Christian Liberty: A Few Thoughts

It's just Alicia on here today. I had a few thoughts I wanted to share. It's just something the Lord has been working on in my heart over the last few years and now more than ever. Please share your thoughts!

Christian liberty is one of those hot topics.

In most circles, you have the camp of people trying to live what they deem holy lives, insisting that everyone else follow their rules, and acting rather legalistic. And then you have the camp people shouting Christian liberty from the roof tops and acting rather worldly. 

Neither camp is right, but I don't have time to go into all that today.

Instead, I have a few thoughts. And just a few.

"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any...For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." -1 Corinthians 6:12&20

Here's the point. 

Are we willing to give up our liberties for the sake of honoring Christ?

• Not all things are edifying. They may be lawful (not directly forbidden in Scripture), but are they edifying to fellow believers and the testimony of the Christ? 

• Do we care more about our liberties than about the name of Christ or fellow believers? If so, we are wrong. We can insist on our way and insist that it is lawful. Or we can be unselfish and give up a liberty for the sake of edifying someone else.

Are we haughty and adopt a holier-than-thou spirit if we do make sacrifices? Or are we Spirit-led?

• If we do give up some things, are we willing to remember that there are seasons in life and we are to be continually led by the Holy Spirit? In other words, something may not be right for a season, but are we willing to acknowledge that the Lord may actually lead us to do it later on because of changed circumstances? We have no right to allow a sacrifice to become an unbreakable rule. 

• If we give up a liberty, do we insist that everybody else do the same? It's wrong if we do. We are believer-priests. The Lord leads different people differently (in all matters that are not direct commands in Scripture.)

• Do we insist that we will "never compromise" on areas that are not deemed sin in the Bible? If so, we are not being Spirit led, but have turned a sacrifice or principle into a rule and/or an idol. And, if so, the statement insinuates that others who do not share our view are compromisers - which is in itself an act of pride. 

Are we willing to allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives rather than tradition?

• If we discover that the way we've always done things is no longer expedient, are we willing to change? We're not talking about making provision for the flesh here. Tradition is good, and we are to honor it as long as it is godly and continues to be edifying (Proverbs 22:28.) However, if a tradition (even a good one) is hindering the work of the gospel, it needs to go.

Those are my few thoughts for today. We can all do better about making sacrifices for the testimony of Christ, having a meeker attitude when we do, and being willing to swallow our pride when our tradition is not necessarily edifying. 

Please share your thoughts!