Romans 14:1-2 “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. (2) For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.”
Romans 15:1 “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”
The third trait that identifies baby believers, is the weakness of their faith. In the above passage of scripture, the apostle Paul refers to weak believers as being weak in the faith. A weak believer is one and the same as a babe in Christ. And so, just as our spirits can grow stronger, so our faith can also be increased (2 Corinthians 10:15). As we have already said, none of us are born again spiritually mature. In the same manner, none of us are born again, having strong faith. We all start out with weak faith, and as we are meant to grow spiritually, so we are also meant to grow in faith (2 Thessalonians 1:3). Under the new covenant, if our spirits are weak, then our faith will automatically be just as weak, for one cannot be weak in spirit, and at the same time, be strong in faith. Under the old covenant it was different, for those saints could not grow strong in spirit, for they were spiritually dead. Nevertheless, those saints could grow strong in faith, for the scripture reveals to us that Abraham was strengthened in faith (Romans 4:20). Nevertheless, because under the new covenant we can grow strong in spirit, God has now directly linked the increase in our faith, with our spiritual growth. In Romans chapter fourteen and fifteen quoted above, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul, helps us to understand this truth. For when He refers to a believer as being weak, He is referring to their spirits as being weak. And He equates the weakness of their spirits, to the weakness of their faith. For He strongly infers that the one who is weak in faith, is a weak Christian. Notice that in the same passages of scripture, that the Holy Spirit contrasts the weak Christian, to the one who “believes he may eat all things”. Obviously, the Holy Spirit is implying that the one who believes he may eat all things, is also one who is a strong Christian. When the Holy Spirit calls this believer strong, He is referring to their spirits as being strong. But at the same time, He is implying that they are strong in faith as well. And so, we see that just as the Holy Spirit equates weak faith with one who is weak in their spirit, so He also equates strong faith with one who is strong in their spirit. One who is strong in spirit will be strong in faith, and one who is weak in spirit will be weak in faith.
1 Corinthians 8:9-11 “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. (10) For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? (11) And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?”
In the above passage of scripture, the apostle Paul again contrasts strong believers, with those who are weak. The strong believer in this passage, is the one who has grown in their understanding of God’s word and in their level of faith, so that they can now eat all foods, including foods that have been offered to idols. The weak brother on the other hand, has not yet grown to that level in their understanding of God’s word or to that level of faith, and so they cannot walk in the same degree of liberty that their stronger brother can.
Luke 12:28-30 “If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith? (29) "And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. (30) For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.”
Baby believers are anxious about many things. The reason being, because their faith is weak. In the above passage of scripture, our Lord Jesus confirms to us that those who worry about the things in this life, have little faith. We have already said, that when we come into the kingdom of God, that we still have the same mindset that this world has. This world is continually anxious about their needs being met, as our Lord Jesus plainly tells us in this passage. And so, new born believers still display the same character traits that this world displays, in that they too, are anxious about their needs being met. And so, it is only as they grow strong in spirit and consequently strong in faith, that they will transition from being anxious about having their needs met, to being fully assured that God our Father supplies all of their needs. Nevertheless, the point still remains, that one of the traits of baby believers, is that their faith will be weak.
Michael E.B. Maher
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