All Things

February 21

Read:1 Corinthians 6

A wise pastor once told me the two most difficult things about living the Christian life are keeping your balance and waiting on God (I would add to that list maintaining a consistent, disciplined prayer life). The longer I live as a child of God, the more convinced I am of the truth of his statement.

It’s so easy to get out of balance. It’s much like driving a car down the road; there’s a ditch on either side. For example, we must always keep God’s love balanced by His holiness and justice. To go too far on the love side takes us to a place where all will be saved, regardless of what they believe. To go too far on the holiness side results in pharisaical legalism. Both are heresy. Both are ditches waiting to trap the unwary Christian.

In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul, inspired of the Holy Spirit, writes an incredible thing. To the Corinthian believers he says, “All things are lawful unto me.” In one sentence Paul has effectively destroyed the law of commandments and ordinances by which the Jews literally ordered their lives. With one sentence, shrimp came back on the menu, Gentile was no longer synonymous with leper and it was okay to make your bed on the Sabbath. Can’t you hear the Judaizers screaming? You can’t say that! They will never live holy lives! You are making a mockery of God!

If Paul had stopped writing there they probably would have been right. But he didn’t, and they weren’t. The balance is placed in the remainder of the verse. “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” Sure, Paul says, all things are lawful. But friends and neighbors, all things are not helpful. All things are not edifying. All things will not strengthen my walk with Christ. And yes, all things are lawful, but none of those things should be allowed to control our lives. It would be tempting to limit this to things that are addictive, but the meaning is much broader. All things are lawful, but I will allow nothing to control me other than the sweet Spirit of God.

Talk about balance. Paul gives us the recipe for life apart from the law with the Holy Spirit in residence. Let Him guide. Limit yourself to those things that are edifying. You will find yourself in a life more abundant and more powerful than the law could ever give. Enjoy the things God has given you, and let the Holy Spirit, and your own Christian walk, be your guides.

Just a servant,

Bro. Tom