Law of Limitation

HEAVEN'S FIXED LAWS

Ron Dunn

1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23-33

12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

23All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. 24Let no man seek his own, but every man another's. 25Whatsoever is sold in the marketplace, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 26For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. 27If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 28But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: 29Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? 30For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 31Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

One of the first things God said to man was "thou shalt not." He placed man in the Garden of Eden and gave him dominion over all things that God had created. God had made abundant provision for man so that he could live his life in fullness and in fellowship. Yet in the midst of all that, God had a limitation. God had a prohibition. And he said of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, "Thou shalt not eat of it."

At the very beginning of human history, God enunciates the law of prohibition or the law of limitation. Running throughout the Bible, you'll find over and over again God setting up limitations and prohibitions. There are certain things that man is not to touch. There are certain things that man is not to partake of.

The reason that God sets the law of limitation is for man's good and for God's glory. The basic law of all human existence is a law of negative and a law of limitations. Thou shalt not have any other gods before me. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Thou shalt not bear false witness. Thou shalt not covet. Running through the New Testament you will find the same law of limitation. The Christian who ignores and violates the law of limitation will never find the fullness of Christ in his life that God intends him to have.

We are going to take these passages that I have read and two or three others, and we are going to investigate just a little deeper God's law of limitation. In these verses we read a moment ago, Paul laid down two great principles for the Christian life.

I. Law of Liberty

Paul says all things are lawful for me. He says I have the right, I have the power, I can do anything. There is the law of liberty in the Christian life. Sometimes, we get the idea that Jesus Christ and his salvation isn't a liberating thing--that there is no freedom in it. There is. Paul said all things are lawful for me. Yet, on the other hand, not all things are expedient. So there is the law of liberty. Paul means by this that Christianity, my salvation, is not dependent upon rules and regulations. I am not saved by keeping rules and regulations. Nor am I lost by disobeying rules and regulations. Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works lest any man should boast. So Paul can say all things are lawful for me.

Sometimes a person will come and ask, "As a Christian, can I do thus and so? If I ever come to Jesus and become a Christian, can I do this and can I do that?" Salvation is not dependent upon the things that you do. Salvation is by grace (that means God provides it all). It is received through faith.

Several years ago I was preaching a revival in Hurst, Texas, and a lady who had been attending the services came to me afterward and said, "I would like to be a Christian but I need to ask you one question. I know how narrow-minded you Baptists are (of course, I could have told her of a lot of Baptists who aren't narrow), and I love to drink. If I get saved, will I have to give up my drinking?" I told her, "That is beside the point. Why do you ask that question?" She said she enjoyed drinking and didn't see anything wrong with it. I said, "Let me ask you a question. Would you be willing to come to Jesus without any reservation, holding back nothing, and if after you were saved, one day God came to you and told you that was wrong and he wanted you to stop it, would you be willing to do that? If God shows you someday that it is wrong, would you be willing to stop it? She said, "Sure, if God showed me that it was wrong, if he showed me that it was a sin, I would quit it." I told her not to worry about that, just come to Jesus. One night during the service she came and was saved. God really did a work of salvation. She came to me a few nights later and said, "Hey, do you know what?" I started to say, "Yes, I know what." She said, "You know that problem I was talking about? I just don't have any desire to do that anymore."

Salvation is not dependent upon rules and regulations. If I had told her she had to be willing to give up that thing, and that it was a sin, then I would have been saying to her that salvation is dependent upon what you are able to give up. No person is able to give up anything in his own strength. He comes to Jesus without reservation, willing to let Jesus take everything that is wrong away from him, and then Jesus does it.

D. L. Moody had a man come to him one time and he said, "If I get saved, will I be able to drink all I want to?" The man was saved and came back and said, "Mr. Moody, I don't want to drink anymore."

Paul is saying that all things are lawful for me. Understand that we are not condoning this tonight but Paul is saying that Christianity is not a matter of rules and regulations. You are not saved by what you do, and you are not lost by what you do. One of the greatest verses in all the New Testament is John 3:18 where he says,

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.

What is it that condemns a man?--the fact that he believes not. Years ago someone handed me a little tract. On the first page in red letters was the question, "What must I do to be saved?" I opened the next page and listed certain Scriptures telling me what I had to do to be saved. I turned the next page and there was another question in red ink. "What must I do to be lost?" I flipped to the next page and one word stared at me: nothing. I don't have to do anything to be lost. A man does not go to hell because he lies or steals or cheats or drinks; he goes to hell because he believes not in the Son of God.

II. Law of Limitation

So Paul says "all things are lawful for me." That means my salvation does not depend on these things. So there is the law of liberty. There is in that same expression the law of limitation. All things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient

All things are lawful but I will not be brought under the power of anything. So there is the law of limitation.

God can only bless your life as long as you recognize and bow in submission to the law of limitation. There are some things that are wrong for the Christian to be a part of. Now the Bible is not a rule book; it is a guide book. Many things that the Bible talks about might not be relevant to us today. For instance, you and I don't have any problem with eating meat that has been offered to idols. Many of the passages that we are going to be reading tonight deal with the question of whether a Christian should eat meat that has been sacrificed to a pagan god. Now, I can't remember when I last faced that issue in my life. That just isn't relevant to me. It has been a long time since a teenager has come to me and asked what is wrong with eating meat that has been offered to idols.

Paul enunciates a principle by which you can look at anything and judge whether or not it is right or wrong. By the way, that is one of the exercises of a spiritual person. A carnal Christian never evaluates anything, never judges anything; he just goes without thinking and takes what is offered him and indulges in anything he feels like doing.

1 Corinthians 2 says, he that is spiritual judges all things. He has the ability to look at two things and determine whether or not this is in the will of God. Preacher, is it right or wrong to dance? Is it right or wrong to smoke? Is it right or wrong to play cards? I'm not going to tell you. It would be an injustice to you if I gave you my conviction. You can't be saved on another person's faith, and you can't grow your convictions on another person's convictions either. Many of us go through life riding on the coattail of somebody else's convictions.

What I want to do is to show you five principles, five tests that God gives to us. The Bible says you are your own spiritual high priest. You have the Spirit of God dwelling in you. You ought to take these five things that the Apostle Paul mentions and you ought to evaluate anything and everything in the light of these five things to discover if something is right or wrong. Take that thing that is in your mind and stand it up beside these five spiritual examinations. It will reveal to you whether or not this thing is right in the sight of God. If you will take these five tests, write them down, jot them in the margin of your Bible somewhere, I do not know of anything you will ever face in your life in regard to amusement, practice, or indulgence that testing by these five things will not throw light and give to you the will of God in that situation. The Bible is our guidebook. The Bible is relevant for all these issues because the Bible never changes, and man never changes. When you have those two things that never change, then the Bible is able to speak to our hearts. We can take these five spiritual tests and examine everything about which you have a question. What is the first test?

1. The Test of Expediency

In 1 Corinthians 12:6 Paul says all things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient. Now what does that mean? We get our word expedition from this. It has to do with foot travel. Paul says all things are lawful for me. I can do anything without it costing my salvation. My salvation isn't a matter of rules and regulations. I'm not shackled by ordinances of men: touch not, taste not, or handle not. But he says that what he is limited by is that not everything helps me on my way. I am a pilgrim. This is not my home. I'm just passing through. Not everything helps me make that journey. This is the first test that Paul comes to. Not all things are expedient. Not all things help me on my way.

Many Christians are ignorant of the principle here. The question for a Christian is not so much "Is this thing right? Is this thing lawful? Is it allowable?" The question is, "Is this best for me?" Because, you see, as a Christian you not only have an obligation to do that which is good; you have an obligation to do that which is best. That Christian who lowers his sight to just merely get by by the skin of his teeth and doesn't check his sights on the best, is sinning against God. You have an obligation to seek the best, the thing that will help you most in living your Christian life.

Paul said there are some things that are not really wrong but if I pick up those things, they are going to slow me down just a little bit. There is not a thing wrong with a fellow carrying a 50 pound pack on his back but it would be a little bit difficult to run the 100 yard dash with that pack on his back. That is what Paul is talking about. There are some things that really aren't wrong in themselves but they slow me down in my Christian life. Now, this is the first test.

You've got this thing on your mind. There is some doubt about it. You have a question about it. Let me put the question to you: This thing that you are participating in, does it help you become a better Christian? Or does it slow you down a little bit? Does it kind of take your mind off the Lord a little bit? Or would it make prayer a little more difficult? Does this thing help you? You see, it must have a positive influence. Does it help you in your Christian life? You would have to say to be honest you don't know. Sometimes you think its is all right; sometimes you think it is wrong. You have a doubt about it.

The Bible has something to say about those things that are doubtful. In Romans 14 Paul is talking about the same thing--meat being offered to idols. This is a big issue. This was the dancing of Paul's day I guess. This was the movies and card playing. Man, these were the big issues. I guess Paul was preaching in Corinth on youth night, and he was preaching on eating meat offered to idols. So in Romans 14 he comes to the same issue. Notice what he says in verse 20-23:

For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Now I submit to you that is a very disturbing definition of sin. Paul says whatsoever is not of faith is sin. He that doubteth and eats (the word in the King James is damned. That's not the best translation. It means he is condemned; God judges him for doing this.) Now, I want you to get the picture. Paul has already stated that there is nothing wrong in itself with eating meat offered to idols. It is just meat. God made meat for the stomach and the stomach for meat. They are both to perish with the using. There's not a thing wrong with eating meat offered to idols. All things are pure. But he says that if you have a doubt about it and you don't know if it is right or not and you go ahead and eat (even though eating the meat itself is not a sin) with a doubt about it, you've sinned against God. If you go ahead and indulge in those doubtful things, even if you have a doubt as to whether it is in the will of God, you have sinned.

Do you remember when television first came out? I remember when it came to my hometown in 1954. A lot of preachers said it was a sin to watch television. I don't think there is anything wrong with watching television itself. There are some things wrong on television but the mere act of sitting down and watching it is not a sin. But let's suppose that preacher instilled some doubt in my mind about it. I was a little confused and didn't know whether it was right or wrong. So I could not sit down and watch that thing in perfect faith saying I know this is acceptable to God. If I watch that in doubt, God says I have sinned. Whatever you do, and you cannot do that with a firm conviction that this is pleasing and acceptable to God, that thing is a sin to you. You say, preacher, I don't know if this thing is expedient or not. I have a doubt. Sometimes I think it helps; sometime I think it hinders. Well then, God has already told you what to do about it. If you go ahead and continue in that thing when you have the slightest doubt about it, it is a sin to you.

I wonder tonight if we have enough courage to get on Biblical ground. Would you be willing tonight to say that you really believe the book, you are going to obey the book and get rid of everything in your life that is questionable? Now, God may show you that it is not wrong and give it back to you. He may show you that it is wrong and keep it away from you. Regardless of what he does, are you willing to get on Biblical ground and obey the revelation of God's Word, and get rid of everything in your life that is questionable? You say you don't have any proof that it is sin. Is there a doubt? Yes. Then it is wrong. Get rid of it. Always give God the benefit of the doubt. When in doubt, don't. If it doesn't positively help you in your Christian life, anything there that might hold you back, then it is a sin.

2. The Test of Enslavement

Look again at 1 Corinthians 6:12:

All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

I will not be brought under the power of any. Right here is where you discover the sinfulness in a great many things. When that thing begins to master and control you, it is a sin. Now, it may not be a sin for this fellow over here because it doesn't master him; it's not controlling him. But if it is controlling you, if it is your master, then it is a sin.

Every once in awhile someone will ask me, "What do you think is wrong with smoking?" Right here is what is wrong with it. If you have come to the place where you say you have to have this, you can't do without it. That thing is your master. Do you know what that does? That reverses salvation. Jesus came to save us, to free us from the slavery of all things.

The Bible says you cannot serve two masters. This body of mine--all of its appetites, all of its desires--is supposed to be the solitary, exclusive slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. If there is anything else in this world to which I am a slave, then I am committing treason against the Lord Jesus Christ. I am taking that which alone belongs to his Lordship, and I am submitting my body to other than Jesus. That becomes a sin. This is one of the purposes of fasting. This is one reason God over and over again indicates the law of fasting to his people so that they will not be brought under the power of their appetite.. That is just as much a sin as anything else.

This thing--what is it? It may be music, it may be some habit. It could be one thousand and one things. If something becomes your master and you become a slave to it, you are under its power. Then it is a sin in your life. So there is the test of enslavement. All things are lawful but I will not be brought under the power of anything.

3. The Test of Edification

Let's look over in 1 Corinthians 10:23. This is the third test. Paul says:

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

All things don't build up. This has to do with our relationship to other people. We get our word edifice from this Greek word edify. The test of expediency had to do with my own spiritual relationship. The test of edification has to do with my relationship to other brothers and sisters in Jesus. Have you noticed something as we've read these verses? If you would go home tonight and read Romans 14, 1 Corinthians 8, 1 Corinthians 6 and 1 Corinthians 10, you would find a consistency in every passage. In each passage Paul is talking about our relationship to our brothers and sisters in Christ. To me this is one of the most important tests in asking if this thing is right or wrong. Paul says all things are lawful but all things do not edify. Let's look back over in 1 Corinthians 8:9. Here again, let's get on Biblical ground just like we did with the things that are doubtful and obey the Word of God. 1 Corinthians 8:9-13:

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened (or edified) to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to (sin, stumble, fall) offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to (fall) offend.

The test of edification. Paul says you are your brother's keeper. You do have a spiritual and moral responsibility for the spiritual welfare of other Christians. And he said actually the question of whether it is right or wrong is irrelevant. That's not really the question. That's not really important. Even if this thing is all right, if I am in the presence of a brother who is weaker than I (they always think they are stronger), and he believes it is wrong, and he has confidence in me, if I do this thing, it is going to wound his weak conscience. It's going to cause him to stumble, to sin. Paul says I am not to do it. You may say, "I'm free. The Lord saved me. I have a right to live the way I want to live. I have liberty, and I don't care if this weak brother is narrow-minded. He is just going to have to take these things. I'm going ahead and do what I want to do. Paul says when you wound the conscience of a weak brother, you sin against Christ. There are some things that are right that are wrong if I do them because I do them in such a way that it causes a weak brother to be offended, to sin, to fall. I think the best way to put this test of edification is to ask if this thing you are indulging in, this thing you are participating in, if everybody knew about it, would it make them a stronger Christian? Would it lift you up spiritually in their sight? Would this questionable thing that you are involved in it be all right if everybody knew about it or would you be very mortified if everybody found out about it? Do you think it would cause people to not think so highly of you if they knew about it? Then you need to check up. There is a doubt there as to whether or not that thing is right. If people found out about it, would it help them to be a better Christian? Would it raise their confidence in you, or would it destroy their confidence in you?

4. The Test of Evangelism

Look at 1 Corinthians 10:32-33. Paul says:

Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God (That includes everybody the Jews and the Gentiles are the ones that are lost, and the church of God are the ones who are saved. Paul says don't give offense to anybody, saved or lost.): Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many (Why?), that they may be saved.

Here is the test of evangelism. What about this thing that you are thinking about right now? You are trying to hang on to it and trying to justify why it is all right. You really want to know whether or not it is right or wrong in the sight of God. All right, as you are doing this thing, as you are involved in this thing, would you be able to witness to somebody about Jesus and have a testimony?

I remember a number of years ago a young girl came and said, "Preacher, I don't see a thing wrong with dancing. We go up to the YWCA, the Young Women's Christian Association, and we have our dances. I don't see a thing wrong with it because they are chaperoned." I told her, "That was all right. I'm not going to tell you it is right or wrong. God has to convict you. I am not going to try to tell you what's right and wrong. By the way, let me ask you to do something. The next time you are dancing with a boy, while you are on the dance floor, why don't you tell that boy how much Jesus means to you. Witness to him." She looked at me and said, "Preacher, I couldn't do that." I asked her why not. She said, "That would be out of place." I said, "If that is out of place, you are out of place."

The test of evangelism. There may be some teenagers in our church who don't really have a testimony and can't really witness to their boyfriend or girlfriend because of the way they behave on a date. They want to know whether or not the way they behave on a date is right or wrong. Here's a test. While you are engaged in your dating life, can you tell this person about Jesus? It's the test of evangelism.

You say you don't think there's anything wrong with some of the language you use, or the jokes you tell on the job. All right, can you tell those suggestive jokes with one breath and talk to that fellow about Jesus with the other? Or are those two things a little inconsistent with each other?

The test of evangelism. Paul says I don't please myself. Right there is the crux of the whole matter. Some of us have determined we are going to please ourselves no matter what. Paul says he does not live for his own profit but for the profit of others, giving none offense in order that they may be saved.

There is in all probability one thing in somebody's life that keeps you

from having an effective witness to a lost friend. There may be one habit, one inconsistency, one little pleasure, one thing that keeps you from having an effective witness with that lost friend. Every time you think about witnessing to him, the devil accuses you of this thing, and the Spirit of God convicts you of it. Though you do not witness to him, God has put you there as a light, as a witness. If that man is not witnessed to and dies without Christ and goes to hell, when you stand at the judgment seat of Christ, I want you to know that one thing that you clung to is going to be mighty insignificant when it is measured in the balances with the weight of an eternal soul. I don't what it is tonight that keeps you from being an effective witness with that member of your family, or that boyfriend, or that girlfriend. I want to ask you tonight, "Is your love for that one little thing worth the soul of a person?" Is it? That is exactly how much value you are placing on it. If that thing keeps you from having freedom in witnessing and testifying, you are placing a greater value on that thing.

5. The Test of Exaltation

This is found in 1 Corinthians 10:31 where Paul says: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." There is the test of exaltation. You ask one last question about this thing. Does this thing glorify God? Can I do this thing and glorify God? Can I do this thing and ask the blessings of Jesus upon it? Can I? If you cannot, then it is a sin. Whatever you do, whether it is eating or drinking, whatever it is you are to do it all for the glory of God in the name of Jesus Christ. If you cannot do that thing for the glory of God and Jesus Christ is not exalted in it, or if there is a doubt about it, then you need to withdraw from that activity. If you have a doubt about anything, whether it is expedient, whether or not it is edifying, whether it is enslaving, whether it is a good witness, whether or not it exhalts the Lord, then Paul has already told you what to do in Romans 14:23. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin, and he that doubteth is condemned if he eat.

The first test is the test of expediency. Does this thing make a positive contribution to your spiritual growth? Does it give you a boost? Does it help you on your way?

Second is the test of enslavement. Does this thing have you in its power? Are you its master? Are you its slave? You say, I've just got to have this or do this. I have no control over it. I have no power over it.

Third is the test of edification. If other people saw you doing this or found out about it, would it help them in their Christian life? Would it make them a better Christian, or would it cause them to lose confidence in it?

Fourth is the test of evangelism. Does this help your testimony? Can you witness to somebody and tell them about Jesus while you are in the very act of doing this?

Fifth, and last, is the test of exaltation. Does this thing exalt the Lord Jesus Christ? Does it glorify God. Is God glorified in your participation is this?

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