Conviction vs. Liberty

Legendary American evangelist D.L. Moody had long admired the British preacher, author, pastor, and evangelist Charles Haddon Spurgeon. One day, Spurgeon reached out to Moody and invited him to travel to London so the two renowned evangelists could meet and visit in person. Moody graciously accepted Spurgeon’s invitation.

Upon arriving, Moody was met at the door by Spurgeon himself—smoking a cigar. Moody was shocked. “How can you, a man of God, smoke that cigar?” he asked. Spurgeon, not offended, gently patted Moody’s stomach and replied, “The same way that you, a man of God, can be that fat.”

To Moody, smoking was the issue; however, to Spurgeon, overeating was the problem.

In Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 6–8, the Apostle Paul addresses matters of Christian liberty in the life of a believer—areas where there are no clear absolutes in God’s Word. These are things God gives us the freedom to enjoy, guided by His Spirit living within us.

The new believers in the city of Corinth were young in their faith and unsure of what they could eat, drink, wear, or do in their culture now that they were followers of Jesus Christ. Paul reminds them (and us today) of the following:

“All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate and permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].”
—1 Corinthians 10:23 AMP

Listen closely: As a Christian, there are times when your actions can cause another believer to stumble or falter in their faith. What may not be a conviction for you might be a conviction for someone else. In these matters of liberty, you must use Spirit-led discernment and wisdom to ensure you do not cause a brother or sister in the Lord to stumble spiritually or morally. Paul reiterates:

“All things are lawful [that is, morally legitimate and permissible], but not all things are beneficial or advantageous.”

Please don’t miss that point!

To the immature believer, the focus is on what is permissible for them—what they know. They often have little regard for how their actions might cause others to stumble. It becomes about their rights and their judgments of others’ liberties.

For the mature believer, the focus shifts to questions such as:

• Is this helpful or beneficial?
• Could this become an addiction or control me?
• Is it edifying? Does it build up the other person?
• Will my actions harm my witness and influence for Christ?

The mature believer’s focus is on genuine love for others, not just themselves. They consider the impact of their actions and accept others for their liberties.

I encourage you to use godly wisdom and discernment. Think of others first before acting or speaking. In doing so, you will bring great glory to God as He works through your life to impact the world for Christ.