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I can do as I please. I am free in Christ Jesus. True or False? Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:12 "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything. And again in 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. The statement "everything is permissible" seems to be a statement being made by the Corinthians who had a misunderstanding of true freedom. Mankind still buys that idea in many circles. They say, "I can do anything I please and the grace of God covers me." There is something very wrong about that statement and Paul addresses the idea here. For Paul the "freedom to act as one pleased without restraint" was a form of bondage, not freedom. Freedom is not to be for self but for others. The real question is not whether an action is "lawful" or "right" or even "all right," but whether it is good, whether it benefits. True Christian conduct is not predicated on whether I have the right to do something, but whether my conduct is helpful to those about me. Paul addresses this situation fully in Romans 14 and 15 There are questions that need to be asked as to whether a Christian is free to engage in a certain activity. Below are some questions to consider. 1. IS IT EXPEDIENT OR BENEFICIAL? A. What benefit will this activity bring to me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? B. Will it be healthy for my body? C. Will it bring relaxation? D. Will it help me to think clearly or develop my mind? E. Will it in any way hinder my testimony for Jesus or bring shame on His name? F. Will it cause me to neglect my relationship with Jesus? Is it more important than He is? 2. IS THIS ACTIVITY IN ANYWAY ADDICTING? A. Will it harm me physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually? B. Do I crave it? C. Do I have to have this to be happy, satisfied or content? 3. DOES THIS ACTIVITY EDIFY OR BUILD UP MY SPIRITUAL LIFE? A. Does it break down my moral values? B. Does it make me closer to Jesus? C. Does it cause me to desire to be more spiritual? 4. DOES THIS ACTIVITY CAUSE ANYONE ELSE TO BE HURT SPIRITUALLY? A. Does it hinder a weak brother or sister? B. Does it glorify God? C. Does it cause anyone else to not want to be a Christian like me? 5. WHAT WOULD JESUS DO IF HE WERE IN MY PLACE? A. Jesus abides in you B. What is your inner conviction about this? C. The Holy Spirit brings conviction. Do NOT harden your heart against him. WHETHER THEREFORE YE EAT, OR DRINK, OR WHATSOEVER YE DO, DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:31 Paul also addressed the issue to the Romans. Since Paul preached grace some of them got the idea that they just as well go ahead and sin since grace covered them. Such is the deviousness of the flesh! Paul devotes the whole 6th chapter of Romans to the issue. Rom 6:1-23 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? " Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. "What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. "I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Article Source: http://christian-topics.info
Willetta is a retired minister and lives with her husband of 54 years. They have six children, 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Willetta also has three websites... www.successwithkids.org www.teachmethyways.org www.theseedsower.org
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