Is Christmas for the Christian?

Introduction to the Study on Christmas and Christian Liberty

0:03 The following message was delivered on Sunday morning, December 15, 2002, in the Adult Sunday School class at Trinity Baptist Church in Montville, New Jersey. Now, just a word of explanation as to what I'm doing up here this morning. As those of you who attend this place know, Pastor Carlson is just completing a guided study in Dr. Carson's book on spiritual reformation priorities in the prayers of Paul.

0:36 There will be one more sort of catch-all review study in that book and in its biblical content. And then you will be guided in a study in one of the Gospels. We're still wrestling whether it's going to be the Gospel of Luke or the Gospel of Matthew. We've been seeking to find a book that is not a detailed commentary, that is about the size of Dr. Carson's book, suited to the Gospel of Luke. It's not suitable for an adult class, not the kind of book that a preacher would use as his primary books of study were he preaching through one of the Gospels. But as we have weighed the various emphases in our ministries, we felt it was time to have a good dose of a first-hand, lengthy glimpse of our Lord Himself as He is set forth in the Gospel records. And God willing, that study will begin the last Lord's Day, of this year.

1:33 So, here we are. I have a one-off opportunity to lead the class. And as I've reflected, there have been several things that have been kind of churning around in my mind and in my spirit. And I had thought that it might be a good opportunity to have an open forum.

1:50 Periodically over the years, we've had those in which you are given the opportunity to raise any question relative to the various ministries that have been set. And so, I thought that it might be a good opportunity to have an open forum to raise any question relative to the various ministries that have been set before you in recent weeks and months, or general concerns of a biblical nature that would be of general concern to the people of God. However, as I reflected more on the issue, and realized that we have a number of people who have joined the Church, visitors among us, who have not been present when I have taken up the whole subject of the Christian in relationship to Christmas, I thought it would be good to have a meeting with you, to have a guided study on the whole subject of the Christian and his relationship to the celebration of Christmas. And I have a two-fold purpose in doing this. Number one is to see how much you old-timers have really absorbed from past ministries. This is going to be a public testing time to see how much you have grasped.

2:54 And then for those who are newer among us, I hope it will not only give you some basic reference points I hope it will not only give you some basic reference points but also help you to think and act in a biblical way with respect to this holiday that, like it or not, is upon us, around us, under us, and any other preposition you want to use. And so, it is for that purpose that I decided to lead a guided discussion on the subject of the Christian's attitude and actions regarding the celebration of this holiday called Christmas. on the subject of the Christian's attitude and actions regarding the celebration of this holiday called Christmas. All right?

Is a Christian Morally Obligated to Celebrate Christmas?

3:30 So this is going to be the Socratic method. I'm going to ask a question, and if you're all mute, I'll stand here mute until somebody overcomes his or her reluctance and responds to my question, and we think through this thing together with open Bibles. Now listen very carefully to my questions. They're not trick questions, but the answer that may appear to be the right one initially, if you think about it, may not be the right answer, at least in an absolute sense.

4:02 All right? Question number one.

4:05 Is a Christian under moral obligation to celebrate Christmas? That is, as a Christian's conscience, enlightened by Scripture, knows that he has a moral obligation to honor the Lord one day in seven, the Sabbath, the Christian Sabbath, Lord's Day, as he has a moral obligation to come to the Lord's table, this do in remembrance of me, a moral obligation to gather with God's people, forsaking not the assembling of yourselves together. Is a Christian under moral obligation to celebrate Christmas? If yes, why?

4:50 If no, why? All right? How many believe that a Christian is under moral obligation to celebrate Christmas? Wonderful.

5:01 Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful.

5:02 Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful.

5:02 Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful. Wonderful.

5:02 Everything, only question on which there's going to be complete unanimity. All right? How many believe he is not? Wonderful.

5:10 We're of one mind. Now, that's easy to raise your hand. I want you to open your mouth. If not, why not?

5:17 Why is a Christian not under moral obligation to celebrate Christmas in any shape, form, size, whatever? Why is he not? Jerry, and speak up, please, and then I'll repeat it for you. Leslie, and for our dear friends, okay?

5:38 All right? There is no express commandment in Scripture to do so. And is that enough for you?

5:46 Yes. For Jerry, it is. If he had an express command, that would alter it. Where there is none, he's not going to have his conscience bound by anything other than the express command of Scripture.

5:58 Someone else wanted to give a reason why you believe a Christian is not under moral obligation to celebrate Christmas. Anyone else? Or is that behind the unanimity? Yes.

6:10 Linda? Well, we're going to eventually come into that. But right now, we're just isolating this issue. We're all agreed a Christian is under no moral obligation to celebrate Christmas.

6:35 Jerry Smith has said the rationale for that is there is no express command to do so. That settles it. And does that settle it for the rest of you? All right?

Is a Christian Morally Obligated NOT to Celebrate Christmas?

6:45 Okay. Now then, listen carefully to my next question. Is a Christian ungrateful? Is a Christian under moral obligation not to celebrate Christmas?

6:57 You see, this is different from the first question. The first question is, should I feel pressure at my back to celebrate Christmas? This question is, suppose someone feels pressure to celebrate Christmas. Is he violating a moral principle?

7:15 Is the Christian under moral obligation not to celebrate? In other words, if you see someone celebrating Christmas, do you have grounds to believe he is violating a moral principle?

7:37 Now, see, that makes us think a little bit. All right? Is a Christian under moral obligation not to celebrate Christmas? If yes, why?

7:48 Why? How many of you believe that some Christians are under moral obligation not to celebrate Christmas? And if you believe that any Christian is under moral obligation not to celebrate it, you've got one, only one, two, three, four, oh, we're getting the groundswell here. All right?

8:10 You shall not follow a multitude to do evil. All right? Whoops. We're going to come to that.

8:19 Is a Christian under moral obligation not to celebrate Christmas? If so, why? All right? You want to tell us, Ernie?

8:29 Ernie? Okay. Ernie says, it is a matter of conscience, and for some Christians, it is a moral obligation not to celebrate Christmas, because, in Romans 14, a passage we're going to come back to and root around in much more fully later on, the Scripture is clear that if we do that, concerning which we have any question that it pleases God, then we are under moral obligation. Ernie?

9:05 Ernie says, it is a matter of conscience. It pleases God. For us, it is sin. Romans 14, 23.

9:09 He that doubts is condemned if he eats, because he eats not of faith. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. For some Christians, it is sin to celebrate Christmas. In their consciences, the association of the very word, Christ, Mass, gives them real problems.

9:36 The understanding of the origin of the celebration, that when the Roman Empire was, quote, Christianized, all of the major pagan holidays were also Christianized, and Christmas was one of them. And so, because of the very word, Christmas, dripping with Romish connotations, an understanding of the origins, paganism, baptized into Christianity. Ernie says, it is a matter of conscience. Why did He say, because of, thirdly, the connotations of the wretched sin that is proliferated at Christmas, the sin of irresponsible spending, the sin of crass materialism, the sin of drunkenness, the sin of ribaldry... I simply cannot, with good conscience have anything to do with it.

10:32 So for that Christian, it is a moral obligation. It is a moral obligation not to celebrate it. You follow me? So that when I ask the question, is a Christian under moral obligation not to celebrate Christmas, the answer is, for some Christians, yes.

10:47 They are under moral obligation not to celebrate Christmas because they cannot celebrate it as unto the Lord in faith that that celebration is well-pleasing unto God.

11:03 You following me? You're making sense, alright? Next question.

Christmas as an Issue of Christian Liberty

11:09 In the light of these answers, into what broad category of Christian living does this whole issue of Christmas fit? If we're trying to slot it in to a broad category of Christian living, what is the category into which the subject of the celebration of Christmas fits?

11:33 Jerry? Alright, it fits into the category of what we know as the doctrine of Christian living. Liberty. And historically, that term, Christian liberty, refers to those things which are not expressly commanded by Scripture or expressly forbidden by Scripture and concerning which good and godly Christians may have a differing pressure of conscience.

12:05 It fits into the category of Christian liberty. And because it fits into the category of Christian liberty, And because it fits into the category of Christian liberty, it does, we must bring to bear upon it the major principles set forth in the Scriptures with regard to those watershed passages that address the subject of Christian liberty. Now, that subject comes to us in its most dense passages where? Someone already mentioned one of them. Eli? All right, one passage is 1 Corinthians, we should say all the way 1 Corinthians 8, 9, and 10. All right, 1 Corinthians 8, 9, and 10. And then what's the other watershed passage that addresses this subject, Bill? Romans chapter 14. So whenever you're wrestling with an issue concerning Christian

13:00 liberty, a practice that is neither commanded nor forbidden, as our confession clearly states. In fact, it would be helpful for us to turn to our confession that's found in our hymn books under Christian liberty, page 681. The opening two paragraphs deal with the liberty that is ours in Christ, in which we are made free from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the rigor and curse of the law, etc. Now, the issue we're concerned with is taken up in item number two. God alone is Lord of the conscience, who has left it free from the doctrines and commandments, which are in anything contrary to his word or not contained in it, so that to believe such doctrines or obey such commands out of conscience is to betray true liberty of conscience, and the requiring of an implicit faith and absolute and blind obedience is to destroy liberty of conscience also. So that in this whole matter of Christian liberty, our consciences, by the grace of God in

14:27 the work of Christ in the gospel, are free from the commandments of men. We are Christ's bond servants, and we must never allow ourselves to come into bondage to the commandments of men. Well then, coming to the watershed passage, I'd like us to turn to Romans 14. Now, these issues came to light under apostolic guidance, not with respect to shall we or shall we not celebrate Christmas.

14:57 Easter. But it came to light with reference to such things as shall we keep certain feast days which may or may not, and the issue is not that clear, may or may not have been associated with some of the special feast days mandated by Old Testament Mosaic legislation, or it may well be that it was certain feast days that were simply part of the Roman culture, which was a pagan, had proceeds, but then by ghostly means became a exclusive event. So that issue came to light, the issue of liberty of conscience. What do I do where God's neither commanded nor forbidden something, It came to light in conjunction with the issue of days. It came to light with the issue of foods, wine. It came to light with respect to the issue of meat offered to an idol. bargain meat market outside the idol's temple.

16:01 So what we must do as we come to those passages where we have days and drinks and meats and meats offered to idols, we must seek to dig beneath the specific expression of these issues that have to do with those matters and lay hold of the principles that apply whenever we are wrestling with the issue of Christian liberty. God has neither commanded nor forbidden that I wear a tie.

16:36 And if someone came up to me and said, you must wear a tie in order to please God, I'd say no. I'd take my tie off and stick my liberty under his Pharisaic nose. And if someone then said, you must not wear a tie, I'd get one of those old, remember when they were about six inches wide? With the nice bright colors that our brother, Bert, often has in his ties.

17:00 And I'd wear it. And I'd say, there, show me from the Bible where I can't wear this. As Calvin said, he never, never scrupled about showing up and offending Pharisees. So, the issues come to us in those things.

17:16 But we've got to dig beneath those specific issues and lay hold of the principles. And now I want, in the time that remains, to see if we can lay hold afresh. And this is where I'm putting some of you old-timers, to the test. What are the major principles that must guide our thinking with respect to how we relate to issues of Christian liberty and how we relate to others who are wrestling with the issues of Christian liberty as they pertain to the circumstances of their lives?

17:50 So, in that category, what are the major principles that must guide our thinking and our conduct? And remember, brethren, it's always in that order. We've got to think right to do what's right. Otherwise, if you attack the doing without the thinking, you just have a wooden framework and the minute someone gets in the situation that you haven't described in the doing, they're left without any rudder, without any compass, because they never wrestled with the principles that need to govern our thinking.

18:20 But if we've got the thinking right, we've got a built-in compass. And even if we're away from those specifics, we're able to say, all right, in this situation, where's my compass? My thinking is right. Therefore, it will be the mother of proper action.

Principles from Romans 14: Mutual Reception and Non-Judgment

18:35 All right? What are the major principles, then, in Romans chapter 14? We're going to stick primarily with Romans 14 this morning. Let me read the passage and then I would like you to tell me what are the major principles that are to regulate our thinking.

18:52 Him that is weak in faith, receive, yet not for decisions of scruples. That is, don't receive him with a view to saying, okay, this guy can't eat this meat and this guy can't do this and I'm going to receive him, but I'm not really receiving him with all of his hang-ups that I regard as hang-ups. I'm only receiving him to get him close enough to straighten him out. I'm going to receive him with a view to zapping him.

19:20 All right? He said, now receive him, but let it be true, open-hearted, unfeigned reception. You don't receive him, in order to put him under censorious scrutiny. One man has faith to eat all things, but he that is weak eats only herbs.

19:41 Do not let him who eats set it not him who does not eat, and do not let him that does not eat judge him that does eat, for God has received him. Who are you that judges the servant of another? To his own Lord he stands, or falls, yes, he shall be made to stand, for the Lord has power to make him stand. One man esteems one day above another.

20:08 Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He that regards the day regards it unto the Lord, and he that eats, eats unto the Lord, for he gives God thanks. And he that eats not, unto the Lord he eats not, and gives God thanks.

20:27 For none of us, lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord. Or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. For to this end, I'm sorry, we die to the Lord, whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's.

20:46 For to this end, Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you set it, not your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.

21:04 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess. So then, each one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block in his brother's way or an occasion of falling. I know, and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean of itself, save to him that accounts anything to be unclean.

21:37 To him it is unclean. For if because of meat your brother is grieved, you no longer walk in love. Do not destroy with your meat him for whom Christ died. Do not then let your good be evil spoken of, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but is the kingdom of God.

21:57 Do not destroy with your meat him for whom Christ died. But righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he that herein serves Christ is well pleasing to God and approved of men. So then, let us follow after the things which make for peace and things whereby we may edify or build up one another.

22:18 Do not overthrow for meat's sake the work of God. All things indeed are clean. How be it? It is evil for that man who eats with offense, it is good not to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor to do anything whereby your brother stumbles.

22:36 The faith that you have, have to yourself before God. Happy is he that judges not himself in that which he approves. But he that doubts is condemned if he eat because he does not eat of faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

22:57 All right? What are the major things or principles now? The things that by God's grace have kept us from having a civil war over the celebration of Christmas in this church for years. And I know from a pastoral standpoint we've had some people that were ready to start a civil war.

23:16 On the one hand, we've had those that are aware of the pagan origins of the celebration, its associations with Rome, the horrible fruits of it in terms of sin. Really, were disappointed in me that I did not stand in this pulpit or the pulpit that's now in the multi-purpose room when it was in the cracker box or when it was in one of the schools and inveigh against any form of the celebration of Christmas. They really felt, poor Pastor Martin, I respect him in so many areas, but in this area he's just a little bit a coward. He's a little bit accommodating, a little bit worldly.

23:56 They wanted to bend the whole church to their convictions and we've not bent. And there are others who seeing some who had scruples about it, they weren't quite as aggressive, but they would have felt a lot more comfortable if I had stood up and said, you silly, stupid, overly scrupulous people, get on with it! Have some fun with the rest of us. But God's kept us and we've maintained peace and we don't come into potential civil war.

24:24 There's no wars and rumors of war with December 25th coming on every year. Well, these are the principles that have worked their way into the bloodstream of this church. Well, what are they? Okay, what's the first principle in this passage?

24:39 The first major principle with respect to matters of Christian liberty generically and Christian liberty specifically with regard to the issue of the celebration of Christmas. What's the first principle in the passage?

24:55 All right, Chuck. All right, that there will be within any healthy church, for remember, this wasn't an infantile, church troubled with all kinds of internal problems like the church at Corinth. This was fundamentally a strong, vigorous, healthy church at Rome. That's clear in Paul's greetings to them where he speaks of their faith being known throughout the whole world.

25:35 Toward the end of the epistle, he lets them know that he hopes to shift his base of fundamental support for his missionary endeavors from Antioch to Rome and be sent by the church at Rome on to Spain for new gospel endeavors and enterprises. This was a healthy church, yet within that church there were these two categories of people with regard to matters of Christian liberty. Some are described as strong. Some are regarded as weak.

26:04 And without going into a dissertation on in what sense are they strong, in what sense are they weak, remember now, this is not a generic term describing what we would call the whole complex of their spiritual lives. It is with respect to these specific issues that some are strong. In other words, they have a conscience that has more light in the light of the full revelation of God's word. They are the strong and others are the weak.

26:37 That is, their conscience is not fully enlightened with respect to the extent of their liberty in Christ. But remember, the strong and the weak in this setting, though they are two real categories as Mr. Davies has suggested, they are not generic statements. They are specific statements, strong and weak with respect to the specific issue at hand.

27:04 For example, the strong man who is able to eat all meats and drink all beverages, if he does not manifest the measure of love and love, that makes him willing to say with Paul, I'll neither eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything that causes my brother to stumble. At that point, he's weak in love. He may be strong in his conscience regarding things indifferent, but he's weak in love if he is not willing for love's sake to forego his liberty. So remember, strong and weak are not broad, generic descriptions of Christian conditions, but with respect to the specific issues.

27:45 So within the church, there will be the strong, there will be the weak. All right? So we have these categories. Now, what principles are to regulate the way they operate?

27:56 Do we have the strong go off and start the strong conscience church at Rome and then the weak go off and start the weak conscience church at Rome?

28:06 No. He obviously assumes that they're going to get on together in the same house and do so peacefully. So, what principles then are to be at work in them? We've seen the categories.

28:16 Now, what are the principles that help them to work together? All right, Bill?

28:22 Bill? Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, the other Bill had a chance. Bill in the blue shirt.

28:27 Bill Michael. All right? Give it a little louder with my tin ear here, Bill.

28:43 Okay. All right? So, Bill is suggesting that the first principle is that we leave each to answer to his own master. I'd like to hold that off for a little bit.

28:57 I think there's another principle that is helpful. It was highlighted before that as we work through the passage.

29:05 That's to help us obey this other principle. Here's the weak brother. Here's the strong brother. They recognize their difference.

29:15 They see it manifested in terms of how they keep certain days, how they eat certain foods. What is the tendency of the strong brother?

29:30 Despise. All right. In what sense would he despise him?

29:45 Okay, looking down. There's the key. It's not despise. It's not despise in the sense that, you know, I despise spinach.

29:51 But to look down the nose that this guy's not quite with it. When he sees this brother who cannot enjoy all foods, this brother who feels he must keep certain days, and this man knows, in Christ I'm free from this, his tendency with regard to the weak will be to look down his nose at him and say, what in the world is wrong with you? Get with it, man. Don't you know you're free in Christ?

30:17 All right? So he says, verse 3, let not him who eats set it not him that does not eat. Don't let him despise him. Don't let him look down his nose at him.

30:31 And what is the tendency of the weak who sees the strong, remember the strong with regard to matters of Christian liberty, fully enjoying his liberty. What's his tendency as he's walking so carefully? He won't eat this. He won't eat that.

30:45 He'll keep this day. He'll keep that day. What's his tendency when he looks at his strong brother?

30:54 Yes, Elaine? To think that he's more godly. Yes. He assumes, well, if he was only as spiritual as I, he'd know that someone really walking with God wouldn't take his glass of wine.

31:13 I mean, if he were spiritual, surely he would not this. He would this. So he says, okay, I'm going to deal with both of you. I don't want the strong to look down their snoot and say, I have to weak.

31:26 And I don't want the weak to stand in judgment of the strong. The first thing you must do is establish in your mind and heart when you become aware that within this congregation there are differing convictions and differing practices with regard to the celebration of Christmas that those of you who can celebrate it to the hilt in Christ don't look down at others who can't and say, what in the world is wrong with them? Even if you don't say it with your lips, don't do it in your heart. This is a heart issue.

32:01 And you who feel, if only you, don't you know the pagan origins of this thing? Don't you know Christ mass ties you with, don't you? You unspiritual, unenlightened. No, no, God says don't do that.

32:17 Don't.

32:22 So there's the first principle. The strong are not to set it not. The weak, and the weak are not to judge. The strong, now, here's where Bill's principle.

Principles from Romans 14: Lordship of Christ and Individual Persuasion

32:33 Principle number two is to buttress that posture. What great theological, biblical issue needs to grip our hearts? And here it is. Who are you to judge the servant of another?

32:48 Verse four. To his own Lord he stands or falls. Yes, he shall be made to stand for the Lord has power to make him stand. In other words, the Apostle says, look, you must mutually recognize that you stand under the same Lord and you answer to the same Lord and he hasn't shared his Lordship with you.

33:15 So get off the throne. Stop trying to share his authority over the conscience of your brother. That's my place, not yours. Bug off.

33:26 Back off. Mind your business. Okay? That's the second great principle is that we recognize from the heart that each believer stands under the Lordship of Christ and answers to Christ and to Christ alone.

33:44 All right? What's the next great principle?

33:49 Just think down through the passage. All right? Jen? Okay, whatever we do, we must be fully persuaded in our own mind.

34:02 Verse five. One man esteems one dayer above another. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind.

34:14 Now that means you can't simply go with the flow in terms of the consensus around you. You have got to take the time before God with an open Bible to wrestle through this issue for yourself. No second hand actions based upon second hand convictions. Let each one be fully assured in his own mind.

34:45 And in the context, that means recognizing Christ's Lordship over me. Lord Jesus, can I before your face celebrate Christmas? Can I before your face eat this food, drink this beverage? If I cannot before the face of my Master, then it doesn't matter what kind of pressure is on me from the consensus of those about me.

35:14 That is inconsequential because I don't answer to those who make up the consensus. I answer to my Lord. So I must be fully persuaded in my own mind before Christ. And then he goes on to amplify sort of the confluence of these principles.

35:33 Verse 6. He that regards the day, if he's a true Christian, regards it to the Lord. You see, if you're a true believer and you celebrate Christmas, you don't say on December 24th, Lord Jesus, goodbye till the 26th.

35:53 See what I'm saying? You do not divorce your celebration from Christ. You do not, for a period of Christmas Eve through Christmas Day, think and act as a non-Christian. Christian.

36:07 Divorcing yourself from the consciousness that you live before the face of your Lord. That you answer to your Lord. No, you regard it unto the Lord. You can with good conscience say, Lord, thank you for this wonderful family time.

36:25 Thank you for a day which with all of its paganized trappings still forces people to say the name of my blessed Lord. They've got to say, Christ, Christmas. Oh, I know, some put the X and they don't know what they're doing, but we know. It's a He.

36:44 In the Greek alphabet, the first letter of Christos. And we know that. And as unto the Lord we can celebrate that day. He that regards the day regards it to the Lord.

36:58 He that eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He that eats not, unto the Lord he does not eat and give thanks. He comes, comes to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and says, Lord, thank you for another day in which to serve you. Thank you, Lord, for a day in which I'm not buried beneath all of the rubble of the trappings of Christmas.

37:20 He thanks God for that. He keeps not today as unto the Lord, in the presence of the Lord, without judging those who are buried in the day as unto the Lord. Natural. No, it isn't.

37:36 You've got the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. He helps you to do many things that aren't natural. Naturally, we want to make everyone line up with us. But Paul envisions a wonderful context in which we are perfectly content to say, I know my brother John is going to get up this morning in his bare house.

37:58 He doesn't have a wreath. He doesn't have a Christmas tree. He doesn't have a present. He's going to get on his knees and he's going to keep not today as unto the Lord.

38:07 And I'm going to get up buried with presents and tinsel and toys and all the rest. And I'm going to keep it as unto the Lord. And we both are thankful that we're under the reign of the same Lord. That's what Paul is saying.

38:22 You see that in the passage. All right? So we read on. None of us lives to himself if we're true believers.

38:29 None of us dies to himself. For whether we live, we live to the Lord. Whether we die, we die to the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, die we are the Lord's.

38:37 For to this end, Christ died and lived again that he might be Lord. Both of the dead and of the living. You see the tremendous emphasis in the midst of this tacky issue. Paul doesn't give some artificial rules.

38:50 He said it comes down to the very nerve centers of who a Christian is. A Christian is one who from the depths of his being has not only embraced Jesus as his only substitute and sin bearer, but he's embraced him as his sovereign Lord. Lord over his holidays. Lord over what he eats.

39:11 He eats and doesn't eat. The Lord over the days he'll keep and the days he doesn't keep. His Lordship extends to every single facet of my life. And he flushes that out.

Principles from Romans 14: Accountability to God and Avoiding Stumbling Blocks

39:23 And then he goes on to say, coming back, you see, he started with saying, don't judge one another. And here's my fundamental reason. Each one answers to his Lord. Now he comes back and he gives another punch in that direction.

39:38 But you, why do you, judge your brother? Or again, why do you set it not your brother? You see the two temptations? To judge, here he deals with the strong first.

39:50 And why do you set it not, I'm sorry, the weak. The weak who would judge his brother and then the strong. Why do you set it not your brother? You have this wonderful bookend construction where he deals with the issue.

40:04 Then he flushes out the whole matter of the Lordship of Christ. And then he puts another bookend on it. And says, no judging, no despising, because Christ is Lord, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. Each one of us shall give account of himself to God.

40:24 Now then, as though they didn't get the message, he says, now, what's the summary of everything I've said? It's this. Let us not therefore judge one another anymore. So there is the major principle.

40:36 There are two categories, the strong and the weak. The first directive is, first of all, that they are to receive one another with their strong and weak conscience. Secondly, they are not to sit in censoriousness, in judgment, snoot, looking down to snoot, standing in judgment. And he gives the fundamental reason, the Lordship of Christ.

40:57 But now he comes with another principle that he begins to enlarge upon in 13b. And what is that principle? Right, Donnie? A little louder, please.

41:14 Right, the whole matter of how we realize to our brother who has a differing conscience and that our liberty in Christ is to be exercised with a deep sensitivity to how it will affect our brother. You see, he's dealt with the horizontal, our liberty before the eye of Christ, we might say is a good summary statement. Now he's dealing with the exercise of our liberty before the eye of our brethren. For our liberty many times is not something just exercised before Christ, but it's exercised in the presence and in the sight of our brethren.

42:00 Oh boy, time is gone. Well, basically then what he says is that if I know that my brother whose conscience tells him I shouldn't do this, I shouldn't do this, if by exercising my liberty in his presence I embolden him to do it against his conscience, I'm causing him to sin, I must be willing in his presence to back off from the exercise of my liberty. Now this is not saying that if the one who doesn't have the liberty is going to be a Pharisee and say, you've got to keep my rules, you've got to bend to me. No, no.

42:40 What he is saying is here is a man who has a genuine scruple of conscience about an issue and if, knowing that, you exercise your liberty in his presence, you then nudge him into doing what for him is sin, you are not walking in love, you are causing him to stumble and he says in verse 20, do not overthrow for meat's sake the work of God. Now a concrete example would be this. If you know there's a brother in the church who has reservations of conscience about celebrating Christmas, but you're good friends. You don't invite him over to your house if you've got a Christmas tea, you're going to have a Christmas dinner, you're going to sit down in the living room and have presents open and out of love to you and out of respect for your friendship he comes and all the while he's there he feels he's participating in this pagan holiday and sinning, you didn't walk in love. Show your love to that brother by taking him out for a steak dinner between the 25th and the 31st and show your love in a non-Christmas celebration context. You follow me? That's the great principle that he enlarges upon in the Christmas in this next part of the passage.

Conclusion: Internalizing Principles for True Liberty

43:55 Well, as I said, our time is gone and I trust that this review of these principles has been helpful to us as we face the Christmas holidays, but brethren, it has application in so many other areas and one of the great joys of laboring amongst you as a people is to be, to see the extent to which you've internalized these principles so that we're not all a bunch of cookie-cutter Christians. When I go into a situation and all the women are dressed alike and all the men are dressed alike, my nose says something's fishy here. Something is bad, raw. On matters of liberty, our basic dress styles and our basic living styles and the rest, there should be a broad spectrum of expression within any healthy congregation and when you begin to see a wooden conformity, you know that people have given up being persuaded in their own minds and they've begun to just go with the flow and fall in with the consensus. The day that happens, that's the beginning of the death of true liberty of conscience where we are prepared to wrestle through these issues before God and be fully persuaded in our own minds. Well, as I said, our time is gone. Let's pray and ask God to help us in the days to come.

45:16 Our Father, we're so thankful that we have the Scriptures as a lamp to our feet and the light to our pathway. Thank you for the way you've helped us and helped your people in this place to internalize these great principles over the years and for those for whom these things are new, we pray you would help them to grasp them, to internalize them by the Spirit's help to apply them even to the celebration of this season. We look to you for your grace and help through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.