THE CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY
The singing of our national anthems
evokes patriotism and nostalgia. Tim Keller writes: "When the
Star-Spangled Banner is sung at sporting events, the closing phrase comes to an
elongated high note: "O'er the land of the freeee …." The cheers
begin here. Even though the song goes on to talk about "the brave,"
this is an afterthought. Both the melody line and our culture highlights
freedom as the central theme and value of our society.
Freedom has come to be defined as
the absence of any limitations or constraints on us. By this definition, the
fewer boundaries we have on our choices and actions, the freer we feel
ourselves to be. I want to argue that the narrative has gone wrong and is doing
damage.
Modern
freedom is the freedom of self-assertion. I am free if I may do whatever I
want. But defining freedom this way is unworkable because it is an
impossibility. We need some moral norms and constraints on our actions if we
are to live together."[1]
We can be living in the land of the
free and home of the brave, yet we can be bound by fear. We can sing and shout
all we want about freedom, but that doesn't make one truly free. If an average
American views freedom as self-assertion and develops an attitude of "I
can do and have whatever I want, without limits and boundaries," how do
Christians view freedom?
What responsibilities come with
freedom? The Apostle Paul, while answering questions concerning food sacrificed
to the idols, refutes a famous saying of the Corinthians by explaining the
ultimate purpose of THE CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY I Corinthians 10-23-33.
Liberty, a synonym for the word
freedom means, the quality or state of being free. The power to do as one
pleases. Freedom from an oppressive regime. The enjoyment of social, political,
or economic rights and privileges and the power of choice."[2] What is Biblical Liberty?
I.THE
BIBLICAL LIBERTY.
In the Bible, Liberty is expressed
in several concepts. First, it is the freedom from the penalty of Sin; by faith
in Jesus Christ. Through his death on the Cross, Jesus paid the penalty for our
sins. When we believe in him, we are freed from the penalty of Sin. Romans
6:23, "Sin pays its servants: the wage is death. But God gives to those
who serve him: his free gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
J.B Philips NT
Second, Biblical Liberty is the
freedom from the power of Sin. Paul, writing to the Ephesian believers,
explains the miserable condition of every unsaved person. Ephesians 2:1-2 "Once you were dead
because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in Sin, just
like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in
the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to
obey God."
The power of Sin is broken when
Christ sets us free. Romans 6:5-7, "Since we have been united with him in
his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old
sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that Sin might lose its power in
our lives. We are no longer slaves to Sin. For when we died with Christ, we
were set free from the power of Sin."
Third, Biblical Liberty means
freedom from the oppressive power of the Jewish Law. Galatians 3:13, "But
Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the Law. When he was hung on
the Cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing."
What responsibilities come along
with Liberty? Romans 7:4, "So, my dear brothers and sisters: You died to
the power of the Law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the
one who was raised from the dead.
As a result, we can produce a
harvest of good deeds for God." Building on this understanding, the Apostle
Paul shifts the focus of the Corinthians from trivial matters to what, in the
end, brings glory to God.
II.
THE LIMITS OF LIBERTY
The Apostle Paul refutes the
misplaced idea of Corinthian believers' Liberty. They had a famous saying which
went like this, I Cor 10:23, "You say, "I am allowed to do anything,"
but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything,"
but not everything is beneficial." (I Cor 6:12). Paul voluntarily put limits
on his Liberty by saying, "Even though I am allowed to do anything,"
I must not become a slave to anything." I Cor 6:12.
Freedom doesn't necessarily mean
that you can do any and everything you want to. Indeed, the laws of our
government can restrict and even punish you when freedom is abused. Just
because I have the freedom to eat anything, if I go ahead and misuse that
freedom and eat all kinds of junk food, I am abusing my body. Therefore, I
apply certain limits on my Liberty.
God did not make us like robots;
instead, he gave us the free will to choose. God expects us to make good and
wise decisions and avoid harmful ones. God's appeal to humanity is to decide
what is right. Deut 30:19, "Today I have given you the choice between life
and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to
witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life so that you and
your descendants might live!
We know from reading the history of
Adam and Eve, human beings tend to go after the forbidden fruit to their
detriment. We think, for some odd reasons, Proverbs 9:17, "Stolen waters
are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant." Though this text
discusses sexual immorality, it conveys that "doing the wrong thing or committing
sins in secrecy is exciting and thrilling.
The Apostle urged the Corinthians
not to misuse their freedom to indulge in sexual sins or offend their weaker
brothers and sisters by eating food offered to idols. He urged them instead to focus
on the Kingdom. Rom14:17-19, "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of
what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit.
If you serve Christ with this
attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then,
let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up." One
of the goals of Christian's Liberty is that we strive towards unity by building
each other up.
III.
THE CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY. (Vs 24 & 33)
Vs.24, "Don't be concerned for
your own good but for the good of others." This verse explains the primary
focus and the ultimate purpose of the Christian's Liberty. People in the world
look at Liberty through a lens of self-assertion. They focus on asserting their
rights, claims, or opinions by maintaining their superiority over others.
In contrast, Christians see through
the lenses of self-denial, sacrifice, and concern for others. No one else
matches our Lord Jesus Christ when it comes to being concerned for the good of
others. In His life and death, he ultimately laid down self-interest. In his
teachings, he highlighted the importance of others, and he demonstrated it
through actions.
Matthew 10:45, "For even the
Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a
ransom for man," John 13:34-35, "So now I am giving you a new
commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each
other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my
disciples."
How did Jesus love us? Voluntarily
and sacrificially giving up his life for us. I John 3:16. "We know what
real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.
So, we also ought to give up our
lives for our brothers and sisters." If Christ showed his love for us not
just in words only but through actions, are we called to do anything less than
what our Lord has done?
All the disciples of Jesus Christ, the
Apostle Paul, the early church believers, and scores of missionaries throughout
the centuries knew what this sacrificial love was all about. They did any and
everything within their power so that many people would come to know Jesus.
IV.
CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY IN ACTION
Christian Liberty is an integral
part of our Christian faith. Where do we begin exercising our Christian
Liberty? It starts at the Cross. We are only free from our slavery to sin by
believing in Jesus and receiving forgiveness for our sins. As Jesus promised, If
the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36). Have you been set
free? Only Christians know true freedom.
What does Christian Liberty look
like in a practical sense? How does it affect our daily choices? What are we
free to do and not to do? That was what the Apostle Paul labored to explain to
the Corinthian believers in the previous chapters. In the end, he concluded by
saying, Vs. 31, "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it
all for the glory of God."
Therefore, let us ask ourselves, are
my actions or non-actions glorifying God or only gratifying my needs? How do we
know what glorifies God? When we love one another as Christ loved us when we
serve others, when we respect people as made in the image of God. When we don't
infringe on others' freedoms while maintaining our God-given liberties.
Let us exercise our Christian Liberty not to
harm others but to do the maximum good to the maximum number of people possible.
That was what Paul strived to do when he said, "Vs. 33, " I, too, try
to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what is best for me; I
do what is best for others so that many may be saved." What can we do to
bless our community?
I find what Poland is doing
fascinating. They made the first "Happy to Chat" bench (gaduławka),
encouraging strangers to sit and talk in Kraków. The initiative is intended to
tackle loneliness and rebuild a sense of community as people emerge from the
pandemic. How about we start a "Happy to Chat Bench in Sharon."? These days, many people are lonely and
struggling with mental health issues. Living lives that are void of hope and
filled with fear. Let us use our Christian Liberty and reach out to them with
the message of hope and love. Amen!
