"This is not duplicity, it is gospel-centered flexibility"

Erik Raymond:

Christians have Christian liberty (1 Cor. 9; Rom. 14-15). This means that we have the freedom in Christ to enjoy many created things without fear of condemnation. We understand that created things can neither commend nor condemn us before God (Gal. 4.8-9; Col. 2.8, 2.2-23; 1 Tim. 4.1-8). Therefore, as Christians we have the privilege of freedom to enjoy various aspects of creation without fear of judgment.

There is another side to this freedom: the freedom to set aside our liberty for the sake of the gospel. In 1 Cor. 9 we read that Paul’s big priority is gospel advancement. Every argument pivots on him wanting to see the gospel speed ahead (cf. 1 Cor. 9.15, 9.19, 9.23). In Romans 14-15 Paul does not want to assault the consciences of the weaker believers by partaking of his liberties. He doesn’t want them to stumble (sin, by doing something that their conscience would forbid).

In both cases Paul’s true freedom is not in what he can enjoy but what he can freely give up. He is not a slave to the weak, the Jews, the Greeks, or anyone else. He is a slave of Christ and a servant to all. This is for the sake of the gospel.

As is often the case, we can go from one extreme to the other with regard to liberties. On the one hand the legalist would say that it is sin to partake of these created things, that God would not be pleased with us if we do them. This is different than saying it would be sin for them to partake. One is a matter of personal conscience (of the weak) and the other is matter of binding the consciences of everyone else (legalism). Because we want holiness amid a world with sin in it we may fall off the gospel ledge and into the realm of Platonic Dualism seeing all creation as bad, condemning us before God. In the pursuit of pleasing God we impugn the Creator of all things.

On the other extreme a Christian may elevate his or her liberties to a place of prominence. This is a promotion that they cannot bear. In this instance they become known for their absolute enjoyment of their liberties. If another Christian is not on the same page in terms of Christian liberties then they will blow them up for being immature and legalistic. Instead of being considerate of another’s weakness for the sake of the gospel they only consider their liberties. I have seen this among a few patches among my young (ish) Reformed brothers. We are so happy about liberty, not being legalistic, and the enjoyment of the creation that we forget the Creator and how the gospel is the priority.

When the gospel comes to town and we are truly gospel-centered we remember that the true beauty of having liberty is both the freedom to enjoy them in light of the gospel and to lay them aside for the sake of the gospel. This is why Paul can say on that nothing should be refused but that everything should be received with thanksgiving (1 Tim. 4.8) and that he would be ok with never eating meat again (1 Cor. 8.13).

This is not duplicity, it is gospel-centered flexibility. It is understanding the place of Christian liberties and the priority of the gospel. It is being gospel-centered.

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