Freedom Ain't What It Used To Be

1 Corinthians 9 (and many other chapters in this book) address the issue of our freedoms and rights as Christians. What are we permitted to do as Christians, particularly regarding the "grey areas" of life? What rights can we demand in terms of our personal autonomy?

I suggest that we, as Christians, mature in our understanding of this issue gradually.

• As babies or toddlers, we simply do what we're told and we don't need a better reason other than the fact that our parents said so. Don't run into the street, period.
• As children, our parents begin to explain the reasons for their commands but we're still expected to obey them fully. Don't run into the street because it's dangerous and a car might hit you, end of discussion.
• As teens, we start to develop our own identity separate from our parents. We now know the reasons that our parents said so, and we can decide what our own reasons are. We're still under our parents' authority but it's less a matter of pure obediance and more a matter of smart and independant choices. We agree that playing on the road can be dangerous, but if there are no cars then it's all right to play road hockey. If our parents decide to ban us from playing 'cause we dented someone's car, then too bad for us.
• As young adults, we strive for our personal freedoms and rights. I can play on the street and I understand why I can do so. If anyone tries to stop me, like that annoying neighbour, I will argue that there's no law against it and keep on playing. (Um, at least there used to be no law against it.) I will do as I wish - more than that, I will demand my right do so.
• As adults, we learn that fully understanding our freedoms and rights is not enough. We also have to understand the freedoms and rights of others and we have to take some responsibility for others. We can play in the street but we have to care for the younger children while we're out there to make sure that they're safe. Even if we know enough to yell "Car" and get off the street, if there are younger children who refuse to stop playing then we have to make sure that they do stop even if it means that we can't play with those kids on the street anymore.

When we apply these concepts to the issues like swearing, drinking alcohol or tithing, we see these stages of growth as we mature. Does the Bible say that it's wrong to have a drink? No. What if we have a drink while we're at a restaurant and someone from our youth group is with us or sees us? When we're younger, we might demand our right to drink and dismiss those who disagree as puritans. As we mature, we understand that it's not about us anymore. If we cause some youth to drink while they're underage, that is our responsibility as much as it is their own.

"If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ... Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible." 1 Corinthians 9:12 and 1 Corinthians 9:19.