“THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT FOOD AND DRINK ….” Romans 14: 17
In Paul’s day Gentile christians were free from Jewish scruples relating to food, v.2 but they had not to despise fellow believers who held them, and vice versa, v.3.
Christianity is not a christianised version of Judaism, as converted Jews thought it was, so to practice the faith in a Judaistic fashion constituted spiritual weakness.
The strong (Gentile believers) were required to recognise and sympathise with the weak believer’s difficulty in relinquishing Judaistic rituals so as not to be a cause of stumbling, v.21.
Christianity is not about natural issues, as v.17 makes clear, but is a spiritual system concerned with spiritual things. It is when the natural, especially the flesh (human reasoning) intrudes into the fellowship that problems arise but they have to be dealt with in a spiritual way, as Paul directs.
At a natural level, some have concluded from v.2 that believers who are vegetarians are weak christians, but this would only be the case if their vegetarianism was for religious or ethical reasons. Vegetarianism as a lifestyle choice for perceived health reasons is not in view in v.2.
Moreover, lifestyle vegetarianism is scripturally based and approved, Gen.1.29 and Dan. 1:10-16. The Garden of Eden was the perfect environment for mankind, incorporating ideal nutrition derived from vegetation and fruits. It was following exclusion from the garden that a secondary (flesh) source of nutrition became available. However, the ideal nature of the original provision was emphasised in the example of Daniel and his companions.
Christians down the years have benefited from the scriptural example, demonstrably God’s ideal for mankind – and in a future day for the animal kingdom, Isaiah 11:7. However, the scriptural position for a christian who is a vegetarian today is to be free to eat whatever is provided by a host and to have his vegetarianism to himself.
The Word of God is essentially of spiritual interpretation but also includes much that is relevant at a natural level to secular life. Our text reminds us how necessary it is to distinguish between spiritual and natural if we are to practise the christian faith aright.
The divine system of christianity is not about food and drink or any other thing.