Living Free

I Corinthians 8:9-13; 9:19-27
Related Sunday School Lesson, Family Bible Series, July 3

 

In a culture that encourages us to demand our rights, to live selfishly, and to push the limits of our liberty, Christians are called to another way of life. We enjoy freedom in Christ, Christian liberty. We have been set free from sin and we are "free indeed" (John 8:36). But with liberty comes responsibility.

 

Regulated Liberty, 1 Cor. 8:9-13

The Apostle Paul explained this liberty to the believers in Corinth as he answered their question regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols. While it is unlikely that we will face that particular dilemma, it was common in the first century. "We know that an idol is nothing, and that there is no other God but one," Paul had said (1 Cor. 8:4).

"That's right, Paul," his readers must have reacted. "We're free to go ahead and eat the idol-meat, right?"

Right - maybe. While it's true that our liberty in Christ sets us free to do many things, our responsibility to other believers should regulate our liberty.

Paul realized that new believers in Corinth who had come out of idol worship would hurt themselves spiritually if they slipped back into old habits. These "weaker" believers (literally "without strength") might also be hurt if they saw stronger, more mature believers doing the same.

Paul explained it this way: Don't knock down weaker believers while exercising your Christian liberty. To cause another believer to stumble ("become a stumbling block") would be to injure his or her conscience and would be a sin against the Lord (1 Cor. 8:12).

 

An Audience of Two, 1 Cor. 9:19-23

A popular Christian motto today is "I'm playing to an audience of One," meaning Christ. That is not entirely true. Certainly we are to please Christ, but we must also consider others. We are often faced with opportunities that are "gray areas" for which there are no clear biblical prohibitions.

In these situations, it would be helpful to adopt a new motto: "I'm playing for an audience of two," Christ and my brother or sister. Paul's commitment was "if it makes my brother stumble, I won't do it."

If anyone had the authority to exercise Christian liberty, Paul did. He had seen the Lord Jesus. He was an apostle. He had a successful ministry. Earlier in the chapter Paul indicated that his liberty would allow him to take up offerings for his ministry work, but he chose not to do that. Why? Because he did not want to hinder the gospel of Christ.

He had the right to enjoy this privilege, but he deliberately avoided doing so lest anyone should think he was in the ministry for the money.

This willingness to regulate his liberty was a practical expression of Paul's great desire, which is especially evident in 1 Cor. 9:19-22.

Five times in these verses Paul says, "that I might win." To what was Paul trying to win people? To the gospel of Christ! That was the driving force in Paul's life, his great desire.

He was willing to lay his liberty on the altar of evangelism. When he was trying to win Jews to Christ, he was willing to lay aside his liberty in order to gain a hearing. When he was evangelizing Gentiles, he adapted himself to their particular ways. His liberty took a back seat to their lostness.

 

Disciplined Living, 1 Cor. 9:24-27

That kind of thinking takes a great deal of discipline. Paul talked about that discipline in 1 Cor. 9:24-27. Paul, who was obviously a sports fan, referred to the discipline required to excel in athletics. The Corinthians would have been familiar with the ancient Olympic games as well as their local Isthmian Games.

Every four years the eyes and ears of billions of people are glued on the modern Olympics where athletes from many nations compete. But the viewers don't see the years of intense preparation that runners and swimmers put in, in order to win a gold medal.

With that same kind of diligence, those who are running the race of faith must exercise great discipline. It is easy to become distracted and lose our focus. We must keep our eyes on the goal of pleasing Christ by winning souls.

Only one Olympic runner can win the gold medal, but every believer can win that "imperishable crown" when he stands before the Judgment Seat of Christ. That heavenly reward is given to those who discipline themselves for the sake of serving Christ and winning lost souls.

As in Paul's day, this is difficult for believers who live in a materialistic, self-centered culture. Our tendency is to demand every right, to indulge every desire, and to insist on our own way.

The challenge for 21st Century Christians, then, is to think in different terms.

The issue must not be, "What can I get away with?" or "How far can I push my liberty?" That's not Christian maturity.

We must reorient our thinking toward Christ and His kingdom: "How can I build up my brother or sister in Christ?" and "How can I present a clear picture of what it means to be a Christian?"