Romans 14 — “Any Day is Holy to the Lord”
A. The Claim & the quoted text (Rom 14:5–6)
“But Romans 14 says it doesn’t matter; I can make any day to the Lord holy… Besides, check this verse out…”
Romans 14:5–6
“5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike.
Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 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.”
Now, let’s look at the verse in context…
B. Romans 14:1–10 in context (color-coded)
Days / “one day… every day”
“eat / does not eat” (food/fasting)
The Law of Liberty
Romans 14:1–4 — Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who
does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. Who are you to judge another’s
servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5–6 — One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike…
He who eats, eats to the Lord… and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
← Verses 5–6 often quoted out of context
7–10 — For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord…
For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But why do you judge your brother?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
What the color tells you: the chapter’s concrete issue is repeatedly about eating vs. not eating (food/fasting scruples), while the brief mention of
“one day… every day” sits inside that food/fasting discussion. The word “Sabbath” never appears.
C. Context conclusions
- “Sabbath” does not appear here nor anywhere in Romans 14.
- Context: Paul is addressing days for eating vs. days for fasting, not abolishing God’s Sabbath.
- Test to try: Highlight every occurrence of eat / does not eat—the theme becomes unmistakable.
- Therefore: Romans 14:5–6 cannot be used to validate not honoring the Sabbath; the passage is not about that topic.