In our last study, we talked about how human government is a divinely appointed institution. They are there to be public servants for the good of society, and to execute justice for wrong-doing. For this reason, we are to submit to the authorities to avoid their wrath and to have a clean conscience before God. In this chapter Paul is going to discuss Christian liberty, and how we should conduct ourselves with such liberties.
He begins by saying they should receive those who are weak in the faith. In other words, they should not refuse to fellowship with others who are not on the same level of maturity as they are. We can have constructive conversations with people, but we should not argue with them on nonessentials. On the essentials of the faith, however, we should be in agreement. These are those doctrines that make Christianity true Christianity, and they are clearly taught in the Scriptures. The nonessentials are those things for which we can disagree, either because they do not make a difference in our right standing with the Lord, or the Scriptures are somewhat ambiguous. We may have strong opinions on these matters, but should be willing to yield for the sake of others when necessary. As it has been said, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.” My goal in this study is to present a biblical case why we are free in certain matters, but may not want to exercise those freedoms for the sake of others.
Some believe they can eat all things, and others who are weak eat only vegetables. As we can see, those weak in the faith are those who place extra rules on themselves and on others that God has not prescribed. This may be because they sincerely believe God wants them to adhere to these set of rules, or because they have a propensity to certain sins and these extra rules help keep them away from those sins. In context, these were people (primarily Gentiles) who did not want to eat meat, possibly because they used to eat meat sacrificed to idols, and they felt they would be sinning or tempted to sin by eating meat.
So, what does the Bible say about eating meat? For starters, let’s go back to Genesis 9 where it states, “So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your hand. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.” (Gen 9:1-4) Before the fall when sin and death entered into the world, God’s intent was for our food source to be from plants (Genesis 1:29-30). However, after the flood, God ordained all living things for food. He only told them they were not to eat the blood. Again, this was pre-law, so this is God’s permission granted (or even possibly his recommendation) to mankind.
In our day and age, we don’t typically have the problem of people sacrificing meat to idols, but we do have lots of individuals who do not like to eat meat for health reasons. There is nothing sinful about not eating meat for health reasons, but my concern is this actually has been influenced by something more sinister. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Tim 4:1-5) In modern application, this would probably represent those who are involved in the New Age or occult who have made the environment their god, and, therefore, among other things, preach we should not eat meat. As we can see, God intended every living thing to be food for us if we desire to eat it, because it is made clean by the word of God and prayer. Therefore, we can eat it and be thankful for it. However, if a believer chooses not to eat meat for health reasons, we should not pass judgment on them, nor they on us, for God has received both. We are not to pass judgment on a fellow-servant of God, because it is not our place. We will each stand before God and answer for ourselves.
Next, Paul will address the observing of religious days. Another common disagreement within the Church is which days we should observe, and which ones we should not. Probably the most common of these would be the Sabbath day, followed by various Jewish feasts found in the Old Testament. If we are observing these things out of some legal requirement to be obedient to the Lord, then we would be debtors to keep the whole law (Galatians 5:3). However, if we merely observe them because we see value in them or just enjoy doing so, there is no issue. Either way though, this is not a barrier for fellowship. Some like to esteem one day above another, and others consider every day as holy to the Lord. Paul says to let each be fully persuaded in his own mind, because whether we observe or do not observe a day, it is unto the Lord. This is the same for meats. Paul wrote to the Colossians, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Col 2:16-17)
We do not live or die to ourselves, but in both instances, we do it unto the Lord, for we belong to Him. It is for this reason that Christ died and rose again, that He would be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do we then judge or have contempt for each other? The legalist Christian finds it easy to judge those who do not keep the rules they believe should be kept, and the free Christian judges the legalist for being proud and self-righteous for trying to impose their rules on them. However, we all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to confess Him as Lord, and will give an account for what we have done. This judgment seat is the bema seat in which believers will be rewarded for their works after those works have been tested by fire.
So then, we are not to judge one another in these matters, but there is another principle at play here. This principle is love. Although we may be free to do or not do something, there may be times when exercising our freedom will harm others. Paul said that he was convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself, but if someone deems it to be unclean, to him it is unclean. If a brother or sister thinks eating meat is unclean, and we flaunt our freedom in front of them, we are not walking in love. Our actions may offend them or stumble them back into the sin the Lord delivered them from, and they are someone for whom Christ died. At this point our freedom becomes evil because it is offensive or possibly bondage to someone else. The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. We can make a big deal out of our own personal freedoms or rules, but miss what is really important as it relates to the things of the Lord. When we focus on righteousness, peace, and joy, this is acceptable to God and to men. We are to pursue the things that make peace and that build up others rather than destroying the work of God over food. All things are pure, but it is evil to do it if it offends others. We should not want to eat meat, drink wine, or do anything that stumbles, offends, or makes someone else weak.
Almost in passing, Paul mentions wine as one of those freedoms believers have that we may not want to exercise because it may stumble others. This is another one of those topics for which people have strong opinions, and understandably so, since alcohol abuse has destroyed countless lives. The Bible does not condemn the drinking of alcohol, but it does come with some clear warnings. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation (excess); but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18) Now, if the Lord wanted to communicate to us that drinking in any amount is sinful, I believe He would have said it right here. However, it is drunkenness that He says is a sin. Some like to debate what drunk is, but it’s simply drinking to the point where one’s physical and mental faculties are impaired. So, Christians are free to drink in moderation unless it offends or stumbles someone else. For more on what the Bible has to say regarding alcohol abuse, you can read Proverbs 20:1 and 23:29-35.
There is one other point worth mentioning here, and that is the possibility of stumbling ourselves. Chuck Smith said that if by exercising his freedom to have, he loses his freedom not to have, then he is no longer free, and this is so true. When it comes to things with an addictive nature such as alcohol, we need to be careful we are not ensnared by it. If we have difficulty drinking in moderation, then we should not drink at all. It’s not worth the consequences of drunkenness or potentially becoming an alcoholic.
Paul ends the chapter by asking, do we have faith to exercise a freedom? Have it to yourself before God. If those whom we are around are offended or stumbled by our exercising of a particular freedom, then keep it to ourselves before God. Enjoy those things we can do in faith. However, if we doubt, we are condemned if we eat, because it is not done out of faith. Whatever is not done out of faith is sin. In other words, if we believe something to be wrong and do it anyway, or if we do something not being fully convinced it is alright, it is sin. At this point, it becomes a matter of the heart. Our heart is not right with the Lord if we are willing to do something that we believe to be sinful or has the potential to be. We should act on our convictions until the time comes that we are convinced through the Scriptures that what we want to do is in line with the Lord’s will.
There are no doubt other things we are free to partake in, but we may choose not to exercise those freedoms. We should apply the same principles: If the Scriptures do not speak to them as being sinful, we should make sure we are doing them out of faith, not passing judgment on others for seeing it differently. We should also make sure we are not causing a brother or sister to stumble by exercising those freedoms. If these things check out, we are free to enjoy or not enjoy them in the Lord.
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