Based on Romans 14 (New King James Version)
“Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.”
The issue that the Lord through the Apostle Paul is dealing with through this passage is sometimes misunderstood, and when something is not understood correctly, errors are made. And well, what the Lord mostly desires for us is to learn what is necessary, so the mistakes stop; not only for our own good, but also, for the benefit of others. Because the most important point that is dealt with in different parts of the Scriptures is that our walk with the Lord is measured not only through what is personal and intimate, but also, and in conjunction, by what we do with those people that surround us. Everything we do on this earth will always have two directions: verticals, between God and us; and horizontals, between our neighbors and us; identical to what the cross symbolizes.
The first observation we will see is regarding those that are weak in the faith. The weak in the faith are people that recently came to Christ, basically someone recently born in the Spirit. And like every newborn creature, they cannot walk or eat on their own, and obviously, they cannot defend themselves much either. The weak in the faith is dependent on those that have grown more in the Lord, and they need that help to be able to develop and strengthen, to be able to eat and walk on their own, as well as defend themselves. This implies a discipleship, but obviously, it depends on the weak; if they are hungry, looking for the things of God. Nothing can be forced on or imposed, so the desire to be discipled must come from the person, if they have truly been born again and are being led by the Holy Spirit in their lives. The apostles went through that process, and the Lord Himself discipled them through their weak stage. The Apostle Paul was also weak in his beginnings and he had to depend for some time on the brethren that had a longer walk with the Lord. And with this comes admonishing (very different to judging), which implies sharing those things with a person that help them grow, learn, and stop doing those things that are not convenient. In other words, how can a newborn in the Lord know if they are doing wrong or right? There has to be some instruction, and many times, help with correcting what is wrong (because the Bible defines what is good and evil, righteousness and sin, for our own good). We are supposed to help and inspire each other to follow what pleases the Lord. But, the time must come when weakness is left behind, and the person is strengthened in the Lord so they can be on their way and like that, help other newer and weaker persons than themselves. A person should stop drinking milk at some point, and start eating some meat and solid food, walking on their own. If a person does not develop, there is a problem, just as nature teaches us. And that is a much longer study.
The other observation is concerning food. The problem that existed with food at that time was that it was very common that it be offered as a sacrifice or offering to idols and pagan gods. Almost everything that was sold in the market, especially in places outside of Israel, was sacrificed to idols. So then, the issue was that it caused stumbling on newer converts or the weak when seeing more mature believers, per se, eat those same things that they knew that was sacrificed to idols. It created confusion. The issue with drinking wine came into play also, and there was a difference between grape juice and fermented wine (another long study). There were weaker and younger brethren that had to come the Lord as alcoholics (just like it happens today) that had left alcohol behind, and it caused confusion for them to see more mature Christians drink alcohol. And well, they were right. There is nothing worse than drinking alcohol in front of a recovering alcoholic. If you want to make an alcoholic fall again, just start drinking in front of him.
Trying to summarize at a large scale this passage, the Lord teaches us here that we should be aware of what we do because we can affect negatively those that surround us, and, that everyone (yes, even those of us that have come to a new life in the Lord), shall give an account for our actions here, and also, after; depending on what it is. We are here to develop our relationship with the Lord so that we can carry out His purposes, which also involves every person that surrounds us. The Lord also counsels us with this: “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.” Colossians 3:23-25. So then, do you understand that you will give an account for everything you do now, whether it be good or evil? Lord bless! John