by: Dr. Allen Domelle
1 Corinthians 8:9
“But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.”
“Liberty” is defined as, “freedom from restraint.” The Corinthians were cautioned by the Apostle Paul to be careful that their liberty didn’t become a “stumblingblock to them that are weak.” His warning was to remind them that just because God gave them liberty didn’t mean that they could live any way that they wanted to live. People were watching them, and they needed to understand that their liberty was given to them to help others.
We live in times when people love to use their soul liberty as an excuse to live like the world. Soul liberty is not an excuse to live a worldly lifestyle. Four things you must keep in mind to keep your liberty from becoming the source to live in earthly stupidity.
First, liberty is not freedom to do what you want. The verse above clearly shows that you have to put restraints on liberty. For instance, I have the liberty to drive a car anywhere I want to go, but that doesn’t mean I should drive on the wrong side of the road. If I take the liberty to drive on the wrong side of the road, I will likely suffer the consequences of an accident and the culpability of the harm I caused to someone else. You can certainly take your liberty and live any way you desire, but you must remember that liberty doesn’t remove the consequences of sin and worldly lifestyles. If you don’t put rules, boundaries and limitations on your liberty, you will find that the actions you chose in your liberty will bring undesirable consequences.
Second, liberty brings responsibility. You have a responsibility not to allow your liberty to become a stumblingblock to another brother. If what you do in your liberty causes a brother to fall into sin, your liberty becomes your liability. Friend, someone is watching you at all times. Be careful that you don’t adopt the mentality that you can do whatever you want to do, and you don’t care what others think. You should care what others think because your actions could influence others to do right or wrong.
Third, liberty makes you a servant to all. 1 Corinthians 9:19 says, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all…” The purpose of your liberty is to become a servant. God gave you the freedom to serve. In other words, your mentality should be one that you don’t have to serve others in the ministry, but your freedom allows you to serve others in the ministry. If I were a slave to one person, I could not serve others. God gave the Christian liberty so that they could become the servant to all. Liberty is the privilege to submit yourself to others so that you can meet their needs.
Fourth, liberty demands self-control. 1 Corinthians 9:27 says, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection…” Your liberty will hurt you if you don’t learn to keep your body under subjection. The only way you will keep your body under subjection so that the lusts of the flesh don’t take control of your liberty is to yield to the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 tells us, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Christian, God gives you the liberty to yield to His Spirit daily. If you don’t practice self-control, your liberty will place you in bondage. I encourage you to yield yourself to the Spirit of God so you can enjoy the liberty of serving others.