Text: 1 Cor 8:1-13, Title: Is Freedom Really Free? Date/Place: NRBC, 5/1/11, AM
A. Opening illustration: Read an excerpt from the Georgia Driver’s Manual. Talk about whether or not we are really free. But for the sake of argument, let’s say we are. But there’s a cost if we want to exercise the freedom that we are granted to drive: you must get a license, and follow the traffic laws.
B. Background to passage: As you know the Corinthian church was a spiritual train wreck. Paul deal with many issues in the first five chapters that he as a pastor felt needed to be addressed. Then in chapters 6-10, he deals with questions they raised in their letter to him. They had asked him about lawsuits, sex, and marriage that he had addressed so far, and now he takes up the subject of Christian liberty and its use among believers. The specific issue at hand was eating food that had been offered to idols in those temples. But the principles apply to most, if not all, freedoms that we have as believers. This week he lets priorities of love toward other believers call for limitations on this liberty. Next couple of weeks; we will deal with the priority of evangelism and its impact on the limitation of freedom. But here there were believers who felt a liberty to go into the temples of idols and eat with their non-Christian friends’ food that had been offered to idols because idols were nothing. And they wanted to help set free their brethren who didn’t feel right about it, by encouraging them or taking them.
C. Main thought: three truths about Christian Liberty
A. Definition of CL
1. So what is CL? What do we mean when we say that the Christian is free? Loosely defined, and for our purposes today (for there is a more theological freedom from sin), it is the freedom to participate in activities that are not expressly forbidden by scripture. It deals with the “gray” areas of the Christian life (non-doctrinal issues). Most of these things we have principles that may help us discern (we will give you a list at the end), but we see differing levels of concern, conviction, and practice in these areas. Sometimes we feel that these things are not matters of liberty at all, in fact some of you may be offended at some of these things, but truth is there is not explicit prohibition in scripture. Things that might be included are: activities done on Sundays, tattoos, clothing and bathing suits, music, TV programs, foods and beverages that you consume in moderation, how many times you attend church meetings in week, Facebook, movies, hobbies, the kind of car you drive, etc.
2. John 8:32, 2 Cor 3:17, Gal 5:1, 1 Cor 6:12,
3. Illustration: Ronnie Owens’s dad would not put up hay on Sunday even though the rain was coming, because of what people might think. I know of a pastor who was tilling his garden one Sunday afternoon, and later that day he spoke with another pastor from another denomination who saw him doing that and asked about it,
4. We have a multitude of “rights” as a Christian, but not all have to be exercised. There are two normal ways that people tend to deal with these areas that we should avoid. One is legalism: the production of laws and rules that govern every aspect that is not covered by scripture. Everything is either black or white, no gray. Their intentions may be good, pursuing holiness, restraining the flesh, etc. They may desire to keep you from sins that they feel convicted over. The Pharisees were masters of legalism. But Paul says “the law kills, but the Spirit gives life.” So do we throw off all restraint and do whatever we want? I mean, Paul says, “all things are lawful for me?” This is the other error: license. We’re forgiven, so we can do what we want. Everything is white or gray, but mostly white. There are no commands in scripture that apply. As long as the conscience is free, do what you want. This is not a comprehensive teaching on Christian freedom, but suffice it to say that Christian freedom is never a freedom to sin. That there are restraints in the Christian life, and now the Restrainer lives within.
“The freedom that we have been given in Christ is a responsible freedom.” –Paige Patterson
B. Pitfalls of
1. The Corinthians here had probably written a letter, and the writers were part of the group that felt the liberty of conscience (that they weren’t doubtful, guilty, or confused about such actions) to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols in the temples were the idols were worshipped. Paul was about to agree with their “knowledge” theologically, so he prefaced it with a warning of attitude: watch out for arrogance (v. 1). This “knowledge” made those Christians prideful and self-righteous. Another pitfall is the “millstone syndrome.” Jesus was clear about causing others to sin. Those in “the know” were trying to “help” the believers whose consciences were not able to deal with the cultic meals in the temple, by showing them the way, and therefore causing them to sin. This is very serious for two reasons: 1) the language used is “destroy” which means to be ruined, lost, or rendered useless. 2) Paul explains that the tripping up of believers by your liberty is a sin against Christ. And due to this seriousness, Jesus said that it would be better for you if you were drowned in the depths of the sea. Matthew 18:6
2. Illustration: Jason Boothby and the tattoo thing, ladies, your bathing suits at the beach may cause your brothers in Christ to fall into sin, or worse, your dresses at church, and they may not be sinful inherently, it is not some slight injury that is done to the person, but even causing him to "perish"; and this is not said of any person, but a "brother", to whom the strongest affection, and strictest regard, should be shown; and a "weak" brother, of whom the greater care should be taken; and therefore it is an instance of cruelty to do damage to such an one, and that not ignorantly, which cannot be pretended, but "through thy knowledge"; not through the true use, but abuse of it,” –John Gill, “True knowledge consists not in the accumulation of so much data, nor even in the correctness of one’s theology, but in the fact that one has learned to live in love toward all,”
3. Your liberty does not make you more spiritual than other believers. The knowledge that you possess is not at the core of the Christian life, nor is it the driving force of Christian ethics. And you may be spiritually mature, well-grounded, and knowledgeable, but that is not at the core of our faith. With flaunted liberty and “knowledge,” you can destroy a fellow believer for whom Christ died! When you do things that you feel no conviction about and others with weaker consciences see you do it, or participate with you doing it, and they are convicted, guilty about it, you will be held accountable. This is one of the few instances in scripture where we will be responsible for another person’s sin, at least in part. And the results can be damaging for the church, the family, and the individual. Are there things that you do now that others will stumble over?
C. Practice of
1. Paul clarified that this is not about food or Sunday shopping, but about the spiritual life of other believers. He says that this is about loving our brothers. He says, “don’t look at your freedom, look at their need.” Liberty is to be 1) have love as its guide, 2) edification of other believers as its goal, 3) and surrender as its procedure. Love is the medium through which truth is communicated. And without it we are a tinkling cymbal. The whole reason that we are granted anything in our Christian walk, whether liberty, money, or spiritual gifts, is for edification. You are to build up the body of Christ. And to do that sometimes it will require us to restrain liberty even about things that are not sinful to us. Paul’s conviction about this is so strong that he says he will never eat meat again if that is what it takes to avoid causing other believers to sin. Would you be willing to give up?
2. Philip 2:3-4, 1 Cor 13:1-3, Eph 4:29, 2 Cor 13:10,
3. Illustration: Mark Driscoll, the cussing preacher, Piper’s “that’s crap,” and my life being “screwed up,” the whole, “what does this mean to you…” bit, “My liberty as a Christian should always be supremely shackled by the love I am commanded to have towards another.” "A Christian man is the most free lord of all, and subject to none; a Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, and subject to every one." –Martin Luther,
4. You can be strong in doctrine, and weak in love. Not about the rights of the strong, but those of the weak. We must think in love, which means that we sacrifice ourselves, and live in a fashion that benefits those around us. So if an action will not benefit someone, and it could possibly cause someone to stumble, we should not do it, regardless of how necessary we think it may be. We are to serve one another deciding what will best build up another person, and strengthen their walk with Christ. Now this doesn’t mean that we never say hard things. Paul did that often, and says that sometimes it is necessary. But even in sharpness, we can speak in love. So let your liberty (your music, TV, Sunday activities, clothing, extracurricular activities, speech, your tattoos, and your food/drink) look for ways to serve your brethren, and not yourself. We must examine our hearts, and decide if our brethren’s spiritual health and the Lord’s command is more important to us than our stuff.
A. Closing illustration: In his book “The Great Divorce,” C.S. Lewis gives an allegorical story about a ghost of a man consumed by lust. And in this story lust is depicted as a red lizard that sits on his shoulder and whispers seductively in his ear. When the man is bothered by this lizard on his shoulder, an angel volunteers to destroy it for him. But the man is conflicted because he wants to hold on to his lust but also wants the lizard gone. What he is afraid of is that the death of his lust will be the death of him. He offers all these excuses to the angel because he wants to keep the lizard (even though he doesn’t want it).
After much discussion the man finally lets the angel kill the lizard. The angel grabs the lizard, breaks its neck and hurls it to the ground. Now that the spell of lust is broken the man who once ghostly is wonderfully remade into a real and solid person. And what’s so cool is that instead of dying, the lizard is changed into a spectacular stallion. With great tears of joy and appreciation the man gets on the horse and rides off into the heavens.
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
Discernment on doubtful behaviors (MacArthur)
• EXCESS: is this activity necessary, or an “extra” in life?
• EXPEDIENCY: is this activity profitable, useful, helpful, or simply desirable?
• EMULATION: is this something that Jesus would probably do?
• EXAMPLE: would you want the first graders in Erika’s class doing it?
• EVANGELISM: is my testimony going to be helped or hindered? Will unbelievers be drawn to Christ or turned away?
• EDIFICATION: will I be built up spiritually by this activity? Will it build up believers at New River, at your work environment, in your home?
• EXALTATION: will the Lord be magnified by this word or deed? Will this make much of the fame and honor of Christ?
