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Liberty Focused

By Thomas Greenslade

Free at last, free at last
I thank God I’m free at last
Free at last, free at last
I thank God I’m free at last
Way down yonder in the graveyard walk
I thank God I’m free at last
Me and my Jesus going to meet and talk
I thank God I’m free at last
On my knees when the light pass’d by
I thank God I’m free at last
Tho’t my soul would rise and fly
I thank God I’m free at last
Some of these mornings, bright and fair
I thank God I’m free at last
Goin’ meet King Jesus in the air
I thank God I’m free at last

On 28 August 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr., quoted this Negro Spiritual in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” Even more than the longing for social equality and political freedom, God’s people long for freedom from all that goes along with sin. Strangely, as soon as God has set us free, we are prone to enslaving ourselves again. Paul bemoaned the condition of the Galatians. So soon after they had been saved out of a bondage to laws and rituals, they become enslaved to laws and rituals again. “But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? … It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 4:9; 5:1 NIV)

There are core passages in the Bible that we refer to again and again when we are dealing with specific issues. For example, 1 Corinthians 13 is the love chapter. Romans 7 is the “struggle with sin” chapter. John 3 is the salvation chapter. The core chapter about the liberty of the believer is Romans 14. We usually go to it in reaction to legalism. It does touch on that a little, but that is not the point of the chapter. The message here is much richer, and deeper. Usually I have heard people use this passage as ammunition when they argue with someone who will criticize their liberty. Actually, the message of this chapter is one of concern for that believer who hasn’t realized his liberty yet. The question is what is your attitude toward that person who criticizes your liberty? Are you concerned for them or contending against them? In this article I want to help you focus your liberty.

“What is Christian Liberty?”
Do not miss what is said in Romans 14:12, “So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” Popular thinking says, “I have the liberty to do anything I think is right, and I should not be judged by anyone for doing it.” Did you notice what the focus in that statement is? “I… I… I…” That is what you will not find in Scripture. What you will find is that I do not have to do anything to be saved. I will no longer be condemned for the sin I have committed. I am not under the old Law. It was fulfilled by Jesus for me. But, does that mean that the only law that rules my life is what I want to or don’t want to do? Not so. “…the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” ( Romans 8:2 NASB) One law has made me free from another. I am free from the law that condemns, but I still am under a law that guides behavior. “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.” ( James 2:12 NKJV) What is the Law of Liberty? It is basically this:

• “… let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way… For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” ( Romans 14:13, 7-8 NIV)
• “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible, but not everything is constructive.” ( 1Corinthians 10:23 NIV
• The reason he wrote this was that the Corinthians were doing whatever they wanted to do without any consideration of how it might impact others. Then they objected to anyone who challenged them on it.
  The Lord Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.” ( John 13:34 NIV) Your concern is not that you are going to be condemned. Your concern is this, “How is what I am doing going to affect someone else?” That focus of the Law of Liberty is what is explained in Romans14.

The Focus of Liberty
First and foremost, “…none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” ( Romans 14:7 NIV) It is not, “What can I do for me?” It is, “What can I do for you, Lord?” The basic rule of life is, love the Lord who loves people. I serve Him by treating people tenderly and carefully. Remember, Jesus said that the Law is wrapped up in two statements:

· Love the Lord your God with all of yourself

· Love your neighbor in the same way that you take care of yourself

Do I love God? Then I will also love my neighbor. Do I not love my neighbor? Then I do not love God. Who is my neighbor? He is the person I would hold in the least esteem. Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan to teach them this. (Luke 10:30-37) The Jews hated Samaritans, but Jesus flip flopped and used the perspective of the Samaritans. The person the Samaritan would hold in least esteem would probably be a Jew. Today, for the Jew, you could replace the Samaritan with a Palestinian, or more especially with the al Queda.

I wonder who it would be for you. Who do you esteem the least? Do what is love for that person. This is what Romans 14:1 is focused on. “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.” The word “Accept” in the original language does not just mean “to be with you,” but “to help” him. It is like saying, “Lend him your hand.” The Syriac version does say, “Give him a hand.” Do like the Samaritan did for the beaten Jewish traveler. Read about it in Luke 10:30-37 and then look again at Romans 14:1. Here is what he tells you not to do, “dispute over doubtful things.” Do not argue with this errant believer about the standards & beliefs about which you believe he is wrong. Listen to this testimonial.

• “I can truthfully say that I am slow to see the blemishes of fellow beings, being myself full of them. And, therefore, being in need of their charity, I have learnt not to judge anyone harshly and to make allowances for defects that I may detect.” — Mahatma, Gandhi.

Gandhi was not a follower of Jesus Christ. He was a Hindu. If anyone should truly be like this, it should be the experienced and mature follower of Jesus Christ. The weak believer has doubts. He worries that he must still do these things to be right with God. Please understand a difference. There are mature, strong Christians who keep certain standards, not because they believe that they must in order to be right with God, but they do so out of a love for God and revulsion for worldliness. They believe that for them this is better. For instance, I have friends who don’t have a TV. They don’t think it is a sin for me to have a TV, but their stomach is so turned by the pervasive carnality on TV, and they are so concerned about the effect of TV on the sensibilities of their family, that it is better for them not to have TV. When they were visiting in my home they didn’t scorn me at all. On my part, in respect for them, I did not turn on the TV. This is different from the person who is convinced that God is going to judge you for having a TV; that watching any kind of TV is a sin. That person thinks that if you have one you are out of the will of God. That is the person you are relating to in Romans 14:1. Is he wrong for judging you? Yes he is wrong. You can state that you see things differently than he does. You can even discuss it if you both can do it calmly, but do not get hot and argue with him. If he gets hot try to graciously bow out. “But he makes statements that are condemning toward me!” What did Jesus do when the Jews condemned him? “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”(1 Peter 2:21,23 NIV) Leave your defense in God’s hands. You receive them, and lend a hand to help them.

What kinds of things might that person have erroneous standards about? As an example Paul lists eating foods, observing a holy day, drinking wine. In other words, anything… (Romans 14:2,5,21 NIV) Can someone follow a diet without condemning you? Sure he can. Can someone abstain from work on Sunday without condemning you? Yes. But what if he does condemn you? Don’t you try to argue him into seeing it your way? You can not change any man’s heart. Only God is able.Your responsibility is to not condemn that man for his condemnation of you. That is God’s business. Instead, “…If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink…” (Romans 12:20 NIV) Give him a hand. Receive him to help him in some practical way: food, drink…, a hand. Does God love him? Yes! So do that which is love for this person that God loves, who God loved so much that while he was still a sinner, Jesus died for him. (Romans 5:8 NIV)

It is hard to relate to someone who is condemning toward you. This focus helps you. It defines what your master wants you to do with that person: not to convince him, but to help him. “Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat …” (Romans 14:3 NKJV) Did you catch the direction of the despising? It is not the one with all the rules who is despising the one who doesn’t. It is the strong believer despising the legalistic believer. Don’t do it. “But what about him condemning me?” Let God deal with it. Leave room for God to work. (Romans 12:19 NIV) It is between God and him. Romans 14:4 tells you, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.” God is able to deal with him. Leave it there.

Focus is the key to so many things: your camera, binoculars, glasses… When you go to renew your driver’s license they will check your eyesight. Why? Driving blind is dangerous! Dangerous to whom? To yourself? Yes, but their concern is mostly that it is a danger to others. “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1 Corinthians 8:9 NIV) “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13 NIV) Here in Romans 14 the focus is “If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” (Romans 14:8 NIV) If your eyes are filled with the Lord the things you do will be guided by His concern for others. Is that a description of you?

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