Pursue What Is Beneficial
In the book of 1st Corinthians, the apostle Paul in several places addresses a saying that was well known among the church at Corinth. The phrase was misunderstood by some, and outright abused by others. The saying was this:
“All things are lawful for me.”
Paul takes it up first in 1 Corinthians 6:12 where he writes:
”’All things are lawful for me’, but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.”
Then again in 1 Corinthains 10:23,
“‘All things are lawful', but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful’, but not all things build up.”
Immediately following the quote in chapter 6, he addresses the immorality that was happening within the church. The grace and freedom that they received in Christ, was being used to negate or ignore the moral law of God. A law that is binding on all people, in all places, at all times. They may have lived in such a way that thought: Jesus has given me grace and saved me, so now I can go about my life as before.
Many Christian’s live this way today. They see that they need forgiveness from Jesus, but then continue to take their cues about how to live from the culture and people around them. They pursue money and a career in the same way everyone around them does. They pursue relationships in the way everyone around them does. They decide how to spend their time in the way everyone around them does. And maybe these things are true of some areas of your life as well.
The gospel doesn’t just cover our sins, but changes our lives. So at a minimum, let us seek to do what it right. It is certainly better to do what is permissible, versus what is prohibited by God.
But here in 1 Corinthians, Paul wants us to think beyond what is permissible, to what is beneficial. There are things we are free to do that won’t bring any benefit to ourselves or others. In fact, there are good things that can start to master you, to consume you, that actually bring harm to you. They can become idols that preoccupy us and take too much of our time, or our money, or our affection. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
The basic question is: Is this permissible? The more mature questions is: Is this beneficial? Will this build me or others around me up, to know and enjoy God more? Will this help me to delight in things I should delight in?
Another way to put it, is that we don’t want to be bare minimum Christians. Just doing the bare minimum of what God requires and being content with that. The difference between giving thought to what is beneficial, or not, has significant implications on your life.
It may be the difference in bearing good fruit and being effective in your faith, or not.
It may be the difference between learning to digest the solid mature food that we get in God’s Word, or not. It may be the difference between being solidly anchored to Christ, or being tossed to and fro by every circumstance and by every wave of opinion that comes your way.
Take, for example, a man who has shipwrecked at sea. He is stranded with no real hope to survive. Until at last, another ship that is passing by notices him desperately treading water. They throw a life preserver out to him and pull him to the side of the boat. They offer to lift him up inside, but are shocked when he declines. He says he is fine to stay where he is, after all he can now keep his head above water and breath. He cares little to be helped into the boat to get sailed back to land where he can distance himself from the risk of drowning, and have solid ground under his feet again. He is not drowning, but he is still floating along in the freezing cold water and is still susceptible to the wind and the waves.
To live as a bare minimum Christian is to live like that man. So church, let us seek to not only pursue what is permissible, but what is beneficial, so that in God’s kindness we may make strides in our faith. That we may be built up in Christ, who is our sure and steady foundation.
Let’s pray.
Father,
We thank you that in Jesus Christ, you have set us free. By your death on our behalf, we are free from the fear of death. We are free from the condemnation of the law. We are free from having to earn our salvation. By your grace we have been set free. Would you teach us to not use our freedom as an opportunity for our flesh, to gratify its desires. Father, we confess that even after being freed from sin, we have still lived for ourselves and have been at times comfortable to stay in the sin you died to free us from. Holy Spirit reveal to us any hidden sin, and help us to look to Christ as we confess our sins in silence right now.
Father,
We thank you for your conquering grace that was given to us through your son. Thank you that you love us and delight in us because of the all sufficient merit of Christ. We thank you that just as you Father, are pleased in the Son, so you are also pleased with us since we are united to Jesus by trusting in Him. Jesus, help us now to live for you. We pray this in your name, Amen.