We talk much about being liberated Christians, people under grace not law, and indeed a soul saved by grace is free indeed. To most of us this means we are free to do the things that legalism would never have allowed, and since many of us have lived through some form of religious legalism, we recognize that there is no liberty there. I still remember in my childhood the adage that was used to describe the denomination I grew up in: “We don’t smoke and we don’t chew and we don’t go with the girls that do!” Yes, for much of my life Christianity seemed to be defined by what we (as Christians) didn’t do. We were considered by unbelievers to be prudes that weren’t allowed to have any fun. To some degree that was true. Legalism really isn’t any fun. I was told that dancing with a girl or going to a movie was sinful. No wonder guilt was so prevalent in that religious context.
The power of grace awakens a soul to the reality that we are not saved by what we do or don’t do, but by the precious sacrifice of a sinless savior who was willing to die to reconcile sinful mankind to God. Grace is liberating by nature. But what does it mean to be liberated? Does it mean that it’s okay to drink or smoke (two religious taboos) without being punished by God or having to live under a burden of guilt? The nature of this question reveals its underlying motive – gratifying self. I am certain that I am not doomed to hell because of drinking or smoking, therefore I am free to partake of either or both without guilt. It is interesting to note that immature liberty seems to be slanted toward what we can do legally. But consider what the Apostle Paul said of the matter – offering a mature perspective of the believer’s freedom in 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV) Everything is permissible—but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible—but not everything is constructive.
This passage is further explained by Paul earlier in 1 Corinthians 8:9-12 (NIV):
9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.
I can only conclude that there is no inherent sin in the use of alcohol or tobacco, unless it is physically destructive to one’s self. But maturity in Christ inevitably concerns itself with the well being of others more than with our personal freedom. Perhaps then Christian liberty is not just about the freedom to do this or that, but about the greater freedom to deny our rights for the sake of another. That, I believe, is ultimate liberty.
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