Bible Questions and Answers

Romans 15:1-3 what does it mean to please people? Are we meant to be people pleasers as christians?

This must be understood in the context of not putting a stumbling block in the way of fellow believers.

1. Don’t argue over dietary restrictions Romans 14:1-4

• Don’t argue over the observance of days. Romans 14:5-9
• Don’t judge (in the sense of condemning) one another. Romans 14:10-12
• Don’t cause others to stumble over what they regard as unclean.Romans 14:13-14
• Don’t eat in front of your fellow-believer food which he believes to be unclean. Romans 14:15-18
• Pursue peace and edification.Romans 14:19-23

This was necessary because the Jewish converts brought up in the Old Covenant with it’s dietary restrictions and observance of Sabbaths and new moons found it difficult to adjust to the relative freedom in the New Covenant in Christ where there are no dietary restrictions and no observances (except to meet often to share bread and wine)

‘Those who are strong’ are those who understand the New Covenant. ‘Those who are weak’ are those who believe the Gospel but still feel tied to parts of the Old Covenant.

Thus we are to deal with fellow believers in ways which lead to building them up rather than pulling them down over things which don’t matter and have no bearing on their salvation.

Paul writes to the Corinthians in similar vein concerning the eating of food which had been offered to idols:
1 Corinthians 8:4-13

Paul was not a people-pleaser where the Gospel was concerned: 1 Thessalonians 2:4;Galatians 1:10; Ephesians 6:6

In conclusion, we are not to be ‘people pleasers’ with those who refuse to believe the Gospel, because that would serve no purpose. We try our best not to give offense but we must not shy away from proclaiming the Gospel accurately and forthrightly

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn