Now may I encourage you to turn with me in your Bibles to the same epistle from which we are presently reading in our consecutive reading through the New Testament, Paul's letter to the Romans, and follow as I read in your hearing verses 1 through 12, Romans chapter 14, verses 1 and 12, 1 through 12. But him that is weak in the faith, receive he, yet not for doubtful disputations. One man has faith to eat all things, but he that is weak eats herbs. Do not let him that eats set it not, or despise him that does not eat. And do not let him who eats not judge him who eats, for God has received him. Who are you that judges the servant of another? To his own Lord he stands or falls. Yea, he shall be made to stand, for the Lord has power to make him stand. One man esteems one day above another. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord. And he that eats, eats unto the Lord, for he gives God thanks. And he that does not eat, unto the Lord he does not eat and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you set it not your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God. May the Lord help us as we seek to understand the principles of this very vital portion of the Word of God. We come this morning to the fifth message in this series of sermons on the theme, in some ways already antiquated, but hopefully if the Lord spares us and we enter another Christmas season There will be helpful relevance not only in that season, but with reference to many other matters that fit into this category, the theme being the Christian and the celebration of Christmas in the light of the Word of God. Now, in a very real sense, this series of messages is more like a seamless robe than a patchwork quilt. And we have already woven a number of threads into that robe, and we'll attempt to weave in some more this morning. But because it is a seamless robe, it's vital that we at least catch the major threads that have gone into that robe. And so for just several minutes, I want to focus your attention upon those threads. We began our study by highlighting the difficulty we all face in approaching a subject of this nature, difficulties arising from inherited traditions, emotional and sentimental associations, and the pressure of a world that would seek to conform us to its own patterns and standards. And I suggested that whenever we face such things, it is good for us to start with what is clear, the indisputable facts. And therefore, we spent time concentrating on four indisputable facts of both biblical and general revelation. facts pertaining to the establishment of December 25 as the day of Christ's birth and any religious or social celebration in conjunction with that birth and facts pertaining to matters of general revelation, things we can know about this celebration by simple observation of the world around us. And in the light of those four facts, I suggested that there are two simplistic and unbiblical answers to the question, what should a Christian do in the light of those facts? And those simplistic answers would either totally, personally reject anything to do with the celebration of the day and make it a moral imperative to make conscious, concentrated efforts to cause every Christian to treat that celebration as though it were never instituted. On the other end of the spectrum are those who say, capture it for Christ, that is their perspective for themselves, and would aggressively solicit the energies and endeavors of their brethren to do the same. However, it was my thesis that this subject comes within the broad orbit of the biblical doctrine of Christian liberty. That is, it comes within the scope of the issues concerning which we have neither divine prohibition nor divine mandate for the activities envisioned. And if it is indeed within the orbit of Christian liberty, then the watershed passage for the general principles of Christian liberty is Romans 14.1 through 15.13, but particularly chapter 14, and I suggested that before we made our way into the house of Romans 14, we should climb three steps in approaching it, recognizing that in discussing the subject of Christian liberty, we must never violate the moral law of God or frustrate the goal of the grace of God. The doctrine of Christian liberty is not a set of principles that ever gives warrant to the Christian to violate the moral law of God or to frustrate the goal of the grace of God. The second step was to recognize that in relationship to matters of Christian liberty, our participation or non-participation are equally valid expressions of our liberty. I need not exercise my liberty in a given area to prove that I understand my liberty in that area. I may exercise my liberty by choosing not to indulge in that which before God I know I am free to indulge. And then the third step was simply to apprise you that in our present consideration of Romans 14, we would set aside the substrata of concern that addresses the question of the weak and the strong, and look rather to the broad principles which apply to our concern. Then we went into the chapter itself and established, I trust to the conviction of your judgment, that in dealing with this matter, the Apostle begins by setting out these first two principles. Number one, that we must receive one another with our differing perspectives and practices in matters of Christian liberty. He begins with the words, him that is weak in the faith, receive ye, yet not for doubtful disputations. And again in chapter 15 in verse 7, what is said to the strong with respect to the weak is said to the weak and the strong together, wherefore receive one another, even as Christ also received you to the glory of God. And so our first responsibility with respect to this issue is to receive one another with unfeigned affection and acceptance, given our knowledge of our differing perspectives and practices. For if God has not held us at arm's length until we get our Christmas practice and perspectives lined up with what we think is right by someone else's standard, then who are we to fail to receive one another? If God in Christ has received us, we are to receive one another. And then the second principle that we studied together, we must neither despise nor judge one another because of our differing perspectives and practices in matters of Christian liberty. Verses 3 and 4, verses 10 through 13a, let not him who eats not Set it not, look down his Pharisaic snout at him who does not eat, and let not him that eats not stand in judgment on him who eats. For God has received him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own Lord he stands or falls. And that emphasis is picked up again in verse 10. But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you set it not or despise your brother? In these areas of Christian liberty, we must neither despise nor judge one another. Those who feel that a brother is indulging a liberty that he ought not, it is not a matter of the moral law of God or an indication of the very end of the grace of God, it is a legitimate area of liberty. The man who stands in judgment looks upon him and says, you're worldly. Whereas the one who can indulge in liberty, his liberty, looks on the one who cannot and he can despise him and say, you're silly. Why be so scrupulous over a matter concerning which God has not given any prohibition? And God forbids both equally. And please pray in that principle. We must not tolerate the arrogance of the strong, nor must we bend a whole congregation to the scruples of the weak. The Scripture says, Judge not and despise not. Now that's the review. Now we come to weave in some more threads to the seamless robe, and we will consider this morning God helping us the third major principle that is in this passage, and it is this. We must be determined to maintain a good conscience under the Lordship of Christ in matters pertaining to Christian liberty. We must be determined to maintain a good conscience under the Lordship of Christ in matters pertaining to Christian liberty, verses 5 through 9 and verse 22b and verse 23. One man esteems one day above another. Another esteems every day alike. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. He that regards the day regards it unto the Lord. And he that eats, eats unto the Lord, for he gives God thanks. And he that eats not unto the Lord, he eats not and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and none dies to himself. Whether we live, we live unto the Lord. And whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived that he might be Lord of both the dead and of the living. We must be determined to maintain a good conscience under the Lordship of Christ in matters pertaining to Christian liberty. And as I attempt to open up the biblical materials here in Romans 14 under this principle, I'll do so under three headings. If you're taking notes, you have Roman numeral three. We must be determined to maintain a good conscience under the Lordship of Christ in matters pertaining to Christian liberty, large letter A, B, and C. Large letter A, the foundational directive given in verse five. Then, large letter B, the assumed spiritual context of this directive described, verses 7 through 9. And then, large letter C, the practical conclusion of this directive, 22B through 23. First of all, then, the foundational directive given. Look at verse 5. One man esteems one day above another. and other esteems every day alike. Now here's an undeniable reality concerning which Paul was aware that it existed there at Rome. Within that one congregation Meeting in its gatherings, there were differing judgments of conscience with respect to whether or not certain days should be regarded as days of peculiar religious significance. Most likely, it was the Jewish segment of the congregation that still had an element of conscientious desire to remember their special feast days as established under the Mosaic system. That they were not seeking to keep those days as meritorious is clear. When the Galatians fell prey to keeping days and months and years, and the Colossians, Paul did not take this matter as a matter of liberty. He attacked that mentality as undermining the very essence of the gospel. But here at Rome, there were those who were remembering those days with no thought whatsoever that this would add to the perfection of the righteousness of Christ or the work of Christ, the person and work of Him in whom all of those days and their activities find their fulfillment, but they still felt before God they ought to remember those days. Or it could be that there were some who, coming out of their pagan backgrounds, had certain days that they would keep in some particular way without in any way neutralizing the truth of the gospel. And so Paul simply, bluntly describes the condition that exists in the church at Rome. One man is esteeming one day above another. Another is esteeming every day alike. Well, Paul, if you know that, why don't you settle the whole issue and give an apostolic directive? Why don't you at least tell the congregation to get together and have a majority vote whether or not these days should be kept? Why don't you tell the elders to get together and decide what day should be imposed on the congregation? Now, that's not the directive He gives. Look at the foundational directive. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind. Now, it is a clear and straightforward directive. A wooden literalism in translation would be as follows. Each one in his own mind, let him be fully assured. That's a wooden, literal translation from the Greek. You see, the emphasis falling upon not only the right of individual judgment, but the absolute necessity of individual judgment. Each one, in his own mind, let him be fully assured. In other words, in matters of Christian liberty, individual right of judgment is not merely permitted but it is mandated. It comes in a present imperative form of the verb. Each one in the congregation at Rome, when they heard this epistle read, would know, here is a duty laid upon me by God through His appointed spokesman, the Apostle Paul. And in wrestling with this matter of days and of foods and drink, I cannot look to the consensus of those about me. I cannot hope that the elders will decree something. I must before God, as a responsible Christian man or woman, come to a place of settled assurance in my own mind as to which course of action is right for me. In matters of Christian liberty, individual right of judgment is not merely permitted, but is mandated. And this word, be fully assured or persuaded, is precisely the same word that is found in chapter 4 with reference to Abraham and his faith. We read in verse 21, and being fully assured that what he had promised he was able also to perform. This is what God says, we must be as individuals before him. And the second thing that's in this fundamental directive is that in matters of Christian liberty, the individual right of judgment must involve primarily and enlightened mind. In matters of Christian liberty, the individual right of judgment must involve primarily an enlightened mind. Look at the text. Let each man be fully assured in his own mind, his own noose. It points to the judgment of the mind, to the sanctified exercise of your intellectual faculties and powers. It doesn't say, let him be fully moved by his emotions. Let him be fully swayed by his past practices. No, let him be fully assured in his own mind. God is calling us to sanctified, enlightened thought, not a mindless, blind abandonment to our traditions or our feelings. Cursed is the Christian who never breaks out of the tyranny of traditions or feelings. He will never walk surely. He never will walk confidently. Now, since this directive comes in the form of a present imperative verb, And the language is precise, each one in his own mind. You and I cannot escape our own personal wrestling with these issues. Now, I know in every one of us there is an element of Roman Catholicism in many areas, many elements. And one of them is we'd love to have someone authoritatively declare for us what was the most spiritual thing to do. Paul is more spiritual to regard the day. Is it more spiritual not to regard the days? I'm not going to give you an answer. Do your own wrestling. Yes, but I'd like an answer. I know you would, but I'm not going to give you one. Here's my fundamental directive. Let each one of you be persuaded in his own mind. But Paul, I don't know the Word of God like you do. That's irrelevant. But you see, that takes time and effort. Yes, it does. But if knowing how to please God is not worth time and effort, are you a Christian in the first place? You see, Pastor, I just wish that Trinity Church would take a clear-cut stand on the Christmas madness. Well, we do take a clear-cut stand. Would each man be fully persuaded in his own mind? That's as clear as the apostolic word goes. And God have mercy on anyone who wants to go beyond the apostle and start legislating for you, for me, or for anybody else. You see why we fight that? Because it goes beyond the wisdom of God in His apostles. Christ purchased liberty of conscience. God have mercy on anyone who would wrench it away. because that liberty of conscience in matters of a non-moral nature is the fruit of the purchase of Jesus Christ. that having come to a present persuasion on a given issue, I am forever closed in my judgment about that issue. No, in this very chapter, Paul does a very subtle little bit of trying to educate the weak conscience of a weak believer. See how he does it in verse 14? He says, Now I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean of itself. See, here's this fellow that just steals a piece of meat that's been offered to an idol. It was unclean then, it's unclean now, and if you bury it ten feet underground, it's unclean. It was, it is, ever shall be, until it goes back to dust, and then the dust would be unclean. Paul said, now I know, and I'm persuaded. that there's no thing that is unclean in itself, that is, no non-moral issue that has over it the word uncleanness. He was doing a little bit of instruction of the conscience of the weak brother. You see that? So when we say that the fundamental directive is let each man be fully assured in his own mind, it does not mean that in that present assurance of my own judgment as to what I should or should not do in an area of Christian liberty, including the celebration or non-celebration or the degree of celebration of the Christmas holidays, that I stand inflexible in my present judgment of mine. I must be willing for the ongoing renewal of my mind. I must be willing for instruction of my mind, that my conscience may be more and more educated, but at any given point, it is my present personal persuasion that is fundamental to what I do and what I do not do. That's the fundamental directive. Now then, large letter B, There is an assumed spiritual context of this directive, and it's described in verses 7 to 9. Here's the man who hears the directive, let each one be fully assured in his own mind. Now, what's to regulate the stuff out of which I gather my materials to inform my mind, to regulate my judgment as to whether I should or should not keep the day? Well, I answer that verses seven to nine in summary form is this. The assumed spiritual context is that of a practical and universal regard to the Lordship of Christ in every activity of the true Christian. The assumed spiritual context is that of a practical and universal regard to the Lordship of Christ over every activity of the true Christian. There are three building blocks that go into that summary statement. The first one is verse 6, the concrete or specific expression of this regard to the Lordship of Christ. You see, often the Bible starts with the concrete and will move back to the principle. Sometimes it states the principle and moves to the specific application. But here, that the context of determining in my own mind, coming to full persuasion in my own mind, that that context is indeed a practical and universal regard to the Lordship of Christ is set before us in verse 6 in what I'm calling the concrete and specific expression of this regard to Christ's Lordship. Look at verse 6. He that regards the day, he's stating a fact now, of Christians who there at Rome or in any place were giving special significance to special days not mandated by God. He that is regarding the day is regarding it not unto his relatives to please them even though he violates his own conscience. Not unto society, so he doesn't have to bear the reproach of Christ. Not unto Pharisaic brethren, to whom he's yielded up his conscience and keeping their rules, which go beyond the rule of Christ. No, look what the text says. He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord. That special day that was perhaps in his old Jewish calendar is coming around. And as he anticipates it and sees that everything by tithe and shadow embodied in the feast of the Passover is now completely and totally fulfilled in Christ, and he rejoices to keep some semblance of that Passover feast on an old Jewish Shabbat With this view, not that he's adding to the work of Christ, but to rejoice that now in Christ he sees all the fulfillment of everything that was once an empty form and an enigma to him. And unto his Lord, with love and anticipation, he's marked out that day in his calendar. And he's doing it not out of the pressure of his peers, not out of the pressure of society, not out of the pressure of Pharisees, but he's doing it unto his Lord. You see that in the text? He that regards the day, regards it unto the Lord. And here's the man that's going to sit down and eat all foods. where once he had great scruples about clean and unclean and kosher and non-kosher and all the rest may have had some pagan tradition that bound him to be a vegetarian now he sits down to his meal with his meat and his vegetables and everything in between and he eats not to be a glutton not simply to fill his belly 1 Corinthians 10 31, whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. He sits down to receive God's good gifts, and he eats as unto the Lord. The proof that he's doing this, look at it. For he gives God thanks. You see, unless you have a seared conscience, you cannot give God thanks. as you're about to participate in something that you believe is displeasing to God. That's why one of the best little suggestions given to me as a baby Christian was this, Albert, anything you go to do, if you can't thank God ahead of time for it and praise Him afterwards, don't do it. That was a good little rule of thumb. Well, you see, the practical proof that they're doing this thing is unto the Lord is, as he focuses on the matter of eating now, is that the one who eats, eats unto the Lord. How do we know it? For in this practical way, he bows over his meat, knowing there is no such thing as unclean meat in God's sight. All of God's gifts are good. And he bows over his baked potato and his glass of wine to go back to last week's analogy. And he says, thank you, Lord, for wholesome meat and good protein and good carbohydrate and for the fruit of the vine that makes glad the heart of man. And he thanks his God for his good gifts. And he eats and drinks with moderation unto the Lord. And across from him at the same table, there's somebody else bowed and gave thanks. Look at the text. And he that eats not, Unto the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks." Now, what's that mean? Well, it doesn't mean he took the role of a Pharisee and said, Now, Lord, I thank you. I'm not carnal and worldly like my brother, who's eating steak and potato and that miserable, foul, demon-alcohol glass of wine. Thank you, Lord. I'm more spiritual than my brother. Would Paul commend the prayer of a Pharisee? Or is he saying, Lord, I thank you that you've shown me that I should... No, no. He's giving God thanks for his bowl of vegetables. And maybe even has a soy meal hamburger. I've tried one of those. But maybe he gives God thanks. He has his soy meal hamburger. And he has his bowl of veggies, and he has his salad. And what does he do? He says, Oh, Lord, thank you for these foods you have given to nourish me that I might serve you and glorify you. Now, they have differing perspectives and practices on matters where God is not legislated. But both of them, in this concrete and specific way, are showing that they are eating and not eating with a present consciousness of the Lordship of Christ over what goes in or doesn't go into their mouths, and the proof is they both give thanks. And with regard to the one who keeps the day, you cannot say, oh, well, look down your nose at him and despise him because he's esteeming that day as unto the Lord. And the implication is he gives thanks for the day and for its privileges and for how it serves to deepen his gratitude to his God. Now, by application. You see, when you bring this over into the air of the practice of Christmas, There are some who have a Christmas celebration with every non-immoral issue present. They have Christmas with all the trimmings, without sinning. No drunkenness, no irresponsible prodigality in spending, no irresponsible debt spending, They will not dishonor the Lord on His day when it falls on the 25th of December, but they've got a tree with all the trimmings, they've got all kinds of outside lights, and they indulge the Christmas holiday to the hilt without anything that you or I could say was morally evil. And they gather in the living room, give thanks to God that He sent His Son into the world, for a season of the year when even the world in some little way has some idea that Christ came into the world in space-time history. The head of that home so regulates the exchange of gifts that it is a season of happy, joyful interchange within the family. They may visit relatives and the extended family and strengthen the ties and store up memories on their camcorders and in their flash bulbs. And at the end of the day, the family is gathered together and praise is offered to their Lord for a wonderful day. in his presence and with one another. Others who know nothing but the tyranny of the commercialization, the partying, the boozing, the carousing, the lechery, they come to that day now and get up and say, oh God, thank you. I'm liberated from all of the chains that bound me to the binging and to the blasphemy of the Christmas season. There is no tree and no presence, but oh, how they thank God for His mercy in delivering him from things that once were nothing but sinful. Each one is giving God thanks. Each one unto his Lord is regarding or not regarding the day. And that's what Paul is saying. The assumed context of this directive, be fully assured in your own mind, is not, oh, I'll just go out and think any way I want to think with no point of reference. No! The point of reference is this universal regard to the Lordship of Christ over every activity of life. The concrete or specific expression of that regard, verse 6, But then note the formal assertion of this regard to the Lordship of Christ. Verses seven and eight, the formal assertion for you see the logical connection. Why does this one who eats give thanks to God? Why does the one who doesn't eat give thanks to God for four? This is why they do it. He's moving now from the action to the internal motive. None of us lives to himself. None dies to himself, for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's. Now let me say first of all what these verses are not saying. The we in this verse or these verses does not refer to all men in general, but to believers exclusively. We Christians. We who have been united to Christ in faith. We who have been brought to repentance and faith and are united to Christ. For the scripture elsewhere tells us, even in this epistle in chapter 6, that all men by nature are the slaves of sin. They do live unto sin, unto self. 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 15, that we should no longer live unto ourselves. That's what is true of us by nature. We have all gone astray. We've turned every one of us to his own way. So when Paul says, none of us lives to himself, none dies to himself, whether we live, we live to the Lord, whether we die, we die to the Lord, that is spoken exclusively of true believers, but hear me now, inclusively of every true believer. It is true of every single believer. He does not live to himself. He doesn't die to himself, whether he lives or dies. He lives or dies unto the Lord. Whether he lives or dies, he is the Lord's possession. Excludes all but believers, but includes all real believers. And the second thing I want to say, these verses are not telling us that our actions have a rippling effect. No man lives to himself. No man dies to himself. Everything we do affects others. That's a truth. But that's not the truth of this passage. The reference is not horizontal. It's vertical. All right? What then is he saying? This is what he's saying of every true believer. None of us lives to himself. Self is not the goal and the fundamental sphere of reference with regard to the way we live. He has said that here is the man who does not eat. Here's the man who eats. But they have this in common. Their eating is unto the Lord. And why is that true? Because they are real believers. And in the case of every true believer, he lives unto the Lord. And that's not just a pious notion. It's something that touches what he eats and doesn't eat. how he spends a day or how he doesn't spend a day. It is a living unto the Lord that is not a mere religious notion. It is a concrete experiential reality that touches the nitty gritty of what he does on December 25th, as well as every other day of the year. None of us lives to himself. None dies to himself, even in the experience of death. What is the believer's perspective? Paul has given it to us. He says in Philippians 1.20, My earnest expectation and hope is this, that whether by life or death Christ shall be magnified in my body, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. As we anticipate death, it will be our joy if God gives us consciousness on a deathbed to say, Lord Jesus, I commend my soul into your hands, my faithful Redeemer and Savior in the confidence that the righteousness that you have wrought by your perfect life and your substitutionary death is sufficient to take me into the presence of your Father. And your grace vouchsafed to me in the word and promise of the gospel is adequate upon which to rest my soul in death, Lord Jesus, as I have lived unto you imperfectly, but purposefully and really. So now, Lord Jesus, I die unto you. In the language of Stephen, Lord Jesus, receive My spirit, none of us lives to himself, none dies to himself. Whether we live, we live to the Lord. Whether we die, we die to the Lord. Wherefore, whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's. There's the summary statement. We are those who gladly own that we are not our own. that we've been bought with a price. 1 Corinthians 6 19 What know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which ye have of God and you are not your own? You have been bought with a price. I am Christ's redeemed property. 1 Corinthians 7 23 You were bought with a price. Be not the slaves of men. Be fully persuaded in your own mind why you are the purchased property of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, the context of the fundamental directive, let each one be fully persuaded in his own mind, is the context of this practical and universal regard to the Lordship of Christ set before us in the concrete expression of that regard, verse 6, In the formal assertion of that regard, verses 7 and 8, but then notice thirdly, in the ultimate cause of this regard for the Lordship of Christ. How is it that there is a people there at Rome, some of whom can eat certain foods and others can't, but they both give God thanks for what they eat, observe certain days and others don't, but they equally give thanks to God? You say it's because They are all together living under the Lordship of Christ. And where Christ is not stretched out his scepter and commanded or condemned a thing, they understand that they are free before Christ to be fully assured in their own mind. But now the question is this. How did such a people ever appear in Rome? How will such a people ever appear in Montville? In any of the towns from which we come? Well, verse 9 tells us the ultimate cause of this regard for the Lordship of Christ. Notice it begins with the word for. It's all tied together logically. For to this end, Christ died and lived that he might be Lord of both the dead and of the living. In the clearest terms possible, the Apostle asserts that one of the very goals of the death and resurrection of Christ was that he might have such a place of regard for his lordship in those who would partake of his saving grace. There's something you wouldn't pick up in an English translation when it says To this end, Christ died and lived that He might be Lord. There's a verbal form that perhaps better be rendered that He might exercise Lordship of both the dead and the living. That He might be Lord and exercise the rights of a Lord. Paul says, the ultimate cause of this regard for the Lordship of Christ in every area of life, in the heart of any individual, is this. It is the fruit of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Savior of sinners. You see how it's all strung together with the logical connective? For none of us lives to himself. None of us dies to himself. For whether we live, we live to the Lord. Whether we die, we die to the Lord. Whether we live, therefore die, we are the Lord's. And how did this come about? When by nature, the last thing we wanted to do was to have this man to rule over us. Our Lords were our passions, our lusts, our appetites, our traditions. We lived, as Paul says in Ephesians chapter 2, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. How does a group of people come to the place where even in the niggling details of what they eat or don't eat or what they do or don't do on certain specific religious days, they have a serious, present, real regard to the Lordship of Christ? There's one explanation. It is the dynamics of the death and resurrection of Christ that had brought it to pass. And it was his purpose that as the fruit of his death, he should have a people who live that way. To this end, you see, to this end. And in the original, the sense of purpose is very clear in two of the constructions. To this end, into this thing would be a literal rendering. Into this thing Christ died and lived, in order that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. You see, Jesus didn't die to have a bunch of people running around saying, I got my psychological hang-ups all fixed up by Jesus. Now I'm free and go out and live the way I please without my hang-ups. Nor did he die just to have the people who say, well, I see Christ took the wrap on the cross. I'm trusting in him. I'm hell proofed. But now I can live like a please because once saved, always saved, but I'm fixed up forever. No, no, he didn't die for that. He didn't die for that. This text says to this end. Christ died and lived that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. That He might have a people who say, Lord Jesus, in every detail of life, I want to please You. And when my soul is departing, I want to die unto You. And when Jesus sees that, He says, Ah, that's what I died to secure. That's what I laid down my life for. That's why I shed my blood. That's why I went into the horrible agonies of Gethsemane and Golgotha. That's why I was willing to be stripped naked. That's why I was willing for my very soul to be the receptacle of every fiery arrow of my Father's fury, to have my soul sunk beneath the waves of His wrath against sin. that a people might be delivered from the cursed, devilish tyranny of living for themselves. That's why I died. And now I've got some people at Rome who've heard my gospel. And that gospel has shown them that that course of self-centered, self-willed, self-pleasing is the course that leads to damnation. And they've heard in the word and promise of the gospel that I'm a mighty Savior willing and able to save all who throw themselves upon my mercy. And what is a saving response to the gospel? I read something this week that struck me that was so precious in this area. This author said it is a poor sinner laid low before the cross, uncrowning himself and crowning Jesus. My friends, that's of the very essence of saving faith. A poor sinner laid low before the cross, nothing in his hands he brings. He has nothing to commend himself to God, but he is seen in Christ crucified, an able and a willing Savior. And in faith, he is casting himself in all of the nakedness and in all the crassness of his sin-sick state upon the mercy of the crucified and the risen Savior. But in the very process or act of casting himself upon Christ for mercy, he uncrowns himself and crowns Christ. To this end, Christ died and lived. that He might be Lord of both the dead and of the living. And in the context, the dead and living is the believer in both states, that He might have a Lordship. Once the scepter of that Lordship touches the heart of His own, it carries them through life and through death and on into the age to come. When the Scripture says the occupation of heaven will be following the Lamb, withersoever He goes. You see now why I said that this fundamental directive, let each man be fully assured in his own mind, had a context. And I fear some of you have snatched at bits and pieces of the doctrine of Christian liberty and are damning your souls with it. Because that context in which you put it is, I'm free from all the lists and regulations of fundamentalist ethical demands. Therefore, I'm free to do anything I want to the hilt of my desires. That's not the doctrine of this book. The doctrine of this book is I must be fully persuaded in my own mind the right of private judgment is not only permitted and legitimate, it's demanded, but the context of that private judgment is a heart that is lashed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As I tried to think of an imagery, by what am I lashed? Every imagery failed. was either a denigration of the sacredness of His own precious blood or failed to convey the reality. But by whatever imagery, whether we think of being lashed in chains, forged of the congealed blood of the incarnate God, it isn't being chained by external restraint, but by internal constraint. For the love of Christ, constraint. Hear, Lord! Hear, Lord! I give myself away, tis all that I can do." Now, if that's not true of you, don't you go around blethering about Christian liberty, because you're really in bondage to your sin until you're freed from the tyranny of living for yourself. And it's only those liberated from the tyranny of living unto self that is Christ's free man. can be fully persuaded in their own mind about meats and drinks and Christmas and New Year's and Easter and all the rest. Put this truth in any other context and you've severed what God has joined. And then the practical conclusion of the directive. I'll just look at the verses very briefly with you. 22B and verse 23. Happy is he that judges not himself in that which he approves. But he that doubts is condemned if he eats, because he eats not of faith, and whatsoever is not of faith is sin." We've looked at the foundational directive. Be fully persuaded in your own mind. The assumed spiritual context of that directive, verses six to nine. Now large letter C, the practical conclusion of this directive. Here it is. Two simple prongs. The way of blessedness is that of living with an uncondemned conscience in matters of Christian liberty. The way of blessedness is that of living with an uncondemned conscience in matters of Christian liberty. Happy. Same word used in the Beatitudes. Precisely the same word. Blessed, blessed, blessed. Blessed is he who does not judge himself in that which he approves. The picture is a man's assessing. Shall I eat this meat or not? He's making a critical judgment. He's examining with a view to making a judgment. Now he says, well, it seems like the most spiritual people can eat that meat, and if they can, I should be able to. And when he eats it, his conscience condemns him, because in his mind, He has not grown in the education of his conscience to the place where he can separate that meat from a sinful practice. And what does he do? He bloodies his conscience to have a piece of meat. No, the way of blessedness is that of living with an uncondemned conscience in matters of Christian liberty. That means If before God you cannot associate December 25th with anything but that which is pagan and licentious and all the rest, then live and act as though the day never comes and goes. And do it with a good conscience before God. But don't judge your brethren who look forward to the day for weeks and months. and plan for the day for weeks and months. You say, well, I don't know how. No, you don't know how, but you ain't them. And you ain't going to judge them. God's their judge. And if you see in the tenor of their lives, yes, it's evident they gladly own. They're not their own. They're bought with a price. Their life is a manifestation of living unto the Lord. Then you leave their Lord to deal with them, and mind your own business, please. And for you who can look forward to the day and celebrate it to the hilt without anything that violates the law of God or the spirit of the gospel, don't look down your nose at that brother or sister who would condemn himself or herself in the theater of her own conscience or his conscience Were they to participate in the day in any way? Here's the concluding practical directive. The way of blessedness is living with a uncondemned conscience in matters of Christian liberty. Happy is he who does not judge himself in that which he approves. And the second prong of that concluding directive is the way of condemnation before God and misery in your own heart is to violate a doubting conscience. in matters of Christian liberty. The way of condemnation before God and misery in our own hearts is to violate a doubting conscience in matters of Christian liberty. He that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he does not eat out of faith. He doesn't eat out of the conviction. I can eat this as a gift of God, to the glory of God. He still has reservations of conscience, and when he does, look what the text says. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. It means that if I cannot partake in the confidence that this is pleasing unto God, it's a non-moral issue. He's neither commanded it nor forbidden it. And I am free in Christ to partake of it. But if I cannot take that posture in faith, leave it alone, the thing may be innocent in itself. But if I choose it when it's not innocent in my mind, I am sinning because I'm making a moral choice in the direction of displeasing God in that sin. Though the thing in itself may not be sin, for me to do it with a doubting, arguing, disputing conscience, a conscience that is not at peace before my Master, that I can do this as unto Him, I can eat this as unto Him, I can drink this as unto Him, the Scripture says whatsoever is not of faith is sin. And far better to have a whole world of shallow Christians think you over scrupulous and legalistic and everything else, but know that your God smiles and that you do not condemn yourself in that which you approve. Do you see how horribly these principles have been violated in so much of the Christian world? Men are wiser than God. Men usurp the place of the Spirit of God and the Lordship of Christ, and it only results in a crippling legalism, a sickening Phariseeism, a God-dishonoring judgmentalism, all of which are forbidden in this passage. Well, we come around full circle to where we began. The Christian and Christmas in the light of the Word of God. What is God's Word to us? Receive one another fully conscious of our differing perspectives and practices in matters of Christian liberty. Don't despise one another and don't judge one another because of our differing perspectives and practices in matters of Christian liberty. The third great principle, we must individually determine to maintain a good conscience under the Lordship of Christ in every matter of Christian liberty. God willing, in our next message, we'll take up the fourth major principle with reference to love demanding the relinquishment of liberty for the sake of higher goals, our own souls' well-being, the souls of our brethren, and the progress of the gospel. And any man who is not willing to relinquish his liberty in the interest of his own soul's salvation, the spiritual health of his brethren, and the cause of the gospel, is no Christian. He's still a self-centered, self-serving individual on his way to hell, ringing the bells of his Christian liberty in his own ears. See, this is a marvelous description of a Christian, isn't it? No one lives to himself, no one dies to himself. Is that true of you? If that can't be said of you, you're just not a Christian, friend. The end for which Christ died has not been realized in you. I'm amazed how God can cut through all kinds of things. Whole books are written on the thing. Can a person be saved who refuses to submit to Christ as Lord? All you need is one text. Just one text. There it is. One simple text. No one lives to himself. No one dies to himself. If you're a Christian, that's true of you. Call it whatever you want. If that isn't lordship salvation, I don't know what it is. God cuts through all the muck and the smoke. Who are you living for? Who did you live for through this Christmas season? could live for pharisaic, smug, self-righteous self, sitting home thanking God you're not like other people. Go to hell as a Pharisee who doesn't regard the day. Go to hell as a libertine who said, oh, I've got my liberty in Christ. Be a glutton and a borderline drunkard and a spendthrift. They didn't keep the days unto Him. Under the guise of Christian liberty, you did what the Bible says false teachers do. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, a license for sin, and bring swift damnation upon themselves. Oh, may God help us as a people to lay to heart these precious, liberating truths of the Word of God. Let's pray. Our Father, we're so thankful for your Word. that it is a lamp to our feet, a light to our pathway, that in the most vexing issues you have given us the principles and precedents, the illustrations adequate that we might have, by your Spirit's enablement, a path cut before us which, though a man be a fool, he shall be able to walk therein. Thank you for your word, and pray that the Spirit will make application in the many areas wherein your perfect knowledge of our hearts. You know that application is needed. Have mercy upon those who are still living for self, of whom it cannot be said in any measure of truth they no longer live to themselves, nor will they die to themselves. Lord, have mercy, we pray, that if they are living to themselves, Here, this morning, they would see the wretched state they are in and repent in falling before the cross of Christ, uncrowned self, and crown Him in their hearts. Help your people who have been wrestling with this issue, Lord. Give them light as they seek to take the principles and wrestle with them, becoming fully assured in their own minds. Give us grace, we pray, and continue with us in this your day, we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.