Not everything is BENEFICIAL

Scripture:

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.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 “Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. (24) Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.

Observation:

Sometimes it's hard to know when to defer to weaker believers. Paul gives a simple rule of thumb to help in making the decision: We should be sensitive and gracious. The goal here is not a general hypersensitivity that worries about what others might possibly think. Rather, it is a genuine awareness of others and a willingness to limit what we do when there is a real possibility of misunderstanding and offense. Some actions may not be wrong, but they may not be in the best interest of others. We have freedom in Christ, but we shouldn't exercise our freedom at the cost of hurting a Christian brother or sister. We are not to consider only ourselves; we must also consider the needs and perspective of others


Application:

Apparently the church had been quoting and misapplying the words "I am allowed to do anything." Some Christians in Corinth were excusing their sins by saying that:

(1) Christ had taken away all sin, and so they had complete freedom to live as they pleased, or

(2) what they were doing was not strictly forbidden by Scripture.

Paul answered both these excuses:

(1) While Christ has taken away our sin, this does not give us freedom to go on doing what we know is wrong. The New Testament specifically forbids many sins (see 1 Corinthians 6:9-10) that were originally prohibited in the Old Testament (see Romans 12:9-21); Romans 13:8-10).

(2) Some actions are not sinful in themselves, but they are not appropriate because they can control our life and lead us away from God.

(3) Some actions may hurt others. Anything we do that hurts rather than helps others is not right.

I am troubled by the attitude that some Christians have of "everything is permissable" or "it isn't sin so why shouldn’t I do it!" Too often, we become selfish in our decisions and "liberty's." We don't care who we hurt or how much our testimony is affected, because I can do, and WILL DO what I want to do. The whole time Jesus is saying, "You are the salt of the earth" and you are the "light of the world" so desiring for His children to get back to living for Him AND for others.

Jesus COULD have called angels from heaven to come and deliver Him from the cross, but He showed self-control, and died to his way, and the RIGHT that He had, by putting the needs of other's before His own.

My friends, I want to live that way. I don't want to be a stumbling block to those around me who are seeking Jesus because of my freedom or liberty. There are simply some things I WILL NOT DO, not because it is sin, but because I want Jesus to be seen in me, and way too often, the world, those not living for Jesus, has seen hypocrisy in the followers of Christ because of "freedom!" To say, "I'll do it if I won't to" is living for myself, and selfish.

Too often we put our own desires over the desire of Jesus for His children to be influencers in this increasingly evil world. We need Light to penetrate the darkness. But too often we have allowed darkness to influence the Light of Jesus in us. It happened to God's Children (Israelites) in the wilderness, and it is happening again in the day we live.

When we are more concerned about my rights, freedom's and liberty's than we are for letting Jesus be seen in our words, decisions, and actions, then we have become selfish and living for ourselves and not Christ! As Paul said, “all things are permissible, but not all things are beneficial. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." Forgive us Jesus and help us!

Prayer:

"Jesus, please forgive me for the times I have put my desire over Your desire and the needs of this world to SEE YOU in our life. I want You to be seen in my life today in everything I say, do or show. In Jesus' name, amen!"