Romans 15:1-2 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.
This chapter opens with similar ideas as ch. 14 but moves on to be more inclusive. Paul returns to the theological foundation and deeper heart motive that should guide the discussion in ch. 14. The “strong” here would be similar to the strong of 1 Corinthians 8, and refers to those who have knowledge that certain behaviors are not sin but are morally neutral. In the case of the Corinthian church, this meant eating food that had been sacrificed to idols. In the case of the Roman church, it meant saying that certain holidays or food practices should be observed. The “weak” are those who attach more meaning to these things. If they see the strong doing certain activities, it could violate their consciences and bring temptation into their lives. If the weak saw the strong doing these activities, the weak may fall into sin. In the broader theological context, the weak are those who are more prone to certain temptations and struggle to come out of their life of sin. The strong must be patience and help them grow into Christlikeness. To “bear with” is another way to say have patient love. The opposite of patient love is selfishness. The strong may look down on the weak and have a sense of superiority. This can easily slip into spiritual pride. Paul already warned against spiritual pride in ch. 2. In many ways, chs. 1-2 prepare for what Paul writes here towards the last part of the letter.
Our goal as believers ought to be to build up our neighbor, which will require love and patience. Christians should be positive forces in their community. This can be difficult to do in that we have to balance our freedom in Christ with our love for neighbor. Are we willing to suffer a loss of freedom for the sake of loving our neighbor? How far can or should we go with this without violating our own conscience and letting sin and temptation enter our lives?
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