Freedom and Conscience: The Threshold Issues

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Following is a quote from my blog “Clap Your Hands”, published on July 24, 2007: The one who claps embraces his freedom; and the one who forbids clapping takes refuge in his conscience. As an act of love, the free may refrain from clapping in the presence of the one with the weak conscience; but the one with the weak conscience may not regulate the religion in order to make the freedom sinful and a barrier of fellowship. I was asked how I would answer those who used Romans 14 to justify banning clapping in worship.

 

When Paul wrote his letter to Christians in Rome from Corinth on his second visit in about 57 A.D., there were apparently great numbers of Gentile and Jewish Christians who met in various house congregations (Romans 16). About 6 years earlier Paul had meet Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth on his first visit. They were Jews from Rome, but were then living in Corinth because in 49 A.D. Emperor Claudius had expelled all Jews from Rome over an instigation concerning “Chrestus” (Acts 18:1-3; Roman historian, Suetonius, circa A.D. 120). It is likely that before Jewish Christians were expelled from Rome their leadership and ways predominated. When Jews were allowed to return to Rome about 55 A.D., they likely returned to a Gentile Christian church that had learned to get on without Jewish leadership and ways. So now the Jews are trying to assert their influence as the pedigree teachers of righteousness according to law and the Gentiles are reacting with prejudice against the Jews and Jewish ways; perhaps even teaching and practicing that the Christian church is no longer dependent on its Jewish roots. Paul addresses all these issues in his letter to Christians in Rome.

 

In Romans 14:1 to 15:16, the matters of freedom and conscience should be understood in the context of Paul’s ministry to strengthen the church in the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to bring about the obedience of faith to the world. Paul wrote the letter and planned to visit to preach to them because God gave Paul special insight in his mystery and plan (Romans 1:1-7 and 16:25-27). Because of the changes and developments in the Roman churches both Jew and Gentile Christians needed to be reminded of the gospel. Jewish Christians judged their selves superior spiritual guides, and therefore in the position to judge righteousness. Their heritage was based on God’s law instead of pagan ways. They judged Gentile Christians who would not adopt Jewish religious and moral traditions on circumcision, food, drink, and holy days. Roman Christians who had grown in their knowledge of the faith and independence of practicing the faith without Jewish teaching for several years developed contempt and insensitivity toward their Jewish brothers. Neither was accepting each other on the basis that Christ had accepted them and that God alone was their judge; and he would make them stand.

 

Paul now saw an added threat to the gospel that had not existed in the churches of Galatia when he primarily clarified that fellowship and the way of righteousness were by faith in Jesus the Son of God and according to the Spirit, not by law according to the flesh. The additional threat in Rome was that Gentile Christians rejected their Jewish roots and their Jewish brothers, failing to realize that their inclusion in Israel by grace was based on faith in Jesus the Messiah a descendent of David (Romans 1 and 9-11).

 

Paul always gave practical advice that was grounded in his insight into gospel truth. He never did take a position just for the sake of present harmony, but was motivated by the truth and mission of the gospel. This is how Paul exemplified Christian freedom. He was not motivated out of selfish and sectarian interests, but to spread the gospel, keep it pure and prominent, and firmly establish believers in it. Whether he embraced his freedom or temporarily gave it up depended on his stewardship of upholding the gospel through the practice of love. In Romans 14 and I Corinthians 8, Paul’s message of love is so long as Christians have their freedom in the gospel they should not offend the weak. In Galatians and Colossians the freedom and purity of the gospel was undermined, so Paul’s message of love is don’t give in but stand firm in truth and in freedom.

 

The threshold issues are whether love compels us to restore and practice the gospel in its freedom to serve far beyond temporal, sectarian and parochial interests; or whether love compels us to duct tape a fragile and stifling harmony until the next generation can deal with it?

 

 

Buttram, Bryan. “Freedom and Conscience: The Threshold Issues”. Bryanbuttram.wordpress.com: 2007/11/29.

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Filed under Fellowship, Freedom in Christ, Stewardship, gospel

Tags: Freedom in Christ, gospel, Romans 14