Freedom In Christ

HBI - In the essentials of the faith we must stand firm, in the non essentials of the faith we are to pursue peace, love and to help each other grow closer to God. As we do this we are to take the gospel to those around us.

During Camp Sunday I went through our Camp theme passage. In it we learned that we are not to allow the world to conform, or mold us into it’s image but rather we are to be transformed and molded by the word of God. We need to be changed by God, made into a new creation by Him. Live our lives in worship of Him. But my brain took me down a path that I felt the need to expand on. Paul tells us in Romans 14 and 1 Cor 8-9 That we have freedom in Christ, that though we are not of the world we are sent into the world to preach the gospel. And as we do that our Christian freedom allows us to “become all things to all men so that we might save many”. This means that though we are not to be conformed to the world we can do what we can to meet people where they are at, without sacrificing the word of God, and point them to Him.

These passage do deal with relating to brothers and sisters in Christ, but then take it a step further and in 1 Cor 9 deals with how we can relate to Non-believers. But I think it all works together to tell the story. The question that this boils down to then is what freedoms do we have in Christ and what are essentials that we must never back down on? In relating to brothers and sisters, how do we work together in peace and disagree on the non essentials but also stand firm on the essentials of the faith and not budge. How then does that go into how we relate to those around us?

I left this in kind of a weird spot 2 weeks ago so Here I am expanding on this. We start out with How does this affect how I relate to the body of Christ, and then how does that change How I relate to those that do not know Jesus. How should this affect the way we share the gospel, or should it?

I remember about 8 years ago I was leading a regular Bible study and prayer meeting in the hall of a church. We would go through a book of the bible, or a bible study book and spend some time in prayer. There was one older gentleman, that was in his 80’s at the time. He was a good Christian man and I remember Him asking me on more then one occasion on one of these nights “Isn’t the KJV the original version of the Bible?” I was not sure what to say so early on in my ministry but tried to explain to Him that no it was not. How do we deal with Believers who differ in some non essentials of thew faith? My Grandma White, when she was alive, told me once that playing cards was a sin. This is the way my dad was raised and he still does not play cards, He just doesn't like doing it. My Grandma was taught this from a young age as well. How do we handle situations like this where the person may be wrong, weaker in the faith and firmly believes that this affects their relationship with God? Back in the day when I was a youth leader in the church I had a teenager phone me and was getting stressed out. He was at a family thing, lots of His family where non-Christians and where pressuring Him to drink with them. How does this passage on Christian Liberty and freedom affect the way that we relate to those around us that do not believe in Jesus?

13-16 - Stumbling blocks

With the therefore we look back a little bit. Maybe I should just do a sermon series through the book of Romans at this rate. It is just my sermon through 12:1-2 my mouth opened and ideas that related to my sermon poured out when I should have waited till I had time to go through it. It bugged me enough, here we go. How do we deal with our Christian liberty in relation to our brothers and sisters in Christ, and with those around us who do not know God.

In the beginning of the chapter Paul is dealing specifically with the strong or mature Christians in the church relating to the weak or less mature Christians in the church. It says in Romans 14:1 That we are to accept the weak in the faith, but not to argue and debate them. But the disputed matters talked about are days of rest, and food laws related to offerings to idols and drinking wine.

Romans 14:1 (CSB)1 Welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters.

Disputable matters this calls them. A few things to be kept in mind as we go into the next passage. The first is that talking of the weak and the strong. It is assumed that the weak will not remain so. If there is some among us that are weaker in the faith, it is assumed that they are going to grow and become one of the strong. Just read through the book of Hebrews. We can not stay as Spiritual babies forever. The next thing we need to remember is that we need to deal with each other in love remembering that all we do is for the glory of God for one day we will all come before God and kneel before Him.

the next part of the passage Paul is addressing the strong in the faith. because of what has been said before, that I just summarized, we are told that we must not put a stumbling block in front of others. To not judge others on these disputable matters of the weak in the faith, but rather to accept them in love and do not do something that would cause them to stumble. Romans 14:13

Romans 14:13 (CSB) 13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.

in the next verse we start to see what it looks like to cause others to stumble. Again if we continue the thought, what is mainly talked about here so far if we follow the passage from the beginning of the chapter OT Law matters. Observing certain days, food laws and wine. Mainly when it came to eating food that may have been offered to idols. Paul reminds us that these disputable matters, that nothing is unclean that the Lord has called clean. Romans 14:14

Romans 14:14 (CSB)14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean.

The behavior of those that are stronger in the faith can cause harm to those that are weaker in the faith. Yes the weak in the faith need to grow closer to grow closer to God, that is a given, but in the meantime we need to bear with them in grace. You can cross reference this back to Acts 10:15 “15 Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.”” When Peter was being told by God that the OT l;aw had been fulfilled and things where changing. No longer where these things unclean. Yes it was in reference to reaching the gentiles but it was farther reaching then that.

what we are reminded of here is that a truth or tradition that is so long held is sometimes hard to give up. When it comes to these disputable matters, grace is what we need. People differ in their ability to internalize the truth they read in the word of God. Sometimes it takes a while to grasp the freedom God has given them in Jesus. If to some Christian that food is unclean still, show them grace. It is not an essential doctrine so whether you agree with them or not, help them grow closer to God.

the next verse reminds us that we are to show love to one another when it comes o the freedom we have in Christ. If you are hurtling your brothers and sisters by the things you eat, if your freedom in Christ is causing harm to others in the body of Christ, then you should really not be doing it. after all, it is not about you and what you want but rather serving others.

17-18 - serve Christ

There is too high a value placed on the freedom we have in Christ sometimes, though it is true when it comes at the expense of others it is not good.

Romans 14:17–18 (CSB) 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.

It is as bad as the Pharisees and their strict adherence to the ritual law at the expense of Justice, mercy and faith. The strong sometimes insist on excersising their freedom at the expense of righteousness and peace and joy ion the spirit. at the expense of the weak. You are not leading anyone, you are not helping anyone if you are so far ahead that no one is following. If you are doing this then ll you are is alone.

if we seek these things, righteousness, joy and peace then instead of being blasphemed by the weak we will be esteemed by them. We do not do it for the esteem we do it for the glory of God. Ours is to serve Christ and be unified as the body of Christ. We cannot serve the glory of God if we forsake the rest of the body of Christ. Working together is essential, we are not called the body of Christ

19-23 - Adiaphora vs Essentials

The result of not seeking these aspects of unity that are talked about in vs 17? serious damage to the church of God. Romans 14:19-20

Romans 14:19–20 (CSB) 19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. 20 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats.

The strong in the faith can seriously damage the the church and destroy it’s unity and strength through their attitudes towards the weak. Through the freedom that they have they cause damage to the church instead of thinking of others first. But this is the part that had me thinkiong, our freedom in Christ was talked about in terms of our freedom to eat certain foods, wine and days from the OT law that where celebrated but then Paul takes it a step further yet. Romans 14:21

Romans 14:21 (CSB) 21 It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble.

what got me in this passage is the anything. Do not do anything that could cause them to stumble. How do we figure out what the anything is? all of thios points out the fact that we are not to anything that could cayuse our weaker brother or sister to stumble but how far do we take it? what doctirnes is it okay to give up on in order to make people feel welcome? What freedoms do we then have in Christ?

this is where context is very important. You have to take this passage in light of the rest of scripture. What we have here is a case of Adiaphora (non essentials) and essential doctrine. we have in the scriptures certain doctrine that is essential to the faith that we need to follow or we are not following the word of God. And there are some things that do not matter as much. We need to search the entire scriptures to see what right doctrine is, what the essentials of faith are. Because that is vital. The freedom we have in Christ, the freedom to become all things to all men, that is never in reference to right doctrine. Take a look at what most people call the apostles creed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

This is what most statements of faith are based on. Where the essentials of the faith are concerned we must stand firm on the word of God no matter what. But when it comes to the non-essentials, then there is freedom in Christ and we must practice grace. How do we know the difference between the two? we must search the word of God.

So What?

We have freedom in Christ is what this comes down to, but when it comes to the essentials we must stand firm. There are those that are stronger in the faith that have come to realize they have freedom in Christ to meet people where they are at and point them to Jesus. This does go forward even to how we relate to non-believers as well. But first where it all starts it the weak and the strong.

The weak need to grow, the strong need grace

Before I go into some examples of some of the freedoms we have in Christ we need to Focus on some of the people who struggle with this. My Grandma for example believed that playing cards was a sin. She was an amazing Christian women, strong in her faith in many areas and I miss her. but there where areas that she may have been weak in her faith. To her playing cards was a sin. was she right? no she was not. But we did not lord it over her, we may have tried to explain to her why she could, how it did not really matter but it was a struggle for her and for that reason we abstained from playing cards around her.

Romans 14:22–23 (CSB)22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.

We must not cause them to sin in believing what they do is wrong. But the other side of this is that it is assumed that the weak will grow in their faith and the strong in their faith must show grace and help them to grow.

In the essentials stand firm, in the non-essentials show grace.

Our freedom in Christ does not apply to the essentials of the faith. We believe that Jesus is coming back again for example, that is for sure and not disputed. We believe that Jesus is going to take up the Christians that are on earth around that time. but what is disputed is the timing of it all. are we getting raptured before he comes back. In the middle of the end times, or after the end times? I know this will get a few people excited but in the long run those smaller things don't matter. When it comes to the timing of that it is not essential.

Stand firm in The word of God, show grace to each other in disputable matters, the non-essentials so that we can walk together and grow the K of G. The need to limit the expression of our freedom out of love for God and fellow believers in the key principle in this chapter. The spiritual health of the body of Christ is far more important than our own rights.

How do we use this in evangelism.

when dealing with non Christians it is another matter all together. We have freedom to meet people where they are at on their journeys and point them to Jesus. i had a neighbor once who struggled with alcohol addiction. Every time I went to visit Him he tried his hardest to get me to drink with Him. But I didn't. I had the freedom to drink if I wanted to but was it wise? Could I preach the gospel to Him and have a drink with Him at the same time. Godly wisdom told me that I did not want to give him any more excuses to drink then what he already had. Can we do what we are doing in the freedom we have and tell people about Jesus, will they listen to what we have t say? we must not become so like the world that we no longer resemble Jesus. We are the ambassadors of Jesus to the world around us. Though we are sent into the world to share the gospel, we can do what we can to meet people where they are at but we must always ask if what we are doing is hindering the sharing of the gospel or not.