What does Romans 14:5 mean?
“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). In this verse, Paul is not speaking about the Sabbath, but rather Jewish holy days or festivals.
Browse: Was the Sabbath nailed to the cross?
Browse: Is the Sabbath only for the Jews?
Ceremonial ordinances
The Jewish converts of the early church found it very difficult to leave the ceremonial ordinances of Old Testament Israel out of their religious practices. They thought of Christianity as being Jewish. Jesus was a Jew. His disciples were Jews. The Scriptures were written in Hebrew. It was hard to separate the types and symbols which Christ fulfilled, from the real.
In Romans 14:5, Paul is pleading with the Jewish Christians to cease fighting about the observance of ceremonial days and feasts which ended at the cross. Then he counsels, "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."
Persuaded by the Bible
By what standard shall we be persuaded in our own minds? "By the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:23). The word of God outlines His day of worship, the seventh day of the week.
