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“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Romans 14:17-19, ESV)

Pastor Abel’s sermon on this passage is titled, “Judgmental Christians”.

Should you always wear button-up shirts at church? Is music that includes drums evil? Is it a sin to watch R-rated movies? Is it a sin to drink alcohol? Should you always close your eyes when you pray? Is it more spiritual to raise your hands in the worship service? Is it wrong to gamble?

As someone who grew up in a Christian home, and was part of the Chrisitan homeschooler sub-culture, I encountered these kinds of questions frequently. If you are like me, many of these questions make you laugh while some others make you wonder. And they all fit within the broader category of Christian Freedom.

While these questions are important, in Romans chapter 14, Paul drives the central point home regarding Christian liberties. He says that what we consume (e.g. eating or drinking or the music we listen to or what we watch) is not what God’s kingdom is about. So, while these questions are important for matters of conscience, if we are spending most of our energy dwelling on these issues, we are missing the point.

The true meaning of being free as a Christian, is not that you are free to do whatever you want, but that you are free from sin and the wrath it brings from God. Because of this freedom from God’s wrath, we are now able to both enjoy God’s good gifts with a clear conscience, and to set those gifts aside in order to love and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ.

 

Questions

  1. In your experience, what are some common areas of Christian liberty that have caused arguments or divisions in the church?
  2. Why do Christians divide over matters of Christian liberty?
  3. How does the gospel, the good news of our salvation, lay the foundation for how we relate to each other?
  4. The next time we see someone participating in something we would not do ourselves, or avoiding something we freely enjoy, how should we respond?
  5. When should be surrender our liberties for the sake of a fellow Christian?