Reading: Romans 14:1-12
Reflective Thoughts
Opinions
George Barna makes a living on the opinions of others. If there’s one thing that his polls have shown is that for every issue there are at least several opinions. Each opinion represents someone who thinks he’s right.
Paul writes about opinions in Romans 14. These opinions were on matters that were not clearly defined as sinful by Scripture. The Church in Rome had different kinds of Christians. Some held fast to ritual Jewish practices surrounding food and holidays. Others did not. The term “weaker” brother seems to indicate that someone’s faith does not give him the freedom to engage in a given activity. Meanwhile others might participates freely.
As long as you have differing opinions, you will have differing practices-and lots of different people, each believing he is right. You may abstain from alcohol, attend rock concerts, participate in Facebook, vote democratic, use e-harmony or not. You may, engage according to your faith, and you will be right-until you judge someone else whose behavior on this issue doesn’t match your own. It is possible to wrong in being right.