I Was Just Thinking … About Being Weak in Faith

Those whose faith is weak need the help of those whose faith is strong. When our faith is weak, we are vulnerable to threats to our bodies and to our souls. Even though we once understood the crucified and risen Jesus to be God’s anointed king, his absence from our earthly realm sometimes makes it difficult to maintain a confident allegiance to him. Obeying the royal command to love everyone becomes a chore instead of a joy. Mockery from our contemporaries concerning the way we conduct other aspects of our lives erodes our commitment further.

One way to avoid making choices we will regret is to ask God for wisdom, to ask him for clarity as we evaluate the options open to us. Jesus’ brother James encourages the Church by reminding us that God generously gives wisdom if we genuinely desire it. He does not reproach us for requesting help, even if we need the same wisdom more than once. However, he does not suffer fools easily. Our prayers must carry the conviction that we truly want to make a good choice, one that will honor Christ and result in stronger wills (James 1:2–8).

Another way to overcome our weakness is by prayer. James also urges this solution. First, he exhorts us, “If any of you suffering persecution like the prophets or tragedy like Job, you should pray!” (5:13). Then he accommodates those of us who are too weak to pray ourselves: “If any of you feeling weak, you should call for the elders—who are,  presumably, strong—so they can pray for you. For the prayer of faith by your righteous leaders will restore you as the Lord raises you up. And, if you have sinned in your weakness, you will be forgiven as you confess what you have done” (5:14–16).

Those two circumstances assume that we know when our faith is weak. Sometimes, however, we adopt behaviors without knowing they demonstrate the weakness of our faith. We do this by circumscribing our lives in ways that differentiate us from other believers. For example, in the Roman church of Paul’s day, some people became vegetarians (Romans 14:2). Some people continued to observe Jewish feast days—such as Passover, Atonement, and Booths—as ways to bolster their faith; or they fasted on some important days and feasted on others (14:5). Since these observances did not endanger the truth of the gospel, Paul did not condemn them, as he had in his letters to the Colossian and Galatian churches (Colossians 2:16–23; Galatians 2:11–14; 4:9–10). When I was young, not playing cards, not going to movies, and not drinking alcohol were the equivalents of the Romans’ avoidance of meat.

Unfortunately, the importance we assign to these habits often leads to a sense of superiority. It creates a judgmental spirit toward those who are strong enough not to need crutches to support themselves. So Paul warns all of us weak Christians not to criticize the strong or to suppose they will become disloyal or disobedient to Christ. The Lord is able to keep them from falling (Romans 14:4). He who began a good work in them, and in us, will bring it to completion when he returns (Philippians 1:6). Paul was convinced of this because of the Lord’s work in his life and because of the promises of Scripture. For example: “Yahweh sustains the righteous. Even if they trip, they will not fall headlong for Yahweh holds their hands. He will not forsake his saints. They will be protected forever” (Psalm 37: 17, 24, 28).

So we do not need to worry about the strong. We need to guard our own hearts so that what matters most will be true for us. These observances, whatever they are, must foster faithfulness to Christ and grow gratitude to God (14:6). By doing this, we will maintain the integrity that pleases the Lord. Since we will all stand before his judgment seat to give an account for ourselves, we will be wise if we ensure that all of our actions proceed from our faith. Otherwise, the Lord will judge them as sin (Romans 14:31).