CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY The doctrine of Christian liberty is one which certainly deserves our close attention today. There are two aspects of this doctrine which one could pursue in such a study. These two are set forth clearly in chapter twenty-one of the 1689 London Confession of Faith. We shall use this article in the confession as a basis for our discussion.

Paragraph one of chapter twenty-one reads, "The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel consistent in their freedom from (1) the guilt of sin, (2) the condemning wrath of God, and (3) rigor and {Galatians 3:13} curse of the law, and (4) in their being, (5) delivered from this present evil world, {Galatians 1:4} (6) bondage to {Acts 26:18} Satan and, (7) dominion of sin, {Romans 8:3} (8) from the evil of affliction {Romans 8:28} (9) the fear and sting of death, the victory of the grave,1 Corinthians 15:54-57(10) and everlasting damnation;2 Thessalonians 1:10as (11) also in their free access to God, {Romans 8:15} (12) and their yielding obedience unto Him, nor out of slavish fear but a childlike love and willing mind." This section speaks of the great deliverance which the children of God do receive through the blood of Jesus Christ. While much indeed could be said about the glorious truths contained in this section, our main interest and the bulk of this will deal with the second aspect of Christian liberty sometimes referred to as liberty of conscience. This liberty of conscience necessarily flows from the freedom we have as blood-bought children of God. Paragraph two of chapter twenty-one reads, "God alone is {James 4:12;Romans 14:4} Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men {Acts 4:10;Acts 4:29;1 Corinthians 7:23;Matthew 15:9} which are in anything contrary to His word, or not contained in it; so that to believe such doctrines or obey such commands out of conscience {Colossians 2:20-23} is to betray true liberty of conscience; and the requiring of an, {1 Corinthians 3:5;2 Corinthians 1:24} implicit faith and absolute and blind obedience is to destroy liberty of conscience and reason also." John Gill in his Body of Divinity in the chapter entitled "Of the Liberty of the Sons of God" speaks to the issue of liberty of conscience with these words, "Another part of Christian liberty respects things indifferent: things which are neither forbidden nor commanded of God, and which may be used and abstained from at pleasure." So then, several questions arise. Are there such things as "indifferent" things? What should be the attitude of believers toward things not specifically "contained" (word used in the confession) in the Scripture? What should be the attitude of believers toward on another’s practices concerning those things which are not clearly forbidden or commanded in Scripture? God’s word addresses these questions in several places at some length. May God give us wisdom to examine them and come to the proper light of understanding.

We shall first turn our attention toRomans 14:1-23. Here the apostle discusses this liberty of conscience concerning two mattes which were "disputable" in his day. The specific questions under consideration were (1) Is it right to eat meat or should one be only a vegetarian? (2) Is it right to observe special holidays or should every day be equally esteemed? The apostle does not give a definitive answer to either question. These are "disputable" matters which each person is free to decide for himself under the given guidelines.

Romans 14:1begins, "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations." That is, without passing judgment or criticizing his scruples. There are obviously minor details which God’s word does not, and perhaps providentially, even refuses to address lest we be not able to see the forest for the trees. Gill comments in his chapter "Of the Liberty of the Sons of God," "Christian liberty consists in a freedom from all traditions of men; such as those of Pharisees...which were imposed as a heavy burden on the consciences of men, and by which the word and commandment of God were transgressed and made of none effect..."

Now, what are those guidelines which teach us how we should respond to brethren who hold opinions other than ours over matters not clearly set forth in the Scriptures as a command or a prohibition? InRomans 14:3we are exhorted to, "Not despise (look down on or judge) them." We are so prone to pass judgment on those whose opinions are not our own. How we should guard against such. I have heard people criticized for: drinking a glass of wine at a meal, observing holidays, passing the plate for collections in the assembly, using birth control (certainly some methods should be condemned- IUD, etc.) watching a movie, eating ham, playing sports, referring to other versions of the Bible, ways of doing business in the assembly, wearing certain styles of clothing, using notes while preaching, having singing schools, preachers meetings, associations, and the list could go on and on. I am not saying that there are not scriptural principles to guide us to a proper understanding of these things. I am saying, if we say that one sins before a holy God in doing this or that, we had better be prepared to use God’s word to prove it. For instance, how could I tell a man it is a sin to watch "Lassie, Come Home." However, I may plainly tell him why it is a sin to watch a movie which contains sexual immorality, takes God’s name in vain, or exalts violence. The bottom line in all of this is stated in verses ten through thirteen. In view of the fact that all believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we should leave the judging for the One who always judges righteously. Also we should avoid exalting our liberty if the exercise of it would cause a brother to stumble in his Christian walk. Here in verses fourteen through twenty-three, the apostle sets forth the idea that the attitude in which one either does a thing or not is the key to whether or not a thing is a sin before God. In this case, one who believes that eating meat dishonors God, sins if he eats. Whereas one who does not believe it dishonors God, does not sin if he eats. This should warn one about the scruples he holds and certainly those he would impose on others. This concept of Christian liberty is enlarged upon by the apostle Paul in I Corinthians eight through ten. The same basic controversy is under consideration here except that the source of the meat is more disputed. Some said it is a sin to eat meat which had been used in heathen sacrifices. Others said it was not a sin. Paul actually agrees with those who said it was not s sin. However, he makes a distinction by saying it is a sin to eat the meat in the heathen temple or to knowingly eat meat which has been sacrificed to idols. His suggestion is to eat and not ask any questions about its origin, because the eating of meat in itself, is no sin.

Now, two thoughts are presented whereby we must be guided in this. In1 Corinthians 10:29}

Secondly, he gives a two-fold test of whether one should indulge in a thing which is "disputable." Paul says in1 Corinthians 10:23that, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." In essence, he is saying that even though one might legally do all (kinds of) things, he should ask himself first, "Will this help me draw closer to the Lord?" Secondly, he should ask, "Will this hinder others from drawing closer to the Lord?" The whole idea of Christian service is not, "What will this do for me?" but "What will this do for others?" So then, in1 Corinthians 10:31-33two principles emerge in conclusion to the subject. One should be careful in the exercise of his liberty in "indifferent" things, that he does not purposefully cause a weak brother to stumble and fall in his Christian walk by the doing of it. Also, he should do whatever he does to the glory of God and the good of His kingdom. In recognition of this principle, Paul says in1 Corinthians 8:13, "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no meat while the world stands, lest I make my brother to offend."

Lastly, consider the third paragraph of chapter twenty-one of the London Confession of Faith. It reads, "They who, upon pretense of Christian Liberty, do practice any sin or cherish any sinful lust, as they do thereby pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel, {Romans 6:12} to their own destruction, so they wholly destroy {Galatians 5:13;2 Peter 2:18-21} the end of Christian liberty; which is, that being delivered out of the hands of all our enemies, we might serve the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our lives." In the matter of Christian liberty, there are two extremes which we should avoid at all costs. John Gill, again in his chapter on Christian liberty, sets those forth clearly. He say, "Care should be taken, on the one hand, lest such things should be reckoned indifferent, which are not indifferent, and so any precept or ordinance of God be neglected; and on the other hand, such as are indifferent, should be imposed as necessary, which may lead to superstition and will-worship." Let no one imagine that he can, under the guise of Christian liberty pervert the truth or practice ungodly things upon which the word of God is clear and specific, This is not liberty; this is licentiousness! Jesus said inJohn 8:31-32that it was the belief and practice of the truth which makes men truly free. True liberty then, comes from submission to the truth of God’s word. The Holy Spirit working through the light of the Bible and our conscience leads us to believe and practice the truth. {John 14:26} The apostle Peter in1 Peter 2:16warns us against the sin of abusing the doctrine of liberty. He says, "As free, and not using your liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of Christ."

Finally brethren, how may we escape the two extremes mentioned earlier? We take the word of God and boldly preach and teach all the counsel of God. We speak where the Scriptures speak and where they are specifically silent, we try to apply the principles of God’s word to lead the people of God to right and liberating practice.

Hear one last word of wisdom from the London Confession. In chapter one, paragraph one, we read, "The Holy Scripture is the only sufficient, certain, and infallible rule of all saving knowledge, faith and obedience." It goes on to say in paragraph six, "The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith, and life is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, whether by new revelation of the Spirit, or traditions of men." It further states, "There are some circumstances concerning the worship of God and government of the church common to human actions and societies which are to be ordered by the light of nature and Christian prudence, according to the general rules of the word, which are always to be observed." Lastly, in paragraph seven, we read, "All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded and open in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned may attain to a sufficient understanding of them." Is it not obvious then in light of sacred revelation and history that there are some things left to the conscience of the believer about what he will practice? May God help us to walk in truth but never be found binding burdens on ourselves or others that God does not intend for us to bear.