The Liberty of the Christian, 5

This is a repost after some edits . . . .

I have been thinking a little more on the issue of liberty . . . . . how does this tie into our service to others and evangelism? I think the summary of Mark Driscoll's message on 1 Cor 9, linked to over at www.foolishblog.com is excellent.

In short -- liberty is to be used to serve others. The nature of sin is to turn us in on ourselves -- this is exactly what was going on in Corinth and what goes on today. As long as I am free and enjoying it, what can be wrong.

Paul says, "use your liberty to serve each other in love."  If I enjoy a measure of freedom that others do not, how can I use that to serve them?

The example of 1 Cor 9 is outstanding. Driscoll is correct -- our freedom is to be used to bring the Gospel to people. If we think that warring over the Gospel, complementarianism, Reformed distinctives, and the like will preserve the truth (and we need to preserve the truth) -- but we do nothing to advance the Gospel to the very far gone culture -- we are self-deceived. The Gospel is preserved by speaking it (in its full truth) to the lost so that it multiplies. Seed is preserved by sowing it, not by hoarding it.

My freedom in Christ means I can pursue the lost in many ways -- because I know that so many issues are not moral. We are not under Levitical laws of separation and diet.  Judaism had so many barriers to bringing the Gospel to others, it greatly limited the possibilities. That is no longer true in Christ -- read Acts 10-11.

I can eat with a lost person and not be contaminated. They can serve me any food or drink and I may partake in moderation without sin. I can enjoy a game of golf, I can read a book and discuss it, I can listen to music and share that enjoyment, I can go to a movie and share that experience with an unbeliever -- the list is very long.  Please note -- this is not indulging myself with my freedom -- it is consciously using my freedom to bring the Gospel to others.

No parent needs to be reminded of what it means to love your children and want their salvation and use any and every means imagineable to convey the Gospel to them. Parents use their liberty to reach their lost kids because they love them. Perhaps we do not love people who are lost?

I would agree with Mark Driscoll -- our indifference to the realities of hell and our part in God's plan to bring the Gospel to the lost is evil. Let us be passionate for the truth of the Gospel by advancing the Gospel to the people around us -- and our love for them will compel us to use our liberty in new ways to bring them the Gospel.