ROMANS Study Guide

thinking. Vs.1

2. Defining Weak and strong Faith (vs.2)

a.

Definition of weak in faith:

“Those who have scruples over religious matters of “secondary

importance.” These are believers who make what is not primary

doctrine (beliefs) about being Christ-like essential. They declare

these non-essential beliefs and practices as necessary to please the

Lord in daily living and make them a point of breaking fellowship if

not honored like they think.

a.

Definition of Strong in faith:

One who recognizes secondary religious matters as not essential to

honor and please the Lord and break fellowship over. They are free

to practices dealing with the two in a different way in honoring the

Lord.

Note: Paul’s focus here is to point to the freedom we have received in

Jesus Christ in regard to Jewish practices (circumcision, keeping

religious feasts and holidays, temple rituals, etc.) So the stronger faith

is to be free of the law and legal practices of Judaism - the weaker faith

is to feel there must be a careful conforming to such practices to be fully

pleasing to the Lord.

2. Most commentators, in this chapter, see Paul pointing to the struggle bet

ween the Jewish and Gentile believers. The Jews had a very prescribed

way of eating, observing holy days and other traditions. The temptation

was to insist on these religious practices to be also followed by the Gentile

believers. This was a great struggle in the first century church.

3. This chapter lays out crucial principles in how to help very

different believers walk in loving unity in Christ today.