In Romans 14:1-23 we examined how we choose to eat certain things and observe certain days as being holy to the new covenant believers. Many have chose not to observe such days as Christmas or Easter because they believe these originated from pagan feast days.
If a man chooses not to observe these days because of their origin, then he is honoring God by not observing them, according to Romans14:5-6. And, if another man chooses to take back that day and observe it, then he is also honoring God in it, according to Romans 14:5-6.
Every day belongs to the Lord because it is He Who has made them. I choose, as a believer, to take back what the pagans ceased for themselves and claim it as belonging to the Church. As far as I can find in the Word, no day should be left to the enemy to have as his own day.
Many look to the old covenant and choose to abstain from certain meats and foods. If that's where their faith is, then they are honoring God in it. Those of us who believe we can now partake of all things because of Jesus, are also honoring God in it. Paul addresses this account of clean and unclean things in 1Corinthians 10:23-33 (Amplified). Paul said that if we used our liberty in Christ and others don't understand it, then we should not let our liberty become an offense to others. Thus, Verses 25-26 say, "(As to meat offered to idols) eat anything that is sold in the meat market without raising any question or investigating on the grounds of conscientious scruples. For the (whole) earth is the Lord's, and everything that is in it." Paul goes on to say why we should abstain from certain things in Verses 28-29 which say, "But if someone tells you, this has been offered in sacrifice to an idol, do not eat it, out of consideration for the person who informed you, and for conscience's sake. I mean for the sake of his conscience; not yours, I do not eat it. For why would another man's scruples apply to me and my liberty of action be determined by his conscience?" Verses 30-32 say, "If I partake (of my food) with thankfulness, why am I accused and spoken evil of because of that for which I give thanks? So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God." Paul goes on to say in the next verse that our liberty in Christ shouldn't become a stumbling block to others.
We should listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit as to how we conduct our "liberty" in Christ. If my brother in Christ refuses to eat pork out of respect for Christ, then why should I make light of him by using my liberty to partake of the the pork and offend his faith? I can easily manage to eat my breakfast without bacon rather than be an offense to him.
I do not believe I should relinquish Easter to a rabbit and let the world (and the Church) forget what resurrection Sunday is truly about. So, I celebrate Easter for what I choose to believe, the resurrection. I also celebrate Christmas, not because of a fat man who sneaks into our homes at night, but because the of the Light Who came into the darkness. I enjoy the lights and the Spirit of God Who moves on the hearts of people at Christmastime.
I keep Christ in Christmas and I don't do Xmas or snowmen. We allow the world and the devil to usurp the liberties that Jesus gave us. I am free in Him and have a knowledge of how to use my liberties in Christ.
Even the Passover Feast has been somewhat hindered because of tradition and understanding. Jesus said at the Last Supper, "Whenever you receive the bread and the wine, do it in remembrance of Me." This is the feast of Passover to the Christian. We can observe it once a year or we can break bread and partake of the cup at anytime because our Passover Lamb is a constant covering that we constantly need to remind ourselves of.
Jesus' Blood is always a covering to the believer and is the cause of our liberty. It's because of the Blood, the destroyer has to "pass over" those whom the Blood covers. When I partake of communion, I always honor God for His Gift of the Lamb. I remind myself of what His Blood has done for me and I remind the destroyer that I am off limits to him because of the Blood of Jesus.
I choose to walk in my liberty as a free man who has knowledge of my freedom. There are things I choose not to walk in, in the presence of others, because it would cause them to stumble. I am free to do things and I am free not to do these things. Which ever I choose, I am still free. This is what Paul spoke about when he said he had become "all things, to all men."
God never called me to "fence the sheep," only to "feed then sheep." I've found that lambs cannot always digest what the full grown sheep can. A we feed them accordingly, they will grow into maturity. We seem to struggle with being free for the Spirit of God to instruct us in our lives. We, mostly, gather into camps filled with others who "believe" the same way we do and do not seek outside that group.
We've made our own Laws to walk under, instead of walking in the liberty that was purchased for us. We impose our own ideas on others, based on our idea of liberty. Many have been cheated out of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit by those who oppose that gift of God. And, it's the same for healing, tongues, prayer and many other gifts. We've allowed others to come in and "spy out" our liberties in Christ with their own understanding. Many are still holding God's people under the confines of the Law and not allowing their daring to trust the Holy Spirit's guiding the liberty Christ bought for them.
Many shepherds believe that if they give the people their liberty, then they will abuse it. It might be true for some, but the Lord is the One Who gave the liberty to all who will believe. If He can trust His Word and His Spirit with the liberty in us, then surely I should be able to give God's people the same consideration.
Paul wrote about this in nearly all of his Epistles; especially Galatians. Some tried putting the people back under the Law and tried doling out the inheritance of the new birth in the way an allowance is earned. What they failed to realize is, that we can never earn it, it was the gift of grace.
Some in the Body of Christ walk in more light than others and are looked upon as being "too far out." As Christian people, we are all called to hear and study God's Word. We are supposed to know, through the Holy Spirit, what is Christ and what is not. God is capable of doing everything He said He would do, whether or not we believe it.
We differ in our knowledge and faith in what Jesus has done and we've allowed the enemy to "split" the camp (that was never meant to be divided). The truth is that we all have the same inheritance and the same liberty in Christ. The only problem has been that some don't understand this liberty. And, because we don't understand it and we're unsure it is really of God, we hold back or stay away from it. This also is honoring God, because anyone who is saved wishes to do what God wants them to do.
Is it possible for me to speak in tongues and attend a church that abstains from this liberty? Of course it is. Can I walk in healing and attend a church that doesn't believe God still heals? Of course I can. I can walk in liberty, even though no one else does, but I cannot do it as a matter of pride to be offensive. What do we say about the differing levels of faith in Christ? Do I simply stop in my pursuit of Jesus and stay with everyone else? Or, do I continue in my quest while still fellowshipping with the Body?
Romans 14:22-23 (Amplified) says, "Your personal convictions (in such matters) exercise (them) as in God's presence, keeping them to yourself (striving only to know the truth and obey His will) Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves (who does not convict himself by what he chooses to do). (This does not mean things that you know are sin) but things that you have learned from the Holy Spirit concerning your liberty." Verse 23 says, "But the man who has doubts (misgivings, and uneasy conscience) about eating, and then eats (perhaps because of you) stands condemned (before God) because he is not true to his convictions and he does not act from faith. For whatever does not originate and proceed from faith is sin (whatever is done without a conviction of its approval by God is sinful)."
Paul is writing about the stumbling block we must be watchful for. Our liberty should not push other people past where their faith is. We're not to leave them without faith, but aren't called to push them past it either. We must be patient in our teaching and feeding of their faith. And, we must be certain their faith is in the right place.
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