Liberty & Conscience pt. 2- 1 Cor. 9 & 10

January 28, 1986 was a dark day in our country's history, yet it dawned with optimism and the hopeful expectation of a nation eagerly waiting with bated breath. The Challenger Shuttle stood resolute on the launch pad, prepared to carry 7 crew members into the depths of space, and with them, the imagination of the American people. And yet on a day with so much promise there was cause for alarm. Engineers were frantically warning that the launch needed be called off. Recent tests indicated mechanical failures (with the O-rings) could cause seals to break, resulting in a potential combustion that would be critical. Additionally, the temperature on the morning of the launch was 9 degrees, 30 degrees less than engineers deemed acceptable. Ice build-up threatened to cause launch complications that had not been tested. But NASA determined to move forward with the launch.

In the end, it was a combination of these two factors, the cold and the faulty O-rings, that caused the disaster. At 11:38am the Challenger lifted off of the launch pad, and, with a roar, ascended in a blaze of light toward the limits of our atmosphere. The family and friends of the astronauts gathered at the viewing area near the launch site rose to their feet cheering with delight, as hundreds of thousands of Americans watched from classrooms and in family rooms across the country. But 73 seconds after takeoff, a horrified nation watched as the Challenger seemed to catch fire and rip apart in the air, leaving only a plume of smoke and falling debris. The crew members not killed in the explosion died when the crew compartment hit the Atlantic Ocean at over 200 mph. Ignoring the warnings of potential critical failure had proved catastrophic.

In 1 Corinthians 8-10 we find an extended discussion on the virtues and dangers of Christian liberty. Virtues, when our liberty allows us to show love toward other believers and toward those we are witnessing to. Danger, when our liberty might lead us to desire things that are evil and lead to destruction. So how do we know when the use of our liberty is edifying, and when it could be catastrophic? The conscience--the warning system that is ignored at our peril.

The virtue of liberty (ch. 9): Paul begins the chapter by making statements expressing his liberty to expect compensation from the churches for his ministry. "Am I not an apostle? Am I not free?" (9:1a) Paul begins, and in the next few verses will refer to his "rights" three times. Yet, while Paul is free and even has a right to expect remuneration for his labors in the gospel, nonetheless he does not desire to be paid for his ministry. (9:15) Why? Because he does not want to hinder the gospel! (9:12) He refuses to allow anyone of accusing him of preaching a false gospel in order to make a quick buck. Not only this, but he positively uses his liberty, not only to give up for the gospel, but also to advance the gospel "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more..." (9:19) For Paul, his liberty was not an opportunity for indulgence, but a means for greater gospel witness!

The danger of liberty (ch. 9b-10): Paul moves from beginning the chapter emphasizing his rights and freedom, to ending it by underlining the importance of bringing his body/desires under discipline and subjection. (9:27) Why? Paul immediately supplies an example of the nation of Israel, liberated from bondage to Egypt, but rather than using this freedom to worship God more truly, they pursued the lust of the flesh. God was not pleased with this, and they died in the wilderness without obtaining the land of promise. (10:1-15) How then do we discern if our liberty is leading is in a dangerous direction? How do we know if we are simply justifying desires that would entice us toward sin? Paul makes clear in chapter 8 and in the conclusion of chapter 10, the conscience is the means that believers have to determine their own liberty. As he says in Romans: "But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin." (Rom. 14:23) Ignoring the conscience is like the folly of ignoring warnings not to launch--and the consequence is equally disastrous

“My conscience is captive to the Word of God, I cannot and will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand.”-Martin Luther, Diet of Worms, 1521

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Application: When is the last time, or have you ever, used your liberty to advance the cause of the gospel? Are you using your liberty for your own indulgence, or are you using it to win more to Christ? Do you heed your conscience when it convicts you, or do you convince yourself that you have the freedom to ignore it?

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Reading: 1 Corinthians 9 & 10