Understanding Christian Liberty

Christian liberty can be a thorny issue. Some sincere Christians fail to recognize this category at all. They have an opinion about nearly everything and endeavor to impose their conclusions upon others, treating each issue as if it is a Christian duty. To fail to submit to their understanding is, in their minds, to sin. They have little regard for Christians who do not hold the same opinion as themselves.

On the other hand, there are Christians who erroneously place practices the Bible calls sin into the category of Christian liberty. To them, Christian liberty means license to do whatever one pleases. They become the sole arbiter of their own behavior, and if anyone dares to label their errant practices sinful, they declare that they believe in Christian liberty, and no one has the right to judge another’s behavior. With such confusion abounding, it may be helpful to examine Biblical teaching about Christian liberty. The Apostle Paul deals with this subject in 1 Corinthians chapters eight and ten, as well as the fourteenth chapter of the book of Romans. I will confine myself to 1 Corinthians ten for this article.

General Principle

Paul opens with this statement, “all things are lawful for me” (1 Cor. 10:23). This sounds like an absolute declaration and serves as a proof text for those who err on the side of license. But the context limits Paul’s statement to mean all things that the Bible does not categorize as sin. The “all things” does not include idolatry (1 Cor. 10:7, 14), nor immorality (1 Cor. 10:8). It does not include anything that God declares unlawful (9:21). No, the “all things” clearly means all things which God has not prohibited. We sometimes call these grey areas, or matters indifferent. These are the items concerning which believers enjoy Christian liberty. Since God has not issued clear regulations, each believer will need to decide these matters for himself.

Restraint of Liberty

“All things are lawful for me” is not the whole sentence. Paul goes on to say, “but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” After stating the general principle of Christian liberty, Paul immediately steps on the brakes. The purpose of Christian liberty is not to be able to do whatever I desire, but rather use my liberty in a God-honoring manner. Is the exercise of this particular liberty helpful? Is it helpful for personal godliness and for Christ’s honor? Will it edify? Will it build up myself and others in the most holy faith? The purpose of Christian liberty is not to indulge myself, but rather to be free to do good to others. “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being” (1 Cor.10:24). Legalism focuses on self: self righteousness, self doubt, self performance. It is judgmental, condemning, avoiding. Liberty, on the other hand, honors others. It wants to know how best to help others in their pursuit of Christ.

Specific Examples

The main issue of this passage is eating meat that has been offered to idols. Is this allowed, or prohibited? That depends. First, consider eating at home. “Eat whatever is sold in the meat market” (1 Cor. 10:25). It may or may not have been sacrificed to idols. The meat is not labeled, so it’s difficult to be sure. The legalist would say, “Don’t eat any meat unless you know for sure that it was not sacrificed to idols.” Paul says, “Don’t ask questions. Don’t investigate. It doesn’t matter. You have liberty to eat. Don’t turn a Christian liberty into a legalistic taboo. Meat is God’s good provision for your welfare, “for the earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness” (1 Cor. 10:26, quoting Psalm 24:1).

That’s what you do in your own home, but what about a public setting, such as eating at a neighbor’s home? It may be an unbeliever who will likely serve meat that has been offered to idols. In that case, eat whatever you are served and don’t ask where it came from. It doesn’t matter. Meat loses its association when sold in the market. Don’t try to re-attach an idolatrous association. For a believer, all meat is the gift of God and he can receive it with thanks to his gracious Lord (1 Cor. 10:27).

But what if someone speaks up and identifies this food as idol meat? In that case, don’t eat it. Why? Because now it does matter. Don’t eat it for the sake of others, especially the one who informed you. Now you know it is connected with idol worship in his mind, in which case, eating implies endorsement of idolatry. The identification of this meat with idols does nothing to affect fundamental realities. Nothing has changed about the nature of the meat. It is still wholesome food provided by God (1 Cor. 10:29,30). But the public identification of this meat with idols changes the situation. It reveals the defective understanding of another and the welfare of others is more important than your personal freedom. This is not the time to correct his misunderstanding. This is the time to exercise voluntary restraint for the sake of others, to enable a clear gospel witness to those unsaved, or to manifest brotherly love to a weaker Christian.

Helpful Guidelines

Every activity should glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31). It does not glorify God to submit to man-made regulations, nor does it glorify God to impose man-made regulations upon others. But neither does it glorify God to put your personal desires above everyone else.

No activity should harm another (1 Cor. 10:32). We should give no offense to anyone. We do not want to cause a Jew to stumble, who is bound up with the legalism of his kosher diet. Nor do we want to cause a Gentile to stumble, who is captive to idolatrous superstitions. Nor do we desire to cause a Christian to stumble, who may be weak, and does not yet understand the reality of Christian liberty. We must take the needs of others into consideration as we decide whether or not to exercise our liberty to eat meat regardless of its prior associations.

Not only should no activity harm another, but going one step further, every activity should benefit others (1 Cor. 10:33). Paul himself set the example for this. “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all that I might win the more” (1 Cor. 9:19). Before I rush headlong into the exercise of my Christian liberty, I should pause long enough to ask, “Can I do this for the glory of God? Can I do this without harming others? In what way will this practice do good to someone else?”

Paul, the inspired author who teaches the most about Christian liberty, actually says more about curtailing our liberty than exercising it. But we must remember that these decisions are to be made individually before the Lord. I can’t decide for someone else and impose my conclusions upon him. That denies him his Christian liberty. But neither can I please the Lord by insisting upon exercising my liberty at all times and in all places without regard for how this may help or hurt another. Christian liberty is not first about me, but about others, and above all, about Christ, and how to best please Him.