Who’s Holy?

 “Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.” — Romans 14:1

This week’s devotion centers on a verse that gives us a surprising twist on how we often think about “weak” and “strong” faith. We might assume that someone with strong faith would adhere strictly to food purity laws (v.2), be fully self-directed rather than under a “master” (v.4), or faithfully observe certain sacred days (v.5). Yet Paul describes these very behaviors as the practices of the weak. That feels backwards. Shouldn’t the “holier” person be the one who honors food laws, disciplines themselves, and treats holy days with special reverence?

So, why the twist?

The answer begins in verse 2, where Paul introduces the idea of freedom. Verse 4 reminds us of accountability. Verse 5 highlights conviction. All of these threads are tied together beautifully in verses 6–9, where Paul reveals the deeper truth: our freedom, accountability, and convictions find their meaning in their source. When the Lord is the source of these qualities, then everything we do—regardless of how our practices differ—is evidence that we belong to God (v.8). We sing this very affirmation in the hymn “Pues Si Vivimos,” or “When We Are Living.”

It is often difficult to recognize disciples by outward appearance because disciples are human beings, and human lives look different. Yet our human impulse is to sort, categorize, and judge—to decide who is “in” and who is “out,” who is holy and who is not. This preoccupation with spiritual quality control drains our time, our energy, and our joy. It distracts us from the One who alone has the authority to judge. And it prevents us from doing the work Christ clearly commanded:

“Go into the world and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19–20)
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” (Mark 16:15)

When we focus on evaluating others, we distort the message of salvation. Worse, we risk making the good news difficult to hear because the messenger has become an obstacle.

In conclusion: live for the Lord. Do what you do for the Lord. Trust the Lord with the judging. In this way, you will discover—and embody—the freedom of the Gospel.

Have a good weekend, everyone!