“All things are lawful” (6:12; 10:23), BUT…
- Will this help me and others or harm me and others (6:12a)?
- Will this free me or enslave me (6:12b)?
- Will this cause my brothers to stand or to stumble (8:9, 13)?
- Will this build up or tear down (10:23)?
- Will this result in good for my neighbor or just for myself (10:24)?
- Will this bring glory to God or not (10:31)?
- Will this be pleasing to others or offensive to them (10:31-32)?
- Will this help others be saved or damned (10:33)?
You might be thinking, “Christian decision-making is way too complicated! I’m not going to do all that question-asking!”
You don’t use a checklist like this if you have to decide whether or not to pass somebody on the freeway or what to order off the menu at a restaurant or whether or not to invite the whole class to your kid’s birthday party.
Generally speaking, read your Bible, pray, ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit, and use your sanctified common sense!
But some of the decisions you will have to make need to be nuanced. And questions like these can be tucked away inside your Bible to help you.
