LIBERTY WITH A PURPOSE
Romans 14:22-15:6
* One community considered wrong to wear red socks.
* Friend criticized for raking his yard on Sunday.
* Another: as kids they weren’t supposed to go sledding on Sunday.
Wide disagreements exist over certain practices. Christian from South may be troubled by a swimming party for both men and women, then offend his Northern brother by lighting up a cigarette.
At international gathering of missionaries,
Woman from Orient didn’t feel free to wear sandals
Christian from western Canada thought it worldly to wear wedding ring,
Woman from Europe thought it immoral for wife not to wear a ring
Man from Denmark was troubled to watch British Bible school students play football, while British students struggled over his pipe smoking.
Feel as I feel, Think only as I think; Eat what I eat, and drink but what I drink;
Look as I look, Do always as I do; Then, and only then, Will I fellowship with you.
No one thinks THEIR issue is doubtful.
If I want to do something, the rules are stupid—they’re somebody else’s legalism.
If I don’t think Christians should do something, then I think my standard is absolute!—to do it is carnal!
SO, HOW DO WE DECIDE WHAT TO DO?
If God has spoken, DO what God says. Period.
Whether anyone else thinks you should or not!
Do what God makes clear to you.
What do we do when God doesn’t tell us what to do? [When Bible doesn’t say]
When God’s people disagree about what God says, or we disagree about how to apply what God says, TWO PRINCIPLES: [already seen]
1. Don’t judge others! Let God speak to them! 14:1-13
2. Avoid anything which might cause others to trip and fall 13-21
[Rom 1-11 => ]
Salvation by faith has freed us
. . . from slavery to sin and from demands of law.
Neither sin nor law have dominion over us.
Rom. 6:14 "For sin shall not be master over you ..."WE’RE FREE!!!
We have liberty because we’re in Christ and He paid price to free us
Gal. 4:31-5:1 "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."
[ WHY did Christ set us free? ]
REASONS FOR THIS FREEDOM
Popular concept: We have liberty; no one can tell us what to do. We can do whatever we feel like. [ Is that true picture of liberty Christ has given us? ]
1. OUR LIBERTY IS NOT INTENDED TO ALLOW US TO DO WHATEVER WE FEEL LIKE DOING.
Freedom should never be used as pretext to satisfy our own desires!
Gal. 5:13 "For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
We’re free to participate in debatable activities, as long as we don't cause others to fall.
Paul is talking about brothers and sisters in Christ--NOT the world.
Principle is true concerning the world also, (1 Cor. 9:19-23), that isn’t who he has in mind.
We’re to love our brothers and sisters enough NOT to cause them to fall, just so we can do what we want to do.
Concerning such doubtful things,
No one has a right to judge others
However, we don’t have freedom to do whatever we please, so we can go out and do anything we feel like doing.
Our liberty has specific, God-defined, purposes, we dare not ignore:
[ Key question raised throughout this discussion: Who are we seeking to please? ]
2. WE HAVE LIBERTY IN ORDER TO PLEASE GOD 14:22-23
You be sure your own activities are pleasing to Him!
Be sure you’re trusting God concerning what YOU do! 22a
We’re not to judge others, but we are to judge ourselves!
We’re content when we’re convinced WE’RE doing right 22b
Contentment comes to those who don’t vacillate–who’re sure what we’re doing pleases Him.
This test should be one of most important in deciding what we’ll do: Don’t do anything that causes us to doubt, or that leaves our own conscience uneasy! 23
We’re condemned when WE have doubts about what WE’RE doing!
Person who’s unsure–goes ahead & does it, but isn’t sure he should–is left on shaky ground.
We live with self-incrimination–We’re not at peace with ourselves!
Our confidence to come into God’s presence is based on faith
We shouldn’t do anything that harms our confidence to enter God’s presence.
When we do things–not really believing we should–it’s sin for us!
If we do, it’s sin for us, whether for anyone else or not!
ANY activity that leaves our conscience uneasy is sin for us!
Suggests 2nd principle—a two-edged sword.
Some versions present this as a question:
“Do you have faith? Great! Keep it to yourself!” —Enjoy it in your own relationship with God.
Everyone of us has to make sure we’re in the proper place to please God.
This isn't whole picture.
We must consider welfare of others also.
Therefore, if I’m sure God isn’t trying to change my conduct;
if HE’s satisfied with what I am doing,
I can be satisfied with my personal relationship with God.
World's axiom won't fly. We’re not to follow counsel: "IF YOU'VE GOT IT, FLAUNT IT!"
It’s better to keep knowledge to myself so I don't cause others to fall
—even when we do something good in and of itself,
we should avoid anything that will cause harm to a brother.
Do nothing that will make another stumble and fall.
If someone sees us do something they consider wrong, and imitates it because of our example, for that person it’s sin, because they can't do it by faith.
Something that’s good for us, could motivate them to sin.
Our good thing becomes a bad thing for them
Paul concludes: he’ll do NOTHING that might cause another person to fall (14:21)
EVERYTHING WE DO WITHOUT TRUSTING IS SIN [Because of that]
STRONG PEOPLE SHOULD PROTECT WEAK PEOPLE!
We give up our rights for good of the weak, so we don’t get in their way and cause them to fall!
3. WE HAVE LIBERTY IN ORDER TO PLEASE OTHERS 15:1-4 [???!!!]
Previous principle covers implications of conscience free from sin: 15:1a
Responsibility falls on those who have confidence to do something, on the strong ones. Don’t miss this!!!
Strong people should encourage weak people!
Those who have faith to participate are under obligation to watch out for those who don't!
Weakness of weak: they can't participate because they lack faith (14:1-2).
It's our responsibility to carry the burden for them.
We’re to care about them and try to help them.
To accomplish that, we must lay aside OUR desires and seek welfare of other person.
Don’t live to please yourself 1b
Live to please your neighbor 2 –so they become all God wants THEM to be
Natural tendency: enjoy our rights.
No one can make us do what we don't want to do; —we have our rights!
Something is more important than our rights.
Building up others is more important than enjoying my rights!
We ought to give up our rights and seek to please our brother or sister in Christ, so they may be built up–to become all God wants them to be.
Imitate Christ’s example 15:3-4
Who had more reason to insist on their own rights than He?
He didn't think that was important enough to fight for!
He gave Himself, became a man, and died on the cross.
He did it because our welfare was more important than His rights (Phil. 2:5-9).
If Christ was willing to give up His rights because our edification was more important than HIS rights, how much should we be willing to give up?
Harry Ironside recalled incident from boyhood: respected brethren became angry with one another.
One man, springing to his feet and clenching his fist, shouted, "I will not allow you to put anything over on me; I have my rights!" An old Scotsman, rather hard of hearing, leaned forward and cupped his ear with his hand so he would not miss anything. "What was that, brother? I didn't quite get your point."
"I said, I have my rights!"
"But surely you didn’t mean that, did you? If you insisted on what’s coming to you, you’d be in Hell. Jesus did not come to get His rights; He came to get His wrongs!"
Protester stood there, then tears broke from his eyes. He sat down with his face in his hands and sobbed.
If Christ had insisted on HIS rights, where would we be?
Christ didn't live to please Himself. 3a
We shouldn’t live to please ourselves either.
Ps 69:9, David identifies with God; so those who normally insult God, unleashed attacks against him (later Jesus) 3b
Jesus bore the insults of the crowd for His Father’s sake.
His example encourages US to persevere for the sake of others, with a view to our future hope. 4
We look beyond the present–beyond sacrifices–because we have a hope for the future.
It’s recorded for our edification.
CHRIST'S EXAMPLE IN THE PAST (YESTERDAY)
GIVES US PATIENCE AND MOTIVATION IN THE PRESENT (TODAY)
TO HAVE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE (TOMORROW)
Today also, God gives us patience and encouragement;
He’s the One who has to teach us to think as Christ thought. 15:5
Paul's desire is that God might use the biblical example to produce in us this attitude of self-sacrifice, for one another.
[ v. 5-6 reminds us again of the importance of . . . ]
4. WE HAVE LIBERTY IN ORDER TO LIVE IN HARMONY 5-6–like Jesus did!
He’s the source of that kind of patient endurance
He’s the source of that kind of encouragement (of one another)
Ultimately, HE’s glorified by our unity–
5. WE HAVE LIBERTY IN ORDER TO GLORIFY GOD 6
He’s glorified when the unity we sense inside ourselves (internally), is expressed outside ourselves (externally), with united voices.
Together we recognize greatness of what God has accomplished in us
UNITY THAT RESULTS WHEN WE GIVE UP OUR RIGHTS GLORIFIES GOD
I asked you in 1st message on doubtful things to identify activity you struggle with,
either because you want to do something and others are on your trail,
or, someone else does do it and that bothers you.
NOW IT’S TIME FOR A TEST:
Identify which kind of person you are: weak or strong.
If we apply these principles, how will a _______ (weak/strong) person respond in this situation?
How will we respond if we don't apply them?
What difference will there be in lifestyle of strong and weak, if BOTH practice principles?
So what does God want ME to do about it?