CHRISTIAN LIBERTY
Kendra Intihar
Today's Scripture: “Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.” Romans 14:20, ESV
Theme: Considering my own appetites, what preferences do I have that get in the way of being a good example to and living in unity with others?
RIGHT AND WRONG
- Don’t get tattoos.
- Don’t plant two different kinds of seed in your field.
- Don’t wear clothing made from two different types of fabric.
- Don’t trim your beard.
- Don’t eat animals with split hooves.
These are some of the many Levitical laws in the Old Testament that are not generally practiced by Christians today. As Christians, we believe that Jesus has fulfilled the law, which gives us the “Christian liberty” to do things like those listed above without sinning.
The concepts of “right” and “wrong” don’t always fit neatly into their respective boxes, unfortunately. Consider that a mere 150 years ago, most Christian women covered their hair in public, and certainly at church! You may recall your grandmother or great-grandmother wearing a hat or “church crown” to church. Many women would’ve considered it a sin not to do so, and in fact, there are still many Christians all over the world who feel conviction about hair coverings, while you and I very likely feel no conviction about it, whatsoever.
CULTURAL CONTEXT
There are things that were normal in historical times that aren’t even on our radar today, and similarly, there are things today that the first century Christian couldn’t begin to conceive. Imagine describing TikTok or airports or iPhones to an early disciple of Jesus! Our cultural context is so vastly different from the cultural context of our Christian ancestors in Scripture that there are lots of modern scenarios that we simply can’t navigate without guidance from the Holy Spirit. Because of our current cultural moment, we’re routinely asked to place ourselves into boxes of certainty on everything from politics to religious doctrine, to child-rearing, to how we should all be eating. No matter where we fall on any of these spectra, we believe we’re right (or at least that we’re more right than those other guys). And the difficult thing is that those other guys are convinced that they’re right, too.
WHEN IN DOUBT: DO THE MOST LOVING THING
One way this manifests, as I mentioned, is in our Christian liberty. God has given us much freedom to think and make decisions for ourselves about our own convictions from the Holy Spirit, but 1 Corinthians 10:23 tells us that “All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful” and “not all things build up.” This is an admonition from Paul to recognize that even if something is not inherently sinful or wrong, it could be an obstacle to fellow believers – or even the unbelieving people we encounter. For example, I know that alcohol isn’t problematic for me, so if I ever choose to have a drink, it’s “lawful” for me, based on the filter of 1 Corinthians 10:23. I also know, though, that my primary obligation in Christ is to love others, and it would be extraordinarily unloving of me to drink an alcoholic beverage in the company of my friend who is a recovering alcoholic. Similarly, if I were to visit an Orthodox Christian Church in Moldova, I would cover my head with a scarf out of love and respect for my sisters and brothers in Christ at that church.
We are ambassadors for Jesus, and the way we represent Him to this world matters deeply. What is right for someone else may not be right for me. What is right for me may not be right for someone else. As believers, we are obligated to commit ourselves to seeking God’s will in our interactions with others, prioritizing loving Him and loving others above our desire to be right.
Make it Personal: If Christian liberty brings me out of unity with those who need to see the love of Christ reflected in my life, then I’m disobeying Jesus’ command to love my neighbor. When we seek the “wisdom from above” (James 3:17), we can live a life that glorifies God, edifies our fellow believers, and gently draws unbelievers into the love of Christ.
Pray: Lord, let my life be a reflection of Your love to those I encounter. Help me to walk in the beautiful freedom You have given me and to be receptive to Your corrections. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Read: Romans 14
Weekly Memory Verse: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” Romans 12:9, ESV