In two previous Heart to Heart Talks, we were
discussing a portion of the eighth chapter of
1 Corinthians. And as you well know, these young
Corinthian Christians had contacted Paul because
they were very disturbed over this thing of the
eating of meat. meat that had been sacrificed
to idols. That part of it which is afterward
on sale be eaten by Christians. Frankly, they
wanted to know whether it was a sin for them
as Christians to eat that part of the meat that
was left on the carcass. of the animal after
the rest of it had been sacrificed to idols.
This is the most interesting discussion. The
first thing that Paul did in answering the question
was to just make a very definite statement. And
this is what he said. We know that we all have
knowledge. Part knowledge. Here's the very definite
statement that he makes in answer to their question
to eat this meat or not to eat this meat. The
knowledge that there was no idols. The knowledge
that there was no reality in these idols. since
they've been born again, since they had that
wonderful new birth experience. He's saying to
them, you have the knowledge now, the spiritual
insight, the spiritual knowledge, that there
is no meaning whatsoever in this sacrifice to
these idols. These idols are only made of stone,
of wood, made with human hands. How in the world?
Could there be anything sacred about these idols?
Consequently, we can do as we like. We can eat.
You're absolutely free. You may eat that meat
if you so desire because you are free. All this
wonderful, wonderful freedom. this glorious freedom
in Christ Jesus. But wait a minute. Oh, oh, wait
just a minute. He continues to say, but take
heed, lest by any means this liberty of yours,
this freedom of yours, becomes a stumbling block
to them that are weak. Pause a minute. Stop whatever
you're doing. I feel this subject is so important.
I would like to have your full attention for
just a few minutes as we discuss it. It means
something to be a Christian. That experience
of being born again. is the greatest experience
in the whole world. It gives you a liberty. It
gives you a freedom. You are no longer in the
bondage of Satan. You're no longer in sin's bondage.
Whom the Son sets free is free indeed. You're
set free from the bondage of sin, of Satan. That
glorious experience. of being born again. Prior
to that glorious experience, you are literally
bound by the chains of Satan. That's the reason
you do things that you would not do of yourself.
Things that, in your better judgment, you know
you should not do. And yet for the life of you,
There is no human power, not enough willpower
of yourself to restrain yourself from doing those
things. What is it? You are a slave to sin. You
are Satan's slave. You're in bondage. You're
in deep, dark bondage to Satan. And the only
one who can set you free is Jesus Christ, the
Son of God. There is only one power that can
give you freedom and break those chains of darkness.
And that's the divine son of the living God.
And it takes a divine savior. Not just an example,
but the very son of the living God. And whom
the son sets free is free indeed. That glorious
liberty. That wonderful freedom. That salvation
gives to you. That Jesus gives to you. Oh, it's
glorious. But wait. Love thinks of someone else.
That person who's watching you. That person...
over whom you have influence. And the actions
of real Christians is the combination of knowledge
and love. You cannot separate the two. And that's
exactly what Paul is saying right here. To me,
this is thrilling. He is saying, you're given
the liberty, you are given the freedom to eat
that meat. But watch it. Let love govern your
action. You have the knowledge. You have the
spiritual knowledge that there's nothing supernatural.
in those idols. They're meaningless, absolutely
meaningless. There's no reality in them whatsoever.
There's no meaning in the sacrifice. You have
that knowledge, but let that knowledge be governed
by love. I think that Christians need this teaching
today more than... anything else because there
are thousands of born -again men and women who
have spiritual knowledge, but they do not allow
that spiritual knowledge to be governed by love.
The two must work hand in hand to put a stumbling
block in the way of that Man, that woman who
is weak in the faith, or perhaps has never been
born again, is a sin against Jesus Christ himself.
Oh, you say I'm free. I have liberty. I have
absolutely freedom in the spirit. But if you
misuse your freedom and you misuse that liberty,
then it becomes sin to you. Let me read that
personal word of God as found in the fifth chapter
of Galatians. For brethren, and whenever the
Bible speaks of brethren, it always refers to
those who are born again. Brethren, ye have been
called unto liberty. Only use not liberty for
an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one
another. Your salvation gives you this wonderful
liberty. Mm -hmm. But don't misuse that liberty
which is given to you through your salvation.
Those of you who followed me in my previous heart
-to -heart talks regarding this eighth chapter
of 1 Corinthians will remember that in one of
them, I made a very definite statement that everything,
that God created was good. And nothing has been
created except God himself created it. The evil
one, the devil, never was given the power of
creation. Never. Two things the devil was never
given power to do. That of creation and that
of healing sick bodies. You cannot... find any
portion of the word of God where he was given
the power to do either one of these two things.
Never. Somebody said, I never thought of that.
You know, many things that we take for granted
are just preconceived ideas, not scripture. Everything
in the universe that is created has been created
by the great creator. And he saw that it was
good. But when that which the great creator has
created is misused or used to excess, then that
thing can become a sin. You could even take the
very word of God and misuse it. And it can become
a sin to you. I don't care what it is. Take anything.
Even this wonderful freedom and this glorious
liberty that you and I have as Christians, this
freedom in the spirit, this liberty in the spirit,
can be misused and can become... a sin to you.
Let not this liberty, watch it, this wonderful
liberty, this freedom of the spirit, only use
not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but
by love serve one another. They have the right
to eat these things, but Love will forego the
right and refrain from eating if by doing so
it would bring a reproach or a stumbling block
to someone else. Take heed, lest by any means
this liberty of yours become a stumbling block
to them that are weak. Now that's something to
think about. God gives us good common sense.
I remember something. Recently, I was called
to the mortuary. A precious father had gone home
to glory. Just two years prior to his passing,
he had found the Christ as his Savior in our
services. His daughter was converted first. Oh,
the father had a wonderful conversion. Wonderful.
And his passing was one of real victory. But
all members of the family except the daughter
were Roman Catholic. This glorious freedom of
the spirit, Jesus as the great high priest, had
never come through, never. And at the time of
the father's death, and I was called to the mortuary,
there were the mass cards, there was the kneeling
bench, all the candles, all the ritual, all the
form. All the ceremony. And somebody rebuked
me and said, Miss Cooman, did you not do anything
about it or say anything about it? Well, I said,
of course not. Why, indeed not. What did you
do about the kneeling bench? Well, I said nothing.
What did you do about the burning candles? Well,
my dear, nothing. What about the mass cards?
Why, nothing, my dear. Nothing. I knew where
that precious father had gone. He had the wonderful
light of the gospel. Oh, sure. His soul was in
the presence of almighty God. As I stood there
before that open casket, I knew where that precious
soul was. It had gone all the way from earth
to blowing. As I stood there, I had the knowledge
that all of these other things had nothing to
do with that man's salvation. But watch. My love
for the souls of members of that family who had
not yet been converted governed my knowledge.
And because love governed my knowledge, five
members of that family were led to the Lord Jesus
Christ just through love and not through rebuke
and reproof. Used sanctified knowledge. mastered
by love. Paul said, all things are lawful for
me, but I will not be brought under the power
of any. I will not let any one of these things
that I am free to do become my master. My freedom
shall not master me. My freedom, my liberty in
the Lord will be mastered by my love for others
and my love for him. Therefore, our liberty is
limited when another person is involved. The
most precious thing in the whole world is a soul.
There's nothing. under heaven that is more precious
than the salvation of a lost soul. If I misuse
my liberty, my freedom, the spirit, and in misusing
my liberty mean the damnation of a soul, I sin
in the use of my liberty. At all times, under
all circumstances, that liberty that I enjoy
In the spirit, as a Christian, must be governed
by my love for that unsayed person. If it means
a sacrifice on my part, I am to make that sacrifice
and pay that price. For Paul said, if meat make
my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh. I
will eat no meat while the world standeth, lest
I make my brother to offend. That's God's word.
Amen.