Does Rom. 14:5-6 Do Away With The Sabbath?

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Some have asked whether Romans 14:5-6, says that it makes no difference to God which days we keep holy. Actually, these verses do not concern ANY days which must be kept holy. This is proved by the context of the entire chapter.

Paul admonished the saints at Rome to receive the “weak in the faith” and not to sit in judgment of them (verse 1). Some of those recently converted, not yet having grown strong in the faith, refused to eat meat and subsisted mainly on vegetables.

Paul explains why in another one of his letters. Most of the available meat had been offered to idols. Some gentiles who had been converted and had come out of idolatry still held some superstitious beliefs. They thought that idols actually had power over their lives. Therefore, “some with conscience of the idol” ate meat “as a thing offered unto an idol” (I Cor. 8:7).

But why did Paul break into his dissertation about eating meat or refraining from eating it and mention “day”? Notice the answer in the New King James translation of this passage: “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who EATS, EATS to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not EAT, to the Lord he does not EAT, and gives God thanks” (Rom.
14:5-6, RAV).

Not only were there weak converts who were afraid of eating meat offered to idols, but there were others who customarily abstained from a particular food — they practiced a semifast or abstained from foods on certain days. Others regarded all days alike as far as eating was concerned.

The whole matter involved abstention on particular days. The question was, “To eat or not to eat!” It was merely a question of the days upon which many voluntarily abstained from certain foods. Paul was not referring to God’s Holy Days, and there is nothing here referring to the Sabbath.

Jesus said that we should fast before God and not be seen or let it be known by others unnecessarily (Matt. 6:16). But Jews and gentiles both practiced semifasts on particular days of each week or month. The Jews customarily fasted “twice in the week” (Luke 18:12). They also fasted during certain months (Zech. 7:4-7). The Jews were divided on the matter. The gentiles also were divided over when to abstain from certain foods. These things are mentioned in “Hasting’s Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics.”

In God’s sight, it does not matter when one abstains or fasts — but it does matter that we do it with a right heart.
Paul wanted the brethren to live at peace with one another and not argue or judge each other over their human opinions.

The Bible elsewhere teaches very plainly which days God made holy and commands us to KEEP holy.

Does I Corinthians 10:27 Advocate Eating Unclean Meats?

I Cor. 10:27 says: “If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast and you be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you eat, asking no questions for conscience sake.”

Did God here make an exception to His law? Are there circumstances under which it is all right — even advisable to eat unclean meats? For the answer, we need to consider to whom these instructions were given.

The Corinthians, converted from pagan idolatry, came from a society in which sacrificing to various idols was a daily way of life. Those offerings were sacrificed in the pagan temples continually, and the meat was usually eaten by the person who brought it.

Often, however, not all the meat was consumed. Each day the priests were left with a surplus. Not willing to miss a chance to turn a quick profit, they sold the extra meat to local butcher shops — called “shambles” — where it was sold to the public. This is where the problems arose.

Paul had taught the converts at Corinth not to become involved in pagan rituals or sacrifices (I Cor. 10:14-21). Christians should have no connection with such idolatrous practices.

But some questioned eating the leftover sacrificial meat sold in the butcher shops. How were Christians to tell the difference between ordinary meat and that which came from pagan altars? And if you were invited to a friend’s home, how could you be sure the host wasn’t serving “defiled” meat?

Paul explained that the idol was just wood and stone (verse 19). The meat offered to it was just meat. The sin would be in actually participating in a pagan ceremony (verses 20-21). Therefore, Paul told the Corinthians to stop worrying and to go ahead and buy their meat from the meat markets without asking whether it had been sacrificed to idols (verse 25). It didn’t matter where the meat came from as long as it was good meat.

The same principle applied to eating at the home of a friend. It did not matter where the meat came from or what had happened to it. Meat was meat — regardless. As long as it was clean meat, it was all right to eat. That is why Paul said, “If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you” (verse 27, RAV).

When Paul wrote “whatever,” he was referring to any clean meat which either had or had not been offered in sacrifice to an idol. Paul’s statements have nothing to do with the question of clean versus unclean meat. He was not claiming God’s dietary laws were done away. He was simply showing that it was all right to eat clean meat which had once been part of a sacrifice to an idol.

Paul did add one warning, however. He said to ask “no question for conscience’ sake” (verse 27). In other words, don’t ask the host where the meat came from. It is better to ignore that matter, since it makes no difference anyway. If the Christian questioned the host about the meat, and then ate it, the host might be led to think that his Christian guest was compromising his belief. And others present might be left with the impression that idol worship isn’t so bad in the eyes of a Christian. If someone volunteers the information that the meat is “tainted,” then, in consideration of that person’s conscience, the Christian should refrain from eating it.

The context of this chapter concerns whether or not it is permissible for a Christian to eat meat that had been offered to idols. Unclean meats is not the subject under discussion and is not even mentioned. As other parts of God’s Word show, unclean meats should never be eaten (Lev. 11 and Deut. 14).