Permissible But Not Always Profitable

1 Corinthians 10:23 says this, "You say, 'I am allowed to do anything'—but not everything is good for you. You say, 'I am allowed to do anything'—but not everything is beneficial."

And when I read it I recalled a conversation I witnessed on a public social media platform between 2 Christian friends a couple years ago. They were discussing their conflicting opinions on a topic and both were expressing their side pretty passionately. It was getting heated. And out of control fairly quickly.

And my heart sank.

Because for sure one thing God has been teaching me over the years of walking with Him is that my position as a child of God doesn't come without responsibility, and this journey of faith is to bring me into a deeper, fuller, more passionate relationship with Him, not equip me to better argue points of contention with those who disagree with me.

While I deeply believe that I am to defend the cross and contend for righteous living that honors God, I am not to abuse my liberty by the insistence of winning arguments. My freedom is to demonstrate my love for Jesus, edify the body of believers, attract those outside the faith, and glorify God.

In other words, there are limits to my liberty.

I have a responsibility to do everything... everything... in love.

Matthew 12:37 says, "The words you say will either acquit you, or condemn you."

The choices we make about the words we speak matter.

And we will be held accountable by every word that leaves our lips. Matthew 12:36 says that, "...on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak."

I have been a part of arguments and witnessed many debates over unnecessary "carelessness." And it is my strong belief that it's why many in the kingdom do not advance spiritually into the fullness Jesus died for them to experience.

We've got to get it in the marrow of our bones that we must recognize when to abstain from "lawful" things if by doing them we bring more harm than good. There are people for whom we unknowingly create stumbling blocks for on their way to the cross.

Oh that I would never stand in their way of getting to Jesus!

The question becomes this: "Will my example call out imitation in others and is my witness creating an irresistibility for Jesus? Or is my example causing an obstacle, or worse yet, a fatality for others?"

If I know personally and have experienced privately the manifest presence of Jesus and the grace that comes from a relationship with Him, then I owe the world this same kind of encounter.

I must remind myself daily that there are limits to liberty... there have been parameters placed on my privileges. I am not only called to represent Him well, but I am to RE-PRESENT Him to a world who've been previously shown a different kind of God than the One I know, love, and serve.

Though it may be permissible, it's not always profitable in kingdom work.