Notice it's the victim who is to initiate the action toward reconciliation. In Luke 17:3 Jesus says: "Be on your guard! If thy brother sins against you, you must rebuke the offender. This takes courage and enough good will to want the offender to do better.

Three of the four ways to deal with altering behavior that needs to change, involve people besides the victim. In native societies, whenever there is a dispute, a third person always appears on the scene as a witness and mediator. Often because of the balance of power, things cannot be worked out between just two people. Others or a whole community may well be needed to give the wisdom and counterbalance for a just and promising solution.

The present-day church is in much need of the advice here that could save it from the often rampant abuse of offenders in its midst who have free reign among its other members, who know no other resources for blatant unchristian behavior in their midst than niceness. This gives incredible power to those willing to resort to the worst behavior. There is an urgent need in our churches to reclaim the power offered to us in this passage. Our internal accountability and external identity depend upon it. (Kathy Peterson)

Proper 19 (A)

September 15, 2002

Disputable Matters

Romans 14:1-12

Did you hear about the church that achieved perfect harmony among their congregation? The church that was always 100% in tune with God's will? The church that never experienced problems or controversy of any kind while carrying out a vibrant successful ministry for the Lord? If you would like to read their story, you can find it at any Christian bookstore on the fiction shelf!

I. Accepting the weaker brother

The "perfect" congregation doesn't exist. Therefore, each of us needs to hear from the Apostle Paul this morning as he writes, "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters."

There are three things worth noting in this opening verse: 1) Some may have weaker faith than others. It might be demonstrated in how they handle what Paul calls "disputable matters." How mature are you in your faith? Mature enough that you don't always have to get your way?

2) There is a time to make or pass judgment. The injunction is not against ever passing judgment but simply against passing judgment about "disputable matters" which brings us to this: 3) Just as there are disputable matters, it follows that there are indisputable matters.

II. Disputable vs. Indisputable

For us, an indisputable matter is any matter on which the Bible clearly speaks. There is a bumper sticker that reads, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it." A little boy pointed out that the middle line was unnecessary. In other words, it could actually read, "God said it, that settles it."

It is of interest to note those matters which Paul described as the "disputable matters" of his day -- what foods you can eat, specifically meat. While this probably is not an issue we deal with today within the church, there were those who felt it sinful to partake of meat. This vegetarian diet (definitely not for me!) may have been some distortion of the teaching in Acts 15 against partaking of blood or meat that still had its lifeblood within.