Jewish Believers and the Law
Romans 14:1-14 “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. … (14) 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.”
To a degree, Jewish believers place themselves under bondage when they keep the law. In the above quoted example in scripture Paul is referring to Jewish believers, for the book of Romans was written to both Jewish and gentile believers. In this example, the believer who can eat all things is obviously at greater liberty than the one who can only eat vegetables. And so in a measure, the one who eats only vegetables has placed themselves in bondage. However, our adversary the devil cannot bring Jewish believers into bondage by tempting them to keep the law. Satan can only bring believers into bondage by tempting them to commit sin. Jewish believers do not sin when they keep the law. The reason for that is because they come into the kingdom as baby believers. All they know is the law, for that is what they have been taught. It takes time for baby believers to grow and mature. While they are babes in Christ their faith is weak. In the above passage of scripture, the apostle Paul is referring to Jewish believers. He lists the believer who is weak in faith as the one who only eats vegetables. This Jewish believer only eats vegetables when there is no kosher food available to them. You will recall that Daniel and his friends did the same thing when they were taken into captivity in Babylon. Paul goes on to say that the one who is stronger in their walk of faith has learnt that they can eat all things. Paul said that our Lord Jesus had to convince Paul on this same issue, and eventually He got Paul to see the light. You will recall earlier that we saw that after six years, Peter had not yet understood that revelation. The Holy Spirit gives the Jewish believers grace in their observance of the law, because He understands that it takes time for them to grow in the knowledge of the new covenant that they are now part of. Being weak in faith is not sinful, and so Jewish believers who observe the law because of their faith being weak, are not sinning.
Michael E.B. Maher
Comments