You belong to Christ

 All Things:

 

            Lawful:

 

1 Corinthians 3:21-23

21     So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you,

     22     whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,

     23     and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

 

1 Corinthians 6:12

12     All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.

    

 

1 Corinthians 10:23

23     All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

     

            While all things may be lawful for the child of God, it does not mean that he/she should do them. There are many things that absolutely would not bring glory to God. That is, they would not edify (lift up) those around us. In fact, they can do just the reverse. We do not want to do anything that would dishonor the name of Jesus. Also, these things can take charge of our lives if we’re not careful. Paul said he would not be mastered by anything. Just like with someone who becomes an alcoholic, you don’t know whether it will be the first time or some later time that you do something that could bring you under its power. So we should avoid doing these things the first time and not take a chance on them becoming habitual.

 

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "I have set My children free … free to obey Me. There are not a lot of do’s and don’ts. I have but one commandment … that you follow My Spirit in your every day life. He will show you what to do and what to say. If I had given you a bunch of commandments, you would strive to keep them and miss what I have for you to do. When you obeyed the commandments, you would have felt good and thought that you were pleasing to Me. When you disobeyed them, you would have felt bad and thought that you were displeasing to Me. You are not to judge yourself on what list of things that you do or don’t do. You are to judge yourself on whether or not you listen to My voice telling you what to do.”

 

            84. All things belong to me and all things are lawful for me to do. However, I will choose to do only those things that are profitable and that will edify myself and others.