How many times have you heard someone when confronted in sin reply: “It’s MY life”??!!! Christians from Corinth to Kirkwood and everywhere in-between use this excuse.
Take a deeper look with me at Paul’s powerfully potent words:
“All things are lawful,”
but not all things are helpful.
“All things are lawful,”
but not all things build up. (ESV)
Paul is trying to expose the selfishness of the average Corinthian John and Jane. They were living their lives as if they were an island. What they did was their own personal business. “Leave my private life alone” they declared.
Paul again mocks the Corinthian adage that “all things are lawful” and that private choices don’t really matter to the community (see 6:12 also). God does give me freedom in Christ. But, NOT every choice, behavior, or action is helpful. Only certain choices, behaviors, and actions build up.
Burning Question: Can I really live however I want? Is it really MY life?
Weekly Nuggets:
~ If you are a Christian, you no longer own your life.
~ Your character is who you are & what you do – in public AND in private.
~ You may be making private choices that are tearing others down.
The wall between our home and our church
is thinner than we may think.
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2 comments:
I thought the discussions in class today were good!! It's hard to tell where to draw the line when it comes to doing some things. As I've read this passage a couple more times, it seems like Paul is saying that I have the freedom to do anything that to me isn't sinful. But first I should look around and see if it will be a problem for someone else who sees me. In verse 33 Paul says he tries to please everyone in every way. Wow, that's impossible to do! But if I think of others first, it should take care of many problems.
So how do these verses apply to the music the Worship Team picks to sing? Or do they apply? No matter what we do someone will not like it because we have such a diverse congregation. Should we only be concerned if we cause a brother to sin? Or should we also be concerned about offending them? And how do we know if we have? To me, music style is just a preference and we should be able to worship God with any music, but I know there are some who don't feel that way.
Great thoughts Jill! I suppose the key to this verse is very likely the following verse: "Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others." This would apply to worship team, Sunday School, and every area of our lives and our church. It means asking those hard questions you ask. It means struggling with the needs and desires of others.
I think Paul would say that once you decide to sing something, do it for God's glory (vs. 31), causing no one to stumble (vs. 32).
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