Adiaphora

The term “adiaphora” is a transliteration of the Greek term (Latin: indifferentia; undifferentiated matters) meaning indifferent things.

 (via Dictionary of Luther and the Lutheran Traditions)

Romans 14:2-3

² One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. ³ The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them

In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.

Try as we might to argue that there really ought to be specific Levitical laws against the consumption of Mountain Dew, no such laws actually exist in Scripture, which means that God has granted us freedom to decide whether or not to drink it. In that sense, drinking Mountain Dew is spiritually neutral, even though it may be dietarily questionable… Of course, there is occasionally a debate about whether a particular thing is adiaphora or not. Some, for example, might argue that the use of an electric guitar in a church service falls into the category of adiaphora. But others would disagree. It’s also worth saying that in one sense, nothing we do is spiritually neutral, because everything we do can be—and ought to be—done to the glory of God. Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 that “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” So that means, of course, that we can choose a carpet for our living room, choose a podcast app, grow a beard, or drink a painfully sugary soft drink—all to the glory of God. Or we could do all those things without doing it to the glory of God.
So although we might consider them adiaphora, spiritually neutral in themselves, all these things in practice are either honoring to God or dishonoring to God—depending on whether or not we do them to the glory of God. The attitude of our hearts is what matters.                   

-Barry Cooper, “Adiaphora” on the Simply Put Podcast (2025)

Reflection & Prayer

Consider the frustrations and disagreements you have with other Christians. Are these points of division truly core issues or are they perhaps more neutral in nature? Pray for wisdom to know the difference.