"Worldliness Part 3 Freedom and Love" Kathryn Kuhlman Galatians 5:13

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.