THE BONDAGE OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY

Text: "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything: whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, Or is made weak." --(Romans 14:21)

The Ten Commandments is only the summation of Moral Law. A casual perusal of the five books of Moses will give their reader numerous other moral laws as so many subtopics under the ten headings in this Divine outline. While the New Testament Christian enjoys liberty under

the banner of Grace, he is nevertheless bound by a stricter, though easier Discipline. Martin Luther expressed it thus; "No man is as bound as the Christian man, yet none is as free as he." Christian Liberty is bound by the cords of Love, and the Christian’s love of Christ is exhibited by love for his brethren who are in Christ. It therefore becomes wrong for him to "eat flesh, or to drink wine, or to do anything whereby his brother Stumbleth, or is Offended, or is made weak."

The man of God is filled with Care for his Christian brother, and therefore, lest he be the cause of impeding his Spiritual progress, he takes him into consideration. He is interested in his brother’s welfare. He guards his conduct because he loves him and lest he cause him to be "offended" and thus serve as his "stumblingblock." He has no desire to be the catalyst that emboldens his brother in Christ to do those things which are contrary to his conscience. This would result in the shattering of his brother’s peace and confidence in God. It would defile his conscience and render him weak and unable to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, lawful and unlawful. Such is the result of an offended conscience. Therefore, when a man of God becomes so inconsiderate of his brother as to cause him to become grieved by his conduct, he is no longer walking charitably. (Verse 15) What awful accountability shall that Christian give on Judgment Day who has been influential in causing his brother to become weak!

"All things are lawful unto me," wrote the Apostle Paul, "but all things are not expedient." (I Corinthians 6:12). He was willing to forego his Christian "liberties" rather than to cause his brother to "stumble", to become "offended" or to be rendered "weak." To assume our Christian liberty at the expense of leaving our brother weak or wounded is hardly "expedient!" Much more, it demonstrates a defect in our love for him. "When ye sin so against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ," wrote the Apostle. (I Corinthians 8:12)

The Apostle Paul was writing under Divine Inspiration when he wrote, "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no meat while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend," for "it is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother Stumbleth, or is Offended, or is made Weak." (I Corinthians 8:13; Romans 14:21) Note the application extends to EVERYTHING, whether it involve something as innocent as eating or drinking. The Godly man does not have to prove he has liberty. If his brother in Christ believes it is wrong to eat pork, it is wrong for the man of God to serve it in order to prove he has the liberty to do so.

William Law in his Serious Call To A Devout And Holy Life wrote, "The good man does not ask what is allowable or pardonable, but what is Commendable and Praiseworthy." Reader, do you love your Christian brother enough to relinquish your liberty for his good? Are you willing to examine your conduct in the light of what may be harmful to him?

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"A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps, for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men." --Samuel Smiles.

ONE FLESH

Text: "...Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, ’For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?’ Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." --(Matthew 19:4b-6)

A definite distinction is to be found in mankind. This distinction goes back to the beginning when God made them "male and female." It is a distinction made by God Himself and no amount of legislation can change it. Any effort to eradicate it constitutes rebellion against the design of God, and therefore defiance against God Himself.

What began as a revolution in the fashion industry with the introduction of the mini-skirt and the pantsuit gained momentum while flying the banner of "equal rights" but the abolition of the distinction of the sexes is the goal. Nowhere can its nefarious scheme be more clearly seen than in the recent attacks upon the home.

The context before us treats the subject of Marriage. In the beginning, God made them male and female. Therefore shall a man "leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife." They are expressly stated to be no longer two persons in the sight of God with two different careers, two different purposes in life, but ONE family united in common interests. Tertullian described the husband and wife as united with "one Hope, one Vow, one Discipline ...two fellow-servants, one Spirit and one Flesh. Where there is one Flesh there is also one Spirit. They pray together fast together, instruct, exhort and support each other. They go together to the Church of God and to the Table of the Lord. They share each other’s tribulation, persecution and revival. Neither conceals anything from the other; neither avoids, neither annoys the other. They delight to visit the sick, supply the needy, give alms without constraint, and in daily zeal lay their

offerings before the altar without scruple or hindrance .... Psalms and hymns they sing together and vie with each other in singing to God. Christ rejoices when He sees and hears this. He gives them His peace."

Society has lately stressed that wives should look out for themselves by becoming financially independent and by launching their own careers. This is a perversion of God’s plan and unless God is pleased in His mercy to halt this abomination, it most certainly will result in the further deterioration of the family and the erosion of society.

It is going to become increasingly difficult for Christian women to stand such tests. Those who failed the previous tests and yielded to the fashions of yesteryear will likely lack the character to stand in the face of this Goliath.

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JUNE

22, 1633 --Italy. Having endured the tedious ordeal of a trial by the Inquisition for having taught the Copernican view of the solar system as opposed to that of Ptolemy, Galileo is today forced to adjure his scientific data on bended knee and upon threat of torture.

He is seventy years of age. Upon his death, the Pope will refuse him a tomb.

26, 363 --Turkey. The Emperor Julian, called "The Apostate", dies from wounds received in skirmish with the Persians. In an attempt to reinstate paganism in the Empire, he is known to have been baptized in swine’s blood to wash away his Christian baptism; and when he recognized Christian teachers were defeating the pagan philosophers at their own trade, he set out to destroy Christian schools. He confiscated the property of Christians saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, and went so far as to throw his dagger into the air and challenge God to fight. But today he dies exclaiming, "Viscisti Galilaei, Galilae" --"Man of Galilee, you have won!"

The Persians maintain a Roman spear has killed the Roman commander, and tomorrow, they mock the Romans as traitors. When the Romans offer a reward for the Persian who threw the spear, no one will step forward.