Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don't see things the way you do. And don't jump all over them every time they do or say something you don't agree with—even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember, they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently.
At what point in a discussion does this verse apply?
Their was a large span of time in my life when, I was right and if you didn't agree with me, i would prove you wrong.
I could go on and on about that but I think yall understand what i'm saying.
Now, it really dont concern me when others dont believe the same way as me.
Romans 14:1 "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters."
This verse is important and sometimes misused. For example, just because someone does disagree with you, and is able to prove their disagreement, does not mean they are rejecting you or passing judgment on disputable matters. It is difficult for some to recognize that they are accepted, even if someone disagrees with them. Perhaps in the minds of many who are in disagreement, they were rejecting their brother and sister, and if they are they are living by the flesh because only the deeds of the flesh are factions, divisions, envy, jealousy and the like and therefore assume that this is how others treat them.
Of course, if someone does disagree, we should treat each other graciously and with respect.
It doesn't concern me if others don't believe as I, what matters is that they are sound, so when the storm comes they are not tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, which many continue to experience over and over because they are weak in their faith.
Next, what is a disputable matter? Just because there is a dispute over a matter, does not mean it is a disputable matter. If we keep reading Romans 14, Paul is speaking about walking into a house that worships idols, and eating meat that was offered to the idols. Paul knows there is no other God but One, and idols are just dead carvings of men's imaginations. Yet, when someone sees Paul eating meat offered to idols, they think Paul accepts and worships idols, but Paul was not. What Paul was doing was fellowshipping with those who were in need of the Gospel. Disputable matters, are things or petty nature such as watching a rated "R" movie, or owning a gun, or giving blood, or celebrate holidays or don't celebrate holidays, to drink or not to drink, etc. They are not talking about is there One God, did He send His Son, God's grace, God's justice, etc.
The best way to avoid disagreement is not avoiding the disagreement, it is to find agreement.
Wayne,
In my personal walk I have found that with those I have had disagreement with often times was due to faulty communication either on my part or theirs and if they were willing along with myself to sit and discuss
things a little longer, more openly and fully found that we actualy agreed on much more than we disagreed.
How many times have you seen or received something and recognized that it was a spiritual revelation that you bear inner witness to that you wished to express in words but could never find any words to express what you wished to comunicate?
This has happened to me, I trusted the revelation for example: on some particular passage in scripture, or maybe it came via a dream on some prticulur subject or about the purpose of it in relation this present life and wanted to share it but could never find the words, everytime I would try to speak it or write it I never reached a point where it seemed to fully reveal the revelation, no matter what words I chose it never satisfied me as comunicating what the revelation was. These things can lead to disputes, disagreements and just plain not seing or only seing in part what the other person is saying or that they don't really see what you are saying or at best they only see it in part. Such are the toils and weariness of this life. However God knows us in ways that the natural man can't, God knows us better than we know ourselves.
As for being weak in faith, that is hard to measure, we may see a man once in our life time and so only God knows the measure of his faith, even those we are close to and share our life with have an unknown area to us, God knows all things, we at best see in part.
Apostle Paul once visited a soothsayers parlor probably one of those "now when I do that which I would not do" moments , yet it appears that scripture points to his faith strongly trusting God in all things even while he himself was made weak.
Fire Walker