1 Cor. 9 & 10 Christian Liberty pt. 2

Reminder: Christian Liberty

What it is:

Christian liberty is the freedom of the believer in Christ. Freedom from enslavement to sin, freedom from the ceremonial observances of the law, freedom to exercise the dictates of a pure and right conscience in matters not condemned in Scripture.

Quick Review Ch. 8:

The Danger of Knowledge

The Issue of the Day: Food Offered to Idols

Loving Brothers and Sisters with Weaker Consciences

Read list of of liberty items

Question: When it comes to deciding whether or not you have the liberty in Christ to do something that Scripture does not explicitly condemn, but you are unsure of, how do you determine if it is right for you to do?

Intro:

Intro:

On a dark, rain-swept September night in 2008, Cape Air pilot David Willey took off from Martha’s Vineyard Airport in Vineyard Haven, MA, to pick up passengers in Boston. For Willey, a former navy pilot with international flight experience, the short evening flight in the twin engine Cessna was the definition of routine. Yet shortly after Mr. Willey took-off, Jesse Sonneborn who lived two miles from Martha’s Vineyard Airport and was enjoying a night at home, heard a tremendous crash, and rushed outside to discover the remains of David Willey’s plane, which had cratered into the ground. Airline Investigators concluded that the cause of the crash was a phenomenon known as “spatial disorientation.” Spatial disorientation occurs when the pilot is unable to discern any features of ground, usually as the result of poor visibility caused by rain, cloud cover, or darkness, and as a result is no longer able to differentiate between up and down. It is not hard to imagine how the inability to tell the difference between the sky and the ground could have fatal consequences for pilots, as it did for David Willey.

Pilots who are flying under conditions that making spatial disorientation likely are instructed that they cannot rely on their senses or instinct of where the ground is, since the phenomenon plays a trick on the body. Instead, pilots have to rely completely on their instruments. Upon discovering the blackbox recording of a commercial jetliner that had crashed into a mountain during a foggy night (killing all passengers and crew), the crash investigation team was horrified to hear on the recording moments before the crash the sound of an instrument alarm going off repeatedly, with the frantic instruction “Too low! Pull up!” followed by the pilot calmly remarking to his co-pilot that the alarm system must be malfunctioning, and to turn off the alarm.

On a dark, rain-swept September night in 2008, Cape Air pilot David Willey took off from Martha’s Vineyard Airport in Vineyard Haven, MA, to pick up passengers in Boston. For Willey, a former navy pilot with international flight experience, the short evening flight in the twin engine Cessna was the definition of routine. Yet shortly after Mr. Willey took-off, Jesse Sonneborn who lived two miles from Martha’s Vineyard Airport and was enjoying a night at home, heard a tremendous crash, and rushed outside to discover the remains of David Willey’s plane, which had cratered into the ground. Airline Investigators concluded that the cause of the crash was a phenomenon known as “spatial disorientation.” Spatial disorientation occurs when the pilot is unable to discern any features of ground, usually as the result of poor visibility caused by rain, cloud cover, or darkness, and as a result is no longer able to differentiate between up and down. It is not hard to imagine how the inability to tell the difference between the sky and the ground could have fatal consequences for pilots, as it did for David Willey.

When it comes to issues of Christian freedom, it can be difficult to discern the difference between what is a valid expression of liberty, and what may be our heart justifying the indulgence of a sinful desire. But God has not left us blind—He has given us a conscience that, when rightly calibrated to the Word of God, will rightly inform our liberty. And, like the warning of an instrument panel, should be heeded when warning of an impending disaster.

1. Liberty with a purpose (ch. 9)

Paul begins the chapter by asserting the grounds of his freedom/apostleship

in verses 3-6 he will assert his rights 3 times (essentially his right to live off gospel ministry)

YET-Paul does not use this right (v 12b)

He would not allow his liberty to hinder the gospel

Paul’s ministry was constantly under attack…he was prepared to go to extreme lengths to protect the witness of the gospel

So he forfeited his rights, becoming as a servant to all—in order to win more to Christ! (v. 19)

Paul used his liberty to be flexible and witness to those who were less flexible

with the Jews he did nothing to offend (he could abstain from eating what the Jews believed unclean in order to witness)

with the gentiles he did nothing to offend (Christ gave him freedom to eat anything with a clean conscience)

“That I might by all means save some.” (v. 22b)

Question—do you use your liberty merely for your own enjoyment, or do you use it to further the gospel of Christ? How?

—> Important contrast—the Corinthians were using their liberty to flaunt their doctrinal knowledge (8:1 “knowledge puffs up but love edifies”) but Paul uses his to win more to Christ.

2. A Warning

Paul ends chapter 9 by balancing Christian freedom with the necessity of Christian discipline

In the first part of the chapter he speaks of ‘freedom’, ‘rights’, and ‘apostleship’

In the final verses (24-27) Paul speaks of ‘discipline’, ‘subjection’, and ‘disqualification’.

Why? Because we run the race set before us, and the one who competes learns temperance in order to avoid disqualification

govern you liberty in order to win

the stakes are high—the analogy corresponds not to a perishable wreath but to an imperishable crown!

—>You discipline your body and desires into subjection, not the inverse. “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (6:12b)

Are there areas of your life that are potentially out of control? Have you allowed an expression of your liberty to become a stumbling block to your walk? How do you discipline your liberty?

A somber example—the Israelites in the wilderness

Liberated from Egypt to follow God, graciously provided for (10:1-5)

But they died, scattered in judgement across the wilderness (v. 5)

Why—because they allowed their hearts to be turned toward lusting after evil (v. 6)

The failure of the Israelites is not there for our derision, but for our example and admonition (v. 11)

We are to take heed lest we fall—be careful that your liberty does not enslave you to sin!

Idolatry may seem obvious, but it can be subtle!

Job 31:24–28 ESV

“If I have made gold my trust or called fine gold my confidence, if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant or because my hand had found much, if I have looked at the sun when it shone, or the moon moving in splendor, and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand, this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges, for I would have been false to God above.

sexual immorality

3. Conscience and Liberty

Context: Idol feasts vs. Meat in the market

Paul returns to the theme of chapter 8- relationship between those of “strong” and those of a “weak”

We may and should submit our rights to a weaker brother/sister…but we do not have our liberty itself determined by another’s conscience…that can only be determined by our own.

In matters of liberty, it is the conscience that informs our freedom

Romans 14:14 ESV

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.

Romans 14:

Romans 14:22–23 ESV

The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Your conscience “cannot make a wrong thing right, but it can make a right thing wrong.” -Mark Dever

In other words, to go against conscience means you are doing something that you do not have the freedom to do—everything not from faith is sin— regardless of whether it is condemned or not

Conversely we may think we have freedom when in reality we have a seared conscience not convicting us of anything!

We therefore need to have our conscience in tune with Scripture

“My conscience is captive to the Word of God,” he told his accusers. “I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand.”-Martin Luther, Diet of Worms, 1521

Do you listen to your conscience? Do you regularly check your conscience to ensure it is aligned with Scripture? Paul says there are weak and strong consciences…implying varying degrees of maturity.