Freedom: At what price

1 Corinthians 8:1-13
Here is a story of two Jewish believers from ancient times, two believers who lived around 350-400 years after the death and resurrection of the Messiah Jesus. They lived in a very small town just east of Jerusalem, a town that had only one synagogue. Both people were entirely dissimilar in religious practices, however, both were devout believers in the one and only God, strong members in the local synagogue, and both actively evangelized the world around them of Hamashiach Y'shua, the Messiah Jesus. Here is the difference. One man would enter the synagogue and remove his head covering, while the other would not enter until his head was properly covered. One would come in and immediately find a seat at the Rabbi's feet, while the other would cease just inside the door to praise God for the sanctuary. The one, after finding his place, would be found socializing for a while, while the other would be found in prayer and preparation for placing upon himself his religious garb. When the service began, the one would often speak out and question the order, formality and even the message being shared, while the other would remain silent, in full submission, harkening on every word; His questions would be raised with the Rabbi in private. Following the message, the one would go about his every day activity in dealing with the world around him. This was his Sabbath, a day to reach the world for Y'shua. The other would spend the remainder of the day withdrawing from the world and continuing his study of God's word, focusing completely on his creator. This is his Sabbath, a day to be intimate with the Father. The one man mocks and jeers at the other, while the other remains quiet, though inwardly he feels resentment and anger. The one man said to the other, "why do you live by so many laws? Have you not read what the Apostle Paul has written in his letter to the Colossians? The written code has been nailed to the cross, no longer to oppose us. Why do you hold us back with your old fashioned legalism?" The other retorts, "How can you live so blasphemously, where's your reverence, your homage to the creator God, blessed be his name. I would not even act with such contempt towards a rebellious and perverse woman. Have you not read what is written in the Torah "Be holy for I your God am Holy.'" Though they both lift their hands in prayer to the same God, and fellowship in the same synagogue, they continued to separate themselves, as well as others, with walls of resentment and bickering. Until, one day, there was found to be two synagogues in this very small town just east of Jerusalem. Two completely different people. Both were devout believers in the one and only God. Both believed in His Son, and both believed in the Holy Spirit. Both are strong members with their synagogue, and both actively evangelized the world around them of the message of Hamashiach Y'shua, the messiah Jesus. And yes, both are saved by grace through faith and are declared righteous before God. Two completely different people, but one little issue have separated them and created this massive and destructive contrast. That is their understanding, or the lack there of, regarding their freedom in Christ, an issue that plagues almost every church across the country, and around the world, to this day.

KNOWLEDGE OF KNOWLEDGE

One of the biggest growing points in my Christian life was in my second year of Bible College. This was the ACME in my academic achievement, the zenith in trivial growth. It was the time I planted my cerebral flag atop the summit of higher knowledge and finally came to the realization that I have not learned a thing in the first two years of Bible College. In my endeavor to learn more and to perpetrate myself as a so-called theologian, and in my desire to search deeper into the mysteries of God, I found, instead, the depth of my ignorance. It finally became clear to me that the hidden things of God are not to be known beyond what the love of Christ has shown us. It is not the knowledge of God that strengthens the foundation of the church, but the love of God that flows through it. Now I understand Paul's conviction when he wrote, "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2)." Unfortunately, some people never reach this mountaintop. They continue to vie for that illusive pinnacle of ultimate wisdom. For them, knowledge is a trophy, something to be worn upon the chest like medals upon a uniform. It is their testimony, to world beneath them, of their achievements. However, in the end, this kind of knowledge usually achieves nothing more than dissention and separation from the world they so desperately sought to impress. As I so sadly learned, today's Christians are not immune to this self-elevating condition, and neither were the believers in the Corinthian church. This is why Paul starts off his topic with the words "We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)." The Corinthian believers, puffed up on their understanding of idols and the one and only God, began to create resentment from those weaker brothers who still viewed idols as real. The problem in Corinth was not with idols, nor was it food or their freedom in Christ to eat. The problem was with knowledge being placed on a pedestal above the heart, and ones personal freedom being placed before the benefit of weaker brothers. The problem is the same in every social conflict whenever we choose elevate rather than edify. Whenever we choose to puff up, rather than build up. This act of self-promotion attacks the very core of our faith: unity and love. The issue of unity and love is so central to the Christian walk that Paul referred to it as our "living sacrifice," and "spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1). It was also written "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love (Galatians 5:6b)."

KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAKER BROTHER

When I was seven my uncle came to visit us from New York. I do not remember a great deal about the visit, but I do remember climbing the tree in my back yard. Me, that is, not my uncle. I remember hanging from what I thought was a tall branch, my little feet no more than five feet off the ground. I wanted to jump, but I could not get my hands to let go. When it was time to come inside, I was still hanging there trying to convince myself to drop. My uncle came over to the tree and said, "Let go! You won't get hurt." Looking back, I can see it wasn't very high, and my uncle was probably correct when he said I wouldn't get hurt. I remember my feet were hanging no higher than his chest and he even lifted his hands up to my waist, ready to grab hold of me. I didn't care, at the time it might as well have been 50 feet, because I wasn't going to let go. Regardless, he kept smiling and did his best to ensure me that he wouldn't let me fall. Still, I hung there, my fingers gripping that branch as if my very life depended upon it. Eventually I climbed down the tree the same way I climbed up and we went inside to eat. Unbelievably, I'm sure, this has a lot to do with the message Paul was trying to convey to his readers in this passage. Paul said; "We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many 'gods' and many 'lords'), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, through whom all things came and through whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)." He also said, "Food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do (v 8)." Again in his first letter to Timothy (4:4-5) he expressed a similar thought when he wrote, "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and by prayer." Just like my uncle, Paul knew that no one would be hurt. He had a full understanding of the one and only God, and his freedom to eat whatever food was placed before him. However, Paul added "But not everyone knows this (1 Corinthians 8:7)." Simply, there were still people in the church hanging onto tall branches. People who had grown up in a culture of idols and idol worshipers, where sacrificing foods was an every day practice. For them it would be blasphemous to eat anything offered in sacrifice. You can tell them "Let go!" until you are blue in the face and it wont do you any good. Their hands have been holding onto those branches for so long their fingers don't know how to do anything else besides grip. We have people like this in the church today. People who cannot let go of what Bible version is allowed in the pulpit, or how you need to dress for Sunday service. Some people look down on those that raise their hands while others look down on those that don't. There are many tall branches in the church that people, including ourselves, refuse to release. Unfortunately, just like the Corinthian church, and our two Jewish believers in my opening story, we at times begin to conflict with these "branch holders," and these conflicts eventually weaken our brothers, our ministry and even our own walk with Christ. Do we have a right to preach from any version we choose? Do we have a right to dress in a relaxed fashion? Then why should I care about these branch holders?

KNOWLEDGE OF THE RISKS

It is believed by the way Paul begins the chapter that he was responding to questions presented to him from the believers in Corinth. However, Paul takes advantage of their question to address a larger issue in the church, namely, the risks of our freedom in Christ. In 8:1-13 Paul is discussing the danger our freedom has on our brothers in Christ. In 9:1-27 Paul shifts his attention to the danger our freedom has on the ministry of Christ. In 10:1-22 Paul, through an example from Israel's past, discusses the danger our freedom has with our own walk with Christ. Finally, in 10:23-33 Paul reminds his readers not to seek their own good, but the good of others. Paul may, or may not, have been answering a question presented to him from the believers in Corinth. However, his overall concern was not food sacrificed to idols. Nor was it his liberties as an Apostle. He was not even concerned with Israel's wayward behavior. Paul was concerned with the effects that our freedom has on the world around us. The bottom line is this. Just because we have a right, doesn't mean we are right. This is why Paul said, "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your conscience, you sin against Christ." The sin is not that the weaker brother ate, for Paul has already said "We know that an idol is nothing (1 Corinthians 8:8)," and "everything God created is good (1 Timothy 4:4)." The sin is that the weaker brother has declared in his own heart that the food was not clean, and he chose to eat against his own conscience. Paul discusses this very issue with the believers in Rome. He said "But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin (Romans 14:23)." God does not judge us on what version of the Bible we read, nor for the way we dress on Sunday morning. God does not judge us for our decision to, or not to, speak in tongues or raise our hands during prayer. We are no better and no worse for any of these issues. Paul, when writing to the Corinthian believers said "For what I received I passed on to you as of First importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)." This is what counts. Not did he tithe his full 10% last week, or did I see her drinking wine last Christmas. Do they believe in the one and only God? Do they believe that Jesus Christ was vicariously sacrificed for our sins? Do they believe that he was buried and raised again on the third day and that He will return for us? These are the issues that count. "But not everyone knows this!" Many people are still holding on to tall branches, unconvinced of their liberty to let go of what Paul refers to as "Disputable matters (Romans 14:1)." Therefore, be very careful with your freedoms in Christ. Do not allow yourself to become a stumbling block to those of weaker conscience. For your freedom may very well hinder your brothers and sisters (1 Corinthians 8:1-13), hinder the ministry (v 9:1-27), and hinder even your very walk with Christ (v 10:1-22). Instead, place your heart above your head, place their conscience before your own, and lay down your freedom long enough to build up those that just cannot let go. Paul said, "If what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall (v 8:13)," and "we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ (v 9:12b)." He also said "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some (v 9:22b)," and "Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others (v 10:24)." Finally Paul instructed his readers, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God (vv 31-32)." In the Army, rank equals responsibility, not privilege. The higher in rank you go, the more responsibility you have for those under your command. Likewise, as we mature as Christians we take on a responsibility towards those who are still growing. This is the price of knowledge, the responsibilities we bare for the freedoms we have in Christ.

CONCLUSION

In light of this, here is an alternate ending to the story of our two Jewish believers. 'In spite of their differences the one man blesses the other for his devout faith, and the other is encouraged and strengthened for it. Again, the one man, being aware of the other man's convictions, chooses to save his comments until after the service. The other man, aware of the one man's sacrifice, is built up and invites him to a Sabbath dinner. This behavior of encouragement, blessing, and self sacrifice begins to permeate throughout the congregation until, one day, there is found an unshakable and formidable ministry for Hamashiach Y'Shua, in this very small town just east of Jerusalem.'

What is your story, and what ending will you choose? Will your brothers and sisters in Christ be encouraged? Will the foundation of the church be strengthened, and will ministries grow in unshakable power? Or, will you mock and jeer at those still clinging to tall branches, elevating your knowledge above the hearts of those of weaker conscience? The question may sound simple, only because the answer is implied. However, will the answer come as easy when it really counts? Only your heart knows.  [mp]

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Michael D'Urbano
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