“Freedom in Christ: When Love Means Giving Up Your Rights” August 27
FREEDOM … we love it. And as believers, we have been given tremendous freedom in Christ. We are free from the penalty and power of sin and from trying to earn God’s favor through rule-keeping. And in many areas where Scripture does not specifically command or forbid something, we have genuine Christian liberty.
But does having the freedom to do something mean we should always exercise that freedom?
What if something we’re free to do becomes a stumbling block to another believer? What if our choice encourages someone else to violate his or her conscience? Are we willing to give up a legitimate freedom out of love for that person?
And what about the ordinary preferences that fill our days? Where we eat, what we watch, how we spend our time, and countless other choices. Are we more concerned about having things our way or learning to prefer others?
Christian freedom isn’t merely about asking, “Am I allowed to do this?” Sometimes the more important question is, “What would love have me do?”
Today we’ll look at what 1 Corinthians 8 teaches about freedom in Christ, stumbling blocks, and the willingness to lay down our rights and preferences for the good of others.
