The Apostle Paul's letter to the Romans is a message about unity in Christ. He outlines the fundamentals of sin, repentance toward God, and the preeminence of faith in Christ as the remedy for sin. He recognizes the futility of man's effort, as well as the emptiness of outward conformity to the law of Moses and contrasts those failures with the victory of the righteousness that comes through the grace of our Lord Jesus. It is an overarching recognition that crucifying our carnal nature in order to live in the power of the Spirit of God brings unity, able even to overcome the ancient history of division between Jew and Gentile.

After laying the foundation of salvation by faith through grace, Paul proceeds to give very specific instructions about how to let the righteousness of Jesus rule our lives.[1] These teachings, while not strictly related to the gift of salvation through faith in Christ are not optional for a follower of Jesus. They are clear commandments that define the life of a Christian. Bless, don't curse. Leave vengeance to God. Share with needy believers. Pray. And many more clear expressions of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Then, Paul instructs the Roman church how to love, esteem, and build each other up when there are disagreements about the application of faith in matters about which Jesus and the Apostles did not teach.[2] Christian love and unity are often tested and revealed by such disputable matters, particularly when argued with excessive passion or stubbornness. The Bible speaks to a remedy for this potential fracture which can be referred to as the law of love. Selflessly practicing this biblical love can lead to profound unity, even amid differences. 

The Biblical Remedy

Jeremiah prophesied of the age in which we live: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant… I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people”.[3] The solution to disputable matters requires commitment to the law of love, manifested through the power of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. Following Jesus' example is central to the law of love. It is only through submitting to him and taking on his mind that we will find solutions to such disagreements. Indeed, they are redeemed by him. Human solutions to our disagreements, those seemingly remedied without the mind of Christ, are not likely to edify the brethren or glorify God. In Jesus we find...

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... both an example to follow and the power to embrace a solution which will glorify Him and sanctify us in the process. 

Similarly, Peter addresses those of “like precious faith through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ, whose divine power hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, that we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”[4] He raises our vision to be sanctified by being partakers of his divine nature. As partakers of God’s divine nature, our sanctified living is manifested by faith, virtue (moral excellence born of the Holy Spirit), knowing Christ, temperance, patience (abiding and persevering with hope), godliness (devotion to God), brotherly kindness, and charity. “For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins”.[5] Those who diligently pursue Peter's instruction will find themselves unified in the divine nature of the Lord, which glorifies God.

Biblical Unity

Jesus repeatedly confronted the errors of the scribes and Pharisees by teaching the truth in love. He pointed to the purposes underpinning the law and always elevated the people's vision toward God's love and mercy. As we grow in our understanding and submission to biblical truth, we find ourselves strongly encouraged toward unity focused by sacrificial love for one another.

To this end, Paul encourages us that disputable matters should be considered in the larger context of the kingdom of God. He addresses this topic by first telling us what the kingdom of God is not – it is not meat and drink. That is, it is not personal preferences and individual persuasions regarding inconsequential matters. Rather, “the kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”[6] It is righteousness by faith which works love. Simply put, “let brotherly love continue”[7], and be established with grace, not with meats.

The New Testament is centered on grace and truth with discernment enabled by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle John posed the question, how can you say you love God whom you do not see when you do not love your brother whom you do see?[8] Thus, there is wonderful purpose in the existence of disputable matters. That God would use these matters to glorify himself is in step with his redemptive qualities. Biblical handling of disputable matters demonstrates brotherly love which brings glory to God. Brotherly love does not take undue personal liberty nor impose personal persuasions on a fellow believer—both of which can lead to self-willed variance within the church family. Rather it gives opportunity to manifest the law of love in very real ways.

The church is called to biblical unity. Christ prayed, “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me…and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me”.[9] Church unity is thus found in the love and mind of Christ—the very Word of Truth. For it is not when you have my mind, or I have your mind, but when we both have Christ’s mind that our friends and neighbors observe our mutual love and esteem and glorify God. This biblical remedy of the law of love pushing us toward unity with the mind of Christ through love for one another is difficult work. Yet this difficult work brings glory to God as those who are strong enough in faith to feel a liberty that would condemn others exercise personal restraint around disputable matters – all cradled in the more complete selfless love of Christ. May God’s grace enable us to live our lives reflecting this profound love.   

[1] Romans 12 and 13

[2] Romans 14 and 15

[3] Jeremiah 31:31-33; 2 Corinthians 3:3-6

[4] 2 Peter 1:1-4

[5] 2 Peter 1:1-12

[6] Romans 14:17

[7] Hebrews 13:1

[8] 1 John 4:20

[9] John 17:21,23