When Love Means Letting Go

You had the right verse. You said the right thing. You knew the truth. But somehow, the conversation still left someone limping instead of lifted. Ever been there?

That’s the tension Paul confronts in 1 Corinthians 8: sometimes being right isn’t righteous. And in a culture obsessed with self-expression, God calls us to something better—self-denying love.

So here’s the hard follow-up question to Sunday’s message:

What freedoms do you need to surrender this week for the sake of someone else’s faith?
Not forever. Maybe not because they’re sinful. But because someone Jesus died for could be weakened by your liberty. That’s not legalism. That’s gospel maturity.

Here are four ways to walk that out:

1. The Coffee Shop Test
Would I say this with them at the table?
Before you post that opinion, crack that joke, or critique that ministry—imagine the most fragile believer in your church sitting across from you. Still say it? Still post it? If not, that freedom may need to wait.


2. The Shadow Test
Who’s watching me that I don’t see?
Your kids. A new Christian. A struggling brother or sister. Your liberty doesn’t live in a vacuum—it casts a shadow. The question is: what’s growing in that shadow? Faith? Or confusion?

3. The Reverse Test
Would I want someone else using their freedom this way around me?
Let’s say you were fresh out of addiction. Would you want a friend in Christ offering you a drink at dinner? Flip the roles. Then decide.

4. The Cross Test
Does this look like Jesus laying down His life?
Paul says, “By your knowledge this weak person is destroyed—the brother for whom Christ died.” That’s not just a verse. That’s the gospel. Every liberty should pass through the cross—where Christ had every right, and laid them all down in love.

So this week, don’t just ask, "Am I allowed?"

Ask:
"Is this helpful?"
"Is this building someone up?"
"Does this reflect the heart of Jesus?"

Your freedom isn’t a platform to prove your strength. It’s an opportunity to show His love.
Use it that way.