Freedom #7—Freedom to Serve

Though I am free from all, I have enslaved myself to all that I might win the more. … I have become all things to all kinds of people … I do all this for the sake of the gospel so I might participate in it. 1 Corinthians 9:18–23

Cultural restraints do not bind Christians. We are free to eat what we want, drink what we want, wear what we want, and socialize with whom we want. When Jesus released us from the Jewish dietary, clothing, purification, worship, and initiation distinctives enshrined in the Mosaic Law, he released us from every other tradition of every other culture at the same time, including our own. Along with this freedom from cultural restraints, Jesus endows us with another all-encompassing freedom, the freedom to submit ourselves to the needs of others for the sake of the gospel. Because cultural distinctives don’t make any difference in our relationship with Christ, we can assume many different cultural postures, so long as they do not involve living contrary to the teaching of God. “If we obey the prime directive of Christ our Lord—love your neighbor as yourself—we are living appropriately.” Indeed, according to Paul, since we have the first freedom, we would be foolish not to use the second. Christ freed us from one culture so we can accommodate ourselves to many cultures—whether it’s national cultures, workplace cultures, or individual cultures—in order that we penetrate these cultures with the liberating truth of Jesus Christ. The joy of this freedom makes it most rewarding.

With this promise, O Lord, I need understanding so I can discern what is culturally significant and what is culturally dangerous, and wisdom so I can choose well for the gospel’s sake.