JOSEPH W. TKACH
PASTOR GENERAL

November 1987

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your recent inquiry. We appreciate this opportunity to help you with your study of the Bible.

You asked for an explanation of Romans 14:5-6, which seems to say 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. For further information, please write for our free booklets WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH? and PAGAN HOLIDAYS -- OR GOD'S HOLY DAYS -- WHICH?

Thank you for your interest. If we can be of further assistance, we hope you will let us know.

PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT