Why can’t I do that?

How do I live in “grey” areas?
Romans 14 1 Corinthians 8 1 Corinthians 10

Teenagers – why? It seems so logical to me. Everyone is doing it. Don’t you trust me. I am tired of people telling me what to do. I want to make my own decisions.

What’s wrong with all these statements – wrong perspective. All focused on me.

To make good decisions about questionable things – must change perspective.

Got it all wrong – approach the life as if it is all about me – what will make me happy, what can I do that will bring me happiness, prove to me scripture forbids any specific action, central focus on me

Asking the wrong questions – driven by the wrong focus

Focus on others – what will benefit them – how can I best live to help them grow

Focus on displaying the glory of God – how can I most clearly reveal Him

Doesn’t mean some choices might not be still difficult to make. However, the very fact that they are difficult may make them exceedingly important.

For Paul one of the big ‘grey areas’ was meat offered to idols.

I want to be accurate – faithful to scripture

I want to be gracious – love and not unnecessarily divisive or judgmental

I want to be helpful – identify truth and application that is critically necessary for Christian growth – there may be some reasons that are Christian growth remains stunted or inhibited – let’s break free and dare to take fresh steps – let’s allow Christ to shine forth in fresh new ways – someone else’s life might be dependent upon it

I.        Can I?: ‘Grey area’ principles

A.     Christians have liberty

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 10 23 All things are lawful for me,

(NKJV) Romans 14  14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself;

1.      Christians are not driven by rules

2.      Freedom from keeping the burden of the Law

3.      Sin is still sin – but not driven by rules

B.     No one lives in isolation

Romans 14 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

1.      Actions impacts others

C.     Not all things lead to personal grow

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 10 23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.

1.      Focus on what is helpful

2.      Focus on what builds up

D.    Not all things cause others to grow

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 10 23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

1.      Focus on impact on others

2.      Focus on helping and edifying others

E.     Glorifying God in all things

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 10 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1.      Everything should make God look good

2.      Everything should contribute to glorifying God

F.     Pursue kingdom life not liberty

(NKJV) Romans 14 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.  19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

II.    Can I?: Look at impact on others

A.     Knowledge alone leads to self-centered decisions

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 8 1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

1.      No one can tell me what to do

2.      I don’t have to please anyone but me

3.      I can do what I want

4.      Prove to me this is wrong

B.     Love must be the guide

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 8 1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

(NKJV) Romans 14 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love.

1.      Seeking the benefit of others

C.     Don’t cause others to fall

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 8 8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. 9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

(NKJV) Romans 14 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.

Romans 14 15 … Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.

Romans 14 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food

D.    Don’t become judgmental toward others

(NKJV) Romans 14 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.

III. Can I?: EX: Can I Eat Idol Meat

A.     Nothing inherently wrong with the meat

1.      Idols have no real existence

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 8 4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one.

2.      The meat will not harm you

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 10 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”

B.     Be concerned with impact on others

1.      How will the lost view it?

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 10 27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake;

2.      How will the weaker Christian view it?

 (NKJV) 1 Corinthians 8 7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

3.      Will it cause someone else to fall?

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 8 8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. 9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.

4.      Will it cause someone to sin?

 (NKJV) Romans 14  14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

5.      Causing others to sin is then your sin

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 8 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

C.     Inhibit liberty for others

1.      Inhibit liberty if you may cause another to sin

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 8 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

IV. Can I?: Other non ‘Grey’ issues

1.      Is it harmful to me?

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 6 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

a)      Don’t harm the body – doesn’t belong to you

b)      Sexual immorality sin against the body

2.      Does it impact God’s image in me?

a)      You are the temple of God – God indwells – the means by which others see God

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 3 9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 … But let each one take heed how he builds on it. (reward/loss reward) … 16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

3.      Does it take control?

(NKJV) Ephesians 5 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

a)       – don’t be controlled by wine but by the Spirit

b)      A substance that assumes control over me

4.      Does it enslave?

(NKJV) 1 Corinthians 6 12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

(NKJV) Romans 6 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness

19 … For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

5.      Does it offend others?

a)      Does the activity impact my testimony to others

b)      Outside the cultural norms?

c)      Considered unacceptable behavior by those I seek to influence

6.      Does it cause others to fall?

a)      Does it become an excuse for others to engage in unhealthy behavior

b)      Will I encourage others to do what is sin for them (not convinced of acceptableness of the behavior – do it because I do it)

c)      Do others not have the same restraint as I do

7.      Does it glorify Christ?

a)      Do whatever you do for the Lord

V.    Can I?: Conclusions

A.     Don’t use other people’s struggles or choices to justify your decisions

B.     Be honest about the impact on yourself

C.     Focus on your impact on others

D.    Seek God’s direction for you  

E.     Make the decision for the glory of Christ

F.     If conscience troubles you – don’t do it

G.    Don’t judge others

H.    Can choose your actions, cannot choose the results of those actions

VI. Why I abstain from alcohol and think you should too

A.     Disclaimer

1.      Taking a drink of alcohol is not a sin

2.      Jesus drank alcohol

a)      Likely diluted

b)      Purification

c)      Little options available

3.      Jesus made alcoholic drink

4.      I do not condemn those who disagree – but I will declare my opinion

B.     The problem with alcohol

1.      Alcohol is an epidemic problem in America

2.      Is it harmful?

Financial – most abused by those least able to afford it

Ruins lives – destroys children – devastates spouses

Impaired driving

3.      Does it take control?

No one slips off and buys a six pack of ginger ale and goes off and has a party

Most argue it is appropriate based on a single drink – then go off and get drunk

4.      Does it enslave?

Unable to break free

Escape mechanism

Emotional dependence

Physical dependence

5.      Does it offend others?

a)      My dad viewed Church folks as hypocrites because of it

6.      Does it cause others to fall?

a)      Cause others to drink who cannot control it

b)      Cause children to drink and ruin their lives

7.      Does it glorify Christ?

a)      ??

C.     Could add smoking to this list with many of the same justifications

Number one health problem

Not accepted in mainstream society  / unacceptable for Christians