Christian Liberty #17

The point: Live so as to please the God who has saved us, not to earn favor, but because we have received it.

Martin describes his task of expounding Romans 14 as 'spiritual neurosurgery' to convey the precision and difficulty required to accurately handle the principles of this complex passage.

Again in praying that God will help us as we enter into what, in my judgment, is spiritual neurosurgery, as I attempt to speak to you this morning on divine counsels to the weak. And I'm very conscious of God's need, of God's help, that I may accurately open up the principles of this portion of the word. So let us together again seek God's face in prayer.

2:16 - 2:45 Read in full sermon

The point: Live every facet of life unto the Lord, recognizing that every square inch of a Christian's life is Jesus' land.

Martin shares a personal anecdote about tying his tie carefully to avoid distracting anyone, illustrating the principle that every facet of life, even seemingly trivial ones, should be lived 'unto the Lord' with a passion to please Christ.

He that regards the day regards it. He that does not regard the day does not regard it to the Lord. He that eats the whole unifying principle is we're to recognize in one another the fruit of God's saving grace, namely a passion that in everything we will live unto the Lord. There is no such thing as the adiaphora, things indifferent. Nothing's indifferent when I have a passion to please Jesus. That's why I won't leave the house on the morning until the way. My tie is tied, is balanced, that no eye will be distracted because they notice Pastor Martin's tie is crooked. You say you're kidding. I...

14:25 - 15:29 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Because the weak in faith often think they are the strong and the more spiritual.

Martin uses the example of a conscientious vegetarian who avoids meat due to past idol worship associations to illustrate the weak believer's scruples and how they identify themselves as 'weak' according to Paul's definition.

And you say, oh, Lord, that's me. I can't eat meat. I mean, if I eat meat, I just get this sense that somehow that meat has been defiled and it's unclean. How do I know it wasn't offered up to the many idols, one of the many idols here in the city of Rome? The only way I can truly detach myself from any of my past idol worship is to eat meat. I can't eat meat. I can't eat meat. I can't worship is to just be a conscientious vegetarian. And I've just been told I'm weak. That's who I am.

22:46 - 23:17 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Because the weak in faith often think they are the strong and the more spiritual.

Martin references Peter's vision in Acts where he refused to eat 'unclean' food, illustrating how Jewish scruples about kosher laws could lead to weakness in faith regarding Christian liberty.

Anywhere near idol worship by eating a piece of meat. By God's grace, by God's grace, I'm willing to deny myself the pleasure of a well-marbled steak because I have put idol worship and the idol temple and everything connected with idolatry behind me. Or, if it's someone with Jewish scruples like Peter, remember when the Lord said to him in a vision, hey Peter, see what's in that sheet? All kinds of good things. I'm a no condemnation man. I'm a no condemnation man. I'm a no condemnation man.

25:44 - 26:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not seek to negate or usurp God's position and action as welcoming host, exclusive Lord, and supreme judge in His house, the church.

Martin explains Paul's use of 'oiketes' (household servant) to emphasize the church as God's family, where only the Master (God) has the right to judge His servants, rebuking the weak for usurping this role.

Who are you that judges? And then Paul uses a word. It's the only place he uses it. Not doulos, standard word for bond servant, but the word for a household servant.

32:55 - 33:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not doubt God's ability or commitment to cause the strong to stand in the midst of their Christ-centered use of Christian liberty.

Martin imagines the weak believer's fears that the strong believer, by exercising liberty in eating meat or drinking wine, will inevitably fall into secularism, idolatry, or drunkenness, highlighting the weak's doubt in God's power to sustain the strong.

So weak believer looks at the strong believer and says, there's no way. I mean, that man is exercising his liberty with regard to what he eats and disregard. I mean, he'll be a solely secularist. He doesn't keep this.

37:59 - 38:10 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The fourth counsel instructs the weak not to follow the example of the strong until their own conscience is persuaded by God's Word that it is their liberty to do so. Martin…

Martin uses the analogy of a handkerchief believed to contain cyanide poison to illustrate how something intrinsically harmless becomes dangerous if one is persuaded it is harmful, explaining why acting against conscience is sin.

Say, except, except to him that accounts anything to be unclean, to him, it is unclean. Though it is not essentially, inherently before God and in reality unclean, if the man's conscience perceives it is unclean, to him it is unclean. All right? Let me use a silly illustration.

44:52 - 45:16 Read in full sermon

The point: Graciously request alternatives (e.g., veggies) if your conscience forbids certain foods, rather than violating your conscience.

Martin describes a scenario where a weak brother is invited to a meal with strong believers eating meat, illustrating how the weak should graciously decline meat and how the strong should respond with understanding, avoiding group pressure.

So this week, brother, this week, brother, is invited out to a meal with his strong brother and he sits there and he sees his strong brother eat his meat. All the others eat their meat, give thanks to God for it. He's the only one that has reservations about the meat. What is he to do?

51:06 - 51:28 Read in full sermon