Romans 14: Part 2: Does Paul Teach Against the Sabbath and Dietary Instructions?
Paul begins the chapter by declaring we are to still receive those who are weak in the faith and to not dispute over doubtful things.
Romans 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
Before continuing our progression through Romans 14, we need to take a brief moment to keep in mind that Romans 14 is often used by traditional Christianity to support the abolishment of the Sabbath day (Leviticus 23) and the dietary instructions (Leviticus 11).
These commandments of Yahweh’s Law have always been clear and have never been matters of “doubtful things.” On the contrary, Elohim’s Law is given to us to clearly define sin (Romans 3:20; 7:7 and 1 John 3:4) and to enable us to correct and rebuke others (i.e. 2 Timothy 3:14-17).
If believing in and keeping Yahweh’s Law were truly classified as “doubtful things” we would need to classify Peter (Kepha) as one who is weak in faith. For when Yahweh gave him a vision in Acts chapter 10, Kepha (Peter) said…
“I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
Remember when this happened it was many years after Messiah’s resurrection. So was Kepha/Peter weak in faith? I think not:
Acts 3:6 – Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Yahshua the Messiah of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Peter doesn’t sound like a man who is “weak in faith” to me. It was through faith that this man was healed. Didn’t Yahshua pray that Kepha’s faith would not fail?
Luk 22:31-32 – And the Master said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
If it is a proper interpretation that believing in and keeping Yahweh’s Law were truly classified as “doubtful things” then Paul himself, not to mention the Master Yahshua whom Paul followed, would have to be classified as “weak in faith“. For in accordance with Leviticus 23:1-3, they both had the same law abiding custom of participating in a sacred assembly observed every Sabbath:
Luke 4:16-Then Yahshua came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,
Acts 17:2 –Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
It can be consistently shown that the disciples all kept the Sabbath 84 times in the New Testament. Were they all weak in the faith also? I think not!
Acts 20:6 implies that after Yahshua’s resurrection, Paul most likely kept the seven day feast of Unleavened bread with the Christian believers at Philippi; before sailing off to Macedonia. This is only the beginning of consistent evidence from the New Testament Scriptures (not to mention Paul’s own writings) showing why we should be fully persuaded that what is being talked about in Romans 14 could not be about things clearly commanded against in Yahweh’s Law. Yahweh’s Law clearly commands against eating unclean meats like pork and shellfish (Leviticus 11). Yahweh’s Law also clearly commands that believers like Paul should have a holy gathering on the Sabbath day (Leviticus 23).
Romans 14:1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
Before continuing our progression through Romans 14, we need to take a brief moment to keep in mind that Romans 14 is often used by traditional Christianity to support the abolishment of the Sabbath day (Leviticus 23) and the dietary instructions (Leviticus 11).
These commandments of Yahweh’s Law have always been clear and have never been matters of “doubtful things.” On the contrary, Elohim’s Law is given to us to clearly define sin (Romans 3:20; 7:7 and 1 John 3:4) and to enable us to correct and rebuke others (i.e. 2 Timothy 3:14-17).
If believing in and keeping Yahweh’s Law were truly classified as “doubtful things” we would need to classify Peter (Kepha) as one who is weak in faith. For when Yahweh gave him a vision in Acts chapter 10, Kepha (Peter) said…
“I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”
Remember when this happened it was many years after Messiah’s resurrection. So was Kepha/Peter weak in faith? I think not:
Acts 3:6 – Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Yahshua the Messiah of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Peter doesn’t sound like a man who is “weak in faith” to me. It was through faith that this man was healed. Didn’t Yahshua pray that Kepha’s faith would not fail?
Luk 22:31-32 – And the Master said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. 32 “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
If it is a proper interpretation that believing in and keeping Yahweh’s Law were truly classified as “doubtful things” then Paul himself, not to mention the Master Yahshua whom Paul followed, would have to be classified as “weak in faith“. For in accordance with Leviticus 23:1-3, they both had the same law abiding custom of participating in a sacred assembly observed every Sabbath:
Luke 4:16-Then Yahshua came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. As was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath. And when He stood up to read,
Acts 17:2 –Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
It can be consistently shown that the disciples all kept the Sabbath 84 times in the New Testament. Were they all weak in the faith also? I think not!
Acts 20:6 implies that after Yahshua’s resurrection, Paul most likely kept the seven day feast of Unleavened bread with the Christian believers at Philippi; before sailing off to Macedonia. This is only the beginning of consistent evidence from the New Testament Scriptures (not to mention Paul’s own writings) showing why we should be fully persuaded that what is being talked about in Romans 14 could not be about things clearly commanded against in Yahweh’s Law. Yahweh’s Law clearly commands against eating unclean meats like pork and shellfish (Leviticus 11). Yahweh’s Law also clearly commands that believers like Paul should have a holy gathering on the Sabbath day (Leviticus 23).