learn is there are degrees of faith. "Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations." You know, we have a tendency to think, well, saving faith is saving faith. And it is true, if one has saving faith, he is saved, period. But the Bible teaches that there are also degrees in faith. And the problem that drew the Apostle Paul's attention in Romans chapter 14 was a problem that arose because there were some who were strong in faith and some who were weak in faith and there was contentions and there were conflicts arising.
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And these problems and these conflicts did not arise over strong doctrinal issues like the person and work of Christ or the inspiration and veracity of scripture, no. Rather they arose over differences of understanding and differences of enlightenment.
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Now, if there is a weak faith, then obviously there has to be the opposite, a strong faith. If there is a weak faith, and if there is a strong faith, then obviously there must be varying degrees of faith in between those two extremes. And of course, the Word of God teaches there are those varying degrees of faith. In fact, if you'll look in your Bibles, to Romans chapter 4 at verses 19 through 21.
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Let me show you what the Bible just says concerning Abraham. How it gives a negative and then a positive concerning his faith. Romans chapter 4 beginning there with verse 19. Watch carefully, Romans 4 verse 19 talking about Abraham. "And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he
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had promised he was able to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."
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Now I want you to note how there is a negative in verse 19, "and being not weak in faith," so he was not a person with a weak faith, and then there is the positive that he was strong in faith in verse 20. So you have obviously a weak faith and a strong faith. When you look back at Romans 14 and verse 1, God says, "but he that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations." Verse 2, "For one believeth that he may eat all things," he's the strong brother. "Another, who is weak, eateth herbs." So obviously, there is a weak and there is a strong. If you look in Romans 15 in verse 1, we'll come back there later. But the apostle says, "we then that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves." Now right now, I'm just trying to show you how obviously, there is indeed a difference between the weak and the strong.
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And I will put this out. First Corinthians chapter eight always also deals with this issue between the weak and the strong. And we will probably get to look at that passage at least in the third message. And just to show you the source of some of these conflicts. So now, if we understand that there is varying degrees of faith, that all men do not have the same light, nor do they have the same amount of light, nor do they have the same light or the same amount of light at the same time.
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If we really understand that, then we don't necessarily expect everyone to understand exactly what we do, believe exactly the way we believe, act exactly the way we act, or even talk and think the way we talk and think. In other words, there are varying degrees of faith.
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Now, whole Romans 14, but look in your Bibles to 1 John chapter 2. 1 John chapter 2, and I want to just show you how clearly the Bible teaches these varying degrees of faith. Notice if you would, 1 John chapter 2, beginning there with verse 12. The Apostle John writes and he divides these believers into three groups. 1 John 2 and verse 12, he says, "I write unto you little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. I write unto you fathers, because you have known him, that is from the beginning. I write unto you young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you little children, because you have known the father. I have written unto you, because you have known the father. I have written unto you fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one." Now I want you to note how John divides believers.
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He divides them into three categories: to young children or babes, to young men and to fathers. Now everyone in this room understands that little children differ from young men and young men differ from the fathers. We understand that the understanding and the attitude of a two-year-old child is different from the understanding and attitude of a 19-year-old young man. And we also understand that the understanding and attitude of a 50-year-old man is different from a 19-year-old young man. One does not expect a little child to act like a teenager, to talk like a teenager, to think like a teenager. And one does not expect a teenager to walk, talk, and think like someone that's 50 or 60 years of age. It's absolutely impossible.
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And what John is telling us right here is this. There are different degrees of understanding. Different degrees of faith. It may be saving faith. You may have that childish faith. Or you may have the faith of a young man. Or you may have the faith of an old man. The childish faith is known just simply for its simplicity. You no doubt heard about the pastor, I forget which one it was now, prayed for rain because there's a drought going on. As he started out the door, his little daughter, who was five or six years of age, who had prayed with him, as he started out the door, she said, "Father, aren't you going to carry your umbrella?" I mean, that was her simple faith. We prayed for rain, you better carry your umbrella. It's going to rain. So obviously, here's the child in his simplicity. Here's the young man in his energy and his strength. And here's the father in his experience and his wisdom. So there are varying degrees of faith. Varying degrees of attitudes and understandings.
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And I might point out that the children and the young men should always seek to be taught by the fathers. When John divides these believers into children and young men and fathers, the children are what you and I would call mere novices in Christianity. They're babes in Christ. They may understand some of the rudiments of the doctrine. They may understand some basic fundamentals of the Bible, but they don't really understand the totality of everything. The young men, as I pointed out, are noted for their zeal and their strength. They're eager to serve and they've got all kind of zeal and all kind of energy. But you notice the apostle also talks about some who have a zeal without knowledge. But young folks are known for their zeal and energy. And yet the fathers are known for their faith and their experience. They're the old heads. They're the old disciples.
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Luke wrote in Acts 21 verse 16, I want you to just listen. Acts 21 verse 16, Luke wrote and he said, "There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple with whom we should lodge." He was known as an old disciple, which means probably he was a father in the faith. And it's those old, mature, and fatherly disciples that are to teach us and to lead us.
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So, the Apostle John makes these distinctions. Babes, young men, and fathers.
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Now, if you look in John 21, our Lord himself teaches this, and he's talking to Peter. Look in the book of John, chapter 21, and begin there with verse 15. John 21, verse 15. Look what our Lord says. John 21, verse 15. "So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He said unto him, yea, Lord. Thou knowest that I love thee."
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"He, that is Christ, saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He said unto him, yea, Lord. Thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things. Thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus said unto him, Feed my sheep."
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John 21, verses 15 through 17. Now, let me ask you a question. Jesus told Peter, first of all, if he loved him, to feed his lambs. Then the next two times, he said, if you love me, feed my sheep. Here's my question. Are lambs different from sheep? And the answer is yes. They may be a sheep, but they are baby sheep. One is a baby and immature.
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The other is an adult and mature. Let me ask you, do you feed a baby lamb differently than you do an adult sheep? And the answer is yes. Very clearly, yes. One never expects a lamb to act like a sheep, because the lamb is a baby. And there would be something seriously wrong if a sheep began to act like a lamb. You don't ever expect a sheep to act like a lamb. No. There's a difference. One's a child, one's an adult.
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There are different levels of maturity. Now, I want you to see how our Lord still emphasizes this. So turn in the book of Mark. Mark chapter 4, and look if you would please at verse 28. Mark 4, verse 28.
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I'm just showing you there are varying degrees. Life may be there. Saving faith may be there. But there's still varying degrees. Look what our Lord says in Mark 4 in verse 28. "For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."
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Now, our Lord is giving us the different levels of maturity using grain or a garden. Here's an example. A number of you folks have already planted your gardens. And if you put that seed in the ground and the Lord waters it with rain, after five or six, seven or eight days, the next thing you see is that little shoot coming up out of the ground. When you see that little shoot coming up out of the ground, how many of you run out and harvest your garden at that point? Nobody. Nobody. And even when that little shoot becomes a plant and you see the blooms or the little beginning of fruit on those vegetables, how many of you run out and harvest them at that particular time? No, you don't.
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You wait until there is full corn in the ear. So when you look at the plant, you can tell there are varying degrees. There are different stages. If you and I can recognize that there are varying degrees and different stages in plant life, if we understand there's varying degrees and different stages in animal life, if we recognize and understand there are different stages in human life, babes and young people and fathers, why cannot we understand that there are varying and different degrees of maturity in Christian people?
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Not everyone has the same amount of understanding. Not everyone thinks alike. Why should we therefore expect everyone to think like we think and to understand the way we think? Do you recognize the fact that there are not only differences spiritually speaking, there are differences culturally, emotionally, educationally. There are even differences among personalities. A northerner may be a genuine and sincere Christian and we must receive such a one as a brother in Christ. However, there are real cultural differences between a northerner and a southerner. There are real cultural differences between a Westerner and an Easterner and a Southerner. In other words, we have to take all of these differences into consideration. Because all of these differences can create conflict.
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All my life I've been raised, if you're not 15 minutes early, you're late. Some of you folks in here just marched to the beat of a different drummer. The way I was raised is totally different from the way you were raised. All of this can be a source of conflict. One of the major areas of which conflicts arise is what is known as Christian liberty or over things that are indifferent.
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I want you to note what the Apostle Paul said. Look back in your Bibles, Romans 14 in verse 1, and let me begin by emphasizing this. He says, "Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations." The question must be asked, what are we to do with those who are weak in the faith? They're oftentimes obnoxious, temperamental, foolish, and even childish in the things of faith.
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What in the world are we to do with them? Well, the Apostle Paul tells us exactly what we're to do. After we recognize there are varying degrees of faith, here's the second thing, receive them. "Him that is weak in the faith, receive you." In other words, we are to receive them as weaker brothers. He says we're to receive them but not to doubtful disputations. We're to receive them and treat them exactly like they are, like brothers, like fellow believers. Now the word "receive" is a very interesting word.
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It is proslambano in the Greek. Pros is a preposition which means to or toward. Lambano is the verb which means I take. So it literally means to take to or toward oneself. It has the implication then of taking one and receiving one into his home with kindness, friendship, and fellowship. It also has the implication of taking one into one's heart and receiving him into his heart.
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The word implies a real fraternal love, affection, which is demonstrated by attitude and action. And the apostle is telling us we must admit the weaker brethren into our society fellowship and receive them kindly in love and without a cold and harsh rebuke. It is very easy for you and I to receive people that we agree with and that we like or who are notable in the cause of Christ. Do you know there was a man by the name of Epaphroditus who worked with the Apostle Paul? And he worked so hard that he actually made himself sick. And the Apostle Paul had to send him back to the Philippians. And I want you to listen to what Paul wrote in Philippians 2 and verse 29. When Paul sent Epaphroditus back, he told the Philippians, "Receive him therefore the Lord with gladness."
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"and hold such in reputation." Receive him in the Lord with gladness and hold such in reputation. There's not a one of us, if the Apostle Paul was alive today, who would not gladly receive him into our homes. Or the Apostle Peter. Or Luke. Or Mark. Even prominent preachers today, we would receive them in our home with gladness. It's easy to receive someone that we like, someone that we agree with, or someone that is notable. It is not quite so easy to receive someone that ticks you off all the time. You know what the Apostle Paul said to Philemon? You remember, and I preached on this in the last year or so, Onesimus the runaway slave. When the Apostle Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon, he wrote this, "Whom I have sent again, thou therefore receive him, that is mine own bowels." In other words, you treat him just like you would treat me. You receive him just the way you would receive me. Paul said, Onesimus is my spiritual child. And if you love me, you will receive him exactly the same way that you would receive me.
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Did you know that there was one man in the Bible who was so wicked, so vile, so contemptible, that one of his flagrant sins was a failing to receive the brethren. If you look in your Bibles to 3rd John, 1st, 2nd, 3rd John, there's only one chapter there, so I want you to look in verse 10, 3rd John, and verse 10, and look if you would what the Bible says about Diotrephes. 3rd John, verse 10, John writes, in fact let's read verse 9, okay, just so you can see it here. John wrote, "I wrote unto the church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not." wouldn't even receive the Apostle John.
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"Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words." He lied, he slandered, he rebuked them. "And not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church." So here, Diotrephes loveth to have the preeminence. Did you know that the word preeminence only occurs two times in the New Testament. The first time it occurs is found in the book of Colossians chapter 1 concerning Christ, that in all things He might have the preeminence. Now says, "...who loved to have preeminence." In other words, He would usurp the position of Jesus Christ. Why? Because He was forbidding those in the church to receive the brethren who would. He was acting as if he was Lord of the church. He would not even receive the Apostle John. Nor would he allow anyone else to receive the brethren as well. So what the Apostle Paul is telling us is this. We have to receive the weak brethren and treat them as true believers.
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We cannot deny them fellowship. And we cannot deny them friendship. Just simply because they're weaker brethren. And I can hear some of the objections right now. Because someone can say, but you don't understand, Pastor, how childish they are, how judgmental they are, how so ignorant they are. And I just don't have the time and I just don't have the patience to answer all of their stupid questions and try to establish a friendship with them. They're always asking questions, they're always bothering me, hindering me, and stopping me from serving the Lord. That's an interesting concept. You're so busy serving the Lord, you don't have time to minister to His people.
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You ought to ask Alice how many times I'm interrupted a day by telephone call or by people coming out to see me. And by asking me questions that I've answered a thousand times. You know what we've forgotten? We have forgotten that the way to serve the Lord is to serve His people. To minister to His people. Hebrews 6 and verse 10, listen carefully. "For God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love and your work and your labor of love which you have showed toward His name in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister." Did you hear that? "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and your labor of love which you have showed toward His name in that you minister to the saints and do minister." Have you ever stopped to think that God has sent someone your way for you to teach them and for you to minister to them?
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And I'll tell you what I have found. I found when I'm studying hard, and you know, I've got a deadline and I've got to get this out, and all of a sudden someone comes up or I get a phone call, and some of my phone calls are well over five minutes, usually an hour, hour and a half minimum. I found when I stop and I minister to the saints the way I should, God always aids me, God always assists me, He always helps me make up the time that I thought that I would lose by ministering to those people.
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He allows things to come easier, more quickly, and with less difficulty. Why? Because God is not going to be any man's debtor. And if you minister to Him by ministering to His people, however weak they are, however ignorant they are, God's always going to make it up to you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Romans 15 and look at verse 7. And I understand the time and the patience and the work and the labor involved in ministering to weak, ignorant saints. I understand that. But look at Romans 15 and verse 7. Look what the Scripture says. "Wherefore, receive you one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God."
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Now I have a question for you. Are you not glad that God had time to receive you and your ignorance in your obnoxiousness, in your stubbornness, and in your sin. You weren't born perfect. And you didn't come to God through Christ perfect. You had your problems. You had your hang-ups. You had your idiosyncrasies. And what does he say in verse 7? "Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God." How are we to receive each other? Exactly the way Christ received us to the honor and glory of God.
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He patiently, consistently drew you to Himself and convicted you and taught you irrespective of your childless excuses and your rebellion. In other words, he took time for you. So he tells us we have to take time for the brethren. It's just that simple. "Him that is weak in the faith, receive you." And we're to receive each other exactly the way Christ received us to the glory of God.
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Now there's another aspect of receiving each other. Let me point this out. I want you to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10 and look at verse 41. Matthew 10 verse 41. Look what he says. Matthew 10 verse 41. "He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward." How many of God's saints are righteous? All of them.
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Does it matter if they're weak? Does it matter if they're strong or in between? So if we receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, we're going to receive a righteous man's reward. We're not going to lose our reward if we take the time and be patient and receive them the way that we should.
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Now, look at Matthew 18 in verse 5. And I want you, as you turn to Matthew 18, go ahead and turn over to Mark chapter 9 as well. Mark chapter 9, we're going right there next. I do not have time to go over all the context of these right now, but look in Matthew chapter 18 and verse 5. And our Lord said this, "And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me."
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Now he took a little child here to use as an illustration, but later on he's talking about God's children, he's talking about all of the saints. He said, "and whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me." So if Christ knocked on your door and wanted to come in and spend an hour or two with you and ask a few questions, would you allow him to do that? Would you stop from your busy work schedule and allow him? Sure you would. Well, what if it's a weak saint who just has to have some questions answered? Our Lord said if you receive one of these little babes, you receive Him.
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Now look in Mark chapter 9 and verse 37. Let's go a little further. Our Lord said it like this. Mark 9 verse 37. "Whoso shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me. And whoso shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me." So our Lord says it like this, if you receive that weak child in my name, you're receiving me. And you're not just receiving me, you're receiving him that sent me, that is my father.
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So we need to understand that when God sends the weaker brethren our way, often the ones who irritate us the most and can't see and can't understand, which I'm going to deal with next week, we're to receive them and to be patient with them and to teach them and to help them because we're to receive them even as Christ received us for the glory of God the Father. Let me tell you something, folks.
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It is hard and it is difficult to start all over. You say, what are you talking about preacher? You ought to visit some of the churches that I have visited. Some would say, Brother Weaver, we need you to come be our pastor. You know what I think? Oh Lord have mercy. I don't have 40 more years to bring you folks up to speed. That's my thought. It's just like, Alice and I laugh, and some of you may not think this is funny, but we get to laughing. I'm so glad I don't have to start out getting married and breaking somebody else in all over again.
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And she's the same way. You know, you think of Clay and Jennifer. Look at everything they've got to face and go through. And I'm so thankful I don't have to do all that. You know, I'm just saying. You reach a point in life when, you know, you don't want to start over. And it's difficult, it's hard. And yet, what you have to do when you have a new babe in Christ, you have to start all over.
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Because he's not going to understand a thing that you say if you try to talk to him on a fatherly basis. For instance, when Clay's and Jennifer's child gets here, the first thing I want to do is hold that child in my arms and I want to teach him about covenantal theology. And I'm going to explain the differences between dichotomy and trichotomy and infralapsarianism and supralapsarianism. Do you think he's going to understand that? No. If I hold that child, I'll probably be saying goo goo ga ga just like that's all he can say. So you can't start out with a child talking like a mature adult.
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You have to come down and put it on their level, period. I'll explain that. Notice if you would, Romans 14 verse 1. Watch carefully. Romans 14 verse 1. First of all, we understand there are varying degrees of faith. It's saving faith, but it's from weak to strong and everything in between.
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Secondly, we have to receive each other because Christ, for God's sake, hath received us. And thirdly, he says in verse 1, "him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations." In other words, we must not argue, fight, or bicker. We're not talking about major Bible doctrines. We're talking about disputations that arise over a number of things. Without endorsing C.S. Lewis, I want to give you one quote from his book, Mere Christianity. He says this, "One of the things Christians are disagreed about is the importance of their disagreements. When two Christians of different denominations start arguing, it is usually not long before one asks whether such and such a point really matters. And the other replies, 'Matter? That's absolutely essential.'" And it's not just different denominations. It's Christians with different views on different subjects. It's absolutely amazing how you and I wish to determine for ourselves what is important and what is not important. It's interesting how we wish to determine for ourselves what is a matter of fellowship and what is not a matter of fellowship, instead of allowing God to do so.
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What the Apostle Paul is teaching us in verse 1 is we're not to receive the weaker brethren for the purpose of telling them off, straightening them out, and demanding that they grow up. That's like me walking up to a two-year-old child and saying, grow up, dummy! How can he? How can I expect him to go from a two-year-old to a 50-year-old instantly. It's impossible. That's like me going out to a lamb and saying, all right, by tomorrow I want you to be a sheep. Doesn't work that way.
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I can go to my garden all day long that Alice planted. I can go to that garden all day long and say, I want a watermelon tomorrow. It doesn't work like that. I can't demand that those plants produce. And if you and I come to a weaker brethren with a mightier-than-thou attitude, or you'd better listen to me, buster attitude, we're not going to help them. We're going to harm them. We're going to harden them. And we're going to drive them away in their ignorance. The Apostle Paul says, yes, we receive them, but we receive them into our company to converse, to have communion with them, to deal with them, to teach them, to help them. We treat them as brethren in Christ. We treat them as equals in Christ with all possible endearments. We're not there to quarrel. We're not there to argue. We're not there to be divisive. We're there to help and administer to them. I want you to listen to what Albert Barnes wrote on verse 1 of Romans 14.
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He said this, "Do not admit him to your society for the purpose of debating the matter in an angry and harsh manner, of repelling him by denunciation, and thus by the natural reaction of such a course confirming him in his doubts. Or no, do not deal with him in such a manner as shall have a tendency to increase his scruples about meats, dates, etc. The leading idea here which all Christians should remember is that a harsh and angry denunciation of a man in relation to things not morally wrong, but where he may have honest scruples, will only tend to confirm him more and more in his doubts. To denounce and abuse him will be to confirm him. To receive him affectionately, to admit him to fellowship with us, to talk freely and kindly with him, to do him good, will have a far greater tendency to overcome his scruples."
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"And questions which now occur about modes of dress, about measures, about means of promoting revivals, about rites and ceremonies, this is by far the wisest course. If we wish to overcome the scruples of our brethren and induce them to think as we do." In other words, he's saying we must deal with him kindly and graciously. So the Apostle Paul says, "him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not for doubtful disputations." So, today you must learn, number one, there are varying degrees in faith. Number two, God demands that we receive each brother in Christ, as long as he is a brother, regardless of where he is in the faith. And thirdly, when we receive him, it's not to argue, it's not to bicker, it's not to fuss, it's not to take a mightier than thou attitude and straighten him out. No, we will teach.
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but we cannot impatiently demand that he grow up instantaneously. When you stop and think, how long did it take you to get where you are in your Christian faith? You didn't get there overnight, I can assure you. Wherever we are, we are there only by the grace of God. Now, let me make some applications and I want you to think with me on these. The first one is this. We must learn to receive each other and to minister each other according to the stage at which one is in his Christian life.
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That means there are going to be some babes, there are going to be some young men, there are going to be some fathers. Not a person in this room would go to a six-month-old baby and give him a T-bone steak for dinner. First, he couldn't chew it.
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Secondly, if he could swallow it, he probably could not digest it. But what you're going to give that six-month-old baby is either milk or something very soft. You're going to feed that child according to his age group. Likewise, you have to learn to minister to each Christian to wherever he is in his Christian life. If he's a babe, if he's a young man, or if he's a father. If we wish to avoid conflicts, and if we wish to live peaceably with each other, and with other saints, we have to learn to recognize the varying degrees, to receive each other but not to doubtful disputations, and learn to minister to each other wherever they are in their Christian life. Okay? Here's the second application.
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Learning to receive those with whom we are impatient and easily irritated with should be a real challenge and enable us to grow in grace. It is hard, difficult, and laborious work to start at the beginning and go over everything in detail. I recently had someone at my home that we sat and discussed theology for hours till my voice was almost gone. I tried to help. I tried to teach. And there are several moments where I believe, you know, the light was beginning to break through.
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But did I see any fruit right then? The answer is no. No. Let me tell you about a learning experience that I had many years ago. I have taught from 4th grade all the way through college. And I remember my first year of teaching 4th grade, I had my 4th grade history book and the history book was about this thick. Three quarters of an inch at the most.
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And I thought, oh no. I'll be through with this book in two months. Then what am I going to do for the rest of the year? Well, my first week, I covered three chapters. And I gave my first quiz to all those fourth graders. And many of them were very bright. Out of all that class, every one of them failed the quiz. And I got to thinking, well it can't be the students, because I know most of them are really genuinely smart. It's got to be the teacher. So you know what I had to do? I had to go back, start on chapter one, and then it dawned on me I'm going to have to teach chapter one for two weeks. I mean, chapter one was something I could have comprehended and covered in 15 minutes. But those fourth graders could not comprehend it in a week. All I'm trying to show you is this. There has to be an understanding that if you're going to teach someone, you have to be patient. And they're not going to get it right away.
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And you'll have to go over and over and over and over the same material until it sinks in. I'll explain that more next week. The third application is we will never reach other saints by thinking that we can force them, overpower them, intimidate them, and harass them into believing correctly. I hope you know that each of us, each of us is still just sinner enough that if you try to force us, we're going to show you, and you're not going to do it. That's a fact. That's a fact, folks. You try to make me do something, and you're going to have a hard time.
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Especially if I don't want to. If you ask me, I'd probably do it. But if you try to force me, no. Same thing with believing. You try to force someone to believe something, no. Sometimes someone might say, well alright, I yield just to get out of there. But that doesn't mean you've taught them anything. It doesn't mean that they've really embraced what you're trying to say. And we're never ever going to get anywhere by quarreling, by bickering, by arguing. You're never going to do it.
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So he says, "receive you one another, but not to doubtful disputations." So learn three things today. Number one, there are varying degrees of faith. Number two, we must receive every true believer no matter where he is. And number three, when we receive them, it's not to be to arguments and quarrels and bickerings. It is to minister to them and to build them up in the most holy faith.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee this day. We thank You for Your love. We thank You for Your mercy. And we pray that You will teach us, Father, and help us to be able to help others and to bring them into the fullness of faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. In whose name we pray, amen. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T14:51:33Z

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 1 of 5

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver introduces a series on avoiding conflicts between Christians, focusing on Romans 14:1-3. He emphasizes that conflicts arise from differing degrees of faith and maturity among believers. The sermon outlines three key principles: recognizing varying degrees of faith, receiving weaker brethren with love and patience, and avoiding arguments over disputable matters. Practical Christian living must be rooted in sound doctrine, and believers are called to minister to one another according to their spiritual maturity, just as Christ received us.

Introduction to the Series and Text

Weaver introduces a series on avoiding conflicts between Christians, reading Romans 14:1-3 and noting that conflicts are inevitable but can be minimized by following Scripture.

Doctrine as the Foundation for Practical Living

The book of Romans is divided into doctrinal (chapters 1-11) and practical (chapters 12-16) sections, teaching that godly living must be based on sound doctrine.

The Purpose of Pure Doctrine: Love and a Good Conscience

Using 1 Timothy 1:3-5, Weaver explains that teaching pure doctrine produces unhypocritical faith, a good conscience, and love from a pure heart.

Degrees of Faith: Weak and Strong

Romans 14:1 shows there are degrees of faith; conflicts often arise between weak and strong believers over non-essential matters, not core doctrines.

Scripture Reading — Romans 4:19-21

"And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he

Biblical Evidence for Varying Maturity

Scripture Reading — Romans 4:19-21

"And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he

Luke wrote in Acts 21 verse 16, I want you to just listen. Acts 21 verse 16, Luke wrote and he said,

Scripture Reading — Acts 21:16

"There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple with whom we should lodge."

I'm just showing you there are varying degrees. Life may be there. Saving faith may be there. But there's still varying degrees. Look what our Lord says in Mark 4 in verse 28.

Scripture Reading — Mark 4:28

"For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself, first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."

Receiving the Weak in Faith

Believers are commanded to receive weaker brethren with kindness and love, not for arguments, treating them as Christ received us (Romans 15:7).

The Danger of Not Receiving Brethren

Diotrephes (3 John 9-10) is an example of one who refused to receive brethren, loving preeminence; receiving a weak brother is receiving Christ (Matthew 10:41; 18:5; Mark 9:37).

Scripture Reading — 3 John 1:9-10

"I wrote unto the church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not."

wouldn't even receive the Apostle John.

Scripture Reading — 3 John 1:9-10

"Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words."

He lied, he slandered, he rebuked them.

Scripture Reading — 3 John 1:9-10

"And not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 6:10

"For God is not unrighteous to forget your labor of love and your work and your labor of love which you have showed toward His name in that you have ministered to the saints and do minister."

Did you hear that?

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 6:10

"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and your labor of love which you have showed toward His name in that you minister to the saints and do minister."

Have you ever stopped to think that God has sent someone your way for you to teach them and for you to minister to them?

Now look in Mark chapter 9 and verse 37. Let's go a little further. Our Lord said it like this. Mark 9 verse 37.

Scripture Reading — Mark 9:37

"Whoso shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me. And whoso shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me."

So our Lord says it like this, if you receive that weak child in my name, you're receiving me. And you're not just receiving me, you're receiving him that sent me, that is my father.

Ministering According to Maturity and Avoiding Arguments

We must not argue or force growth; instead, patiently teach and minister to each believer at their level, as illustrated by teaching children and gardening.

Applications for Peaceful Relationships

Applications include ministering according to spiritual stage, growing in grace through patience, and rejecting forceful or argumentative methods.

How to Avoid Conflicts Between Christians Part 1 of 5

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	uEnyh2CQx_g
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Christian Duty, Authority, and Brotherly Peace
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-03-08
Dictation Name
Book	Book 153: How to Avoid Conflicts — Chapter 1
Source Timed Segments	74

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction to the Series and Text: Weaver introduces a series on avoiding conflicts between Christians, reading Romans 14:1-3 and noting that conflicts are inevitable but can be minimized by following Scripture.
Doctrine as the Foundation for Practical Living: The book of Romans is divided into doctrinal (chapters 1-11) and practical (chapters 12-16) sections, teaching that godly living must be based on sound doctrine.
The Purpose of Pure Doctrine: Love and a Good Conscience: Using 1 Timothy 1:3-5, Weaver explains that teaching pure doctrine produces unhypocritical faith, a good conscience, and love from a pure heart.
Degrees of Faith: Weak and Strong: Romans 14:1 shows there are degrees of faith; conflicts often arise between weak and strong believers over non-essential matters, not core doctrines.
Biblical Evidence for Varying Maturity: Scripture illustrates spiritual maturity levels: Abraham's strong faith (Romans 4:19-21), John's categories of children, young men, and fathers (1 John 2:12-14), Jesus' lambs and sheep (John 21:15-17), and the growth of grain (Mark 4:28).
Receiving the Weak in Faith: Believers are commanded to receive weaker brethren with kindness and love, not for arguments, treating them as Christ received us (Romans 15:7).
The Danger of Not Receiving Brethren: Diotrephes (3 John 9-10) is an example of one who refused to receive brethren, loving preeminence; receiving a weak brother is receiving Christ (Matthew 10:41; 18:5; Mark 9:37).
Ministering According to Maturity and Avoiding Arguments: We must not argue or force growth; instead, patiently teach and minister to each believer at their level, as illustrated by teaching children and gardening.
Applications for Peaceful Relationships: Applications include ministering according to spiritual stage, growing in grace through patience, and rejecting forceful or argumentative methods.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Conflicts are inevitable but reducible through Scripture

While conflicts arise because we are sinners, they can be less frequent and complex if we follow biblical principles.

Weaver says, 'Conflicts are inevitable simply because we're sinners. However, we need not have them as frequently as we do... if we would simply follow the clear teachings of Scripture.'

Doctrine produces love and a good conscience

Teaching pure doctrine results in unhypocritical faith, a good conscience, and love, which are essential for peaceful relationships.

Weaver explains from 1 Timothy 1:5, 'The result of that commandment of teaching pure doctrine is charity out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, out of faith unfeigned.'

Weak and strong believers differ over non-essential matters

Conflicts in Romans 14 were not over core doctrines but over differences in understanding and enlightenment on indifferent matters.

Weaver notes, 'These problems and these conflicts did not arise over strong doctrinal issues... rather they arose over differences of understanding and differences of enlightenment.'

Receiving the weak is receiving Christ

To receive a weak brother is to receive Christ and God the Father, making it a serious matter of obedience.

Weaver cites Mark 9:37, 'Whoso shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me. And whoso shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me.'

Argumentative approaches harden rather than help

Harsh denunciation and quarreling over non-moral issues only confirm a person in their doubts and drive them away.

Weaver quotes Albert Barnes: 'A harsh and angry denunciation of a man in relation to things not morally wrong... will only tend to confirm him more and more in his doubts.'

Scripture References

Romans 14:1-3: The primary text for the sermon, introducing the command to receive the weak in faith without disputing over doubtful matters.
1 Timothy 1:3-5: Used to show that teaching pure doctrine leads to love, a good conscience, and unhypocritical faith.
Romans 3:19: Quoted to contrast the wicked who do not know the way of peace with believers called to peace.
1 Corinthians 7:15: Cited to affirm that God has called believers to peace.
Romans 4:19-21: Illustrates Abraham's strong faith, showing the contrast between weak and strong faith.
Romans 15:1: Mentioned to show the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.
1 John 2:12-14: Demonstrates three categories of believers: little children, young men, and fathers, indicating varying maturity.
Acts 21:16: References Mnason as an 'old disciple,' illustrating a father in the faith.
John 21:15-17: Jesus' command to feed lambs and sheep shows different levels of spiritual maturity.
Mark 4:28: The growth of grain (blade, ear, full corn) illustrates stages of spiritual maturity.
Philippians 2:29: Paul instructs the Philippians to receive Epaphroditus with gladness, modeling how to receive fellow believers.
Philemon 1:12: Paul asks Philemon to receive Onesimus as he would receive Paul himself.
3 John 1:9-10: Diotrephes is condemned for not receiving the brethren and loving preeminence.
Hebrews 6:10: God does not forget the labor of love shown in ministering to the saints.
Romans 15:7: Commands believers to receive one another as Christ received us, to the glory of God.
Matthew 10:41: Receiving a righteous man brings a righteous man's reward, encouraging reception of all believers.
Matthew 18:5: Receiving a little child in Jesus' name is receiving Christ.
Mark 9:37: Receiving a child in Christ's name is receiving Christ and the Father who sent Him.

Historical References

Albert Barnes' commentary on Romans 14:1: Weaver quotes Barnes to support the idea that harsh denunciation over non-moral issues confirms doubts, while kind reception overcomes scruples.
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity: Weaver quotes Lewis on how Christians disagree about the importance of their disagreements, illustrating the tendency to elevate non-essentials.

Important Quotes

Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him.

This is the foundational Scripture for the entire sermon, establishing the command to receive the weak without arguing.

Conflicts are inevitable simply because we're sinners. However, we need not have them as frequently as we do, nor do they necessarily need to be as complex as they are, and they would never be as complex as they are if we would simply follow the clear teachings of Scripture upon the issue.

Summarizes the problem and the solution: conflicts are inevitable but can be minimized through biblical obedience.

It is impossible to live biblically, to live holy and godly without understanding doctrine and its applications.

Emphasizes the necessity of doctrine for practical Christian living, a key theme of the sermon.

Now the end of the commandment is charity or love out of a pure heart, out of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.

Shows that the goal of teaching pure doctrine is love and genuine faith, which are essential for avoiding conflicts.

Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations.

Repeated emphasis on the command to receive the weak without arguing, central to the message.

Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

The ultimate standard for receiving others: as Christ received us, with patience and grace.

Whoso shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth me. And whoso shall receive me, receiveth not me but him that sent me.

Elevates the act of receiving a weak brother to receiving Christ and the Father, underscoring its importance.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What are some examples of 'doubtful disputations' in today's church that can lead to conflicts between believers?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that conflicts often arise over non-essential matters, not core doctrines.

[Question]

How can we discern whether a disagreement is over a core doctrine or a disputable matter?

[Context]

The sermon distinguishes between strong doctrinal issues and differences of understanding.

[Question]

In what practical ways can we 'receive' a weaker brother without engaging in arguments?

[Context]

Weaver explains that receiving means taking into one's heart and home with kindness, not for debate.

[Question]

How does understanding the different stages of spiritual maturity (children, young men, fathers) change the way we interact with fellow believers?

[Context]

The sermon uses 1 John 2 and other passages to illustrate varying maturity levels.

[Question]

Why is it difficult to be patient with those who are weak in faith, and how can we grow in this area?

[Context]

Weaver acknowledges the challenge of starting over with new believers and the need for patience.

[Question]

What does it mean to minister to someone according to their spiritual 'age'? Can you give an example?

[Context]

The application section stresses feeding spiritual babes milk, not meat.

Applications

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T03:42:18Z