“Yet we have not used this right. On the contrary, we endure everything so as not to place an obstacle to the Gospel of Christ.” (1Cor.,9:12)

“Yet we have not used this right. On the contrary, we endure everything so as not to place an obstacle to the Gospel of Christ.” (1Cor.,9:12)

Since the times of the earliest Christian communities, disagreements have arisen in these communities, congregations. Christians sometimes divided themselves into groups because of their personal convictions. Each one believed in their right to defend their own position.

In such situations, the teaching of St, Paul the Apostle is relevant for us today. In the context of the then misunderstandings in the Christian community at Corinth, St. Paul reminds them of the important principle of life in a Christian community.

It is precisely in the milieu of this misunderstanding that he (St. Paul) teaches the real meaning of liberty for Christian and warns us not to twist liberty into lack of constraint or self-willed license.

Christian liberty is not only best revealed in love and empathy for our neighbor, but it must always be guided by love.

St. Paul teaches that love of neighbor is always more important than my personal views or rights: “…knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.” (1 Cor., 8:1)

fr. A.R.