LimitsTo Christian Freedom

Romans 14:21

"It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine,

nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth,

or is offended or is made weak." 

            A man may come to the conclusion that his Christian freedom gives him a perfect right to make a reasonable use of alcohol; and, as far as he is concerned, it may be a perfectly safe pleasure, from which he runs no danger. But it may be that a younger man who admires him is watching him and taking him as an example. And it may also be that this younger man is one of these people to whom alcohol is a fatal thing. Is the older man to use his Christian freedom to go on setting an example which may well be the ruin of his young admirer? Or is he to limit himself, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the one who looks up to him? Or is he to limit himself, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the one who follows in his footsteps? 
         Surely conscious limitation for the sake of others is the Christian thing. If a man does not exercise it, he may well find that something he genuinely thought to be permissible, has brought ruin to someone else! It is better to make this limitation than to have the remorse of knowing that what one demanded as a pleasure has become death to someone else. Again and again, in every sphere of life, the Christian is confronted with the fact that he must examine things, not only as they affect himself, but also as they affect other people. A man is always in some sense his brother's keeper, responsible, not only for himself, but for everyone who comes into contact with him.
        A man who is strong in the faith. That man knows that food and drink makes no difference. He has grasped the principle of Christian freedom. Well, then, let that freedom be something between him and God. He has reached this stage of faith; and God knows that he has reached it. But that is no reason why he should flaunt his freedom in the face of the man who has not yet reached his. Many a man has insisted on the rights of their freedom, and have come to regret they ever did, when they see the consequences.
        Amen!!

Reading: (Rom:14:13-23)

May God Bless You

And Your Families 

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry