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REFLECTION

“Freedom and responsibility” is the theme for our reflection. Freedom is the power or right to act, speak or think as one wants. Responsibility is being held accountable for our actions. In other words, freedom is what one can do but responsibility is what one can or cannot do within the purview or scope of one’s freedom. Again we may also say that responsibility is the boundary or limitation of freedom. The issue of whether or not a Christian can eat food sacrificed to idols came before Paul to address within the Church of Corinth in his letter. Paul’s answer is, idols are powerless therefore eating foods sacrificed to idols has no effect on a believer. This is the freedom we have in Christ that we are able to eat food sacrificed to idols without any fear of its spiritual ramifications. Paul wrote that “as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)

The next important question apart from our freedom is our Christian responsibility towards other within the purview of our freedom in Christ. The issue is whether or not our actions or inaction have an impact on the moral and spiritual lives of other believers, if it does then do we owe them a duty to be a good example by following a the perfect image of Christ at all times? It is important to acknowledge the fact that there are two categories of believers in the Church, these are baby Christians and mature Christians. The writer of Hebrews identifies this distinction when he wrote that “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:13-14) Paul also alludes to the baby and mature distinction in the church of Corinth when he wrote that “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly” (1 Corinthians 3:2-3). Dear friend, mature Christians are those who have studied and understand the rudiment or basic tenets of our faith and have also studied the Scripture to understand the will of God and therefore, are able to live by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of the Word of God. Their consciences know what is good and bad and they have the conviction of following God’s will in every situation. On the other hand, baby Christians are most like new converts or Christians who may have been in the church for a long time but are still getting to understand the teachings of the faith and how to apply them to their lives. Such people usually need spiritual and moral guidance from mature Christians because they are not fully settled in their convictions and sometimes have issues dealing with the dilemma of that which is good or evil before the Lord. Having this understanding, we can certainly conclude that our actions or inaction as mature Christians have both spiritual and moral impacts on baby Christians, therefore mature Christians owe baby Christians the duty or responsibility to follow the perfect example of Christ to help the baby Christians to develop a strong spiritual foundation, conscience and conviction of what is good and evil before the Lord and to obey His will. Paul, therefore, cautioned mature Christianss that “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” (1 Corinthians 8:9-13). In other words, Paul admonishes mature Christians to be responsible in their positions of influencing baby Christians when he wrote that “For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. ​ Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:33 – 11:1).

In the twenty-first century Church, apart from issues of idol worship in Africa and other places in the world, there are equally important issues of drunkenness and illicit drugs consumption or addiction, pornography, nudity and other issues of morality that Christians are faced with. As Christian parents, what kind of movies do we watch and songs do you listen to at home, what kind of drinks do we consume at home, what kind of conversation do we engage in with others to the hearing of our children? Do we reflect on our actions and inactions and their impacts on our children’s spirituality and morality before taking decisions? As Christian leaders, what are our views on drunkenness, sexuality, politics, corruption and other issues that the world is in a dilemma about? Always remember that Christian leaders and other mature Christians must guide baby Christians of all generations in understanding and living by the teachings of Scripture. Paul further admonishes us that “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24) We further weaken the conscience of baby Christians and consequently enable them to go wayward when we condone or do not take up the responsibility of condemning or taking resolute decisions on issues that poses moral or spiritual dilemma or challenges in the minds of baby Christians. Dear friend, what kind of Christian are you? If you believe that you are a mature Christian then continue to live by the perfect example of Christ and by the guidance of Scripture and the Holy Spirit but if you are a baby Christian then choose a good and a worth emulating mature Christian who will have a positive impact on your spiritual growth as Paul did to many whom he preached and shepherded. No Bible No Break is one of the tools or resources for both mature and baby Christians to enable us continually grow and navigate through the myriads of spiritual and moral issues that face us in the world today. Shalom.

PRAYER

Thank you Lord for the freedom and victory we have through Jesus Christ, let the Holy Spirit empower us to continually grow in the knowledge of Your Word even as we take responsibility in guiding our brothers and sisters who are still climbing the ladder of faith and Christian maturity. Amen.