Freedom That Considers Others

As believers, we are called to be sensitive and attentive to those who are new to the faith. How should we make our decisions—thinking primarily of ourselves, or considering how our actions will affect the people around us? This is a crucial question for believers. As we grow in our faith, it is possible for our understanding of freedom in Christ to overshadow our sensitivity toward others. We may make choices that we are completely comfortable with, but a believer who is younger in the faith or not yet established may not understand or accept this. The issue here is not necessarily that we are sinning. The issue is that we may stop considering how our freedom could negatively affect someone else's faith. Paul directly addresses this issue in 1 Corinthians chapter 8. He calls on believers to act not out of guilt, but out of love. He reminds us that a mature believer is responsible not only for their own behavior but also for the impact of that behavior on others. The question is not just: “Am I free to do this?” We must also ask: “Will doing this help or harm the faith of my brother for whom Christ died?” Christian freedom is a gift from God, but it was never given to be lived without regard for others. We live out our faith in front of people. What seems like freedom to us may be a cause for confusion or stumbling for someone else. This does not mean that every personal opinion of others must become law for us. The point is to consider the faith of others with love and spiritual maturity. When the Holy Spirit shapes both what we do and how our actions affect others, our freedom ceases to be just an exercise of privilege and becomes an expression of love. Truth for today: We have freedom in Christ, but love guides us to live out this freedom while considering the spiritual well-being of others.