Abuse of Personal Liberty in Christian History and Theology
Christian Liberty and Its Abuse in History and Theology
The concept of Christian liberty is rooted in the biblical teaching that believers are freed from the bondage of sin and the law through Jesus Christ [2]. According to the Westminster Confession of Faith, this liberty "consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law" [4]. John Calvin further explains that Christian liberty allows believers to use God's gifts without scruple or perturbation of mind, for the purpose for which they were given [1].
Biblical Foundations
The biblical foundation of Christian liberty is seen in the writings of the Apostle Paul, particularly in Galatians 5:1, where he states, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" [2]. This freedom is not a license to sin, but rather the ability to live a life of obedience to God, unencumbered by the law. As John Gill notes on Galatians 5:12, believers are called to liberty, but this liberty is not to be used as an occasion for the flesh [2].
Historical Development and Confessional Articulation
The early Christian church fathers, such as Augustine, understood the importance of balancing Christian liberty with the need to avoid causing offense to others. Augustine commended the virtue of correcting others with "benevolent severity" [6]. The Reformed tradition, as represented by Calvin and the Westminster Confession, has emphasized the importance of Christian liberty while also cautioning against its abuse. Calvin notes that while believers are free, they are also called to be servants of others, as seen in his discussion of Paul's circumcision of Timothy [3].
Abuse of Christian Liberty
The abuse of Christian liberty has been a recurring issue throughout Christian history. According to Charles Hodge, one of the main abuses of Christian liberty is using it as a pretext for sin or causing others to stumble [5]. Calvin warns against using Christian liberty in a way that gives offense to weaker brethren, citing Paul's example of circumcising Timothy to avoid offense [3]. The patristic tradition, as represented by Augustine, also cautioned against the misuse of Christian liberty, emphasizing the importance of correcting others with love and severity when necessary [6].
Tradition Contrasts
Different Christian traditions have understood and applied the concept of Christian liberty in various ways. The Reformed tradition, as seen in Calvin and the Westminster Confession, has emphasized the importance of balancing Christian liberty with the need to avoid causing offense to others [1, 4]. In contrast, some interpretations within the Roman Catholic Church have been criticized for potentially abusing Christian liberty by ascribing divine attributes to creatures, thereby undermining the unique liberty and authority of Christ [7].
Conclusion
The concept of Christian liberty remains a vital and complex aspect of Christian theology, with ongoing debates about its proper understanding and application. As the church continues to grapple with the implications of Christian liberty, it is essential to return to the biblical foundations of this doctrine and to engage with the rich history of its development and articulation within various Christian traditions. By doing so, believers can ensure that they are exercising their liberty in a manner that honors God and edifies others.
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 74: we see whither this liberty tends—viz. that we are to use the gifts of God without any scruple of conscience, without any perturbation of mind, for the purpose for which he gave them: in this way our souls may both have peace with him, and recognize his liberality towards us. For here are comprehended all ceremonies of free observance, so that while our consciences are not to be laid under the necessity of observing them, we are also to remember that, by the kindness of God, the use of them is made subservient to edification. 9. It”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 5:12: For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty,.... He calls them "brethren", to testify his affection to them, and to put them in mind of their relation to one another, which required mutual love, a thing he is about to press them to; he asserts that they were "called" not merely externally, but internally, by the effectual grace of God, out of bondage to sin, Satan, and the law, unto the liberty of the Gospel and of the grace of God; that liberty wherewith Christ had made them free, Gal 5:1 this he said in a judgment of charity, hoping well of them: only use no”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 74: the greatest danger. But Paul seems to me to have marked out most clearly, as well by example as by doctrine, how far our liberty, in the case of offense, is to be modified or maintained. When he adopts Timothy as his companion, he circumcises him: nothing can induce him to circumcise Titus ( Acts 16:3 ; Gal. 2:3 ). The acts are different, but there is no difference in the purpose or intention; in circumcising Timothy, as he was free from all men, he made himself the servant of all: “Unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might ga”
- Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed) “Westminster Confession of Faith (Reformed, 1646), CHAPTER 20 (part 1): CHAPTER 20 Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience 1. The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; as also, in their free access to God, and their yielding obedience unto him, not out of ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 39: of indifference, but in causing others to offend. The rules which the Scriptures clearly lay down on this subject are: (1.) That no man or body of men has the right to pronounce that to be sinful which God does not forbid. There was no sin in being circumcised, or in eating meat, or in keeping the sacred days of the Hebrews. (2.) That it is a violation of the law of love, and therefore a sin against Christ, to make such use of our liberty as to cause others to sin. “Take heed,” says the Apostle, “lest by any means this liberty of yours be”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 1: Augustine — Confessions, Letters — CHAP. II. -- 9. Let us now observed in the second place, what follows in your letter.6 You have added that they said that the Christian doctrine and preaching were in no way consistent with the dutie (part 5): with a certain benevolent severity, even against their own wishes, men whose welfare rather than their wishes it is our duty to consult and the Christian Scriptures have most unambiguously commended this virtue in a magistrate.' For in the correction of a so, even with some sternness, there is assuredly no diminution of a father's love; ye”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 38: is not merely that they are regarded as objects of reverence, but that the service rendered them involves the ascription of divine attributes. They are assumed to be everywhere present, able to hear and answer prayer, to help and to save. They become the ground of confidence to the people, and the objects of their religious affections. They are to them precisely what the gods of the heathen were to the Greeks and Romans. Such are some of the errors taught by the Church of Rome, and they prove that that Church instead of being infallible, ”