Introduction: Freedom of the open road

  • I would like to begin this morning by issuing a DIRE WARNING!
  • My daughter Olivia - who turned 17 in May - has been unleashed on the roads of Cape Town.
  • She passed her learner’s test a couple of months back, and now, given any opportunity, she wants to drive mom’s car—specifically mom’s car because it’s an automatic, whereas my car is a manual, which is a different matter altogether. 
    • I did take her to the local car park last Sunday for her first lesson in a manual, and my neck is still a little tender.
  • As a parent it has been fascinating to watch the progression & the learning experience.
  • It has gone from a point where she was pulling out of the driveway and tentatively driving around the block - where stop streets were an option extra - to a point now where, in just a couple of weeks, she is confidently speeding down the highway - she has her mothers lead-foot.
  • Last Sunday evening I needed to pick up Riley from the local youth group & Livvy wanted to take Sammy for a drive. When we arrived at his house to pick him up - to Sammy’s surprise I hopped into the back - and the two of them sat up front.
  • Now at the time I thought that the accompanying driver was allowed to sit behind the drivers seat - subsequently I have found out that this is only when there is no passenger seat - so don’t judge me!
    • Nevertheless - there I sat in the back while Livvy drove us and Sammy sat next to her chatting away - and I marveled at just how grown-up they were and their joy in this newfound freedom.
  • It did get me thinking about what it is about learning to drive or having a car that is so appealing?
  • Part of it is the feeling of growing up - & this is a major milestone - like turning 18 - no longer a child - Now an adult & with it comes freedoms that you did not enjoy as a child.
    • Like staying up late
    • Managing your own social calendar
  • Driving & the ability to get yourself around - without having to rely on someone else is incredibly liberating
  • There is a freedom to being on the open road - with the wind in your hair
  • In fact - if we take a step back - freedom of movement - freedom of travel - is core tenet of our constitution
    • Along with freedom of speech - freedom of trade - freedom of religion - freedom of movement is foundational to our modern way of life
    • As much as we are frustrated with South African politics & politicians - we enjoy many, many freedoms that people in other countries do not!
  • Where did these ideas come from? Is it just a process of enlightenment - did we as humans after much thinking just come up with these ideas? NO
  • Freedom is a biblical principle - and grounded in the freedoms that we find in Christ

Context & Recap

  • Last week Stuart dealt with Romans chapter 14 vs 1-12, and he started by referencing Carlos’ analogy of a tree to illustrate our Christian beliefs.
    • Fundamentals - Function - Form
      • The roots are the fundamentals - the basic truths about the Christian faith
        • Jesus was both fully God and fully man - he died and was resurrected on the third day
        • The indisputable foundational, facts about our faith
      • The function is the trunk - and speaks to how the church operates
        • Our stand point on believers baptism
        • When and how often we have communion
        • How the local church is governed
        • For the sake of unity we agree upon these matters 
          • To a large part this explains why we have different denominations
      • The leaves are the form - the disputable matters - the grey areas
        • Matters of personal conviction & style - it is in these areas where we are free to disagree
          • Paul has spent the better part of 13 chapters unpacking and explaining the fundamentals in great detail - so that there will be no disagreement
          • Here in chapter 14 he turns his attention to these grey areas - what is permissible and how we should conduct ourselves
          • Within the context of the early church there was a particular controversy that threatened to break the church apart - the eating of unclean food.
          • Jewish Christians who had grown up with the Mosaic Law had been raised with a strict adherence to the types of food they were allowed to eat - this was deeply entrenched in their society - and these jewish believers were deeply convicted.
          • In v1 Paul instructs them and us to accept our fellow believers as they are - and not to pass judgement on them as weaker believers - not to pass judgement on them with regards disputable matters.
          • In other words don’t stop believers from entering into fellowship just because their understanding of the faith is less than yours
          • In v13 - at the start of our passage this morning - Paul re-emphasises the command - reminding them that it is God who judges not us.
            • We are not to be God’s police officers
          • Vs 11 is one of -  if not my favourite verse in the entire bible.
            • As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God
  • A day is coming where every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and will acknowledge God
  • A day is coming when everyone of us will stand before the judgement seat of God, and will have to give an account.
  • It is God who judges the living and dead. - that is the ultimate reason - the THEREFORE - as to why we should not judge - it is not our job nor responsibility - that belongs to God alone
  • Our responsibility - as we will read in v13 - is to make sure that the way in which we conduct our lives is not an obstacle to other believers.
  • You see judging someone is bad enough - but when the liberty that we have been given as Christians causes others to stumble and fall - and does serious damage - when it tears down the very work God is doing in someone's life or within the church - we NEED to make sure that our behaviour doesn’t impact God’s work

Reading: Romans 14:13-23

Point 1: The Nature of Christian Liberty

  • The Fundamentals and Function are important - they are foundational
    • But it is in the form - the grey areas - that we live every day
  •  It is in these areas where we have freedom and liberty
    • John 8:31b-32,36
      • 31b Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
      • 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
    • You see as believers we are no longer under the Law of Moses nor are we slaves to sin
      • Because of Christ's death and resurrection - we have been freed from this bondage
        • We are free from the penalty of Sin
        • We are free from the power of Sin
        • And we are free from the Law
    • That is why Paul says here in v14
      • “14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself”
    • His choice of the word “unclean” here is very purposeful - he is making a direct link between the Law and food that the Law allowed - he is directly targeting the issue with in the early church
    • What Paul is saying is that I have thought through these carefully and I am convinced - I have taken these matters in prayer to Jesus - and no longer do we need to keep the Law and all of its ritualistic observances
      • You see under the Law there were restrictions on what one could eat or drink - or what activities you could do at certain times or on certain days - BUT because of Christ we are no longer bound by it.
    • Unless something is expressly forbidden in scripture, we have freedom to act on our consciences
      • That is liberty and freedom that we have has believers
    • Now, Now we are to be guided by the Spirit of God as to what is right and wrong.
    • That is why Paul says:
      • 14b But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.
    • If you have been personally convicted by the Holy Spirit about something - then it is wrong for you
    • But notice here that he does not say that it is wrong for everyone else
  • By way of example: How do you feel about Halloween? I get that celebrating Halloween shouldn’t be a thing, but what about getting dressed-up, walking around the neighbourhood and trick-or treating for free sweets?
    • Is that forbidden? Is that wrong? I don’t know - I go backwards and forwards on it.
      • But if you feel convicted about it and you feel that it is wrong - then you need to act on your conscience.
        • In fact if you don’t - if you continue to ignore the prompting of the Spirit - (v23) then you are not acting in faith - and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
      • And what if you are not convicted? - then that is a matter between you and God
        • If you have brought the matter to God in prayer and you are not convicted - then it is not sin
        • And it is not for me to judge
        • I can provide advice - but it is not for me to judge

Point 2: Guarding Against Two Types of Stumbling Blocks 

  • What an incredible gift we have been given - complete freedom from legalism
  • BUT this freedom does not mean that we can now do whatever we want
    • It is not an excuse!
  • The fundamentals remain in place and the responsibility and need to correct someone remains
    • "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness," 2 Timothy 3:16
  • When it comes to clear spiritual principles - we need to exercise discernment and judgement - and where necessary rebuke and correct
    • In the home that is the responsibility of the parents
    • In the church that is the ultimate responsibility of the Eldership
    • Or possibly where you have the right relationship with another believer to approach them
  • But in the grey areas we are not to judge
  • This is the first area where we can cause a fellow believer to stumble
    • Our conviction - can very quickly become a rule that we try to apply to others
    • Through our own legalism we can discourage and dishearten and break down other believers
      • Just for the sake of being right or make ourselves feel better
    • If you feel personal conviction about a specific issue and sincerely view it as incorrect - you must not pass judgment or demand that others conform to your way of thinking
  • Growing up I had two very different types of Grandparents - both of them lived in 3rd Avenue Rondebosch East
    • On my mothers side were the Moore's - Brethren from Northern Ireland
      • My grandfather always wore a three piece suit and I was often dragged off to rallies that lasted a whole Saturday
      • They were the picture of godly conservative christian missionaries  
      • They had a small black and white TV that lived in the study behind a curtain
      • When I asked - I was told that it was only used for watching the news in the evening
        • The reason it was hidden? Lest it cause offense - it was at a time when a TV was seen as the devils work
    • Just 500m down the road lived Granny and Grandpa Payne who were very different
      • They had only become Christians in their sixties - they had smoked and drank their entire lives
      • They had a big tv in the lounge, Grandpa Jack read western novels like there was no tomorrow and Molly was known to enjoy a good tot of whiskey before the grand-kids arrived - just to cope
        • I was a delight
    • Although my grandparents came from very different backgrounds
      • There is no doubt in my mind that they had very different views on disputable matters
      • I never saw the Payne’s have a drink in front of the Moore's nor did I ever hear a judgemental word towards the Payne’s
  • Our liberty in Jesus and freedom from the law is good, but not if we use it to destroy another brother in Christ
  • If we do that then it could rightly be spoken of as evil
    • In other words we need to take into consideration how others view our actions
    • If we are going to take a legalistic, judgemental attitude to other believers - then that which was meant for good will be seen as evil - rightfully so - not because they are - but because we have been misused
    • Martin Luther, “A Christian man is a most free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, subject to all.”
  • As believers we have liberty BUT these freedoms are not without responsibilities
  • In exercising our freedoms we must not cause other believers to fall
    • Think back to Olivia learning to drive - having a license gives you the freedom of the open road, but it doesn’t give you the right to ignore the stop streets or run over pedestrians.
    • True freedom on the road only works when you look out for the other drivers around you - and our freedom in Christ is exactly the same.
  • Another way we can potentially place a stumbling block is by enticing believers to sin through an unwise use of our liberty - and this is the main point Paul is trying to make
    • Having a glass of wine at dinner is—in and of itself—not wrong. But if you order a drink while out with a fellow believer who struggles with alcoholism, or who genuinely believes drinking is sinful, and it offends them or causes them to slip back into destructive behaviour, then you are not acting in love.
  • My personal liberty and freedom must never be at the expense of another believer.
    • In fact we are charged with doing the opposite - we are encouraged to sacrifice our freedom to build up
  • If Jesus was willing to give up His life for the sake of that brother - then I can certainly abstain.
    • It is a small sacrifice in comparison.

Point 3: Kingdom Priorities & God's Building Project 

  • The kingdom of God is not about eating or drinking: 
    • If we place food and drink before righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, then we are hopelessly out of touch with God’s priorities and His heart.
    • If that is the case then you need to ask yourselves: Why did you come to Christ in the first place? For the food and drink or for the real benefits of being a citizen in the kingdom?
    • When the focus of those who are strong in the faith is on serving Christ - when they are prepared to sacrifice their freedoms to serve God and other believers, the result is approval by men and doing what is acceptable to God.
  • We often talk about love being a critical part of our Christian walk. But what sort of love?
  • In these verses Paul is talking about love in action - a love that is a sacrificial love
    • Just as Christ gave up His freedom - and subjected himself to the cross - and sacrificed everything for us - so too are we called to sacrifice that which Christ has won for us - our freedom - so that we can exercise sacrificial love and build up each other.
  • Paul is painting us a picture of a building - a house.
  • And what he means by this is that as members of Christ and the church - we are involved in a massive building project.
  • God is the architect - the master builder. We are God’s building.
  • The critical building material is the love of Christ: “From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (v 16). Ephesians 4
  • Paul challenges us to build up one another in love – to edify one another (v19)
  • In the early church this particular controversy - the eating of unclean food - threatened to break the church apart
  • Paul tells them  - Instead of focusing on their differences - they need to make every effort to build each other up
    • Instead of infighting and disagreements their focus needs to be unity & peace
  • IF this is God’s construction project - we are not a demolition crew.
  • Our job is to build - not break

Conclusion & Application

  • Is there a matter which you feel very strongly about? A matter of which you are sincerely convicted by God?
    • Do you look around at your fellow believers and they don’t share the same conviction?
    • Is it fundamental? If not you need to keep it between yourself and God and don’t try to force everybody else to accept it.
    • But neither should you ignore your conviction - what is God trying to do in your life?
    • Don’t let your lack of faith cause you to sin.
  • Is there a matter which you as a mature believer feel that you have freedom from?
    • We have been freed from a life of legalism - now we have the freedom to enter into a relationship with the living God
    • But don’t flaunt it recklessly - don’t allow it to cause damage - don’t allow a fellow believer to fall into sin because of that freedom - keep it between you and God
  • If there are areas of honest disagreement they must not be turned into a test of our fellowship
  • In fact I would encourage you this morning to look for ways to exercise this sacrificial love - to build up the church
  • Christ has handed us the keys and given us the freedom of the open road - not so we can speed ahead and run each other off the highway, but so we can journey together in love.
    • It is God’s construction project, his building. And you dare not demolish God’s building.
  • Hold fast to the roots, stand united in the trunk, and show grace in the leaves.