“But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” – 1 Corinthians 8:9
If you are in Christ, then you have tremendous freedom! You’re saved by grace, sanctified by grace, united with Christ, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Your salvation isn’t dependent on meticulous following of countless rules and laws. You are free in more ways than you probably realized. However, the way you exercise your freedom must always be submitted to the Lordship and glory of Jesus Christ, just like everything else in your life.
What does that mean? It means that in Christ, you’re free to lay down your spiritual rights and freedoms for the good of other believers. The exercise of your freedom – whether it’s about what you eat, what you drink, what you wear, where you go, what you read, listen to, or watch – must be self-limited for the good of less mature believers around you. Exercising freedom in a way that intentionally shocks, provokes, confuses, or divides other believers isn’t evidence of your theological maturity, it’s sinful.
The reality is that things which are biblically permissible can also be sins for those who can’t control themselves with those things. They can be sins for those utterly convinced they are sins. In such situations, the Christ-like use of your freedom isn’t to indulge whatever it is in front of that person. The Christ-like use of your freedom isn’t to argue them into submission with the truth of their freedom in a way that damages their fragile, as-yet-undeveloped faith. The Christ-like use of your freedom is to exercise your Spirit-given self-control in their presence. So, take care and #FollowJesús