Chapters like 1 Cor 8 are not at all irrelevant to modern life, even if the practices they discuss are not of paramount importance to us today (having said that, to Jews and Muslims, how animals are butchered is of paramount significance, with kosher and halal meat sold to people of those faiths.) Such chapters show us that principles determine practices; in other words, whatever we do will reflect what we believe.
Paul was essentially practical and pragmatic in how he addressed situations, but he had reasons for what he did. He was firmly convinced that it wasn’t necessary to be circumcised in order to become a Christian (see 1 Cor 7:18-19, Gal 5:6), but he had no qualms about having Timothy circumcised before taking him with him on a missionary journey (Acts 16:3); in his view, the ceremony itself had no moral or spiritual value; it was simply good missionary strategy to have it done. He wasn’t troubled about eating meat which had been sacrificed to idols (1 Cor 8:8, Rom 14:14), but if he thought that eating might compromise the preaching of Christ crucified and cause a believer to sin, that was enough to hold him back from eating that meat (1 Cor 8:13). Mark Thompson writes ‘an issue in one context may be a matter of indifference, but, in another, it may be transformed into a matter of principle. An insistence that I am free to do as I wish on such matters must not be allowed to compromise either the sufficiency of Jesus’ death or a commitment to build others’ faith in Christ.’[1]
The Bible teaches us firm principles which are worked out in flexible practices. Gospel truth is not ‘a smorgasbord from which you can choose your perspective and I can choose mine. God has made his mind known, and it is our delight to have our minds transformed so that we think his thoughts after him (Rom 12:1-2)’ (ibid.) In matters which are neither commanded nor prohibited, however, the practices we choose can be flexible without compromising biblical truth. Human personality, creativity and the circumstances of life produce an extraordinary variety of expression, preference and style; there is diversity in the gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:4-7) which prevents life from ever being monochrome! Mark Thompson concludes, ‘There is plenty of room for flexibility in practice, while ensuring that we do nothing to compromise the principles that arise from the teaching of Scripture itself.’
This is worked out in two ways, firstly by looking at the topics which Scripture does address and secondly, by considering principles which can apply to where the Bible is silent. Where Scripture addresses a topic, we have a duty to study, understand and be transformed by its teaching. As Mark Thompson says, we must be ‘committed to hearing, believing and heeding the word of God to us.’
In all those other ‘grey areas’, there is indeed Christian freedom. The extremes of licence (‘anything goes’) and legalism (‘you must do X’) must be avoided. We must be careful that we do not insist on more uniformity than God himself has in his word. Mark Thompson concludes, ‘Unity in the truth and appropriate principled diversity amongst Christians are both part of God’s wonderful provision for us as his people. The ultimate foundation of both is found in God’s own being as the eternal one who is eternally three. Unity and diversity can be mutually reinforcing. We need to delight in both more than we do, and seek to preserve both in our lives as Christ’s disciples.’
[1] http://matthiasmedia.com/briefing/2008/02/matters-of-indifference/