EVERYTHING IS PERMISSIBLE

Everything is permissible (allowable and lawful) for me; but not all things are helpful (good for me to do, expedient and profitable when considered with other things). Everything is lawful for me, but I will not become the slave of anything or be brought under it’s power. 1 Corinthians 6:12 Amplified Bible.

It seems that the Body of Christ continually struggles with the relationship between the amazing freedom that we have in Christ, and the boundaries that are inherent to holy living. On the one hand the Bible declares that the love of God is unconditional; His love for us never waivers, regardless of our behavior. The Scripture tells us that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free, that we should never again allow ourselves to be brought into the slavery of religious legalism, and that we should not judge one another concerning our peripheral beliefs about what constitutes right and wrong behavior.

But, we also find lists of sins in the New Testament. We are taught that the wages of sin is death, and the believer should flee from such behavior. It seems that many Christians are confused about the lines between freedom and sin, holiness and legalism. And, it’s no wonder that this confusion exists when we live in a culture that worships self, feelings, and personal happiness. Add to that the postmodern idea that words really have no definite meaning, and that each of us get to define truth for ourselves. Mix that with a misunderstanding of what the grace of God is all about, and you have the makings of a lot of bad theology.

I know that it is unpopular in the world, as well as in many Christian circles, to bring up the fact that some behavior is sinful, and that sin has bad consequences, but I want you to notice the verses that precede the ones quoted at the beginning of this article.

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Cor. 6:9-11 NIV)

Notice that first line. How counter cultural is that? “The wicked will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” Wow. Don’t say that on a Sunday morning in most American churches if you want anyone to come back next week. Now, look again at the last sentence. It declares that the work of Christ at the cross, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit have launched us into a brand new life. A life where we are NO LONGER sexually immoral, bound in homosexuality or any other sexual deviancy, no longer thieves, no longer greedy etc, etc, etc. But the key idea is NEW life a DIFFERENT reality, a BRAND NEW person.

That aforementioned unconditional love of God made this possible. That grace, that free flow of God’s favor, came not so that we could feel better while we live in our sin, but to set us free from sin’s domination once and for all. Paul phrases it this way in his letter to Titus,

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14 NIV)

See, there is no tension between the ideas of freedom and holiness. Freedom, if we understand it, produces holiness. The unconditional love of God compels us to draw nearer to Him and become more like Him. His grace empowers us to overcome the flesh.

Paul nailed it there in 1 Corinthians 6:12. He essentially said, it’s not about the law, or about what is allowable and what is not. It is about the fact that the blood of Christ has given me a freedom to plunge into His presence. It has set me free from the domination of both sin and legalism, and I am not going to be enslaved by either one. I will not allow the passions of my flesh, or the values of this world, or popular culture, or legalistic notions, to take me captive. I will live as a free person and use my freedom to stir up the power of the Holy Spirit with in me. I will do the things that nurture the life that Christ has given me, and I will not do the things that strangle that life, because I am free.

I Love this stuff. Don’t you?