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CHRISTIAN
LIBERTY AND CHRISTMAS By David K. Bernard |
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Celebrating
Christmas is one of the non-moral issues over which Christians may
legitimately differ in accordance with Romans 14. The guidelines of Christian liberty do not always demand one
certain response. Some
aspects of celebrating the Christmas season have pagan origins; but so
do names of the days of the week. Since our society does not associate the
name of days with pagan worship, there is no harm in referring to Sunday
school, Wednesday night, and so on. However, if someone is uncomfortable
with the pagan origins of any Christmas celebration, he should abstain
from participating in that activity; but he should not condemn others if
they have decided the pagan element has lost its significance. The Meaning of Christian Liberty Christian
liberty has at least three specific aspects. 1. Freedom from sin. 2.
Freedom from the law.
God
has not abolished moral law, but He has liberated us from the regulations
of the Old Testament law in several ways. We have: (a) Freedom from the
penalty of the law, which is death. Christ died in our stead, so the law
has no power to condemn us. (b) Freedom from the attempt to fulfill the
law by human effort alone. (See Romans 7:5-6; 8:3-4; Hebrews 8:7-12.) (c)
Freedom from the destructive power of the law caused by man’s abuse of
it. (d) Freedom from the ceremonial law (Mark 7:15; Acts 15; Galatians 4;
Colossians 2:1&17). 3. Freedom in non-moral
matters. We
are free to participate in any activity that does not violate biblical
teaching. We have individual discretion in morally neutral areas, such
as eating meat and observing days (Romans 14). In these matters, we are
not to judge one another; at the same time, we must be true to our own
convictions. Obedience
Is Still Required Christian
liberty does not negate the need to obey scriptural holiness teaching:
“Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God
forbid” (Romans 6:15); “For, brethren, ye have been called unto
liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh” (Galatians
5:13). In the last days ungodly men will “change the grace of our God
into a license for immorality” (Jude 4, NW). Christian
liberty does not eliminate the responsibility to follow godly leaders as
they apply biblical holiness principles to contemporary issues: “Obey
them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for
your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy,
and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).
The apostles and elders wrote, “For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost,
and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary
things” (Acts 15:28). Some
people misinterpret the verses of Scripture that deal with eating of
ceremonially unclean meats to mean that the Christian is under no moral
restraints. Paul wrote in respect to meats offered to idols, “There is
nothing unclean of itself’ (Romans 14:14), and “All things are lawful
unto me” (I Corinthians 6:12; 10:23). From the immediate context of each
verse, the meaning is clear: no food is immoral in itself; all foods are
permissible. The underlying principle is that Christians have freedom of
choice in non-moral activities. These verses have no application to
moral issues. The Bible clearly states that a person who engages in
sinful activities will not inherit the kingdom of God (I Corinthians
6:9-10). Guidelines
for Proper Use of Christian Liberty Certainly,
then, our liberty does not permit us to indulge in fleshly desires, to
commit sin, or to violate God’s Word. The Bible gives the following
four important guidelines for the proper exercise of Christian liberty
even with respect to non-moral matters. 1. We should
always exercise our liberty to the glory of God. 2.
We should avoid any activity that is detrimental to our physical,
mental, or spiritual well-being, even though it may not be inherently
sinful. “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not
expedient” (I Corinthians 6:12; 10:23). We should lay aside every
“weight,” or hindrance, even though it may not be outright sin
(Hebrews 12:1). 3. We should not
let anything gain control over us. We must regulate activities so that they do not interfere
with our Christian walk. “All things are lawful for me, but I will not
be brought under the power of any” (I Corinthians 6:12). 4. We should never
exercise liberty in a way that would harm others. “Take
heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to
them that are weak…Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will
eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend”
(I Corinthians 8:9, 13). “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to
the Gentiles, nor to the church of God” (I Corinthians 10:32). (See also
Romans 14:15-21.) Some
things are detrimental to some people and not to others because of
differences in personality, maturity, background or experience. For
example, some people abstain from coffee or from hunting because of
personal feelings or from a vulnerability of these things mastering them.
In these areas, each person must be true to his own convictions and not
attack the personal convictions of others. Tolerance
but Not Compromise Christian
liberty teaches us to be tolerant of the different “personal” (as
opposed to biblical) convictions of fellow Christians. In no case are we
to compromise with sin. The legalist usually labels everything as either
sinful or saintly. To him, there are no gray areas. However, some things
are not inherently moral or immoral; to some, those things may appear
detrimental to his Christian living, while others may see no harm coming
from them. In
such cases, Christian liberty tells us to avoid making judgment of others
in these matters. If someone does not agree with our views, we can still
accept his status as a Christian. We should be able to discuss our views
of these questionable areas without being labeled as a legalist or as a
liberal. Legalism, Liberty, and Church Standards The church must always oppose practices that the Bible opposes. Some
matters are clearly established for all cultures and all generations. The
ministers need only to explain these biblical teachings and apply them to
modern situations. Sometimes,
however, the Bible enunciates a general principle but does not give
detailed instructions for our culture. Examples are modesty of dress and
men’s hair length. (What constitutes modesty? What is long hair for
men?) In such cases the church should reach a consensus on implementing
these principles in the culture of which they are a part. It should send
forth a clear sound, presenting clear guidance to the believer and a
clear witness to the unbeliever. The
church is not to be chaotic but orderly; its members are to walk orderly
and in unity (II Thessalonians 3:6-7). If everyone does what is right in
his own eyes without submission to leadership, chaos and confusion will
result (Judges 21:25). Differences of opinion will exist, but since one
Spirit has baptized us into one body we can reach a reasonable position
that all can uphold before the world. If the
four guidelines of Christian liberty lead to a conclusion on a practice or
activity, the church should teach that conclusion. Although eating meat
offered to idols was a matter of Christian liberty, Paul still taught
against it in all situations where it could be a stumbling block. It
is interesting to note that the Jerusalem council did not hesitate to
forbid the eating of meats offered to idols and to announce their decision
as binding on the whole church (Acts 15:28-29). In
applying biblical principles to modern situations, we cannot claim the
same authority for our application as for the principle itself. If we
maintain that every conceivable deviation from a particular application
is a sin, we can become guilty of substituting our application for the
principle, confining and constraining it to meet our particular views.
For example, the church can rule that owning a television is not God’s
will, and watching it can be sinful. Yet the church can recognize that
video technology is not evil; it can be used for educational, industrial,
and commercial purposes without the presentation of sinful activities
and values. A
legalistic approach to holiness standards violates the biblical
principle of Christian liberty, often making harsh and inconsistent rules.
It leads to extremism and cultivates the atmosphere of the cults. In
contrast,
the biblical principles of Christian liberty teach practical holiness in
a spiritual context. It approaches standards from a positive position
without surrendering biblical principles or violating the spiritual
integrity of individual Christians. Conclusion If the Bible condemns a practice
either specifically or in principle, then, Christians must obey.
Moreover, when the four guidelines of Christian liberty lead to a definite
conclusion on a practice by the church, Christians must obey. If an issue
is morally neutral, Christians are to follow Romans 14 and grant
tolerance. A biblical understanding of our liberty will motivate
us to walk worthy of the -freedom given to us. Christian liberty brings
a proper sense of holiness, making Christians responsible to submit
voluntarily to the will of God. Liberated from the bondage of sin and the
works of the law, Christians should freely choose to obey from their
hearts the Word of God. David Bernard is Pastor of New Life Church of Austin, a member of the Texas District board, and the author of numerous books. This article appeared in the Apostolic Sentinel, December 2000.
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