- The law of liberty states that every church age believer has complete freedom from servitude to religious taboos. For example, he may eat meat or ignore religious festivals. God has freed every believer to live under grace, and by the Holy Spirit, Bible doctrine, and faith. New and weak believers do not understand this or the right application of liberty (1 Corinthians 8:1-13; 10.23; Romans 14:5-8).
- The law of love states that a stronger or mature believer, when accompanied by a weaker or immature believer, ought to refrain from activity that the weaker believer does not understand he has the freedom to do. Paul noted that believers had the right to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols. But believers who were new to the faith might see this and think it was sinful. In this case, Paul said, the stronger believer should refrain so as not to create a false issue for the immature believer (1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Romans 14:15, 21).
- The law of sacrifice states that a believer, under certain circumstances, may set aside his normal rights and expectations so that false issues do not prevent the reception of the gospel and Bible teaching. Paul did not take pay for witnessing to and teaching the Corinthians, though he had that right and expectation (1 Corinthians 9:7-14).
- The law of profit states that the believer should set aside a correct action if it confuses the gospel in the mind of the unbeliever. This principle is similar to the principle of love; Paul uses the same illustration. Here the emphasis is on the profit to the unbeliever; profit being that he understand the gospel and have nothing that might hinder his faith in Christ. Under the principle of profit we specifically do all to God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:23-33).
- The law of restoration states that a spiritual believer ought to be willing to guide a carnal believer (living by the sinful nature) back to the status of spirituality (living by the Holy Spirit). The purpose is to bring about spiritual recovery—that is, spirituality and fellowship—and help the recovered believer gain spiritual strength (Galatians 6:1).
- The law of burden bearing states that a spiritually strong believer ought to help a spiritually weak believer bear up under or stand strong under a pressure (health, discouragement, money, children, work, guilt, the future, and so on) that seems to be overwhelming the weaker believer. The strong believer gives encouragement, doctrine, prayer, and physical help so that the weaker believer may recover spiritual strength and stability (Romans 15:10; Galatians 6:2).
|
Law |
Purpose |
Person to Help |
Problem |
| Liberty |
Frees believers to live under grace, and by the Holy Spirit, Bible doctrine, and faith |
All believers |
Not all believers understand Christian liberty |
|
Love |
Prevent Spiritual Confusion |
Weak and untaught believer |
Spiritually immature— weaker believers—do not understand spiritual freedom, so may become confused |
|
Sacrifice |
Remove hindrances to hearing and receiving the gospel and doctrine |
Unbeliever and carnal or immature believer |
A believer demands his rights |
|
Profit |
Keep the gospel accurate and clear |
Unbeliever |
False issues hinder understanding and acceptance of gospel |
|
Restoration |
Help spiritual recovery |
Carnal believer |
Area of weakness and sin |
|
Burden Bearing
|
Help regain spiritual strength and stability |
Struggling believer |
Has not learned to apply God’s resources or has become overwhelmed |