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Notice Paul's reserve here. Though free from the law and saved only by grace, he was
not "lawless", as he reminded the Galatians, who also were not "under the law", that by
their attitude to an erring brother, they could bear one another's burdens, and SO FULFIL
THE LAW OF CHRIST (Gal. 6: 1, 2).
Again in I Cor. 10: 23 he said:
"All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient; all things are lawful for
me, but all things edify not."
"Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake'
(I Cor. 10: 25).
He gives no carte blanche to ride rough shod over the weaker conscience of others.
"In matters where a little consideration and self-denial would save offence, there the
strong should give up, and do less than they might; but in matters which affected every
day of the year, like the purchase of meat in the open market, or the acceptance of
ordinary invitations, then the weak must not attempt to be obtrusive or to dominate."
"Here as usual, Paul shows himself transcendently superior to the Rabbis. In Abhoda
Zara f.8, Rabbi Ishmael lays down the rule that if Israelites `outside the land' are asked to
a Gentile funeral they `eat the sacrifices of the dead' even if they take with them their
own food and are waited on by their own servants" (Farrar).
What about conscientious scruples?
What a wonderful conception of Christian liberty as opposed to bigoted license is the
Apostle's word:
"Conscience, I say, NOT THINE OWN, but of the other",
and the injunction:
"Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God"
(I Cor. 10: 29, 32).
If these words were uttered by some, they might have the appearance of laxity, but he
who yielded subjection, no, not for an hour, when the truth of the gospel was at stake,
shows how possible it is to be "All things to all men" without compromise. Tempered
steel bends without breaking.
Another sore point with many believers is the question of holy days and their
observance. The comments of Dean Farrar on Rom. 14: are helpful and somewhat
drastic, and have the merit of putting the familiar in unfamiliar dress.
"Let each party follow their own course if they believe it to be the best but let each
abstain from the guilt and folly of condemning one another."
"Concerted illuminism is as deep an offence against charity as saintly self-satisfaction."
"Let there be no intolerant scrupulosity, and no uncharitable disdain, but an avoidance
of dispute and a reciprocal recognition of honest convictions."
"It is in short, condescension towards the weakness of others, a willingness to take
less than our due, and a readiness to waive our own rights."
"Christian love is a thing more precious than even (so-called) Christian liberty."