The bible offers a great deal of latitude and liberty in the Christian life. The bible does have many specifics, but often you find Jesus opposed to an over zealous application of the specifics.
There is always wisdom needed in life. Situations in life are often complex. There are not easy answers to many problems. One size fits all solutions often fail.
That is why the bible constantly calls us to love. We are to love God and love our neighbor. In the unclear of situations our principle is love.
Love has a great patience, but it can also have an aggressive or adversarial edge. You see love at time forces us to act. You see that true love at time needs to take a stand.
Love also does not insist on it's own way. We might prefer certain things in the the church be this way or that way, but we cannot insist on preference or infringe upon the liberty of others because certain things displease us.
Often in life there are things others do which we think are wrong or shortsighted or maybe a bit non-ideal. But these things fall in the realm of liberty. We cannot ever take a strong stand against that which falls in the realm of liberty even if it seems shortsighted or wrong.
If we take a stand against folly which is permitted in liberty we fall into the even graver error of legalism. Liberty allows what is not always pleasing to oneself but is permitted in the bible. Legalism insists on its own way. It insists on essentials the bible does not insist on.
Legalism seeks for a higher ethic than God desires. It is a theology which has little sense of true importance and is undesirable.
We always need to try to make important what the bible sees as important and have liberty where the bible sees liberty. We need to try to make the emphasis of the bible our own.
Post: True Christian Liberty
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