Duties of Strong Saints to the Weak

by Thomas Brooks

There are eleven duties that strong saints are called to perform towards those who are weak.

The first is as follows:

1. Those who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak.

The apostle writes in Romans 15:1, "We who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves." The word "bear" here signifies carrying a weight, as pillars bear the burden of a house, as porters bear their loads, or as bones support the flesh. More tenderly, it resembles how parents carry their children in their arms.

"Bear the infirmities." Note, he says "infirmities" and not "enormities"; "weakness," not "wickedness." The strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak. The Lord Himself does this with His children. Peter, in weakness, tells the Lord Jesus, "You shall never wash my feet," in John 13. Yet Jesus, knowing this sprang from weakness and not malice, gently bears with him. Despite Peter's refusal, Christ washes his feet.

Thomas also falters in his faith, saying, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe," (John 20:25). Yet Christ, with tender patience, says to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger and look at My hands; reach here with your hand and thrust it into My side. Be not faithless, but believing" (John 20:27). Our Lord lovingly opens His wounds afresh rather than let Thomas perish in his unbelief.

Even the disciples, whom Christ called to watch with Him in His hour of sorrow (Matthew 26), were found sleeping while He prayed in agony. Though their actions showed weakness, Jesus bore with them gently, excusing their frailty: "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41).

How sweetly does the Lord behave! Every believer is like two persons in one—the flesh and the spirit, the ignoble and the noble. While the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak and wayward.

If the Lord thus bears with His weak ones, should not strong saints also bear with one another? Remember, you who are strong: there was a time when you, too, were weak, prone to stumble and easily conquered. If the Lord dealt so kindly with you, ought you not to show the same spirit towards others? It will bring no regret to your heart if you follow in the example of your Saviour.

If the strong do not bear with the infirmities of the weak, who will? The world certainly will not. The world is quick to turn weakness into transgression and watch for any faltering (Isaiah 29:21; Jeremiah 20:10). Therefore, the world's cruelty should stir up compassion in you all the more.

 2. The Duty to Receive the Weak into Communion

Secondly, as it is your duty to bear with them, so it is also your duty to receive them into communion with you.

Romans 14:1 states: “Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters.” This refers to those who are not fully convinced of all aspects of Christian liberty in matters of indifference. Notice that the apostle does not say, “Receive those who have no faith.” There is no rule obliging the saints or churches to receive into communion those without faith, those who have no fellowship with the Father and the Son. Instead, he commands, “Receive the one whose faith is weak.”

The word rendered “receive” here implies receiving into one’s heart with charitable affection. In the original Greek, the term carries three distinct meanings:

  1. To receive weak saints with the greatest tenderness and affection.
    This entails showing pity and compassion to the utmost extent possible. The same Greek word appears in Philemon 12, where Paul entreats Philemon to “receive Onesimus, who is my very heart.” Just as Paul spoke of Onesimus, so the strong must receive the weak as if receiving their own heart—with deep affection and compassion.

  2. To patiently bear with the weak once received.
    This means not only accepting them into fellowship but continuing to support them patiently. You must not take them into your communion one day, only to cast them out the next. Rather, you are called to bear with their weaknesses as affectionately as you initially received them.

    Consider the heathen prince Xerxes, who crowned his steersman in the morning, only to behead him in the evening. Such fleeting favour is unworthy of the household of Christ.

  3. To restore the weak through fatherly instruction.
    It is not the will of Christ that weak saints should be rejected or that the door of communion should remain closed to them until they grow stronger or attain a higher degree of grace. Remember this: even the weakest faith, if genuine, gives the believer a full share in the spiritual riches found in Christ. Likewise, the weakest faith, if true, grants a person a legitimate claim to all the outward privileges and blessings that come through Christ.

    Romans 15:7 declares, “Accept one another, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” This serves as the unchanging rule for all saints and churches. It is not by human will, but by the commands of Scripture—such as those just cited—that all churches must guide their admission of members.

Those who are “weak in the faith” should be received, for the Lord Jesus Himself has received them. Christ does not accept the strong while rejecting the weak. Rather, He tenderly gathers the weak into His arms and dandles them upon His knee. He receives the weak just as graciously as the strong. Therefore, the apostle says, “As the Lord has received them, so you also must receive them.”

The theologian Martin Bucer rejected no one in whom he could see aliquid Christi—any evidence of Christ—and he freely extended to them the right hand of fellowship. Churches that shut the door of communion to truly gracious souls, merely because their grace is weak or their knowledge or love does not yet reach a certain standard, cannot justify themselves before Christ. The standing rule is clear: “Receive the one whom the Lord has received.”

If weak saints desire communion and are willing to walk in the ways Christ has appointed for His people, then the church ought to extend the right hand of fellowship to them. This is the second duty of the strong—to receive the weak into communion and fellowship with the greatest affection, love, and compassion possible.

3. Focusing on Graces Rather than Weaknesses

Strong saints must focus more on the graces of their weaker brethren than on their weaknesses.

It is a grievous fault to use a magnifying glass to scrutinise the flaws of weak believers, while refusing to look into the mirror where their virtues are reflected. Strong saints are called to see the virtues of their weaker brethren and not fixate on their failings. When Christ saw even a little moral goodness in the rich young man, the text tells us, “He looked upon him, and loved him” (Mark 10:21). If Christ could regard such moral virtue with love, should we not also look upon a weak believer with love when we see the love of God and His image in them? If moral virtue could captivate the heart of Christ, how much more should supernatural grace—even in its smallest measure—move us to love? Should we not value a small amount of gold, even if buried within much earth? And shall we not treasure a little grace where much corruption still remains?

Plato once said that if moral virtue could be seen with mortal eyes, it would draw all hearts to itself. How much more, then, should grace move us—the least grain of which is far more precious than all the moral virtues in the world!

It is a regrettable weakness, I might even say an intolerable one, when people reserve their love only for those who share their exact opinions and judgments. To love, esteem, and value others solely because they align with our views is far from the spirit of the gospel. Such behaviour is utterly unworthy of the God-like spirit that ought to characterise the saints. To have a Christ-like spirit is to love where Christ loves, to embrace where Christ embraces, and to be one with all who are united with the Lord Jesus.

Christ will surely take it as an affront if we disown anyone upon whom He has set His royal seal. I am grateful for His grace, which inclines my heart to love, honour, and cherish His people according to the evidences of Christ I see in them. If I am not mistaken, this is the path to the joy, peace, and comfort whose absence can make life a living hell. God Himself looks more upon the bright side of the cloud than the dark—and so should we.

It was said of Emperor Vespasian that he was “more ready to conceal the vices of his friends than their virtues.” Surely there is much of God in the soul that, on account of the gospel, is more diligent in covering the faults of weak saints than exposing them. Sadly, many today could justly be reproved by the observation of that harsh philosopher, who said of grammarians that they “knew more about the faults of Ulysses than their own.”

4. Denying Self to Please the Weak in Indifferent Matters

It is the duty of strong saints, in matters of indifference, to deny themselves in order to please the weak.

The apostle writes in 1 Corinthians 8:13, “If what I eat causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.” Strong saints must resolve unwaveringly not to give offence carelessly, nor to take offence without cause. As the apostle says, he would not insist upon disputing his Christian liberty but would rather lay it down at the feet of his weaker brother than risk offending one for whom Christ died. In 1 Corinthians 9:22, he continues, “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” That is, he willingly condescended and went as far as possible—without sinning—to win over and edify the weak. He denied himself in matters of indifference to benefit them.

Strong Christian, you must not, by exercising your Christian liberty, put a stumbling block before your weaker brother. Romans 15:1-2 exhorts, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbour for their good, to build them up.” Notice, the apostle does not say to please the lusts of one’s neighbour but to please them for their good and for their edification. In matters of indifference, we should yield and aim to please our neighbour in a way that benefits their soul.

At the time, some believed they should observe certain days, while others thought they should not. Some believed they could eat meat, while others thought they should only eat vegetables. In these indifferent matters, the apostle declares his willingness to displease and deny himself for his neighbour’s benefit rather than risk causing offence through the exercise of his liberty. This is true Christian love—to deny oneself in order to please a neighbour, so long as it is for their spiritual edification.

Yet, alas, this heavenly love has been almost driven out of the world! Instead, many now criticise in others those very things they excuse in themselves.

5. Supporting the Weak

1 Thessalonians 5:14 exhorts us, “Support the weak, be patient towards all men.” Just as a crutch supports the lame and a beam upholds a crumbling house, so strong saints ought to support the weak. The strong are to act as crutches for the weak, as beams that bear up those who falter. Their duty is to lend their strength by providing counsel, prayers, tears, and godly examples.

Strong saints must not treat the weak as a herd of deer treats a wounded member, forsaking and pushing it away. Oh no! When a weak saint is wounded—whether by temptation or the power of some corruption—the strong are called to support and uphold them, lest they be consumed by sorrow. When you who are strong see a weak saint staggering and reeling under the weight of temptation or affliction, know it is your duty to put both hands underneath them, to steady and sustain them so they do not faint or falter in their trial. Isaiah 35:3 commands, “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.”

The weak hands are those that hang down in despair, and the feeble knees are those that, through weariness, are ready to buckle. Strengthen them! Encourage them by offering a promise from Scripture, sharing your own experiences, or recounting the testimonies of other saints.

Perhaps their struggle was once your own. If so, tell them what promises upheld you, what glimpses of God’s goodness sustained you, and how His everlasting arms supported you. Speak of the tastes, sights, and joys you experienced through His grace and how you were enabled to endure by the strength of His unfailing presence.

As a nurse is to the child, as the oak is to the ivy, and as a house is to the vine, so should strong saints be to the weak.

6. Avoid Causing Weak Saints to Stumble in Holiness

Strong saints must take care not to make weak believers falter or stumble in the way of holiness, nor to discourage them from pursuing the paths of God, nor to turn them away from His ways altogether.

This is the meaning of Luke 17:2 and Matthew 18:10, where Christ warns: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” You may be inclined to slight them because they are weak in grace and holiness, but beware—such actions may cause them to stumble. Remember, they have radiant heavenly attendants who stand ready to defend them. Be careful not to offend them, for their angels, like divine champions, are prepared to right their cause. It would be better to provoke all the devils in hell or the witches of the world than to anger the least of Christ’s little ones.

If Cain despised Abel, God called him to account: “Why is your countenance fallen?” (Genesis 4:6). When Miriam murmured against Moses, God struck her with leprosy and caused her to be publicly humiliated (Numbers 12:14).

Consider the weight of Christ’s warning in Matthew 18:6: “If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Christ does not take such offences lightly. The “millstone” mentioned is a great stone, large enough that it could only be turned by a donkey. According to Jerome, this form of punishment was reserved for the worst criminals among the Jews. Such a person is to be cast into the middle of the sea, where the water is deepest and the shore is furthest away—symbolising a hopeless and irretrievable condition. Take heed, then, of offending Christ’s little ones!

7. Accommodating the Weak in Speech and Teaching

Strong saints must adapt their prayers, conversations, and teachings to the capacities of the weak.

The apostle Paul exemplified this: “To the weak I became weak” (1 Corinthians 9:22). Though Paul was a man of extraordinary intellect and learning, capable of speaking in the loftiest terms, he deliberately chose simplicity in his preaching. No one was more plain and direct than Paul, though he had every ability to soar into high, intricate expressions.

It grieves my heart to consider how some men will answer on the day of Christ for their fondness for lofty language, complex notions, and obscure expressions—making the plain truths of the gospel dark and the simple truths hard to grasp. Many preachers today are like Heraclitus, called “the dark doctor,” who delighted in mysterious sayings. They favour sublime ideas and peculiar phrases, obscuring what should be clear. Such men, like those in Job 38:2, “darken counsel with words without knowledge.” High and studied expressions in sermons are like Asahel’s body lying in the path—it causes people to stop and stare but does nothing to benefit or edify them. It is far better to present the truth in its native simplicity than to embellish it with counterfeit pearls.

This principle is underscored in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, where Paul writes: “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.” Paul did not cloud the mysteries of the gospel with language so lofty or obscure that ordinary believers could not understand God’s will. Instead, he tailored his teachings to their capacities—and so must we.

8. Strengthening Weak Saints Against Sin and Leading Them to Holiness

It is the duty of strong saints to labour to strengthen weak believers against sin and to draw them toward holiness through reasoned arguments.

When a strong believer seeks to strengthen a weaker one against sin, they must do so thoughtfully and persuasively. Likewise, when encouraging holiness, they should rely on sound reasoning. In 1 John 2:1-2, compared with 1:7, 9, the apostle writes: “My little children, I write these things to you so that you will not sin.” What were the things he wrote? Consider 1:7: “If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son purifies us from all sin.” Here, he fortifies them against sin with one of the most profound arguments in Scripture, drawn from the soul’s communion with God. In verse 9, he adds: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Should anyone sin, he reminds us in 2:1: “We have an Advocate with the Father.” Again, the apostle strengthens weak saints through compelling reasoning. He does so further in verses 12-13: “I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake.” Similarly, in verse 18: “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.” And in verse 28: “Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away in shame at His coming.”

In all these Scriptures, the apostle seeks to strengthen weak saints in holiness and to guard them against sin through reasoned and persuasive arguments. So must you, for this is the most effective way to convict and edify them.

9. Covering the Infirmities of the Weak

Strong saints must also cast a mantle over the infirmities of weaker believers. This mantle consists of three elements: wisdom, faithfulness, and compassion.

1. A Mantle of Wisdom

When dealing with the infirmities of weak saints, strong believers must not expose their sins in such a harsh and exaggerated manner as to terrify or discourage them. Presenting their failings in an overly dreadful light may cause despair, drive them from the mercy seat, or hinder their communion with Christ. Such harshness may even render them unfit for spiritual duties.

It is a failing rather than a virtue for strong Christians to aggravate the faults of the weak to the utmost. This can harm their faith when their sins are portrayed beyond what Scripture warrants or beyond what they can bear. Imagine using the same force to clean a delicate glass dish as you would to scrub a pewter platter—you would surely shatter the dish. The application is clear.

As Parisiensis observed, addressing trivial matters with disproportionate force is as though a man were to see a fly or flea on another’s forehead and, in an effort to kill it, strike the person with a hammer.

2. A Mantle of Faithfulness

The faults of weak saints should not be disclosed, especially to those who lack the skill or desire to restore and conceal them. The world will only blaspheme and spread such faults, dishonouring God, discrediting the faith, and bringing sorrow to the weak.

Like Ham, who exposed his father Noah’s nakedness rather than covering it, some delight in broadcasting the faults of others. Ham was cursed for failing to shield his father’s shame (Genesis 9:22). Likewise, those who spread the infirmities of the saints without seeking their restoration are guilty of grievous sin and risk God’s justice.

3. A Mantle of Compassion

When a weak saint becomes aware of their sin and humbles themselves before God, taking shame and sorrow upon their soul for grieving the Lord, it is then the duty of the strong to draw a covering over them. Cast a mantle of love and compassion over such a one, so they are not swallowed up by sorrow.

This is what the apostle urges in 2 Corinthians 2:7: “You ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” The wise man tells us, “Love covers all sins” (Proverbs 10:12). Love’s mantle is broad, covering every failing. Love binds up wounds, applying plasters to every sore. Love uses both hands to hide the scars of the weak.

Christ, O strong saints, casts the mantle of His righteousness over your weaknesses. Will you not cast the mantle of love over your brother’s infirmities? As Bernard wisely remarked: “I once knew a good man who, upon hearing of another’s grievous sin, would say, ‘He fell today—so may I tomorrow.’”

10. Sympathising with the Weak

It is the duty of strong saints to sympathise with the weak—to rejoice with them when they rejoice, and to mourn with them when they mourn.

The apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 11:29: “Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?” His deep empathy for the struggles and temptations of others serves as a model for all strong saints.

Thuanus recounts the story of Lodovicus Marsacus, a French knight, who was led to execution alongside other martyrs. While the others were bound with cords, Marsacus, by virtue of his rank, was not bound. Yet he cried out, “Give me my chains too, that I may be a knight of the same order!” Such is the spirit of true Christian sympathy—identifying with the burdens and sufferings of others.

The relationship between a strong saint and a weak one should resemble two lute strings tuned to the same pitch. When one is struck, the other trembles in harmony. Similarly, when a weak saint is struck by affliction, the strong should feel the impact and respond with compassion. Hebrews 13:3 exhorts us: “Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them.”

The Romans famously punished a man who, during a time of public calamity, was seen looking out of his window wearing a crown of roses. Will not God likewise rebuke those who fail to sympathise with the suffering of others, refusing to join in the afflictions of their brothers and sisters? Surely He will, as Amos 6:1-14 warns.

11. Honouring the Weak

Lastly, it is the duty of the strong to give the honour due to the weak.

1 Peter 3:7 reminds us that all believers share the same name, the same baptism, the same profession, the same faith, the same hope, the same Christ, the same promises, the same dignity, and the same eternal glory. Therefore, speak of the weak with honour, and treat them with respect. Let those whom Christ holds near to His heart never be trampled under your feet.

And thus, this second doctrine is concluded: all saints are not of equal size and growth in grace and holiness.

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Source:  The Unsearchable Riches of Christ by Thomas Brooks

 

 

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