"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" (Rom. 14:1-2).

Anytime someone has made the decision to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, we are to receive them—period. I don't care if they are of a different color, race, background, or religion. He tells us to receive them because God have received them.

Satan has done everything he can to divide the Body of Christ. To a certain extent, he has succeeded in dividing us along racial lines, class lines, and theological lines. He wants to keep us fighting about religion, beliefs, and doctrine. He wants to keep us at arms length from each other so that we can't have the fullness of God on the earth.

But notice what Paul says in Romans 14:1, "He that is weak in the faith receive ye." He's telling you to receive those who may not be as spiritually mature as you are, and they may not know as much as you know, but they are believers.

Now, in Romans, the whole chapter 14 talks about receiving people who have doctrinal differences. To illustrate the point, Paul uses the issue about meat offered to idols.

Back in biblical times, people worshipped many idols. Well, some of the finest restaurants would take the meat, offer it to their idols, and then serve the meat in the restaurant. Some Christians felt that it was a sin to eat meat offered to idols, but Paul had no problem eating it. He said that he sanctifies it by the word in prayer, and it is good.

However, Paul tells us to receive those who are weak in faith. Unfortunately, the church today still does not recognized the need to stand as one. We're too busy worrying about whose different: the Baptist believes one thing and the Presbyterian believes another, and The Church of God in Christ believes one way and the Assemblies of God believes another way. Word of Faith believes this and somebody else believes that.

Of course, we may have things we don't agree on, but there is one thing we all share: we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. Now that doesn't mean you have to change what you believe in the Word of God, but it does mean that we don't have to allow Satan to divide us. Surely, we have all received Jesus, then that's enough for us to receive each other.

Scripture References: Romans 14:1-23; Colossians 2:19-23

Keith Butler Ministries
All rights reserved. Used by permission.