Will You Leave Your Christian Liberties for Others?

“Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (I Corinthians 8:13)

If Paul were addressing the modern church, he might say…

• “If you have friends that are abstinent, don’t drink around them.”

• Or “if you have friends that think gambling is wrong, don’t invite them over for poker or to go to Las Vegas with you.”

• Or “If you have friends that believe the KJV is the only translation, use it when they are present.”

• Or “If you have friends who think bringing up Santa Claus at Christmas is wrong, don’t send them a Christmas card of your kids on Santa’s lap.”

• Or “If you have friends who choose a different form of school than you would for your own children, don’t treat those families or children as inferior to your own.”

• Or “If you have friends that believe Sundays should be restful, don’t invite them to an all-day outing.”

Here, as Paul was addressing an issue of kinds of food to eat, he said, “I will become a vegetarian at the table of those who can’t eat meat.”

Relationships are more important than food. Paul was willing to put aside his Christian liberties.

Are you eager to limit your Christian liberty? (Philippians 2:3-4) Humility is putting your liberty aside and considering the conscience and understanding of your brother. Do you assert your rights over others?

Living this way requires that you know where the weaknesses are of the people around you. You cannot know to put away your meat or your cigars or your movies if you don’t know who you are with, what they are like, where they are in their walk with the Lord, etc. It reminds us how important it is to be engaged with people as deep as time allows.

And if we don’t know if they would be offended by something, assume they will! Abstain from whatever! Go ahead and give up all you can until you know them more.