Examples

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

EXAMPLES

1 Cor 10:23-24

23 "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.

NIV

We are still in this long dissertation regarding this food that is sacrificed to idols and whether they should be eating it or not, depending on their conscience or the conscience of others, in a manner of speaking. We have already considered that there are these little nuggets along the way, we now have another one that could apply to all sorts of aspects of life, not just this eating of food or drink. Here is where we could run into a little bit of a snag regarding what is permissible. It would seem that everything is permissible, which would mean if we take it to the fullest extent in the context, we should be able to eat and drink whatever we want without offending God. The problem is we could offend a weaker brother or sister in Christ, who is restricted by either their conscience or some rules or traditions handed down from the earlier church members who lived in more puritanical times. The list of don’ts usually outweighed the list of do’s. However, the point is the same. There are many things we can do, but are they beneficial or constructive? This could apply to many areas of life and not just food and drink, although we could say that we have the freedom to eat lots and lots of chocolate but is it beneficial to our health is the question. We could say that we have the freedom to eat as much as we want, but is it beneficial to our health? We could say that we have the freedom to say whatever we want whenever we want to, but is it constructive? That would mean it is permissible to gossip about others, but that would not be beneficial or constructive. We could say that it is permissible to be jealous or envious or unforgiving, or any other feelings, but they would certainly not be beneficial or constructive. We have to see there are many scriptures that give us the guidelines for holy living and in that sense, many things are not even permissible, such as being jealous or envious or unforgiving, or hoarding wealth, or greed, or sexual immorality, or lust of any kind. When we think of any sin or attitude or behavior that would be in the sin category, we have to come to the conclusion they all are motivated by seeking our own good, our own will, our own pleasures or wants. It does not matter what the sin is, it is always about wanting what we want when we want it, whether that be a material thing, or an attitude or behavior. So then if we are to be imitators of Christ, who put all mankind above his self, when he asked the Father if there was any other way other than the cross, but nevertheless, he told the Father that it was His will that would be done. Jesus is our example as to how we should look to the needs of others over ours and that is not about things, but about life, the way we live so as to not cause someone to stumble. If we are expressing our anger about someone, and willfully expressing our unforgiveness about something someone did, then we might be causing a weaker brother to think that is alright to hold a grudge, as one example of how our lives could reflect that everything is permissible, but many things are not beneficial or constructive. We could go on and on with a list of all sorts of ways in which we could be either a good or bad example to others, but that is the point, being an example of what is just and right.