Verses 1-6  "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. 2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks." 

Sometimes brethren will disagree over things that do not really effect our adherence to the faith that was once delivered to the saints.  Also, it does not effect our belief in salvation from sin by the grace of God.  It doesn't effect our belief in a time salvation.  It does not effect our belief in the order and government and ordinances of the church.  We can be agreed on all these things and yet there will be some things that we differ on and those things should not affect our fellowship one with another.   

Paul says that we should receive those who are weak in the faith.  However, we should not engage them in doubtful disputes over non-essential beliefs.  Next, Paul gives us examples of non-essential beliefs that sometimes people do not agree on.  The first example is that of what a person will accept as acceptable natural food to eat.  Under the Old Testament, certain foods were prohibited in the diets of the children of Israel.  It was not that there was inherently anything wrong in the prohibited foods, but rather it was to teach the children of Israel the difference between clean and unclean things.  When Peter was sent to the house of Cornelius, the Lord showed Peter that the examples of the animals as a part of the diet was to distinguish between clean and unclean and that whereas the Jews had thought of the Gentiles as being unclean, yet God had cleansed them.   

Today, some people will not eat pork or catfish because of the Old Testament teaching, thinking that there is something naturally unclean in pork and catfish.  Others of us do not think that there is something naturally unclean in pork and catfish and heartily partake of these tasty foods.  Yet this is not something for us to be disputing about and causing a fuss in the church.   

Yet others believe that eating any meat is bad for you and will eat an all vegetable diet.  Again, if someone chooses to do this, that is okay, yet this is not something to dispute about in the church. 

Sometimes people will disagree over the practice of fasting.  Some observe a fast saying that it is good for your health and that it helps you to focus your mind on spiritual things.  Others do not agree with either premise.  However, Paul points out, "He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks."  The important thing is that we give God thanks.  To dispute over disagreements on the practice of fasting only brings forth hard feelings to no practical purpose.   

The third example Paul gives us is the disagreements that people have over the observance of holy days.  Some people think of the first day of the week as being a Sabbath day and that it replaces the old seventh day Sabbath that was observed in the Old Testament.  Others, however, in the church think of the first day of the week as the day set aside to worship God, but do not view it as a Sabbath.  These may engage in certain works after the worship service is over.  Again, people may personally disagree over the first day of the week, whether it is a Sabbath day, yet they should not bring it into the church as a point of dispute.  Paul said, "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it."   

In the midst of these non-essential disagreements Paul said, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand."  For us to condemn someone because they disagree with us over a non-essential belief, Paul equates to judging another man's servant.  Truly we are all the Lord's servant, and the Lord is quite capable of judging the rightness or wrongness of these actions.  We stand or fall to the Lord on these non-essential matters.  We are not to judge one another to condemnation over these matters.

 We are not alone.

Verses 7-9 "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." 

Sometimes we may feel like we are alone in our thoughts and feelings or circumstances, yet we are not alone.  We do not live to our self.  We interact with other people all the days of our lives.  When we die, we are not alone either.  Other people feel the effects of our death.  Thus, neither in life nor in death are we truly alone.  Further, we, who are children of God and especially we who are members of the Lord's church, should reckon ourselves to live unto the Lord and to die unto the Lord.  The Lord is there with us in our life and the Lord is with us in our death.   

We should so reckon ourselves to live unto the Lord and to die unto the Lord, because the Lord came down from heaven to redeem us from our sins.  In redeeming us he died for our sins, then he arose the third day, because we are justified in the sight of God.  Thus, he is our Lord (master) whether we are alive or whether we are dead.  While our body dies, yet our soul and spirit lives on in heaven's glory world, awaiting the resurrection of the body.  Jesus is truly Lord of both the dead and the living.  We have no other Lord like Jesus.  When we die, the masters in this life lose all authority or control over us.   

It is important in life that we recognize who is our ultimate and greater master.  When we realize this, we began to behave as one who has an ultimate master, Jesus Christ and quit fearing what man will do to us.  Also, we behave as knowing that our brother also has an ultimate master and quit trying to lord it over him.