I figure there is no better time to blog about a topic such as freedom with the 4th of July fast approaching. By the time you actually read this it may already be the 4th and you may have just finished watching Joey Chestnut attempt a new world record in hot dog consumption at Nathan's Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest. Nothing says ‘Proud to be an American’ like wasteful eating glorified on television for our sacred holiday. I feel like many of the words we typically think of around this time of year such as freedom, rights, and liberties have been discussed nonstop since the last time we saw people dunking their hot dog buns on live television. While I don’t want to spend my time here talking about the variety of discussions currently taking place across this country I do want to look at an interesting situation that Paul deals with in Corinth. If you aren’t familiar with the situation in 1 Corinthians chapter 8 here is my summary:
A major issue in the church came up in regard to whether it was okay to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols. Christians found themselves living in a culture which worshiped a variety of gods and goddesses in stark contrast to their belief that ‘There is no God but one’. If you were invited to a meal by a neighbor or maybe a co-worker that was not a Christian there was the off chance that the meat they were serving for supper may have previously been offered in sacrifice to a false idol. Some Christians were conflicted while others were not. Some justified that because they knew the idol was a human fabrication there was nothing to worry about so they would eat the meal. Others did not want to offend their host and so they also ate but later felt convicted about what they had done. Still others may have refused to eat the meat altogether and offended their host by their actions thus creating difficult situations down the road. Some felt they had every right to eat with a clear conscience even though it was causing issues for their ‘brothers with a weak conscience’.
It is in the context of sacrifice (food sacrificed to idols) that Paul teaches us an invaluable lesson in regard to true sacrifice and true freedom. Paul time and again affirms the group of believers who think that eating this food is no big deal and that they have every right to eat such food without worry. He affirms that their knowledge is correct in that an idol is really nothing at all and eating the food or not eating the food does nothing in terms of bringing them closer to God. But Paul doesn’t end there. He concludes with a guiding principle that could be applied in a variety of circumstances as well as what his response would be in this particular situation.
Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.—1 Corinthians 8:9
Your brother is more valuable than your rights. I don’t care what the situation is or who is right and who is wrong. When all is said and done what matters most is what happens to your brother. If your brother is ‘destroyed by your knowledge’ what is gained? Paul is very clear about what you are doing when you love your rights more than your brother. You are sinning against Christ. You are violating your clear calling as a Christian to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ when you place being right and excercising your rights ahead of being a loving neighbor. Paul can’t state this any clearer and he continues on.
Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.—1 Corinthians 8:13
This week I have heard plenty about sacrificing for freedom in the context of our nation and it’s liberties. Here Paul is talking about sacrificing freedom itself. Who does that? Who willingly gives up the right to exercise their freedom? A person who loves their brother, that’s who!
I mention Alex Jones not to single out a particular issue (2nd amendment gun rights) but because what I heard him loudly declare a few months ago stands in stark contrast to what Paul does in this situation. Jones states that, "1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtyKofFih8Y
People are going to die if anyone tries to infringe on his rights. In many ways Paul shows a greater freedom than Jones could ever dream of and Jones preaches about freedom on the radio and online nonstop. Paul displays a far superior freedom where rights can be laid down and placed in submission to the law of Christ. What freedoms would you sacrifice in order to fulfill the law of Christ toward your brother?
